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.308 round had a problem

BeerAlchemist

BeerAlchemist

Private
Minuteman
Jul 12, 2009
58
0
44
WA
I have probably only shot about 300 rounds out of bolt guns so this issue is a new one to me. After shooting about 30 rounds the other day in my Rem 700 I pulled the trigger and had a round go off weirdly which resulted in a small amount of powder blow back in my face. Looking at the rifle everything looked fine. Trying to eject the cartridge, I discovered the bolt was stuck shut so I had to really work it to get it to unlock from the logs. I discovered the case was stuck to the bolt and had to work it to get it off the face. When I finally got the case off the primer fell out and there was a ring around the brass where it met the bolt almost as if it got pushed so hard into the bolt the brass piled up a little. Everything else looked fine. Any thoughts? As much as I can figure is it was a loose primer, but I don't have the experience with bolt guns to know. I can try to post pictures of the brass if needed.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

Gross over pressure event.
Possable cases
Wrong powder
Too much powder
Bore obstruction
??
Watch the beer when you are loaded, oops, I ment loading.
Have the headspace and chamber checked on your rifle prior to shooting again. If OK shoot one shot and mike the brass. It may have an expanded head if the chamber is enlarged.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

Firstly;

<span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">DO NOT SHOOT ANY MORE OF THAT AMMO</span></span>

OK, with that caveat out of the way I have some questions

1/ Reloads or Factory ammo?
2/ If reloads, who made them?
3/ Weather conditions on the day?
4/ You say that you have limited experience, what is that?
5/ Gun clean or dirty?

It sounds like you fired a dangerously overpressure round, there could be reasons for this, which is why the questions.

You were lucky you didn't get the bolt back in your face. Thank Remington for making such a strong action!

PM me if you want any help/advice, but DO NOT fire any more of that ammo until we talk.

Neil
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rth1800</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gross over pressure event.
Possable cases
Wrong powder
Too much powder
Bore obstruction
??
Watch the beer when you are loaded, oops, I ment loading.
Have the headspace and chamber checked on your rifle prior to shooting again. If OK shoot one shot and mike the brass. It may have an expanded head if the chamber is enlarged. </div></div>

AND what he said ^^

Neil
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Beer Alchemist</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any thoughts? </div></div>

You are LUCKY to remain ALIVE.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

And..to add to what rth said: Never have more than one powder on your bench at a time. No phones, no radio. Nobody else in the room talking to you. Never fire someone else's reloads...Never...Ever. Even if they came free with the NEW to you rifle. Don't ask how I know.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

When you say wierd do mean like a pop or much louder boom. Years ago I used to reload some pistol stuff that was hot for IPSC, and sometimes would get primers blowing out. This was mostly due to overpressure and using brass too many times. I'd get primers so flat they would flow back into the firing pin hole and actually shave off metal. Another time I had some cleaning media get stuck in the case, however it overflowed the powder and I noticed it right away. If your new to it heed the warnings listed above and give your full time and attention to reloading. Done properly it's a relaxing way to spend "me" time, however if you don't pay attention just remember that's a small bomb going off about 6 inches from your nose each time you pull the trigger. Good Luck
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

Your lucky you didn't have the bolt blow out the receiver, go through your face and stick out the back of your head!! Have the rifle checked THOROUGHLY by a good smith before you fire it again!
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

SEE happens from very underfilled cases, like if you're shooting subsonics that you tried to load with BLC2 or H335 or something like that. Any case that's over 70% full has little or no chance of SEE under normal conditions.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

So busy it's hard to find time to get pictures up but I will. This was handloaded on federal or Winchester (at work so can't check now) cycled about 7 times on the same rifle. Loaded with 42.7 H4895. My hornady lock n load never varies much more than .2 gr at the most so over pressure due to powder is not very likely but still always possible. I wasn't drinking at the time and had no other distractions but thanks for the vote of confidence. Only other stick powder on the bench was varget and highly doubt I crossed the two.

By limited experience have only loaded about 1000 rounds between 9mm .223 and .308 as well while I have shot countless thousands rounds through semi auto rifles and pistol I have only shot something like 300 rounds with a bolt gun so am learning their habits still.

Gun had about 35 rounds prior time and this event occured after shooting another 35 or so, so it was a little dirty.

The weird sound is hard to describe. Just didn't sound quite right.

I'm about positive the round hit about 2 inches left of target at 200 yards so that makes me doubt obstruction.

Because of this I'm hoping that it was nothing more than a lose primer that screwed things up but that is also my desire to not want to think I was not in danger.

I was planning on taking it to a rifle smith to chop a few inches off the barrel so I will be sure to take him the piece of brass and have him inspect the rifle fully.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

Did it "click....... booooom"? A hang fire can sometimes cause problems like you're describing.

Also, what bullet did you use? I have seen guys snag a 30 cal bullet that was pulled and sitting around, only to find out it was a .310 bullet adn they went way over pressure.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

It could have hung fired but it would have only been a fraction of a second. It was a new Sierra matchking 168 because I have no originality in bullet choice
smile.gif
. Good thought but I couldn't imagine a Sierra being too large and it wasn't pulled so gtg there. Hopefully next week I will be able to drop it off at the rifle smiths shop.
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

It sure sounds like an over pressure event. I just checked the Sierra # 5 manual and their max load for the 168 SMK HPBT with H4895 is 39.9 grains with a COAL of 2.8 so you may be using old reloading data since your load of 42.7 grains is 2.8 grains over the published max. You can go online and get the latest Sierra Loading data for 308 and make sure your data is up to date..
 
Re: .308 round had a problem

I'm using up a box of 500 168 SMKs. There were a few high pressure shots in the first 100 rnds I loaded...I really looked the bullets over...there were 23 180SMKs left in the box. I have never loaded 180s. Anything can happen. I had a small collection of various caliber pistol cases without flash holes. I just happened upon a .38 special case the other day, correct length and all, marked ".357 Mag". Your event may not have been your fault. JMHO
 
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