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

[Inline6]

HAPPY you are okay.

Had an 8# jug of H4350. It was new, loaded up the same charge I have uses for 4 different barrels. Started shooting it at the range, shot like crap. Heavy bolt lift, measured velocities was 150fps faster than what it should have been. Had to back off almost 2.5grs to get back where I should have been. Half way through the jug the velocities fell off. Had to go back to the original charge to get back to my node.

Have no idea why, only thing I can think of. It was an unlucky jug that had the end of one powder run mixed in with it. From that point forward, I will start the first 5 rds of a new lot at minimum charge weights and measure velocities. Will then adjust accordingly.

As far as blowing rifles up. When I was a 14 I reloaded a 22lr with shotgun powder. Was being a kid/ scientist. The little voice in the back of my head said don't shoulder it. I wrapped the action with a bandana held it at my hip and pulled the trigger. Case head separated, extractor blew out the bolt, gas hit my hand. I was lucky, nothing bad happen. It was my uncles rifle. He walked in on my cousin and I cleaning the rifle. The two later when I went to visit, he pulled me aside and said " boy when you cleaned the rifle you lot the extractor, be more careful". I never told him what happened. It was a good lesson, I don't play around when it comes to reloading. Like someone else said. One jug of powder on the table at a time. Only load one cartridge at a time.

 

[mauserhunter]

Why is it nobody ever has a chronograph running when this happens, glad your OK your mauser did it's job protecting you.

 

[Scott CWO]

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.

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Yikes! Glad you are safe and sorry about the rifle!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Yikes! Glad you are safe and sorry about the rifle!

+1.

 

[Philip Glass]

Reloads! Very glad you are OK.

 

[michael458]

Had my first catastrophic failure today in a .30-06 Mauser 98

@sestoppelman lets hope it will be the last one........ when you do this stuff long enough, sooner or later the chances are we can make a mistake.

I did very nearly the same thing back in 2007. At this time I was playing with a 6.5/300WSM. This was 8/6/2007 and I was testing V-N560, RL 22, IMR 4350 and H-4350. Various bullets. While loading a 120 Nosler with what was supposed to be 59/H-4350, I received a phone call. While on the phone, I continued to load this test load, normally 3 rds. I continued to load, got off the phone, and headed to the range.

Set up on the range I fired the first round......... I was not testing pressures in this gun, just running velocity and checking loads. I got a big kaboom, and was expecting 3100-3150 fps, the velocity was 3490 fps....... ????? Not good. The gun was locked up TIGHT. Being no stranger to seeing higher pressures at times, even testing some proof loads that would hit 75000-80000 PSI, but this gun was locked tighter than anything I had ever seen. It really took one hell of a hammer beating to finally get it opened up. At this point I decided before moving forward I needed to do some investigation, returning to the "Lab"........ I saw a can of H-4198 sitting there? I pulled the other two test rounds, and yes, sure enough, instead of H-4350, I had loaded H-4198. Like @sestoppelman , the two cans were alike, except for the numbers......... Ooooopppps! That one round ruined the action, while there was no explosive effect, the action had expanded by several 1/1000s, bolt was a mess, extractor damaged.... game over.

One the RIGHT you will see the round I had fired, headstamp 3000WSM.... I put a primer in the pocket so you can see how much it actually expanded the case...............

Now, on the left, a seriously mangled case, this will be the next story below this, so don't go anywhere............

Lesson learned, pay attention, do not get distracted, and do not LOAD and TALK ON THE PHONE.

Now, the SECOND story....... Fortunately, this was not ME. A good friend, and reasonably experience hand loader dropped by one day. He put forth a quiz for me, from the start I thought it was actual, but later discovered he was checking to see what I would have done in the same scenario.

His task was this or something close to this...... He was Extrapolating data from 30/06 data with a certain weight bullet to a smaller caliber cartridge, based on 30/06 with the same weight bullet. Now at this time, I forget what the cartridge was and the weight bullet. Something like 280 something or other....??? Anyway, I told him that he had to take the data from the 30/06 and reduce the charge by whatever percentage, I think I came up with either 25% or possibly a little more. By going to the lesser caliber with the same weight, then pressures would be much higher, therefore charge had to be reduced substantially.

He lowered his head and started shaking it. Well he had not done that, he had taking it straight from the 30/06 to the lesser caliber cartridge, and really screwed the pooch on a remington action.

