Blown up 50 Cal.

[saskgunowner101]

I was surprised the subject 50cal rifle will reliably fail at only a factor of 1.3 when so many other rifles will probably withstand a slow powder charge weight of pistol powder.

I'm not sure how much reloading you've done with pistol powders in rifle cases, but fast powders really amp up the pressure in a non linear way. Even a simple example of one of my favorite 45-70 powder puff loads...

11 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-16,800 CUP
13.5 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-27,200 CUP

Thes are #2 loads in the 45-70. With the #3 level loads (Ruger #1 etc) the same powder with a longer c.o.l.
16.5 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-38,200 CUP

I can't imagine many firearms surviving a full case of pistol powder, especially the faster ones.

 

[coleman1495]

I'm not sure how much reloading you've done with pistol powders in rifle cases, but fast powders really amp up the pressure in a non linear way. Even a simple example of one of my favorite 45-70 powder puff loads...

11 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-16,800 CUP
13.5 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-27,200 CUP

Thes are #2 loads in the 45-70. With the #3 level loads (Ruger #1 etc) the same powder with a longer c.o.l.
16.5 grains Unique with a 420 grain bullet-38,200 CUP

I can't imagine many firearms surviving a full case of pistol powder, especially the faster ones.

Iraqveteran888 had some videos where they tried to blow up some old surplus rifles using pistol powder. I believe they tried an arisaka and a mosin? Anyways even with a full case of fast pistol powder they couldn’t blow up either rifle. They managed to seize the bolt shut and fireform the casing to the chamber.

They didn’t test a 50bmg though.

 

[iron cat]

Iraqveteran888 had some videos where they tried to blow up some old surplus rifles using pistol powder. I believe they tried an arisaka and a mosin? Anyways even with a full case of fast pistol powder they couldn’t blow up either rifle. They managed to seize the bolt shut and fireform the casing to the chamber.

They didn’t test a 50bmg though.

I know of a 338 Imoroved that blew up at our range, and the only explanation was a full case of Pistol powder that was used for fire forming and the owner forgot to change the powder put for his rifle powder.
No one was injured but the action let go at the barrel shank, IIRC the lugs did not shear on that Nesika action!
Barrel parts were found downrange about 50 yards .
Cat

 

[saskgunowner101]

Iraqveteran888 had some videos where they tried to blow up some old surplus rifles using pistol powder. I believe they tried an arisaka and a mosin? Anyways even with a full case of fast pistol powder they couldn’t blow up either rifle. They managed to seize the bolt shut and fireform the casing to the chamber.

They didn’t test a 50bmg though.

I found the one on the Arisaka, but let me say this. While 40 grains of H-110 was probably really nasty, according to my one book, Titegroup (that's a fast powder!) has a VMD of roughly 77 percent of H-110. In theory, about 30 grains of it would fit in the same case. I'm guessing it would have been raining gun parts with that. Saying this gun is a pos and other guns can handle full charges of fast pistol powder is not truthful.

It would be interesting to see what quickload predicts even for this example.