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How many members have had a blow up of some sort with a rifle?
I've had a couple over the years but thought I might tell the story of one in particular.
The rifle was a '98 action sporter of a well known make and was chambered in 270 Win. I found it at a second hand dealer in Brisbane somewhere around 1981.
The rifle was a bit tatty but the price was right and I was looking for a "project" to play with which could then be used as a knock-about pig hunting gun.
Got the thing home and stripped it down for inspection prior to the tidy up.
The bore was in good condition but the throat was about half gone and there were a few burns on the bolt face, but otherwise everything appeared sound. The bolt face was a bit of a worry but I'd had rifles before with similar burns that functioned and shot without problems.
So I refinished the stock, cleaned all the metal work, adjusted the trigger etc etc.
Headed off to the rifle range with a couple of boxes of factory ammo to try out the new toy.
First shot hit the target somewhere, extracted ok, so I moved the scope adjustments and fired shot number two.
Went to open the bolt and found it was a bit tight and the primer was very flat with the appearance of high pressure.
As the ammo was factory stuff (130 grain) I figured it may have been just a little on the hot side but didn't expect things to get any worse.
Shift scope again and load round number three, squeeze trigger and BOOF!!!!!!!
Sparks fly from the action and I get some burning powder in the face!
Luckily both myself and the rifle do not appear to to have suffered serious injury.
The bolt is jammed tightly shut and is eventually opened using a hammer and block of wood.
Take a close look at the case and just about cr*p myself!!
The primer has fallen out, as the pocket and flash hole have expanded to what looks like about DOUBLE normal size!
The case head has expanded into the bolt face and resembles a belted magnum!
Whoa, decided it might be wise not to shoot this thing anymore.
Took rifle back to place of purchase and asked for a refund as I considered it unsafe.
Shop refused to refund unless a gunsmiths written report was issued declaring the rifle unsafe.
Took rifle to a gunsmith of their choice and explained what had happened.
Gunsmith blamed it on a bad batch of cartridges which was either overloaded or had soft brass. They declared the gun to be safe and sold me a couple of boxes of a different brand of ammo.
Feeling relieved that the rifle had been inspected by a gunsmith and had passed, I again headed off to the range with my different ammo.
Guess what?
Shot number one fine, shot number two a bit tight on the bolt lift.
To shoot or not to shoot, regarding shot number three, that was the question.
Anyone with half a brain would most likely have decided that something was still not right with this thing.
Not me though, being much younger, and believing in " no guts no glory" I of course loaded round number three and touched her off. I just had to know.
BOOFCA!!!!!!!! Thar she blows! Again!
Exactly the same as last time. Luckily, again no injury.
Return to gunsmith and say " You better have another look at this ******* thing!"
Gunsmith had the rifle for three weeks and checked it right out including slugging the bore, doing a chamber cast, checking headspace etc.
He couldn't find any reason for the blowup so he test fired it with a third brand of ammo and she blew up again on the third shot!
The guy ended up giving me a report saying that the rifle had an unknown problem and was unsafe.
The second hand shop then agreed to refund my money.
So, thinking back, I sure am glad that the action was a strong '98 Mauser, and that it held together and nobody was injured.
Thesedays I am a LOT more wary of any signs of excess pressure, but to this day do not know what actually caused this rifle to blow up in the way it did.