You see the photo above, and on the left was his load, below is a primer in the case; This thing looks a bit worse than my screw up I think.............

Now, take a look at the bolt face and the over expanded case;

I think he was lucky he did not get injured with that mess...............

So @sestoppelman don't feel too bad, these things happen, and hopefully we learn from them. I never load and TALK On the Phone anymore. LOL............. My friend Jerry learned to ask me before he does something stupid..... HEH HEH............ And then we both cross our fingers... LOL

 

[CoElkHunter]

Boy, I'm really glad you're OK Scott and sorry about your rifle. Wen I was around 18yoa, I loaded 62-63gr of H4831 under a Sierra 130gr. Boattail in my .270 Winchester M70 because I read a magazine article where the gunwriter said that was the load he used. Shot at a pig, flash in the scope and the bolt locked up. I got the pig but had to take the rifle to a gunsmith who had to pound the bolt open. He told me there wasn't any damage to the rifle. I still have that rifle today but I don't trust gunwriters advice anymore. LOL

 

[HankBuck]

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.

View attachment 587502
View attachment 587503
View attachment 587504
View attachment 587505
View attachment 587506

WOW, God was on your shoulder when that happened. Every year or two I “consider” learning to ReLoad but figure “I don’t have the attention to detail & precision required”…. Now, I’m certain I don’t !! It was helpful for you to post this because it provided Me a great example or WHY I should Not reload (I’m too careless) and somewhat brave because you risked criticism (although looks like everyone could relate to this type of accident). Thank You and glad You are OK

 

[DG870]

Thanks for sharing your story. I’ve reloaded almost everything I shoot since 1977. I load for 21 different rifle calibers and 7 different pistol calibers.

I enjoy reloading but with the powder shortage I end up with too many different powders, the packaging changes and the burn rates change. I remember the 62 grain of 4831 for the 270 but I believe that was WWII surplus that was a slower burn rate than the new manufactured product. Another issue is the similiar products from different companies like H4831 vs IMR 4831, H4350 vs IMR 4350, etc. It’s too easy to be complacent and not pay strict attention because we’ve done it so much.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It makes for an interesting day....

Initially I thought Townsend @Bob Nelson 35Whelen had given you some of his personal "proprietary" loading data? LOL

 

[mdwest]

glad youre ok @sestoppelman !

definitely makes me re-think my system for reloading a bit..

I only load 1 pistol powder and 2 different rifle powders.. I have intentionally tried to simplify the process.. mostly for logistics reasons..

but I'd hate to think what happens if I were ever to cross load those powders because I was tired, or distracted, etc..

Its probably extreme.. but Im wondering if I shouldnt relocate all the pistol powder to another bench and completely remove the possibility that I pick up the wrong jug one day...

 

[PARA45]

OMG, glad you are ok Scott, and sorry your rifle didn't do too good. Rifles can be replaced, you, not so much.

 

[PARA45]

Its probably extreme.. but Im wondering if I shouldnt relocate all the pistol powder to another bench and completely remove the possibility that I pick up the wrong jug one day...

That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Maybe put them in different shelves and keep them separated. I like the idea.

 

[sestoppelman]

@sestoppelman lets hope it will be the last one........ when you do this stuff long enough, sooner or later the chances are we can make a mistake.

I did very nearly the same thing back in 2007. At this time I was playing with a 6.5/300WSM. This was 8/6/2007 and I was testing V-N560, RL 22, IMR 4350 and H-4350. Various bullets. While loading a 120 Nosler with what was supposed to be 59/H-4350, I received a phone call. While on the phone, I continued to load this test load, normally 3 rds. I continued to load, got off the phone, and headed to the range.

Set up on the range I fired the first round......... I was not testing pressures in this gun, just running velocity and checking loads. I got a big kaboom, and was expecting 3100-3150 fps, the velocity was 3490 fps....... ????? Not good. The gun was locked up TIGHT. Being no stranger to seeing higher pressures at times, even testing some proof loads that would hit 75000-80000 PSI, but this gun was locked tighter than anything I had ever seen. It really took one hell of a hammer beating to finally get it opened up. At this point I decided before moving forward I needed to do some investigation, returning to the "Lab"........ I saw a can of H-4198 sitting there? I pulled the other two test rounds, and yes, sure enough, instead of H-4350, I had loaded H-4198. Like @sestoppelman , the two cans were alike, except for the numbers......... Ooooopppps! That one round ruined the action, while there was no explosive effect, the action had expanded by several 1/1000s, bolt was a mess, extractor damaged.... game over.

