Range days sometimes go poorly...as in Ka Boom!

[sestoppelman]

Had my first catastrophic failure today in a .30-06 Mauser 98, the Churchill of recent acquisition, Sorry @Hunter-Habib!

Put a few sighter fouler rounds thru it, no problem. Started to shoot a mild handload, first shot KaBloowie! Rifle is toast, damage to the bolt, lug recesses set well back, extractor broken, stock badly broken, shooter shaken, but not stirred or injured, just pissed.

Not sure what caused it, probably never know, case head let go apparently, 52 grs of IMR 4350, Winchester case on 2nd load in same rifle, WLR primer, 180 gr Sierra Game King.

Had to beat the bolt out of the receiver, salvage a few parts but otherwise its totaled.

Barrel is good, was not an obstruction issue. It certainly got my attention, though oddly nobody else at the range noticed at all!
A few pics.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Dang. Glad it was just a rifle with injuries. Maybe buy a lotto ticket today.

 

[sestoppelman]

Yeah, its a bummer but its just stuff and I got lots of stuff.

 

[Mekaniks]

Wow

 

[HWL]

Be happy....the Mauser saved your butt...!!!
Or..... every landing you can walk away is a good landing.

HWL

 

[Bullthrower338]

Glad you are ok Scott! Shits about the rifle! Can always buy a new rifle, but a bolt through the cheek is forever!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Good Heavens ! @sestoppelman you could have gotten hurt. I'm incredibly relieved to hear that you're completely safe and unharmed.

Did you use these same hand loads in other rifles in the past without problems ?

On this March, My Churchill Gun Makers Model Deluxe in 7x57mm Mauser will have been giving me 35 years of hard service in the hunting fields of Asia & Africa & Europe & Australia & North America & South America. If it ever failed me even once during these 35 years, then I would not be amongst the living today.

I wish that there was some way that we could find out exactly what went wrong.

Stay safe.

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

The only times I’ve seen something like that (barrel undamaged, case head and bolt face destroyed) was incorrect powder, pistol powder in two cases. It’s fascinating in a scary way. Glad you’re ok.
gumpy

 

[meigsbucks]

You are a lucky man, to be uninjured. Unfortunately the rifle wasn’t so lucky.

 

[sestoppelman]

Thanks guys, I did discover what happened and it was entirely my fault! Yes, wrong powder, notice the similarity in color of these two bottles and the imagine 52 grs of the wrong one!!
Rookie mistake by a 50 year reloader.

 

[MontanaPat]

Wow that is scary, glad you weren’t hurt

 

[norfolk shooter]

Im just glad you OK @sestoppelman. I have had the same sort of thing happen on a rem 700 30-06. It was due to a heavy charge on a hand load. looking at your load it all seems ok so god know what happend but he must bee looking down on you

 

[norfolk shooter]

Ok just seen your pic of the 2 powders and like i said thats what happend to me, I use a lot of Vit powders and all the bottle loot the same apart from the tiny number on them. I always double then triple check

 

[sestoppelman]

I am glad I discovered my error or I might have tried these rounds in another rifle and blown it up too!!

What a maroon!!!!!

 

[AZDAVE]

Glad you are safe my friend!!!! rifles can be replaced. and it is a reminder to us all to check and recheck our components every time we sit down at the reloading bench.

 

[VertigoBE]

Good to hear no one got hurt. This reloading business can be scary…

 

[sestoppelman]

Glad you are safe my friend!!!! rifles can be replaced. and it is a reminder to us all to check and recheck our components every time we sit down at the reloading bench.

Thanks, am thanking my lucky stars and just pulled bullets on the rest of the box, that was just the first round and the lowest charge!!

OI!!

 

[Monsai52]

Wow, shows just how strong the 98 action is!

Glad you weren't hurt.

Best regards,

 

[Randy F]

Yeesh! That’s scary. Glad you walked away with no injuries. The Fruit-of-the-Looms can be replaced.

Maybe paint the cap on the bottles different colors?

 

[John Wasmuth]

Geez!!!! Glad you are ok. Scary stuff.