This guy blows up his 50 BMG!

[AckleymanII]

My 50 Cal Exploded - The Reloaders Network

In today’s video I explain my freak accident that occurred on April 9th 2021.

www.thereloadersnetwork.com

 

[Adam in WI]

Watched that at lunch today. Definitely lucky to be alive.

 

[AckleymanII]

Beware of old ammo. Cold welding bullet to brass?

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Beware of old ammo. Cold welding bullet to brass?

MORE than, likely !

 

[Catfur]

Beware of old ammo. Cold welding bullet to brass?

MORE than, likely !

SLAP rounds have a plastic sabot, nothing to weld. More likely powder from a bad batch (SLAP was more experimental than anything else) or bad storage (good powder can last over a century at 60F, or be gone after a few summers experiencing 120F regularly).

 

[jwink]

one very lucky man, God was certainly looking out for him.

 

[Timberyote]

Lucky guy but also very interesting.

Good luck Scott.

 

[Hondo64d]

My 50 Cal Exploded - The Reloaders Network

In today’s video I explain my freak accident that occurred on April 9th 2021.

www.thereloadersnetwork.com

I can’t see those pipe threads withstanding as much pressure as a more conventional bolt design. I’d bet a conventional bolt action wouldn’t have let go.
John

 

[Evlshnngns]

I can’t see those pipe threads withstanding as much pressure as a more conventional bolt design. I’d be t a conventional bolt action wouldn’t have let go.
John

This is the conversation I've been having with myself for a couple days. Modes of failure? A savage 338lm was shot with a cleaning rod still in the bore. It split the action at the tennon threads and spit out the barrel. The bolt lugs and action lugs held the line, putting the majority of the force forward.

With this action design, the weakest part came back at the shooter. Scary shit. 200-220grs of powder, a lot of energy.

 

[WVRJ]

No way threads like that are as strong as lugs on a bolt.I read that a Rem. 700 action will hold over 100,000 psi.85,000 isn't much over the 65,000 that a lot of cartridges operate at.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

This is the conversation I've been having with myself for a couple days. Modes of failure? A savage 338lm was shot with a cleaning rod still in the bore. It split the action at the tennon threads and spit out the barrel. The bolt lugs and action lugs held the line, putting the majority of the force forward.

With this action design, the weakest part came back at the shooter. Scary shit. 200-220grs of powder, a lot of energy.

Thrust is calculated with the diameter of the internal case as a factor. I'd bet on a smaller case with equal pressure having lots less damage at that pressure...but I'm not so sure I'd want to be the one proving it either way.

 

[Evlshnngns]

Your Worst Nightmare: Catastrophic .338 Lapua Magnum Kaboom « Daily Bulletin

Click to zoom image We first ran this story a couple years back. We're republishing it today as a reminder to our readers that safety should be their paramount concern at the range. Avoid distractions and always check your barrel for obstructions before you chamber a round or pull the trigger.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

This is the 338 I brought up earlier. This story has me checking my bore at the start of every range trip. A 338lm has half the powder, and less bolt thrust as noted above.


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[riflewoman]

No way threads like that are as strong as lugs on a bolt.I read that a Rem. 700 action will hold over 100,000 psi.85,000 isn't much over the 65,000 that a lot of cartridges operate at.

There’s a huge difference in total force between 55000 in a 50 BMG case and 65000 in a 30-06 sized case.

 

[skeeljc]

Things are not what they seem. The breach expands on each firing causing wear on the threads holding the cap in place. Fire enough rounds and there will be wear on the loose fitting, hand tightened threads. The threads are the weak link. Instead of spitting the barrel out of an action the cap was ejected away from the barrel towards the shooter.

 

[Adam in WI]

Regardless of the findings, I'm sure this puts a damper on the sales of that model.

 

[WVRJ]

It's an incredibly chintzy setup.A pipe cap for a breech isn't very strong no matter what round it takes.

 

[Kratos]

There’s a huge difference in total force between 55000 in a 50 BMG case and 65000 in a 30-06 sized case.

This is why I'm always nervous about pushing the limits with my 50, even though the BAT EX is a monster and I have a lot of faith in it.

 

[okie]

This is why I'm always nervous about pushing the limits with my 50, even though the BAT EX is a monster and I have a lot of faith in it.

that bat will hold---glad you have a real action unlike that cheapo that nearly killed that guy

 

[Evan]

I posted this in the other thread but want to repeat it here:

I think far more important than outright strength is designing for graceful failure. Modern bolt actions, defined as anything from the 20th century on, all have ways of handling and diverting gas from a case rupture or bore obstruction away from the shooter. This rifle design has no such facility and has now very publicly demonstrated why it is incredibly important to address and design for what happens WHEN (not if) a bore obstruction, high pressure, case rupture, etc. type event happens.

 

[FNSafari]

Part of the issue, IMO, is the lack of any secondary safety feature should the threads that secured the cap fail...which they did. The only pressure relief is the cap, which by its position would come straight back to the shooter. He is ONE VERY LUCKY SHOOTER!!!