# My AR Blew Up Today



## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Yup . Total destruction. Blew the left and right side of the upper to pieces and the Picaninnany rail on the top buckled. Magazine blew out the bottom. Called the manufacturer and they want it back. I'm sure I'm not going to get anything out of it. Maybe it will give them info so someone else will benefit. No injuries but man oh man pieces went everywhere. On the phone they felt it was due to case failure . We'll see what the say after they tear it apart. They did want to know if I crimped or not. And the answer is no I don't. I think I'm done with the rattle guns. About $1300 to 1500 gone. -O,- Be careful guys.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

****...lucky you weren't hurt! Any "after" pics of the rifle?


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Scary stuff! Glad you're okay!


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

What load was you shooting? Hand or factory. 
If hand just curious about the load.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Glad you are ok! Everything I've read is its usually due to barrel obstructions. I dont see how brass case failure would cause this... brass is to malleable. How was the previous round?

-DallanC


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

I told you....


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

FWIW...my brother had a hot load in a Browning that blew it to pieces. Browning proved it was a reloading issue but replaced the firearm. Brother still has shrapnel embedded 40 years later.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Glad you are ok! Everything I've read is its usually due to barrel obstructions. I dont see how brass case failure would cause this... brass is to malleable. How was the previous round?
> 
> -DallanC


First off, very glad you're OK

I agree. Guns don't just blow up. Something was amiss for sure and the brass would be one of the last things I'd suspect, and I don't think you could crimp a bullet enough to make a gun "blow up". Double charge is the usual cause, barrel obstruction right in the chamber mouth??
Anyway, keep us posted.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes . I got pics I may post at a later date. Pistols are easy to double charge. Rifles not so much. There would be powder everywhere. 25.5 to 26 grns of Winchester 748 is the load. 55 grn Dogtown HP is the projectile. Crimping (for clarification) stops the projectile from seating to deep and compressing the powder when the bolt carrier slams into the round when it is chambered. I was shooting paper and sighting in a scope , checking each shot to walk the scope in. It was doing really well with some great groups. I have owned this rifle for 8 + years and shot tons of reloads through it. The round did go into battery all the way. So far without literally tearing the rest of the receiver to pieces to get the bolt carrier out it looks like a brass failure. More will be known when the manufacturer tears it apart. The manufacturer said the gun broke apart as intended. Never hold onto the magwell when shooting an AR. The overload of pressure goes down , up and out the sides of the aluminum receiver. Be safe guys. My gunsmith says he's now seen 4 of these in his career.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

There wasn't any 300 blackout in the neighborhood was there?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Good you are safe Al, but we really need pics!:mrgreen:


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Nothing wrong with that load. Shouldn't be the round.


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## NVDuckin (Apr 18, 2016)

I'm curious to hear what they find out the cause to be. Sounds like an ammunition issue to me.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

NVDuckin said:


> I'm curious to hear what they find out the cause to be. Sounds like an ammunition issue to me.


Me 2.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Tried to upload the pics. Says I can't. I have contacted the admin.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Glad to hear you're ok!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*kaboom*



Al Hansen said:


> Tried to upload the pics. Says I can't. I have contacted the admin.


testing, testing, 1-2-3





hmm, worked for me

.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks Goob. I'm not so good at the computer shtuff. It was bad. But I still have all my fingers hands and eyes. I'm a blessed man.


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I finally pick up an AR and this is the first post I come back to... I have to say it makes me hesitant to shoot it despite knowing that millions and millions of rounds go through millions of guns without a hiccup.

Glad to see that you're okay! Everyone be safe out there!


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

That's crazy! It even bent your scope mount. Looks like the scope is the only thing that survived unscathed.

Glad you kept all your digits!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Jeez Al, that ain't pretty....

Really glad you walked away from that one, I'd bet money your shooting glasses were on. And I'd bet some of that shrapnel hit 'em. ?

I think you tightened the scope mounts to tight....

Squib.....


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

.45 said:


> Jeez Al, that ain't pretty....
> 
> Really glad you walked away from that one, I'd bet money your shooting glasses were on. And I'd bet some of that shrapnel hit 'em. ?
> 
> ...


