Challenger Target Load Blows up on extraction from chamber

gttsc

gttsc

Regular
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Location
Ottawa area
Here is one I cant figure out. Yesterday I went out to shoot a few pigeons who have been freeloading in my barn. I loaded 3 challenger #9 1oz first class target loads into a browning gold 12ga autoloader. After determining there were no pigeons to be shot, I proceeded to unload the shotgun. State of the gun at the time was safety on, one round in the chamber, two rounds in the magazine. The gun is in excellent shape, has never malfunctioned and in excellent condition and well maintained. As i began to pull the bolt back with the operating handle, the round being extracted went off. There was one big bang, and the noise was incredible. After I came to my senses and determined that I had all of my fingers and was not bleeding from anywhere, i examined the state of the gun. there was an empty hull in the action with the primer, brass and base wad all separated just laying there. The bolt was locked in the rearward position, and an unfired shell laying on the magazine ramp. There was also a wad sticking half way out the end of the barrel. I took the parts of the exploded shell out and removed the live shell on the carrier. There was no shell in the magazine, so the remnants of the shell in the action, was actually the second shell. I found the first shell ejected on the ground, crimp still intact, but the shot and wad had blown out the side of the shell. The brass base and primer were missing (still cant find them). The base wad was still in the hull. As near as I can recollect, there was just one big bang. It appears that the first shell detonated as it was being extracted, driving the bolt back, releasing the second shell, which made it partially into the chamber before going off. The primer of this shell did have a straight edge mark on it like it had been struck by the bolt face. It was blown up at both ends. All of this with the safety on and my finger no where near the trigger.

I disassembled, cleaned and inspected the gun. Not damaged and it functions perfectly. (with federal ammo this time :))

https://photos.app.goo.gl/P5YrsyWLrusVmtaYA


open

open

open

open

open

open

open

open
 
Last edited:
Any thoughts on what happened? All I can imagine is somehow the hammer either fell or the firing pin got jammed when you pulled the bolt back.
 
Grouse Man said:
Any thoughts on what happened? All I can imagine is somehow the hammer either fell or the firing pin got jammed when you pulled the bolt back.
Click to expand...

No idea. The safety was on and it should be impossible for the hammer to fall when the bolt is out of battery. I wish i could find the brass and primer from the first shell...maybe i will get the metal detector out. I took the gun apart and the firing pin and the rebound spring were all in perfect condition. I would guess that the bolt was about half way open when it went off.
 
Glad you are OK and hopefully your hearing was not compromised. Best guess is the chambered shell went off first but without those parts hard to find a definitive answer. I imagine a word to Challenger is in order. Guess it reinforces why I prefer the most simple of guns.
 
Bland said:
Glad you are OK and hopefully your hearing was not compromised. Best guess is the chambered shell went off first but without those parts hard to find a definitive answer. I imagine a word to Challenger is in order. Guess it reinforces why I prefer the most simple of guns.
Click to expand...

I agree! Normally i would use my 682, but I hate to get caught with 2 shells for 3 birds! My ears are still ringing....loudly!
 
I'm glad to hear that you weren't seriously injured!

I'd be looking at a mechanical issue with the shotgun ... shells don't go off by themselves. Something had to hit the primer ....
 
I'll bet that was a surprised! Glad you weren't hurt worse than a pellet to the hand and ringing ears.

It seems to me that the bolt must have been almost completely open when the first round went off so the hammer couldn't have fallen on the striker but I agree with Beretta687EELL, shells don't go off by themselves so something must have contacted the primer to detonate it.
 
Glad to hear you are ok. I am not sure I would trust that gun again until it was examined by a capable gunsmith. In the meantime you may want to manually cycle some snap caps through it to see if you can here the firing pin strikes without pulling the trigger.
 
X2
That was a close call
I wouldnt trust that firearm atm.
I was duck hunting one time.. in the blind with my brother beretta semi .. had one in the pipe with safety on ! Lie the gun down ontop of the guncase so i could eat some snacks... had my hand on butt of gun and fore grip as i was laying it down.. kaboom..
Wtf ??? My buddy looks over at me... sees how i was holding the gun and my stark white face.... sooooo watcha shootin at ? Lol
I didnt think it was funny... emptied the gun, packed it up
Went back to using my 870’s.. never had a problem since .. 29years ago... never forgot it

fishslinger said:
Glad to hear you are ok. I am not sure I would trust that gun again until it was examined by a capable gunsmith. In the meantime you may want to manually cycle some snap caps through it to see if you can here the firing pin strikes without pulling the trigger.
Click to expand...
 
Beretta687EELL said:
I'm glad to hear that you weren't seriously injured!

I'd be looking at a mechanical issue with the shotgun ... shells don't go off by themselves. Something had to hit the primer ....
Click to expand...

My thought as well. Something had to have come in contact with the primer. I don't think the shells had anything to do with it, other than going off unsupported by the chamber and a bolt the was not in battery. A freak set of circumstances.
 
The primer from shell 2 does not appear to have a FP strike .yet it has large impression where it got impacted . Possibly as piece of the base from shell one .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom