Rifle burst tests, how good is your rifle?

Thank you for that clarification. Now I just have to remember not to weld my barrel shut. But, I can see how easily that could happen. Now I'd like to see some tests where a stick of Acme brand dynamite is inserted into the action in place of the bolt. Since you just never know when this could happen, the relevance is certainly on par with the welded barrel test.
I know that is a little bit (ok, a lot) sarcastic, but hopefully you can imagine why we all think the test was:

A: Entertaining
B: Irrelevant
C: A waist of some fine rifles

Cheers

Agree with A and possibly C, but not with B. This was a nice and clear scientific test which can simply gives the consumer solid data about how certain rifles perform in a well defined extreme case. BTW a friend of mine hunted once during winter high up the mountains. As he fired at a roe deer with well proven factory ammo his barrel blew up, fortunately not wounding him gravely. After that shock he asked himself how that could have happened. He had checked the bore after getting out of the car but forgot to tape the muzzle as he usually does. All he can guess that somehow some snow entered the barrel causing a blow-up. His rifle was a Remington btw. So **** can happen, even if you are a careful guy. If this **** happens it is better to have a rifle which performed better in such an extreme test.
 
Thank you for that clarification. Now I just have to remember not to weld my barrel shut. But, I can see how easily that could happen. Now I'd like to see some tests where a stick of Acme brand dynamite is inserted into the action in place of the bolt. Since you just never know when this could happen, the relevance is certainly on par with the welded barrel test.
I know that is a little bit (ok, a lot) sarcastic, but hopefully you can imagine why we all think the test was:

A: Entertaining
B: Irrelevant
C: A waist of some fine rifles

Cheers

Knowing how well a particular rifle deals with a blocked or failed barrel may be irrelevant to you, but not to me.

I myself have had a Rogers & Spencer black powder pistol barrel burst next to me because the shooter accidentally sent one bullet half way up the barrel with the cap, assumed the barrel was clear and promptly shot another up behind it.
I also saw what injuries someone can suffer when a rifle fails, in this case an SLR.

failedbarrel.jpg
 
I have hunted my entire life. My Dad hunted, his Dad hunted and virtually everyone I know hunts (even my girlfriend). Also, where I hunt the temps can drop down to -26 below zero plus winds at 20-35mph. While it's not exactly the antarctic, it gets pretty extreme some days. I have never, nor has anyone I know, taped their barrel shut. Keeping the end of your barrel out of the mud and snow just goes without saying. (I thought) If a person stays upright and sober, you shouldn't have any problems with barrel obstructions.
It is fun to test one rifle against another sometimes but I don't think I would purchase one weapon over another just because I think it's possible that I might ram a wedge in the end or weld it shut someday.
I have lost count of how many guns I own. (seriously) I handload my ammo and I shoot everything including black powder, black powder cartridges, smokeless cartridges from .22LR, .223, 22-250, 243 Win, 6-06AI, 6.5 Grendel, 7-30Waters, 270 Win, .308 Win, 45-70 Gov. (not including shotguns and pistols) and I've never once thought that someday I'd buy another rifle based on which one takes the most stupidity to blow it up.
On a side note, I saw your list of guns and they are pretty impressive. I'd like to have a Sako someday myself.
 
I have hunted my entire life. My Dad hunted, his Dad hunted and virtually everyone I know hunts (even my girlfriend). Also, where I hunt the temps can drop down to -26 below zero plus winds at 20-35mph. While it's not exactly the antarctic, it gets pretty extreme some days. I have never, nor has anyone I know, taped their barrel shut. Keeping the end of your barrel out of the mud and snow just goes without saying. (I thought) If a person stays upright and sober, you shouldn't have any problems with barrel obstructions.

Hunting is also a big tradition here and this was indeed the only instance of a barrel burst which I knew personally off. He suspects that snow entered the muzzle of the slung rifle when it touched one of the many low-hanging snow-covered branches of the forest or when some of it fell down due to sun densing it.

I personally always tape my rifle lightly, very cheap and very effective in keeping dust, rain and snow out of my barrel. Tested the effect of it on the accuracy and it was pretty much nill.


It is fun to test one rifle against another sometimes but I don't think I would purchase one weapon over another just because I think it's possible that I might ram a wedge in the end or weld it shut someday.
I have lost count of how many guns I own. (seriously) I handload my ammo and I shoot everything including black powder, black powder cartridges, smokeless cartridges from .22LR, .223, 22-250, 243 Win, 6-06AI, 6.5 Grendel, 7-30Waters, 270 Win, .308 Win, 45-70 Gov. (not including shotguns and pistols) and I've never once thought that someday I'd buy another rifle based on which one takes the most stupidity to blow it up.

I see your point and still I think of it like scotsgun. If this rare piece of **** might happen once to me, be it due to personal stupidity or bad luck I would rather have a solid and safe piece in my hand then one which tends to shrapnel me.
 
This post keeps coming up and unless everyone reads all of the post there is a lot
lost.

This type of test is self serving and proves nothing except that it is possible to blow up your/Any
barrel if you weld up the barrel or plug it(Duh).

All weapons have a safety factor designed in and if you exceed this it can ruin your day.