Don't know for sure yet, but the best theory so far is that there are two opinions on shooting AR ammo. One is crimp and the other is no crimp. The manufacturer of the rifle is sending me a box to mail them the whole rifle. They want it and "may " work with me on the replacement. We'll see. Back to the theory....... if you don't crimp the bullet may slam backwards into the case when the bolt carrier slams into the brass to put the round into battery / chamber the round. If the bullet goes to deep it will do two things 1. compress the powder charge making way to much pressure and 2. the bullet may have difficulty getting into the throat of the barrel once the rifle is fired, causing to much pressure. Now this can also happen with factory ammo as well as reloads. If you go online and put in AR Kaboom or AR Failure you will see a lot of AR's that have done the same thing. Please never fire and AR without protection for your eyes. And never use the magwell to hold onto. I know there are companies that are shaving off ounces of aluminum on the lowers and uppers to make them lighter but after this experience I wouldn't do it. Be safe guys.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

And I was complaining Anderson Lowers were too Beefy. Looks like beef is good . Glad you are ok.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Al Hansen said:


> Back to the theory....... if you don't crimp the bullet may slam backwards into the case when the bolt carrier slams into the brass to put the round into battery / chamber the round. If the bullet goes to deep it will do two things


Sorry, I've been away from a keyboard too long and I hate typing long messages on tiny keyboards.

You are correct that the bolt coming forward and striking a stationary case, can cause the uncrimped bullet to setback deeper into the case. But I've always thought that the effect is much less than when the entire cartridge slams into the chamber at high speed, and the bullet slips forward towards the lands.

Stop and think about how far the bolt has traveled from its most rearward position to where it first impacts the case. What is the rate of speed of the bolt at this point? How hard of an impact is it? Now think about the remainder of the stroke of the bolt, and how much more speed it can build up pushing that case forward only to slam to a stop when it hits the chamber. That is where I always felt bullets would shift in cases, not from compressing into a case but from shifting out of the case into the rifling's.

I look forward to hearing what the MFG finds as they inspect it. I've fired an awful lot of ar15 rounds... I'd love to know if there is something more I can do to avoid any potential failure conditions.

-DallanC


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

You don't happen to have the brass case (or what's left of it) do you? I'd be interested to see how and where the case separated. By the looks of your rifle it probably exploded into pieces anyways, but it makes me wonder.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

KineKilla said:


> You don't happen to have the brass case (or what's left of it) do you? I'd be interested to see how and where the case separated. By the looks of your rifle it probably exploded into pieces anyways, but it makes me wonder.


They haven't shipped me the box yet. But the bolt is stuck in the closed position. I'm pretty sure the case or what's left of it is stuck in the chamber.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Glad you came out okay AL. 
Very scary deal. 

A young man here in town had a muzzle loader blow up on him last fall while sighting in. 
He was not so lucky. Has had a couple of surgeries on his hand. Tore it up pretty bad.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

2full said:


> Glad you came out okay AL.
> Very scary deal.
> 
> A young man here in town had a muzzle loader blow up on him last fall while sighting in.
> He was not so lucky. Has had a couple of surgeries on his hand. Tore it up pretty bad.


Dang. Sorry to hear this. Prayers to him. Please everyone wear those shooting glasses. And be safe.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Update. Well it has been a week. No shipping box has shown up. Called the manufacturer (again). New guy on the phone says we don't usually take a rifle back in and my response was "that's not what the guy said last Friday when it blew up". He got off the phone for 30 seconds and came back on with a shipping number and some more things then politely asked if there were any injuries. Uh no, but thanks for asking. If this goes sideways I'll post up lotsa pics (with Goobs help ) and who the company is.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Update. The shipping box came in late Friday and it was shipped out yesterday morning. Should hear back from the manufacturer in about 1-2 weeks.


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

Bumping this old thread. Did you ever get a verdict back from the mfg Al?


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Not really. They rebuilt it and I still have it. I shoot it but not often. I think the opinion was that the bolt slammed the round it to battery and the projectile dislodged into the rifling. to much pressure when I touched it off, Who knows. It was bad. but thank you Lord. No injuries. I do know that when I shoot a AR I don't hold on to the magazine


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> Not really. They rebuilt it and I still have it. I shoot it but not often. I think the opinion was that the bolt slammed the round it to battery and the projectile dislodged into the rifling. to much pressure when I touched it off, Who knows. It was bad. but thank you Lord. No injuries. I do know that when I shoot a AR I don't hold on to the magazine


Thanks for the reply Al. I'm glad you were not injured. Thanks to you and this post, I always grit my teeth just a bit more when I squeeze the trigger on an AR. I hope you are doing well old friend.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

NHS said:


> Thanks for the reply Al. I'm glad you were not injured. Thanks to you and this post, I always grit my teeth just a bit more when I squeeze the trigger on an AR. I hope you are doing well old friend.


doing pretty darn good. Thanks . Yes me to. Took awhile to not flinch. I shoot only factory crimped ammo in the AR now.


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