User Panel
Posted: 9/22/2004 5:10:01 AM EDT
This is not BPCR, but is definitely worth a look, folks. I have posted ten relatively high quality images of a brand new SAKO bolt action rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum caliber, with synthetic stock, and fluted barrel. On the 15th shot out of the box, it went KA-BOOM! The first 14 shots were from a box of Hornady factory ammunition. The fifteenth shot was from a new box of Federal factory ammunition.
The barrel is now in three totally separate, longitudinal pieces, the receiver is split down the middle, with left and right halves, and the forestock is a black plastic memory. The cartridge case is split from mouth to case head, and looks like a three-petaled flower. With the limited number of images available - here are my thoughts on the event: To my non-professional (since I don't get paid for my opinions,) eye this is a failure caused by included flaw(s) in the barrel steel. Once the barrel started to fail, the fractures continued forward, generally along the edge where the flutes join the major diameter of the barrel. Note, in the image of the cartridge case, there does not appear to be any significant swelling, or deformation, of the case head, itself, and I can not see any melted brass, or brass flow. I cannot see any brass flow in the shattered area of the split barrel, either. To my mind, that precludes the possibility that it was a high pressure round causing the failure. (Unfortunately, I do not yet have any images of the case head, itself, or of the bolt face, which might add additional credence to my point.) The shooter was NOT seriously harmed because he was shooting from the bench, apparently wore proper protective gear, and had his arms cradled under the butt - in the rear sand bag area. OK. enough teasing. Here's the link to the photos. - Rick A. Shay, Colorado |
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In all the KB's I've seen on the internet, the shooter was never injured seriously. I'm really glad about that.
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Cleanup on
Bring a change of undies.... |
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But... I thought only Glocks did that??
I would agree with the SWAG as to why it failed.... something wrong with the barrel steel. I'd say Sako owes that rifle's owner a new rifle.. .... and a new pair of shorts |
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Wow, that's some serious failure! It's almost impossible to overload a .300 winmag with IMR 4831. Don't know what kind of powder they had in the factory ammo, but I can bet it wasn't that. Could have been a real light charge. They have been known to cause that type of failure in a high capacity case. Yikes !!!!!!!!!! One kaboom was more than enough for me. |
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HOLY CRAP!
To hell with the underwear change, I'd be sitting in a puddle if that happened to me. DAYYYYAM! |
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With the barrel split evenly from one end to the other in three peices , I'd say that was a serious Q&A screw up! I've NEVER seen a failure like that before! Bulged barrels and the mushroom looking barrel are about it. This thing EXPLODED! Amazing nobody was killed.
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Do you still have all your fingers, Id hate to say it, but this is what GUN Lawsuits Are really for.
Damn, I hope they have been notified, so as to recall the others if necessary. THAT is a really big KaBoom. Very Lucky to have no been killed. |
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Poly-o String cheese barrel. I wonder how many people shit themselves on the line?
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I'm thinking the ka-boom and a regular shot being fired from a .300 Win Mag probably aren't that much different in volume... but I bet if anyone saw it, they shit their pants, too! |
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A little J-B Weld and that thing ought to be good to go.
Seriously, though. Glad to hear you were unhurt, cuz that's the biggest Kb I've ever seen. There was a guy who used pistol powder in his rifle about two years ago. Drove part of the bolt into his forehead and killed him. |
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Wow! That KB is really impressive. Glad nobody was badly hurt. One very lucky fellow.
We need to know what happened. If it were me, lots of correspondence would be flying back to SAKO and the ammo mfgr. now, with pics. We'd find out the cause and I'd have me a new rifle. |
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Go to the link... the scope is trashed... |
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fight4yourrights: That looks pretty nasty, I'm glad no body got hurt.
Is your rifle still under warranty, and have you contacted the manufacturer? |
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It's not me, I just got this link this morning and passed it along. |
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I wonder if the barrel was stress relieved after the fluting? Very Nice KB! Glad no one was hurt.
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Oh good! Whew I though it was one of us! As a side note, there was failure of a homemade aluminum reciever about 20 years ago at the my local outdoor range at Fish Canyon, Durarte Calif, 15 miles east of Los Angeles, at the base of the San Gabriel Mtns. The shooter had part of his bolt penetrating his skull, when it blew and a deputy sheriff shooting nearby rushed the victim to the hospital. Don't know if he survived or not. |
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HOLY SMOKES
Maybe he could sell the barrel as a special cutaway display model. |
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I wonder if Leupold would give the guy a replacement scope? Any bets?
Spooky |
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Hmm. From this picture: www.bpcr.net/site_photos/Sako-KA-BOOM/pages/B-barrel_pieces-1_jpg.htm it looks like the fracture area was an inch or two ahead of the chamber.
My guess is that the split barrel ripped apart the reciever. |
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All minor damage. A good gunsmith can fix that right up in no time.
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... For legal purposes, I would highly recommend immediately taking the barrel and action to an independent, ANSI/ASME certified, metal fatigue testing laboratory and pay for a thorough properties and failure analysis.
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Hmmmm ...........
I have a Tikka in 338mag(made by same company) .... this makes me a tad nervous .... I wish they had more info about why it failed. |
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Notes to self - 1: Avoid Sako. 2: Tannerite is not a good replacment for power in ammo. |
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If it's a Leupold they will replace it. They are great about it. |
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Damn, my dad just bought a Sako FinnLight that looks exactly like that, well, what it looked like before blowing up at least. His is in .243, a lower pressure round though.
Yikes. |
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Hey that loopy is salvageable. Take a hammer and screwdriver and tap that thing back into a circle, a little super glue on the lens. Piece of cake.
I'ld bet it was a barrrel flaw, a high pressure related kaboom usually won't split them ALL the way down. Although a barrel obstructionmost of the way down might do it. Yet the shooter oughta notice a recoil and bang difference in the preceeding shot |
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Leupold wouldn't dare not replace this one. If it doesn't show signs of use as a hammer, leupold will fix it. |
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I would be looking at the ammo first, an obstructed barrel or they got a cartridge full of pistol powder.
Bad or incorrectly treated barrel steel. From what I understand Sako barrels are hammer-forged for what its worth as I am no metallurgist and don't know how a hammer-forged barrel is treated after the rifling is hammered in. |
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Hatcher would have called it a seamy barrel. |
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I find it interesting that the receiver split through the centerline where the various screw holes were stress risers. It makes me believe the receiver was improperly tempered - way too brittle.
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