I get home from work and I have 8 pages of replies! I have not read through them yet because I want to get pics up.
no spaces between the brackets bud
Blew up my AR today. KABOOM!
- Thread starter Rust
- Start date
no spaces between the brackets bud
As you can see the walls of the upper are bent a fair bit. The bolt and carrier is stuck shut and twisted. Locking lugs are chewed up though tough to see in the pic. Ammo is white box norinco. Head stamp is CJ 95. Box says lot 28 December 1995.
These are the best pics I can get for now. I can try more if there is anything someone needs to see.
The spent shell was the only one I could find in the snow that was definitely mine. Not sure if was part of the failure or was one of my first 3 shots. Primer looks okay.
These are the best pics I can get for now. I can try more if there is anything someone needs to see.
The spent shell was the only one I could find in the snow that was definitely mine. Not sure if was part of the failure or was one of my first 3 shots. Primer looks okay.
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dangertree
Business Rep
- Location
- NL/ON/FL/PL
Nope.
dangertree
Business Rep
- Location
- NL/ON/FL/PL
Glad you're ok Rust.
3 holes in the fresh target before the failure. Nothing is stuck inside the barrel.
When I said i could see the bolt face and extractor i misspoke. I can see the side of it through the ejection port and underside as well as see the tiny pieces of steel that fell out when I tried to remove the bolt carrier group. I will try removal again later.
The store that sold me the rifle is checking into what they can do for me.
A replacement would be awesome although I am doubtful. I would like something out of this seeing how my AR, ammo, magazines, sling, case, misc. magpul goodies, my M&P9 and more have been purchased there in the last 18 months.
A Bushmaster or DPMS is starting to look a lot more appealing.
When I said i could see the bolt face and extractor i misspoke. I can see the side of it through the ejection port and underside as well as see the tiny pieces of steel that fell out when I tried to remove the bolt carrier group. I will try removal again later.
The store that sold me the rifle is checking into what they can do for me.
A replacement would be awesome although I am doubtful. I would like something out of this seeing how my AR, ammo, magazines, sling, case, misc. magpul goodies, my M&P9 and more have been purchased there in the last 18 months.
A Bushmaster or DPMS is starting to look a lot more appealing.
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NavyShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- XMU Local .303
So,
My read....
1. Your bolt is still locked up, indicating that this was, indeed a failure of the cartridge case.
2. The gas blasting and blackening of the expended cartridge case indicate something seriously wrong...either with the brass, or possibly with the chamber.
3. I do NOT see evidence of brass flowing back through between the lugs of your bolt, so I suspect that the cartridge case is (mostly) intact inside your chamber.
4. My suspicion is that a mal-formed (or poorly cut) chamber is resulting in excessive gas bleeding back around the mouth of the case. This gas, in the case of the "final" cartridge, was strong enough to push past the normal gas seal that the brass cartridge case creates as it swells due to the pressure inside, and blast back down between the case-wall and the chamber, then down the feed ramps, and through your magazine, as this would be the path of least resistance.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
I trust that you are OK?
NS
My read....
1. Your bolt is still locked up, indicating that this was, indeed a failure of the cartridge case.
2. The gas blasting and blackening of the expended cartridge case indicate something seriously wrong...either with the brass, or possibly with the chamber.
3. I do NOT see evidence of brass flowing back through between the lugs of your bolt, so I suspect that the cartridge case is (mostly) intact inside your chamber.
4. My suspicion is that a mal-formed (or poorly cut) chamber is resulting in excessive gas bleeding back around the mouth of the case. This gas, in the case of the "final" cartridge, was strong enough to push past the normal gas seal that the brass cartridge case creates as it swells due to the pressure inside, and blast back down between the case-wall and the chamber, then down the feed ramps, and through your magazine, as this would be the path of least resistance.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
I trust that you are OK?
NS
NavyShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- XMU Local .303
By chance, do you have an RCBS Cartridge case micrometer in .223 that you could try using on the fired case?
Additionally, might you be able to measure the outside diameter of the neck of the case, and the shoulder of the case using a set of calipers or a micrometer?
These could give some hints and points of comparison against other un-fired, or fired cartridges, and give us an idea of what actually happened inside your gun.
NS
Additionally, might you be able to measure the outside diameter of the neck of the case, and the shoulder of the case using a set of calipers or a micrometer?
These could give some hints and points of comparison against other un-fired, or fired cartridges, and give us an idea of what actually happened inside your gun.
NS
i doubt that thats the cause considering the bolt is locked up. also in most cases i would think if it had fired out of battery the user would know right off the bat just due to the difference in timing at which he was pulling the trigger and the out of sync kaboom.
I also don't think a squib load would have cause this. If that were the case the barrel would have exploded considering the fact that the metal is thinner at the barrel than at the chamber .
OP could you also remove the handguards and get a picture of the barrel?
![url]](/forum/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRy7Z2Og.jpg%5B%2Furl%5D&hash=310c75b15eaaf49947ae9fa6353b6516)
Removed the hand guard. Barrel looks fine and checked with micrometers. not out of round or bulged. I can post a pic later though.
The one shell casing I have measures 0.239" to 0.249" outside diameter at the very top of the case opening.
An unfired cartridge from the same batch measures a consistent 0.245"OD. I do not have a small enough set of micrometers to get an inner diameter.
The one shell casing I have measures 0.239" to 0.249" outside diameter at the very top of the case opening.
An unfired cartridge from the same batch measures a consistent 0.245"OD. I do not have a small enough set of micrometers to get an inner diameter.
Davy Crockett
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley
Off topic but that bolt looks like it was chopped out of a hunk of rock. Nasty.
Try and get the bolt open with a flat blade screw driver....jam it in through the bottom opening, between the carrier and the bolt and start prying. The firing pin will be bent, along with the firing pin retaining pin which is likely what's locking it up. Don't worry about breaking anything....lol
The black around the case mouth is usually from low pressure rounds not having enough pressure to seal the neck in the chamber. We know this ammo is hot so I don't think that's the case. Examine the fired case really closely for any cracks or pin holes in the black soot parts....that would be the other reason for the blackening.
The black around the case mouth is usually from low pressure rounds not having enough pressure to seal the neck in the chamber. We know this ammo is hot so I don't think that's the case. Examine the fired case really closely for any cracks or pin holes in the black soot parts....that would be the other reason for the blackening.
Do not do this. Here is a good way to destroy more parts than necessary. Once again the CGN free advice is worth what you paid for it.
If you want to save any of the parts and preserve any of the evidence do it properly.
Fix the barrel in a padded vice with the receiver upside down. Use a large brass drift and a hammer to strike the carrier at the back (where the auto sear would engage if it were auto) to drive it rearward. This will force the cam pin to turn the bolt. Your locking lugs are still engaged, and your extractor is most likely bent and jamming the carrier.
If the case is still stuck in the chamber, then tap it out with a rod.
I do this for a living and have examined literally dozens of these. I have replicated most of them in controlled conditions and know exactly what they look like.
The photos of your rifle and your case and your post are perfectly consistent with a case annealed incorrectly. The case failed and the pressure blew out the case head.
OccasionallyOnTarget
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Burnaby, BC
Yikes
