My AR blew up on me today...

[SoonerP226]

You are thinking of Win 296/H110 being loaded too light. The manufacturer warns not to reduce charges below their data because it supposedly will detonate or something along those lines. Never seen it happen and never talked to anyone that has seen it to my knowledge and I've loaded a bunch of that powder. I've just heard the rumors.

I've never heard of such a thing in a rifle caliber. Just getting bullets stuck in the barrel from too light of a load.

That's entirely possible; I read the article a long time ago. I also remember it being discussed in rec.guns, but that was too long ago with too many missed nights of sleep in between.

 

[AKguy1985]

Any update???

 

[andrsnsm]

Nope. Does anyone know where I can get a case extractor locally?

I believe I have an extractor you can borrow and I live in Edmond. PM me if you still need one.

 

[Hoov]

Under pressure is entirely possible and more dangerous than an over pressure. I would love to see it myself. If you don't use somebody's extractor in Edmond, come by the store and have our 'smith look at it. I won't charge you.

 

[gmar]

There's not much left to look at. I had to break apart the receiver to take off the barrel nut to remove the barrel. However, I still have the pieces if anyone is interested in them.

I might hit you guys up for the case extractor next week if I don't get one before then.

As far as the cause, I'm thinking it was bullet set back.

 

[Boehlertaught]

Another possibility is an undercharge. I remember reading about this in the late '80s or early '90s; as I recall, if the charge was small enough with the right powder, the primer flash hole could be left exposed, so the primer flash could ignite the powder across a much larger surface area than in a properly-charged round, resulting in detonation instead of ignition. One of the pictures I recall was of a revolver with the topstrap peeled forward like a banana and the top of the cylinder gone.

I don't recall if this was something that affected rifle rounds, or if it was a handgun caliber-only phenomenon. I do remember that the type of powder was important...

Good reminder...I remember reading about this too. Another issue in this area is with primer set back. Not sure how this could happen on an AR though. As the issue is with the primer pushing back on the bolt, slightly, prior to the powder being inighted or fully ignited. And if the extractor pulls the case back a little you now have an exposed butt end of the case that can blow up/off/out or what ever but the bottom line is that none of it is good in a rifle not desigend for this. This design was actully done on purpose with some of the original semi auto rifles the US Militarly looked at. Pederson made one and I think Garand and Browning played with the idea. They actually used the primers power to begin pushing back the round prior to the full power of the powder pushing the round back in a mechanical effort rather than using the gas pressure from the round like an AR uses. Well, a non-piston AR.

 

[Spata]

Have you contacted the ammo maker?

 

[gmar]

Have you contacted the ammo maker?

No, I was shooting two different types of ammo and I'm not sure which one it was. I couldn't find the brass after it blew up.

 

[lee1000]

Once you get the case out you may be able to differentiate the two if one is crimped and the other is not.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[SPDguns]

I have access to a bore scope if you need it.