Ruger blow up?

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Oh deep joy, sage-like advice, given so freely and at this time of the morning….

You need to learn to fly out of Bed and run at 150mph

 

[Smellydog]

Learn to read the thread in order to get context, and quote accordingly.

Amazing.

 

[Heym SR20]

The 17 WSM is running at 33,000 psi, wheras the 17HMR is running at 25,000 psi. The Centrefire Hornets are 40,000 odd psi.

So if the rim lets go, as it looks in this case, the gases will be exerting a few thousand pounds of force on whatever they collide with.

Rimfires work by crushing part of the case wall, which limits pressure levels and it looks like the 17 WSM is at that sort of level.

It’s one of those cartridges that should have been put down at birth as a bad idea.

 

[Heym SR20]

The 17 WSM is running at 33,000 psi, wheras the 17HMR is running at 25,000 psi. The Centrefire Hornets are 40,000 odd psi.

So if the rim lets go, as it looks in this case, the gases will be exerting a few thousand pounds of force on whatever they collide with.

Rimfires work by crushing part of the case wall, which limits pressure levels and it looks like the 17 WSM is at that sort of level.

It’s one of those cartridges that should have been put down at birth as a bad idea.

Following on - it looks like the failure was at the case rim and all the pressure came back into the action. Looking at the design of the Ruger there are no gas escape holes on the side of the chamber to let out gases from a split cartridge. Old Mausers, Rem 700, Brno / CZ rimfires etc all have holes going into the receiver at about the case rim for the very reason that case heads can and do separate due to failures in the case (for whatever reason). A case failure is thus embuggerance with gases going across your arm, and potentially problems with extraction if the case has completely separated. Shouldn’t result in all gases blowing out magazines and bits of stock etc.

1) 17 WSM is probably operating at upper limits of pressure for a Rimfire so a bad idea in the first place.

2) a case failure due some fault in the brass, load or whatever

3) poor design of the rifle with lack of adequate gas escape holes.

 

[Foxyboy43]

You need to learn to fly out of Bed and run at 150mph

But I can, I can!
Just like some others on the site or at least the voices keep telling me….

 

[A Guy Out West]

So very amazing that this happened to a YouTuber.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Update video - would you shoot it again?
Neither would I - interesting to hear that a “bunch” of shooters reported the same disaster….

 

[enfieldspares]

Fair point that for some reason I haven't thought about on rimfires. Including semiautos. Basically extractor is just another firing pin on rimfire, just a lot weaker than the one that is supposed to light the primer compound...

On one particular French semi-auto .22, the Gevarm, the firing pin was a fixed stud on the bolt face as that rifle also fired from an open bolt.

 

[Rafter]

The Gevarm and copies were popular here for quiet deer..... a carefully placed piece of drill stock and brrrrrrrt.
Allegedly

 

[25 Sharps]

And what do you call a thing that hits the primer? In a situation where the round is not in a "controlled feed", like if the round hits side of chamber and you try to chamber it by working bolt back and forth?

Yes it has a slope in front (at least most of them) and yes it has a spring that allows it to "step to the side" when that slope is camming against the rim, but nevertheless it hits the "primer".

Well, on a rimfire it’s called a striker……

 

[moeggesit]

I must have had more than 100k .22 ammo and it either just work or misfire. Some brands are just awful and don’t work in certain rifles. Then in 2021 I had two blowouts and witnessed two more (4 different rifles).

The first was in a 1930’s bolt action Walther, it separated the rear of the case and blew the mag out. All the others were in Ruger 10/22’s, same case separation and blew the mags out, smashing 2 of the magazines. No damage to the rifles and no other issues (1000’s shot through the same rifles after), I’m convinced it was faulty ammo, but… it was not all the same batches. It was all Eley but different batches and ages. After that no issues. I had some of that ammo for many years and some was bought new in 2021 so there should be no relation.

 

[Smellydog]

I must have had more than 100k .22 ammo and it either just work or misfire. Some brands are just awful and don’t work in certain rifles. Then in 2021 I had two blowouts and witnessed two more (4 different rifles).

The first was in a 1930’s bolt action Walther, it separated the rear of the case and blew the mag out. All the others were in Ruger 10/22’s, same case separation and blew the mags out, smashing 2 of the magazines. No damage to the rifles and no other issues (1000’s shot through the same rifles after), I’m convinced it was faulty ammo, but… it was not all the same batches. It was all Eley but different batches and ages. After that no issues. I had some of that ammo for many years and some was bought new in 2021 so there should be no relation.

It happens. The case is made from sheet brass, any tiny flaw in the sheet can easily go undoticed.
If that flaw ends up being the case head bobs your uncle...
Unlike center fire brass being drawn from a measured piece a brass stock which incidentally can also produce flaws and still get to the consumer.

 

[moeggesit]

It happens. The case is made from sheet brass, any tiny flaw in the sheet can easily go undoticed.
If that flaw ends up being the case head bobs your uncle...
Unlike center fire brass being drawn from a measured piece a brass stock which incidentally can also produce flaws and still get to the consumer.

Agreed, what I found strange is that it did not happen in 40 years (to me or where I was present) and then 4 times in one year!