May 10, 2022
Above is a sectioned barrel containing an 80gr Sierra. It was fired in a.223 bolt action with cleaning rod in the bore. The bullet and rod are still in their bores.
“Here is a story filled with negligent acts. I can only marvel at how the shooter survived. The gunsmith who repaired the damage provided the photo and narrative. My comments are in italics. It’s worth reading. We can’t get enough safety tips in our hobby. — GS Arizona, Rifleman’s JournalDescription (with Commentary).
The shooter had a stuck cartridge in his.223 chamber. The case was actually a loaded round that didn’t fire. It wouldn’t extract due to the fact that it was a.222 box that was mixed with his.223 brass. He had loaded the wrong brass. I saw the loaded round, which had an 80gr bullet inside it and a light primer hit. Negligent Act 1: The wrong brass was mixed with the brass being loaded. The shooter removed the case using a 3-piece aluminum rod. Negligent Act 2: Using a cleaning rod to load a loaded round. This is dangerous as the round can explode and drive the cleaning rod into you. I recall a similar incident 5 years ago. The shooter was pounding out an inert round and the cleaning rod went right through his body. He didn’t notice that only two pieces of the rod were out when he removed them. Negligent Act #3 – If you place anything down the barrel of your rifle, you need to make sure it’s completely out before you start firing. Negligent Act #4: If there has been any type of barrel obstruction, or if you have put anything in the barrel, make sure you look through it before you proceed! In the past two years, I have seen a benchrest shooter die in exactly the same way. The rifle bolt exploded from the receiver into the shooter’s chest. After hearing the explosion, he realized that he was bleeding heavily from the forehead. He couldn’t see because the blood was so thick that it ran through his eyes. He said, “I thought that I was going to death.” The cut is about an inch in length and runs along the side of his head. It runs right to his right eye, where the socket ends at the skull. There’s no telling what he has in the way of brass particles embedded into his forehead. He was shooting on private property and was alone at the time. Negligent Act #5: Don’t shoot alone! Accidents do happen. This is just one example. We wouldn’t be able to predict the consequences of accidents if we could. Always shoot with at most one other person. He managed to stop the bleeding, or at least control it, and he drove home without needing immediate medical attention. Negligent Act #6 – This could have cost him his life, even though he was lucky to survive. It’s impossible to know what happened after an incident such as this. He should have been taken to a hospital to be checked for shrapnel. The rod and slug couldn’t be removed. The barrel was very heavy and had a high round count. It was impossible to salvage it. The aluminum rod is enlarged to fit snugly in the bore the first few inches. The bullet’s base is just over 2 inches. The bullet’s base measures just over 2 inches from the chamber’s mouth. Although this shooter is alive and well, he has probably exhausted all his luck. Do not assume you’ll be so lucky. This article originally appeared on the Rifleman’s Journal website. It is no longer available.
Similar Posts:Tags: Barrel, Jammed Bullet, Kaboom, obstructed barrel, Obstruction, safety
