Bunduki Boo-Boos

[BlackRhino]

Recently I have read following article published 1995 in a GUNS&AMMO special issue (Big-Bore Rifles) by Tom Siatos. Perhaps you will also find his article interesting, and I wonder if AH members can report similar mysterious phenomena involving rifle or ammunition malfunctions.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I can think of a few over the last 65 plus years of my life as a hunter (so far):

The underbite of my uncle’s 12 gauge (2.75” chamber) fully choked BSA Model XII cracked.

The ejector of my old Pakistani 12 gauge (2.65” chamber) fully choked Sikender shotgun used to frequently fail.

I had the extractor of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Remington Model 700 Classic break during a Cape buffalo hunt.

I had the ejectors of a Belgium made .458 Winchester Magnum boxlock ejector side by side double rifle fail during a Cape buffalo hunt.

I’ve seen the ejectors fail on a brand new .458 Winchester Magnum Holland & Holland Royale sidelock ejector double rifle.

I had a 300Gr .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Winchester Silver Tip (post 1970 aluminum jacketed version) break apart upon striking the chest muscles of a large male lion which I had shot over bait.

I had a 300Gr .375 caliber Speer Grand Slam soft point break apart upon striking the scapula of a large male lion shot over bait.

I had the bolt of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum BRNO ZKK602 fail to open after firing 300Gr RWS Kegelspitze KS cone point factory loads in them (which were extremely hotly loaded).

I had 400Gr RWS nickel jacketed round nosed FMJ solids (factory loads) fired from a .404 Jeffery, which broke apart on a hippopotamus bull when attempting body shots.

I had 347Gr RWS nickel jacketed round nosed FMJ solids (factory loads) fired from a 10.75x68mm Mauser, which broke apart after penetrating only four inches of FLESH (no bone) on a Cape buffalo.

I had 300Gr Prvi Partizan copper jacketed round nosed FMJ solids (factory loads) fired from a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum pre ‘64 Winchester Model 70, which broke apart upon striking a bull elephant’s skull when attempting frontal brain shots. These same rounds were very inconsistently produced. Out of a box of 20 rounds, 11 cartridges would permit you to close the bolt of a pre ‘64 Winchester Model 70 over them… while the other nine would not.

I had the barrels of a 12 gauge (3.25” chamber) Isaac Hollis & Sons hammer bar action sidelock side by side shotgun break apart at the ribs when I fired a 36 gram Eley Alphamax No. 1 shell through it.

I had several Sellier & Bellot Plastik 32 gram 12 gauge (2.75”) shells misfire.

I’ve had a couple of floor plates unexpectedly pop open (during recoil) on rifles which were built on FN Mauser Series 400 actions. One of those rifles also had an articulated bolt release and (if the bolt was cycled very fast) the bolt would sometimes come out into the operator’s hands if any sand or dirt managed to get into the action.

I’ve seen extraction problems on a .460 Weatherby Magnum Mark V.

I’ve had a faulty sear on a .458 Winchester Magnum BSA Majestic (which would not engage properly during a fast cycling operation).

I’ve seen Remington Model 11-87 semi automatic 12 gauge (3” Magnum) shotguns encounter extraction failure.

I’ve seen a James Purdey & Sons 12 gauge (2.75” chamber) fully choked sidelock ejector shotgun get it’s left barrel bulged after firing Winchester Super X 9 pellet 00 Buck shells in it.

 

[Pondoro]

I had exactely the same experience with .375 RWS Kegelspitz factory in my ZKK 602 (ca. 1990..). I shot the ammo in subzero temp. and had to force the bolt up.. That ammo was plain downright dangerously overloaded..