A neighbor had a gun blow up on him

[370bc]

I have a neighbor that had a military type rifle that blew up on him the other day. He had just bought it. First round fired ok. The second one blew the action apart, blinding him. Not sure if then injury is permanent.
Any steps to avoid such occurrences in the future? Any advice for the neighbor? Thanks.

 

[rardoin]

Advice? Yes...on any surplus military weapon purchase have a competent gunsmith familiar with that weapon type inspect, gauge and test fire it prior to using it....preferably prior to purchasing if possible.

Your neighbor should make sure he is being treated by the best ophthalmologist he can find. If he was not wearing safety glasses, he should make it a practice from now on (but I am sure that he does not need my advice on that at this point). Sorry to hear about his misfortune.

 

[B Nettesheim]

My advice, always wear saftey glasses while shooting so you can enjoy shooting the next time!!!!!!!

 

[olddav]

It would be helpful to know what rife it was and where did the ammo come from? May stop someone else from having the same problem.

 

[M-61]

'Military type rifle' covers a real broad spectrum. Injury was to BOTH eyes? Were they hand loads? Cause? (barrel obstruction?)

I hope he heals quickly and thoroughly.

 

[savagedasher]

Yes I have a few things
1 have the gun check by you or someone who has knowledge
2 make sure the gun is designed to handle the higher pressure loads .
3 Always shoot with safety glasses .
Nobody at our range is aloud without eye and hearing protection when on the line
Safety first always . Larry

 

[Eddie Harren]

Yes I have a few things
1 have the gun check by you or someone who has knowledge
2 make sure the gun is designed to handle the higher pressure loads .
3 Always shoot with safety glasses .
Nobody at our range is aloud without eye and hearing protection when on the line
Safety first always . Larry

Hee Hee Hee!

 

[Rsadams]

Man, sorry to hear that.. Sometimes modern ammo is bad in old guns.. If you get a chance like others have asked please reply to what kind of firearm and ammo. It would be helpful..

 

[Ggmac]

More info needed if you want to do more than hope . Need to know what rifle , original or butchered , what ammo , new , old surplus or reloads , did he do basic safety checks ; check bore for obstructions , check trigger for safety , check bolt face and firing pin ? The list goes on but this is the bare min .
Please respond

 

[dickn52]

Loads now vs loads then. Some older rifles will not handle current pressures.

 

[jds holler]

Call me crazy, but this was the first field trip for a sporterized Enfield that I picked up a few years back. Everything was fine, and I was even able to put them "on target".
I hope and pray that your neighbor will be OK.

Now, ask me why in Hell was I up roofing my shop without safety tie-off, and am now home recovering from a shattered heel. jd

 

[JRS]

I hope it heals well, jds.

 

[370bc]

I put the request for all the information that you asked for. I guess the guys still pretty beat up since this happened Sunday afternoon. As soon as more information is available I will pass it on. Thank you for all the comments.

 

[Ggmac]

Hope he heals fast .

 

[LHSmith]

Call me crazy, but this was the first field trip for a sporterized Enfield that I picked up a few years back. Everything was fine, and I was even able to put them "on target".
I hope and pray that your neighbor will be OK.

Now, ask me why in Hell was I up roofing my shop without safety tie-off, and am now home recovering from a shattered heel. jd

For shame- you forgot to cover it with a blasting mat. Safety first!

 

[DRNewcomb]

It would be helpful to know what rife it was and where did the ammo come from? May stop someone else from having the same problem.

Right. "Military type rifle" covers everything from a an 18th century Ferguson flintlock to a Tavor.

One of my friends had an '03 come apart while shooting his reloads. I didn't see the results but the description sounded like a case head failure. He's not an experienced reloader.

I've also known one shooter to have an M1A fire out-of-battery, which was traced to a manufacturing defect in the receiver.

 

[joshb]

Call me crazy, but this was the first field trip for a sporterized Enfield that I picked up a few years back. Everything was fine, and I was even able to put them "on target".
I hope and pray that your neighbor will be OK.

Now, ask me why in Hell was I up roofing my shop without safety tie-off, and am now home recovering from a shattered heel. jd

I, too would like to send my well wish s to your neighbor. Safety is a bigger issue for all of us "older" folks. We don't heal as fast and we sure don't bounce, anymore.
Jd: I feel for you. At least you didn't shatter both, like I did. Try to feel a little better about not being the only guy that didn't tie off every time. When I climbed onto my roof, I was acting like I was 25. I spent 9 months in a wheel chair, contemplating my recklessness.

 

[370bc]

We had a member of our gun club loose his leg above his knee on a volunteer workday. Just unbelievable. I work in a very deadly and dangerous environment for a living, and we have to fill out safety forms not only for everyday, but for every job. Even something as simple as mowing grass, replacing plywood target hangers, should require a job safety analysis. Not every person has safety skills. Our club came very close to shutting down because our insurance company dropped us like a hot potato after submitting the claim. We went through a lot of different insurance companies until we found one that would take us in. There has to be a better way and there is.
I think, like the refineries, steel mills, chemical plants I work in, that if you have been away from said plant for over a month, you must take orientation training again, and gun clubs must do the same with it's members. I don't care how many years experience or the level of firearms training you have or had. There is just too much on the line. And these catastrophic accidents prove it. Almost all are totally avoidable. There are no excuses. At the range, your farm, your house, etc. We are all human and are prone to make mistakes.

 

[DRNewcomb]

We had a member of our gun club loose his leg above his knee on a volunteer workday. Just unbelievable.........

What was he doing? Was the accident gun-related or something else (e.g. fell off a mower)?

 

[Dave L Kiff]

I have a neighbor that had a military type rifle that blew up on him the other day. He had just bought it. First round fired ok. The second one blew the action apart, blinding him. Not sure if then injury is permanent.
Any steps to avoid such occurrences in the future? Any advice for the neighbor? Thanks.

On all the rifles from the different militay's around the would I have seen it all , always check for proper headspace with SAAMI Min. and Max headspace gauges and study the proper bore and put one of my bushing sized for the right bore size on a cleening rod and run it clean though the barrel bore, I have seen rifles marked wrong along with .020 length headspace, Weld linens in the chamber cosmoline packed in the bore, wasp nests, you name it I have seen it . I can help him if he would like to know the problem, just have him send me a private email for shipping instructions and theirs no charge, I cant stand to see improper chambers . Thanks