One the RIGHT you will see the round I had fired, headstamp 3000WSM.... I put a primer in the pocket so you can see how much it actually expanded the case...............

Now, on the left, a seriously mangled case, this will be the next story below this, so don't go anywhere............

Lesson learned, pay attention, do not get distracted, and do not LOAD and TALK ON THE PHONE.

Now, the SECOND story....... Fortunately, this was not ME. A good friend, and reasonably experience hand loader dropped by one day. He put forth a quiz for me, from the start I thought it was actual, but later discovered he was checking to see what I would have done in the same scenario.

His task was this or something close to this...... He was Extrapolating data from 30/06 data with a certain weight bullet to a smaller caliber cartridge, based on 30/06 with the same weight bullet. Now at this time, I forget what the cartridge was and the weight bullet. Something like 280 something or other....??? Anyway, I told him that he had to take the data from the 30/06 and reduce the charge by whatever percentage, I think I came up with either 25% or possibly a little more. By going to the lesser caliber with the same weight, then pressures would be much higher, therefore charge had to be reduced substantially.

He lowered his head and started shaking it. Well he had not done that, he had taking it straight from the 30/06 to the lesser caliber cartridge, and really screwed the pooch on a remington action.

You see the photo above, and on the left was his load, below is a primer in the case; This thing looks a bit worse than my screw up I think.............

Now, take a look at the bolt face and the over expanded case;

I think he was lucky he did not get injured with that mess...............

So @sestoppelman don't feel too bad, these things happen, and hopefully we learn from them. I never load and TALK On the Phone anymore. LOL............. My friend Jerry learned to ask me before he does something stupid..... HEH HEH............ And then we both cross our fingers... LOL

Pretty much exactly what happened here! I am actually going to pull a round of another boxed I loaded recently and make sure I didnt make the same mistake a week or so earlier!

 

[sestoppelman]

Boy, I'm really glad you're OK Scott and sorry about your rifle. Wen I was around 18yoa, I loaded 62-63gr of H4831 under a Sierra 130gr. Boattail in my .270 Winchester M70 because I read a magazine article where the gunwriter said that was the load he used. Shot at a pig, flash in the scope and the bolt locked up. I got the pig but had to take the rifle to a gunsmith who had to pound the bolt open. He told me there wasn't any damage to the rifle. I still have that rifle today but I don't trust gunwriters advice anymore. LOL

If that was H4831, that charge should not have done what it did, I suspect you also had the wrong powder, perhaps a 4350, but even that slightly faster powder shouldnt have froze it up like that.
H4831 in any vintage is very slow and quite forgiving.
61 grs is pretty standard for a 130 in the .270, just shot the same load last week.

 

[baxterb]

Man , glad you are OK and also you found the issue. Now I don’t feel so bad being so ridiculously paranoid when reloading.

 

[Shootist43]

Stoppelman, kudos for posting this. Even though events like this can make you feel stupid, it serves as a reminder to all of us that reload, to double check everything we do. I know the feeling, having done equally stupid things on my reloading bench. Paul Mauser's design saved my sorry butt as well.

 

[ArmyAV8tor]

Glad to hear you are ok. I was lucky last fall...my rifle survived the case blow out.

 

[CJW]

glad youre ok @sestoppelman !

definitely makes me re-think my system for reloading a bit..

I only load 1 pistol powder and 2 different rifle powders.. I have intentionally tried to simplify the process.. mostly for logistics reasons..

but I'd hate to think what happens if I were ever to cross load those powders because I was tired, or distracted, etc..

Its probably extreme.. but Im wondering if I shouldnt relocate all the pistol powder to another bench and completely remove the possibility that I pick up the wrong jug one day...

When I have the room for a larger dedicated reloading bench EVERYTHING will be in drawers, machinists/printers cabinet style, and the only things out on the bench will be the components in use for that load. If I start reloading pistol, it will get its own bench. I've read wayyyy too many of those stories. I hate clutter and distraction when working on something delicate or unforgiving.

@sestoppelman glad that action performed as designed. We all screw up.

Reloading is like aviation. Not inherintely dangerous. But very unforgiving when mistakes are made.

 

[rdog]

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.
View attachment 587514

Happend to a friend of mine 7 mm Rem used Ar 2207 instrad of Ar 2217 same looking bottle . destroyed Win 70 that he just had a new bbl fitted to.