Plus as someone said it was a waist of some fine rifles.

If I heard of a batch of 50 to 100 rifles that burst I would not buy any more of that brand but
all brands of weapons have failed at one time or another because someone through neglect
or just not checking the bore before firing blew one up.

J E CUSTOM
 
My three favorite hunting rifles are 700's. I'm more concerned about being abducted by space aliens, while in the mountains, than I am about my guns exploding.
 
I quit welding my barrels closed when my wife quit shooting. Havent found a need for it after the divorce.
 
This is an interesting subject.
As a Wild Life Officer I was called by gunsmiths and stores when a gun came in damaged from firing.

There was a Pre 64 Win. Model 70 custom 25-06 wildcat rifle, (Built before Remington made it a factory load) in our French Creek office. It was in about 40 pieces of steel and walnut wood. The gun had been loaded and fired on a range with a 308 Win. cartridge. The front receiver ring had busted through the scope base screw holes, But did not open enough to let the bolt lugs release. The scope was damaged and blown off the rifle.

Over years seen 3 25-06's blown up by 308 Win. shells being mistakenly fired in them. 1 guy was getting sweat in his eyes, Wrapped a thick towel he had in his vehicle around his head, A piece of metal was recovered from inside the folded towel after the blowup. He may have been killed if not for the towel.

Investigated a 700 Rem 243 Win. that had been leaned loaded against a tree. Came a high country rain storm, Then the sun came out and a ground hog came out to feed. The owner went into position and shot at the ground hog. Bolt locked in rifle. Took pounding the 700 bolt open with a book and big hammer, (Both of us surprised the bolt handle held). Bolt in a vise, Channel Lock Pliers would not remove case. Hole had to be drilled near base and large punch used to twist the case out of the bolt. Ejector was damaged and extractor ring was damaged. Case blew primer pocket to large black hole, Could not read caliber on case end. But 700 Rem. action held.

In the Hunter Education Student Book they only discuss 20 ga. in 12 ga. shotgun as problem with ammo. I go into rifle ammo problems,
Especially 308 Win. in smaller caliber than 30 cal. Investigated a few 308 Win. shot in 30-06 chambers. No damage, Just slight curl at beginning of shoulder on what was the 308 Win. case neck.
 
10 year old thread! Still kind of "interesting" but I have a much different take on the test results.

Whenever you are working with an enclosed "area" that can have a rapid build up of pressure, you ALWAYS and are legally required to incorporate a "blow out" panel, plug, bypass etc that will direct the rapid build up of pressure in a safe(r) direction.

All the rifle actions held to the best of our visible observation. What is not provided is the structural eval of each one of the actions. The ones where the barrel did not blow apart clearly took more pressure force but what we don't know is their condition. Were those actions ready to disintegrate back into the shooters face from the added pressure?

Personally, I would feel safer having the barrel as the pressure escape "valve" go versus the action that takes 100% of the pressure and who knows?

Yes, there is risk from the barrel but it is far less than having an action come back into your face.

Just think if the test was a 300WM versus .308. Would those actions hold under that test versus a barrel busting apart. Which action would you rather be behind?

Hats off to JE who immediately opined you can make any test to meet your results. Dang miss him!
 
This is an interesting subject.
As a Wild Life Officer I was called by gunsmiths and stores when a gun came in damaged from firing.

There was a Pre 64 Win. Model 70 custom 25-06 wildcat rifle, (Built before Remington made it a factory load) in our French Creek office. It was in about 40 pieces of steel and walnut wood. The gun had been loaded and fired on a range with a 308 Win. cartridge. The front receiver ring had busted through the scope base screw holes, But did not open enough to let the bolt lugs release. The scope was damaged and blown off the rifle.

Over years seen 3 25-06's blown up by 308 Win. shells being mistakenly fired in them. 1 guy was getting sweat in his eyes, Wrapped a thick towel he had in his vehicle around his head, A piece of metal was recovered from inside the folded towel after the blowup. He may have been killed if not for the towel.

Investigated a 700 Rem 243 Win. that had been leaned loaded against a tree. Came a high country rain storm, Then the sun came out and a ground hog came out to feed. The owner went into position and shot at the ground hog. Bolt locked in rifle. Took pounding the 700 bolt open with a book and big hammer, (Both of us surprised the bolt handle held). Bolt in a vise, Channel Lock Pliers would not remove case. Hole had to be drilled near base and large punch used to twist the case out of the bolt. Ejector was damaged and extractor ring was damaged. Case blew primer pocket to large black hole, Could not read caliber on case end. But 700 Rem. action held.

In the Hunter Education Student Book they only discuss 20 ga. in 12 ga. shotgun as problem with ammo. I go into rifle ammo problems,
Especially 308 Win. in smaller caliber than 30 cal. Investigated a few 308 Win. shot in 30-06 chambers. No damage, Just slight curl at beginning of shoulder on what was the 308 Win. case neck.
Hi.
A well known gunsmith in uk had a sako 75 on display that had 'blown up'. It too was a 25-06 that had a .308 fired in it.

Out of curiosity, is it a requirement that gunsmiths report 'blown up' firearms to the Wildlife service?
 

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