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Bart B. · June 8, 2012, 05:34 PM

At the Nationals some years ago, a guy fired a round in his Obermeyer barrel that had been recalled bacause it was one of a lot from the steel mill that were improperly heat treated. It blew out just in front of the receiver so chards of forend wood and barrel steel really messed up his left arm and hand. He had chose not to return the barrel for a new one.

Someone had put bird shot mixed with epoxy in their M1A's magazines bottom half to make the rifle heavier. Reloading a magazine in a rapid fire match, the top round slam fired and the result was gas blowing down into the magazine putting pieces of epoxy and bird shot into both legs on their inside. The other 7 rounds in the magazine were bent and tossed all over the firing point.

A guy with a very long and large beard was shooting his high power match. In his first sitting position shooting his first 5 shots rapid fire, his beard got caught in the Win. 70's claw extractor as he closed the bolt on a round loading it. That pull on his whiskers pulled them and some skin out of the right side of his cheek.

A Presentation Grade 7.62 NATO M1 Grade A was rebuilt by the USN Small Arms Match Conditioning Unit, San Diego in the late '60's. When taken to the test range to get zeroed at 600 yards, the very first round loaded into it slamfired driving the op rod's handle back into the palm of the right hand of the guy (a good friend) who loaded it. 'Twas determined that the M1 had too little hammer-sear engagement and the shock of the bolt slamming home on a chambered round whose bullet was seated a bit too long was the cause.

In a .45 ACP pistol match, a woman was shooting slow fire when a round exploded driving the slide back, breaking off the recoil spring shroud at its front and driving the slide off the frame. She suffered some facial injuries. Examination of her handloads showed some had triple charges of Bullseye under those 185-gr. wadcutters.

Canon City, Colorado, mid 1980's; a shot from the 1000 yard line went low barely clearing the safety berm then bounced off the bottom pipe of the target frame and down into the target puller's thigh. A veterinarian doctor at the match treated him and it was just a flesh wound. I didn't shoot that match 'cause a month earlier, I'd warned the club maintaining the range that the top of the safety berm in front of the targets had been shot away too much, A bullet from a low shot could bounce off it and hurt someone in the pits; more dirt should be packed atop it or the target carriers lowered.

When I was 13, I'd been shooting my pellet gun at some cans. I don't remember exactly what happened, but my left hand' palm got over the muzzle at the same time my trigger finger did its job. The scar's still there and I still remember what the doctor said while he was removing the pellet.

I know there's more; the odds are that it will happen.....sometime.

June 8, 2012, 05:34 PM	#11
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	At the Nationals some years ago, a guy fired a round in his Obermeyer barrel that had been recalled bacause it was one of a lot from the steel mill that were improperly heat treated. It blew out just in front of the receiver so chards of forend wood and barrel steel really messed up his left arm and hand. He had chose not to return the barrel for a new one. Someone had put bird shot mixed with epoxy in their M1A's magazines bottom half to make the rifle heavier. Reloading a magazine in a rapid fire match, the top round slam fired and the result was gas blowing down into the magazine putting pieces of epoxy and bird shot into both legs on their inside. The other 7 rounds in the magazine were bent and tossed all over the firing point. A guy with a very long and large beard was shooting his high power match. In his first sitting position shooting his first 5 shots rapid fire, his beard got caught in the Win. 70's claw extractor as he closed the bolt on a round loading it. That pull on his whiskers pulled them and some skin out of the right side of his cheek. A Presentation Grade 7.62 NATO M1 Grade A was rebuilt by the USN Small Arms Match Conditioning Unit, San Diego in the late '60's. When taken to the test range to get zeroed at 600 yards, the very first round loaded into it slamfired driving the op rod's handle back into the palm of the right hand of the guy (a good friend) who loaded it. 'Twas determined that the M1 had too little hammer-sear engagement and the shock of the bolt slamming home on a chambered round whose bullet was seated a bit too long was the cause. In a .45 ACP pistol match, a woman was shooting slow fire when a round exploded driving the slide back, breaking off the recoil spring shroud at its front and driving the slide off the frame. She suffered some facial injuries. Examination of her handloads showed some had triple charges of Bullseye under those 185-gr. wadcutters. Canon City, Colorado, mid 1980's; a shot from the 1000 yard line went low barely clearing the safety berm then bounced off the bottom pipe of the target frame and down into the target puller's thigh. A veterinarian doctor at the match treated him and it was just a flesh wound. I didn't shoot that match 'cause a month earlier, I'd warned the club maintaining the range that the top of the safety berm in front of the targets had been shot away too much, A bullet from a low shot could bounce off it and hurt someone in the pits; more dirt should be packed atop it or the target carriers lowered. When I was 13, I'd been shooting my pellet gun at some cans. I don't remember exactly what happened, but my left hand' palm got over the muzzle at the same time my trigger finger did its job. The scar's still there and I still remember what the doctor said while he was removing the pellet. I know there's more; the odds are that it will happen.....sometime. Last edited by Bart B.; June 9, 2012 at 05:30 AM.