Kaboom from high round count?

[Lloyd Smale]

ya I would think after 50k the rifling was all but gone and if anything pressure would have dropped because of it. About like shooting a 401 bullet out of your 41 mag. Either it was fatiqued metal or a bore obstruction. Keep in mind that guns are proofed at over double operating pressures so I doubt unless the guy was mistaking pistol powder for rifle powder youd get enough of an overload to do that. Using most powders that are handload in a 308 there isn't enough case space left to double the pressure. Might get a sticky or stuck bolt or a pierced primer but to actually rip a barrel open your talking LOTS of pressure.

[ulav8r]

Unless that gun has had a professional re-finish lately, it has seen 50,000 rounds like I can run 50 mph. Idiots come up with some mighty tall tales to hide their stupidity.

[P Flados]

I agree that obstruction is most likely.

Low cycle fatigue is completely out of he question, it only occurs with repeated yielding.

High cycle fatigue starts with cracks that propagate slowly at first. The image of the torn surface of the barrel where it separated show over-stress yielding, not fatigue.

The over-stress tearing of the barrel without any signs of pressure at the case head do not fit anything other than obstruction.

[Houndog]

I'm with Mr. Gibson on this one! Add to that the case head shown can't be the one that burst that barrel! I've seen more blown up guns than I want to see and in EVERY instance the case head is destroyed without exception.

[waksupi]

I think it more likely caused by bore obstruction, or a secondary explosive effect (SEE) from a small charge of slow powder.

[Bulldogger]

"Most likely this rifle has seen somewhere in between of 50 000 and 80 000 bangs without any serious issues like this, and anything has its limits of wear and tear." 50k to 80k through a lightweight Model 70 308???????????????? I am more than a little skeptical of the round count. I am in the bore obstruction camp.

50,000 to 80,000 rounds...I didn't know there was a full auto conversion for that model...

[starnbar]

Not an expert on metallurgy but in my 45 years of shooting i have seen a few burst barrels and most of them were bore obstructions a few over loads that looks like a bore obstruction.