.45 blow up!

[Vern Humphrey]

I use an old Lyman Spar-T turret press. I typically size, prime and bell about 1,000 at a time. I definitely use a loading block -- and go over it carefully with a flashlight, looking into each case to check for overloads.

[Rafsob]

It may have been a double charge, but it looks like the slide did not lock up. It may have been a bad barrel locking block. I have seen this once before in a Sig 220.

Just my two cents and humble opinion of course.

[Johnny Peppers]

On the 1911 the barrel has locking lugs that lock into corresponding lugs in the slide. The slide and barrel can't go into battery until these mate up, and until then the disconnector prevents the pistol from firing. The barrel appears to have just begun to move when the top of the chamber was blown out. Looks like an overcharge as the primer pocket is severely blown out.

[browningautorifle]

What about if the bullet pushed back in the casing? So it was right against the powder? No air space left? I've seen a 44-40 that all but destroyed a 92 winchester rifle like that. Lead bullet at that!

[Johnny Peppers]

The shooter should have noticed any bullet loose enough to fall all the way back to the powder when loading the cartridges in the magazine. A good set of dies sizes the case down enough that the case must be belled slightly to get the bullet started.

[ltcboy]

Very lucky your not blind and even dead. There was a man about five years ago who was shooting a milsurp rifle. I believe he was shooting reloads when the gun blew up, the bolt shot back into his head and killed him. Gotta be very cautious.

[rayg]

Very lucky your not blind and even dead. There was a man about five years ago who was shooting a milsurp rifle. I believe he was shooting reloads when the gun blew up, the bolt shot back into his head and killed him. Gotta be very cautious.

That was a Sarco employee who was shooting a Winchester Lee Navy 6mm rifle. Apparently it was a double charge of powder, I believe it was Unique powder. Ray

[ltcboy]

You cannot take reloading for granted.

[Pattern14]

Very lucky your not blind and even dead. There was a man about five years ago who was shooting a milsurp rifle. I believe he was shooting reloads when the gun blew up, the bolt shot back into his head and killed him. Gotta be very cautious.

That rifle was a M1895 Lee Navy Straight-Pull bolt action.

(sorry didn't see rayg's post until too late)

[DaveHH]

the one that could be assembled incorrectly to cause these types of accidents?
I can't imagine any Mauser based bolt action coming apart like that.