What blew up my gun?

[thethirdpig]

Unless there was a barrel obstruction introduced from the previous shot, I'd say an extreme case of over-pressure with the round itself. However, the charge weight you listed is certainly within reason.

The strong possibility exists that the case was significantly over-charged. Check your powder thrower. Check your scale (electronic or mechanical). I always recommend that each charge be individually weighed even though it slows the process a bit. It's possible the case was double charged but that usually leaves an obvious mess of powder and bullet seating issues - but it happens.

Pull the bullets from the remaining loaded cases and carefully examine/weigh those charges as the problem might have been repeated within that same batch.

weigh every charge for rifle loads

 

[bushmotornv]

Another possibility is that the kernels of powder,having been ridden around for a number of years,could have worn the deterent coating off and/or pulverized. If you pull the bullets on some/all of these loads,you could check this theory. I wouldn't think bullet weld would necessarily be an issue,as factory loads don't seem to have this problem after years on the shelf. Just my two cents.

 

[KyCarl]

I never meant that it was anything but an accident! But sometimes things happen?

 

[Arkansasdad]

Went shooting yesterday, shot about 5 shots and on 6th shot this happened.
Reloads from a couple years ago , store in ammo box in a shooting bag.
Rifle is a 22-250 Savage Model 10
Bullets are 55Gn Hornady V-Max
35GN of Varget Powder
Been doing this recipe for approx. 4 years, have never had problem.
No signs of over pressure until this incident, happily no injuries/casualties (except gun,LOL)
Any Ideas out there

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Was there anything different about the shot just prior to this incident? Know a guy that reloaded with a progressive. He must have not been paying attention to the powder throw because one round was passed without powder. When that round was shot the primer pushed the bullet into the barrel where it lodged. He didn't check the bore thinking it was a misfire, on the next shot his rifle looked like yours. No one hurt but he learned a lot that day. Glad you weren't hurt, looks like someone was looking out for you both.

 

[Wedgy]

I have has case case weld but nothing like the photo, just a 50-100 fps velocity spike, and having shot WWII surplus ammo I don't think that is the culprit but an obstruction from part of a case or too long of a case jammed into a carbon ring. Probably a combination of things.
Glad nobody was injured.

 

[Steve Sheasly]

The takeaway here is that over pressure caused the catastrophic failure. A lesson to all that reload to follow recipes carefully. The folks that put out reloading manuals know what,they are doing. I am not suggesting that you did not but obviously something went wrong. You are very lucky to not have been seriously injured or someone close to you.

 

[esshup]

Like others have said, I'd love to see the bases of the 5 or 6 cartridges that were fired previous to the last one.

 

[normyt]

Like others have said, I'd love to see the bases of the 5 or 6 cartridges that were fired previous to the last one.

 

[Barrelnut]

OP, were you throwing charges with a powder thrower? Maybe there was powder bridging in the hopper and one load got thrown real short. This creates a squib load.

I really think the cause was a squib load. Never happened to me but it is well documented in lots of reloading manuals. This is why there are minimum charges listed in manuals. It can be dangerous to go below those levels. If the reloader accidentally only filled the case 1/3 full for some reason, when fired it can cause a detonation that blows the rifle up. This is well documented. The initial blast from the primer blows the powder and the bullet forward, but the bullet sticks at the throat of the chamber. Then the powder ignites and creates a secondary explosion. Problem is the bullet is jammed and the second explosion turns into a detonation and the rifle explodes like a bomb.

I always look inside of every case in the tray after loading them with powder. I load them all with powder and then visually inspect each one and touch it with my finger so I do not skip one while inspecting. I am looking to verify that it, not only has powder in it, but also that the powder is at the correct level in the case.

 

[milo-2]

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What length do those fired cases measure, and what is trim length for that cartridge. You have an awful lot of carbon built up right at the case mouth.

 

[scottrod338]

Primers look really cratered and why are the shoulders so shiny?
I would definitely check my brass length.

 

[Steve Sheasly]

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section one of those or two of those cases. Look at the area close to the head and see if there are signs of separation. Looks to me like a little bit of discoloration near the head of the case. The primers are not flattened that I can see. I disagree that there is excessive cargon build-up at the neck. Take a fine blade in a hack way and saw the case in halve in the long direction of the case and post the pictures.

 

[squeaker]

Thinking barrel obstruction also from a round with out powder. I've seen a savage loaded 10 grains over max with a 90gr charge not blow up

 

[Steve Sheasly]

overtime the metal will get tired if subjected to continuous max pressures. When it fatifues the safety factor is gone and it can cause catastrophic failures. How old is the gun? I also know there are those folks that shoot civil war firearms and own relics that came over on the Mayflower. Age and abuse can cause strange things to happen. Do you know if the last round shot cleared the barrel?