Model 96 Swedish Mauser Accident

[Groucy]

Swedish Mauser Model 96, in excellent condition, may never have been issued. New to the shooter. Reloads are cast 150 gr Sil GC and 18 gr Alliant 2400 powder, Lapua case, LR primer. Experienced reloader. Fired 3 shots, no indication of problems. Fired 4th shot, and the rifle blew apart. The top of the receiver ring separated and disappeared; the receiver blew backward in the stock and broke open on the right side; the stock came apart at the receiver ring; a big slice of the stock split off, from the receiver ring back to the butt; the trigger group blew out the bottom of the stock. the case head is gone and the case remains in the chamber, with plenty of brass stains around the receiver at the ring. The top and left side of bolt face, and half of the left lug also chipped off.

Once the left-handed shooter returned from the Hand Trauma unit where the doctor removed the end of the right thumb from the quick to the tip, the shooter inspected the target and found four holes. He picked up the pieces except for the top of the receiver ring. The barrel is clear, no bulge or damage. The shooter didn't notice any difference in recoil between any of the four shots, particularly didn't notice excessive noise or recoil on the 4th shot. Later the shooter dropped a double charge into an empty case to determine where the level of powder would be in the case and whether he would likely have noticed that just before inserting a bullet into the case and seating it. Shooter thinks that he would have noticed the high powder level.

The accident appears to be caused by excessive pressure. One of the Lyman manuals (likely Cast Bullets) indicates that 18 gr of 2400 is a maximum charge with a 150 gr cast bullet. Which is more likely - that 18 gr 2400 is an overcharge, that there was a metallurgical problem, or that there was a double charge?

[oscarflytyer]

wow! NEVER seen a Swede come apart like that. was one shot way off from other 3 on target? And - no excessive recoil? If a dbl charge, would think you would notice. and would also think that with a cast bullet, might cause some damage, but no that bad, even with a lead bullet. Also think pic #5 rules out metallurgic failure. In that pic, both ring AND bolt face "failed." If that were the issue, it would be one or other I would expect. hate to destroy nice rifles, but I would sure like to see a test of known dbl charge of 2400 with same bullet.

[CHeatermk3]

So, "he would have noticed", if he'd looked?

How many rounds were assembled in the session during which he produced the rounds he brought to the range that day?

Seems like a triple charge is more like it, or some form of overcharge at any rate.
Seems he was lucky only to have lost a rifle and the end of a thumb--could have been way worse...

At any rate, welcome to the forum, and sincere well wishes to your friend.

[leebuilder]

Wow is right i am glad the shooter was not hurt more than said. I agree looks like massive failure from pressure
, but never seen one rip apart like that. Did it pull or shear the action screws out? I had one close call with one of my swedes, but was using j thingys and 4895. I walked away with a stuck bolt and a stain in my shorts, i pushed the limit.
Be safe!!!!!!

[dverna]

What kind of "experienced" reloaded starts with a maximum load?

But that will not blow a gun apart.

Look elsewhere, and disregard most of what the shooter says

Don Verna

[CHeatermk3]

PS- Of the several destructive events on the line at my club, most involved 2400 powder and distracted in one way or another--Wifey calls, got tired stopped in the middle, to name two right off hand.

[tomme boy]

18 grs of 2400 did not do this.

[Groucy]

The shooter assembled five rounds. The fifth round was found with the bullet sheared off at the case mouth, don't remember whether it remained in the magazine or was on the shooting table after the blowup. I don't know the proximity of the 4th round hit on the target to the first three rounds.

[Groucy]

I use extreme caution when loading 13.5 gr 2400 Powder in a 6.5x55. I weigh every charge. Because the case mouth is small compared to 30 caliber, it's difficult to see the powder level so I use a marked golf tee with a blunted end to check every powdered case before commencing to seat bullets, just to make sure that I don't have one empty case and one double-charged. I'm not wanting to have a 6.5 Magnum!

[tomme boy]

SEE, Happens all the time with the 6.5 Sweede

[tomme boy]

SEE Secondary Explosion Effect. This is a common occurrence with the 6.5 Swede. The long throat is what contributes to this happening.

