Continuing Education or Re-learning

[Texas by God]

Well, my stupid gene resurfaced. I found a bag of 5 reloads in an estate haul. Good looking 25-06 with Hornady red tip bullets. I have a motley collection of my own left over reloads so yesterday I decided to shoot them all into one group for giggles. First I'll shoot these pretty red tips, says I.
Forgot my glasses. Touched off the first(and last shot) and the unreal recoil and gas in my eye told me things were bad. As I saw smoke curl from my Tikka's action, I self checked for damage. It took shop time and heroic measures to open the bolt.
Other than flame cutting on the bolt face, the only missing part is the extractor plunger. God doesn't want me yet I guess!
Takeaway- DON'T SHOOT UNKNOWN RELOADS!
I gave the other four a burial. RIP.

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[Tom Myers]

Well, my stupid gene resurfaced. I found a bag of 5 reloads in an estate haul. Good looking 25-06 with Hornady red tip bullets. I have a motley collection of my own left over reloads so yesterday I decided to shoot them all into one group for giggles. First I'll shoot these pretty red tips, says I.
Forgot my glasses. Touched off the first(and last shot) and the unreal recoil and gas in my eye told me things were bad. As I saw smoke curl from my Tikka's action, I self checked for damage. It took shop time and heroic measures to open the bolt.
Other than flame cutting on the bolt face, the only missing part is the extractor plunger. God doesn't want me yet I guess!
Takeaway- DON'T SHOOT UNKNOWN RELOADS!
I gave the other four a burial. RIP.[IMG]https://from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

May be that my old eyes do not see well either but, if I were you, I would pull that bolt down and check the firing pin tip. I may be wrong but it appears to be either flame cut or broken.

[toallmy]

Glad you are ok , that will probably stay in your mind for a while . Estate sale you said hmmmm wonder what happened to the previous owner .

[sukivel]

That was Burt Gummer‘s estate!


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[Bent Ramrod]

Rule-o Numero Uno: Never shoot anonymous reloads. Nunca.

I bought 25 jacketed reloads of .45-70 once. They held the maximum charge of (likely) 3031 behind the 350-gr RNSP. All except one, which had the same charge behind the 500-gr RNSP, which was seated deep enough to look exactly like the others. A nice surprise for the unwary.

Break them down for components, but never shoot them.

[Texas by God]

I am tearing the bolt down tonight when I'm replacing the plunger. I'm checking everything very carefully!

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[wv109323]

I bought several rounds of reloaded 220 Swift at a gun show. I pulled one bullet and weighed 64 grains of powder. I could find no load close to that weight with any powder. I bought the rounds for the brass.
I would not shoot any reloads not knowing the source.

[lightman]

Glad you were not injured and that your rifle is repairable. I will shoot a few chosen friends ammo but will not even consider shooting unknown ammo. Thanks for posting this as a reminder.

[jsizemore]

I know a fella that carries a mallet in his range box to open the bolt. I feel privileged to have never gone shooting with him.

[Texas by God]

The firing pin survived with just soot thank goodness. My Wife thought I had shot a BIG gun when she was watching the Cowboys and heard it. Everything seems to be in order until I can fashion an extractor detent. From research I'd have to buy the "bolt parts kit" for $55 to get the one little part I'm missing! I'd call Beretta and ask for one but I'm embarrassed ��And they might require a return of the gun like Remington did ten years ago when a Stinger burst and took the extractor out of my 597. I guess they have their CYA in place.

[RED BEAR]

i hate to admit it but i can see myself doing the same thing. i know hind sight is 20/20 but this is a mistake i might have made. ( i am well acquainted with my stupid gene )

[Rcmaveric]

That was an expensive choice. Glad you atent hurt.

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[Boolit_Head]

Hmm could be why there was a estate sale?

[country gent]

Looking at the bolt face itself I believe I would check it for flatness. it may require being faced back and a washer soldered in also. another thing to look at is the locking lugs surface both on the bolt and in the receiver.
I believe in the day when 25-06 was a wild cat throats were cut longer than the current factory chambers are today.

Am glad no one was injured, other than pride.

Shot with a gentleman in high power matches that at leas one or two times a match had to open the ar up and remove blown primers from trigger group. Some just have to push to the ragged edge. His groups and scores were good but beating a gun with those pressures isn't wise.
Shooting ammo reloaded by an unknown for a different rifle is a recipe for an opps.

[Thundarstick]

It's your gun, and you have already proved you can do what you want with it, but if that gun where mine, it'd be a tomato stake next spring! I think modern metallurgy pulled your keister through the fire this time, but it may only take a few rounds to finish what was started by a bad choice. I wouldn't knowingly place my eyeball behind that bolt again, but it ain't my gun.

[Texas by God]

A magnetic search of the floor under my vise located the missing plunger. The rifle is cleaned, inspected, and will be tested this afternoon like I would any gun in doubt. In a tire with a trigger string, with me behind a tree.

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[Texas by God]

I fired three of MY reloads remotely. Extraction was normal and the fired cases measure the same as brass fired last month. Primers, shoulders and necks all look good.
Thank the Lord for watching over this idiot.
Thank you Sako/Tikka for building a strong rifle!
Don't shoot anonymous ammo and wear eye protection. I hope whoever loaded those learned his lesson without injuring anyone. I'll give a range report when I can.

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[Thundarstick]

"Thank the Lord for watching over this idiot."

And Lord, please continue to do so!

At least have that thing magnafluxed!

[Texas by God]

I have cross examined and measured the bolt lugs against my two other Tikkas and they match. The headspace is ok, too. A friend in high school set his scale wrong and loaded max .270 Weatherby data in his .270 Win. Once we got his Rem 700 bolt open, the brass looked similar to mine. We pulled and corrected his loads and he used the gun for decades after that.
I've heard of Magnafluxing but danged if I know what it is or where it is done. Thanks for the idea Thundarstick!

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

Glad you're o.k., Pard. You've got 4 of the original 5 rounds remaining? You might want to tear them down and see what the powder charge is.