Video - A Burst 1861 Navy Revolver Barrel

arcticap · April 6, 2019, 10:25 AM

A short 2:28 video by capandball showing how an obstruction due to a dry ball or squib load caused a revolver barrel to burst.

https://youtu.be/PU4-v433Of0

Pahoo · April 6, 2019, 11:49 AM

arcticap
That was interesting and a great example of what can happen when basic safety rules are not followed. I once saw a "SideLock" M/L rifle that a barrel ring about 12" from the muzzle. Can only venture a guess as to how that happened...

Thanks again and;
Be Safe !!!

bedbugbilly · April 6, 2019, 04:34 PM

even with bp - squibs can occur

arcticap · April 6, 2019, 05:56 PM

Someone on THR who has the same 1861 model also reported a slight bulge about 1 inch into his barrel from the same type of squib event.
His barrel didn't burst and he said that its accuracy is acceptable.
But maybe it's a more common occurrence than I realized.
I'm glad that I load off the frame and can see that the chambers are loaded with powder before ramming.

Hellgate · April 7, 2019, 12:41 AM

I had a similar event happen to me with an Uberti Remington NMA. I heard just the report of the cap and figured I have either capped the open chamber or forgot to put powder into the chamber. A little voice inside said
"check the bore before touching off the next round". So I did and found a ball about 3-4" into the bore. My flask had run out of powder and dribbled just a few remaining grains of powder into the chamber but they were enough to propel the ball past the forcing cone but not out the barrel. A completely dry chamber usually results in nothing but a cap pop. If the ball is not a tight fit maybe the ball will lodge in the forcing cone. The cap alone doesn't have the umph to move the ball much id at all. I'd bet the customer ran out of powder like me.

John E.B. Rawton · April 8, 2019, 01:02 PM

I went out for my first c&b experience over the weekend. Shot 30 rounds through each gun getting the feel for it. I had one shot that sounded a bit odd and a few extra sparks where they weren’t before. I immediately sent a rod down down the barrel. It was clear so I kept a shootin’

April 6, 2019, 10:25 AM	#1
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Video - A Burst 1861 Navy Revolver Barrel A short 2:28 video by capandball showing how an obstruction due to a dry ball or squib load caused a revolver barrel to burst. https://youtu.be/PU4-v433Of0 Last edited by arcticap; April 6, 2019 at 10:33 AM.

April 6, 2019, 11:49 AM	#2
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Interesting arcticap That was interesting and a great example of what can happen when basic safety rules are not followed. I once saw a "SideLock" M/L rifle that a barrel ring about 12" from the muzzle. Can only venture a guess as to how that happened... Thanks again and; Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

April 6, 2019, 04:34 PM	#3
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	even with bp - squibs can occur __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

April 6, 2019, 05:56 PM	#4
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	Someone on THR who has the same 1861 model also reported a slight bulge about 1 inch into his barrel from the same type of squib event. His barrel didn't burst and he said that its accuracy is acceptable. But maybe it's a more common occurrence than I realized. I'm glad that I load off the frame and can see that the chambers are loaded with powder before ramming. Last edited by arcticap; April 7, 2019 at 01:07 PM.

April 7, 2019, 12:41 AM	#5
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	I had a similar event happen to me with an Uberti Remington NMA. I heard just the report of the cap and figured I have either capped the open chamber or forgot to put powder into the chamber. A little voice inside said "check the bore before touching off the next round". So I did and found a ball about 3-4" into the bore. My flask had run out of powder and dribbled just a few remaining grains of powder into the chamber but they were enough to propel the ball past the forcing cone but not out the barrel. A completely dry chamber usually results in nothing but a cap pop. If the ball is not a tight fit maybe the ball will lodge in the forcing cone. The cap alone doesn't have the umph to move the ball much id at all. I'd bet the customer ran out of powder like me. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

April 8, 2019, 01:02 PM	#6
John E.B. Rawton Member Join Date: September 22, 2018 Posts: 68	I went out for my first c&b experience over the weekend. Shot 30 rounds through each gun getting the feel for it. I had one shot that sounded a bit odd and a few extra sparks where they weren’t before. I immediately sent a rod down down the barrel. It was clear so I kept a shootin’