[Mr Humble]

Why would ANYONE use 2400 in a mid size bottleneck case ? A 96 will take a LOT of abuse. Back in the day there was even some company redoing them to 264 Win Mag ... no reports of blow ups. Safe reloading is using a powder that a double charge either overflows the case or is so far up the case body that only a fool could miss it. I've owned a lot of .264 rifles, none were pleasing with any cast boolits but worked great with jacketed. Prize just not worth it when 35s, 9.3s, 40s and 45s shoot so well. Shame that this guy ruined a nice Swede happily no innocent bystanders caught the shrapnel ! BTW you have the wrong smilie !
Swedes are deadly killers with the proper loads. H1000, 160 gr Hornady RNSP.

[oscarflytyer]

18 grs of 2400 did not do this.

Totally agree. And not even sure that a dbl would do it, but of course it might... Anyone thought of an under charge? Not sure the terms, but under charge and the ignition rolls over the top of the powder and then back towards the base. Causes a way excessive over pressure, iirc.

[Groucy]

SEE Secondary Explosion Effect. This is a common occurrence with the 6.5 Swede. The long throat is what contributes to this happening.

Tell me more Tomme Boy! I did not know that the 6.5 is prone to SEE!

[Soundguy]

Why would ANYONE use 2400 in a mid size bottleneck case ? A 96 will take a LOT of abuse. Back in the day there was even some company redoing them to 264 Win Mag ... no reports of blow ups. Safe reloading is using a powder that a double charge either overflows the case or is so far up the case body that only a fool could miss it. I've owned a lot of .264 rifles, none were pleasing with any cast boolits but worked great with jacketed. Prize just not worth it when 35s, 9.3s, 40s and 45s shoot so well. Shame that this guy ruined a nice Swede happily no innocent bystanders caught the shrapnel ! BTW you have the wrong smilie !
Swedes are deadly killers with the proper loads. H1000, 160 gr Hornady RNSP.

Agreed, using a powder that you can double or triple charge a case with is something I avoid if possible.

[Groucy]

Mr Humble, Some shooters want to shoot matches with cast bullets, with low recoil, at velocities of about 1500 fps. This is why the shooter (and I) are using low velocity loads of 2400, IMR 4198, IMR 4064, Red Dot, Trail Boss, etc. C.E. Harris among others worked up some recipes.

[Mr Humble]

Come on, not trotting out that old chestnut which has been disproven again and again. Light charges of any smokeless powder don't blow up guns. Next we'll be hearing that a 6mm hollowpoint at 4000 fps is a better choice for Brown Bear than a 300 gr 375 H&H at 2200 fps.
Once it's written down somewhere by somebody, it lives forever. "Flashover effect", "Dual radius shoulder", "Wasp waist Sonic bullet", "Since I had the baby I can't lose the weight", "Climate change never happened before industrialization", Some of my best friends are --------" and so on.
The gun blew up because of error(s) in reloading the cartridge ..... as in 99.999% of such events, it's the nut behind the bolt !

[Groucy]

...
The gun blew up because of error(s) in reloading the cartridge ..... as in 99.999% of such events, it's the nut behind the bolt !

I'm tending to agree with Mr Humble that there was an error in charging the case with powder. 18 gr 2400 was not an overcharge.

[Soundguy]

Mr Humble, Some shooters want to shoot matches with cast bullets, with low recoil, at velocities of about 1500 fps. This is why the shooter (and I) are using low velocity loads of 2400, IMR 4198, IMR 4064, Red Dot, Trail Boss, etc. C.E. Harris among others worked up some recipes.

Trailboss is the clear answer here.

Bulky.

And any charge from 70-100% of free case space under the seated projectile, with no compressed loads, should yeild a safe load in any smokless firearm.

[Yodogsandman]

Mr Humble, Some shooters want to shoot matches with cast bullets, with low recoil, at velocities of about 1500 fps. This is why the shooter (and I) are using low velocity loads of 2400, IMR 4198, IMR 4064, Red Dot, Trail Boss, etc. C.E. Harris among others worked up some recipes.

Could you show a link to that info, I'd like to see that.