Low Number '03 catastrophic failure- recent.

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  • gnoahhh
    Senior Member
    • May 2012
    • 100

    #1

    Low Number '03 catastrophic failure- recent.

    Over on the "Classic Rifles" forum on the doublegunshop.com site, a gentleman vividly describes the spectacular failure a couple days ago of a pre-war sporter based on a 1912-vintage Rock Island '03. Interesting discussion, to put it mildly.
  • Emri
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2009
    • 1649

    #2
    Link to posting

    I spent much of my time while driving 300 miles home from a match today debating whether to post this note or not. I decided I would in the interest of letting others make their own, better informed, decisions. But before I tell you the details, go to pages 119 and 120 of Michael's first...


    That is why I will never attempt to fire a low number rifle. You just don't know. One can beat on a stick of dynamite with a hammer on an anvil, but which blow will set it off; the 2nd, 3rd, or 50th ?? A valuable piece of history is now gone.

    I remember Michael being quite adamant that the rifles were OK and some of his risky tests to prove his belief; like firing an 8x57mm in an '06 chambered low number action.
    Last edited by Emri; 06-08-2016, 08:01.

    Comment

    • chuckindenver
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2009
      • 3005

      #3
      notice it was a cast bullet load... iv seen 2 SHT rifles fail from the same type of loading in the last couple years...id like some pics of the rifle to keep with my collection of failures..
      as iv always said.'
      if you make the choice to fire a SHT 1903... use only current factory loads. not handloads.. and not cast loading...
      he got lucky, and looks like some face scars for the future..
      if it aint broke...fix it till it finally is.

      Comment

      • ElWoodman
        Member
        • Jun 2014
        • 85

        #4
        I am curious....Was that NEW brass, once fired, or as the facts of the case may suggest-worn out? Was the case full length sized? In every case of a L/N 03 blowing up, there has ALWAYS been a mention of "...brass case still in chamber, missing its head...". I have 2 L/N 03s....Shoot Hornady Custom Lite 125 grain through'em.

        Comment

        • dryheat
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2009
          • 10587

          #5
          It's always a reload.
          If I should die before I wake...great,a little more sleep.

          Comment

          • PhillipM
            Very Senior Member - OFC
            • Aug 2009
            • 5937

            #6
            Originally posted by dryheat
            It's always a reload.
            From what few I have seen, they load some light load with pistol powder to take it easy on the old action.

            My theory is they double charged their light load, blow the gun up, then refuse to admit their load could have been the fault.
            Phillip McGregor (OFC)
            "I am neither a fire arms nor a ballistics expert, but I was a combat infantry officer in the Great War, and I absolutely know that the bullet from an infantry rifle has to be able to shoot through things." General Douglas MacArthur

            Comment

            • cplnorton
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2009
              • 2194

              #7
              Hey is there some trick to registering at that forum? I have tried about five different email accounts and all say they are banned.

              That looks like a neat forum to join, as it looks like a lot of Adolf Neidner Rifle collectors in there.


              **I finally found one that would work, AOL.
              Last edited by cplnorton; 06-09-2016, 02:55.

              Comment

              • psteinmayer
                Senior Member
                • Sep 2011
                • 1527

                #8
                He had stated that it was 28 grains of 5744. Doesn't state what the bullet weight was. I've shot 185 gr NOE 365311 cast out of my 1898 Krag sporter that is set up for bench-rest shooting. I only use 17 grains of 5744 with that, and it's plenty powerful enough to drive tacks at 200 yards! I imagine that 28 grains of the stuff is down right brutal, even in a high numbered 03!
                "I was home... What happened? What the Hell Happened?" - MM1 Jacob Holman, USS San Pablo

                Comment

                • chuckindenver
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2009
                  • 3005

                  #9
                  90% of SHT failures are from simple case head failures...
                  over load, worn cases. ect.. SHT actions dont survive this.. heck... not many guns can
                  if it aint broke...fix it till it finally is.

                  Comment

                  • Griff Murphey
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 3708

                    #10
                    Have a friend who dented the chamber and ruined the barrel on a nice 98 Krag firing lead bullets ... Loose gas check? Who knows...

                    Personally I only have two type guns I am kind of careful to the extent of loading them down, a 1914 Winchester 95 with slightly excessive headspace and my Krags. On those guns I use standard published loads and drop them 3-5 grains more down from the minimum. I am not a cast bullet man except for .45-70.

                    All charged cases will be in a loading block and inspected individually with a Mag Light.

                    Read the guy's post and he said that 28 gr. load was 30,000 psi. If I owned a low number I wouldn't shoot it. I sure would not try a 30,000 psi load in it. The chamber pressure I remember having to learn in ROTC for the M-1 was 28,000....
                    Last edited by Griff Murphey; 06-09-2016, 06:14.

                    Comment

                    • 1mark
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2009
                      • 390

                      #11
                      I had a SHT Springfield receiver break on me and I was not even shooting it. I was disassembling the rifle as the bolt was stuck. It would turn but when attempting to remove is, it would not come out. When pulling back it would stick in the rear receiver ring. To get to move forward I had to tap it with a hammer. Used a brass hammer.
                      Finily I had had enough and set in the vise. Pulled the bot back to where it would stick. Than gave it a good hit with the hammer.

                      The bolt came out with a cracked handle, also a SHT bolt. The receive rear ring split at the rail. So now I have a trashed receiver. SO let see if these are that brittle. Set the receiver in the vise and really smacked it. It shattered into 5 or 6 pieces.

                      Lesson learned, I do not use any SHT receivers or bolts.
                      "Three people can keep a secret as long as two of them are dead" Mark Twain

                      Comment

                      • PhillipM
                        Very Senior Member - OFC
                        • Aug 2009
                        • 5937

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Griff Murphey
                        Have a friend who dented the chamber and ruined the barrel on a nice 98 Krag firing lead bullets ... Loose gas check? Who knows...

                        Personally I only have two type guns I am kind of careful to the extent of loading them down, a 1914 Winchester 95 with slightly excessive headspace and my Krags. On those guns I use standard published loads and drop them 3-5 grains more down from the minimum. I am not a cast bullet man except for .45-70.

                        All charged cases will be in a loading block and inspected individually with a Mag Light.

                        Read the guy's post and he said that 28 gr. load was 30,000 psi. If I owned a low number I wouldn't shoot it. I sure would not try a 30,000 psi load in it. The chamber pressure I remember having to learn in ROTC for the M-1 was 28,000....
                        M2 ball 50,000. Proof load 70,000

                        Hatcher tried to blow up an M1 and gave up at 120,000
                        Phillip McGregor (OFC)
                        "I am neither a fire arms nor a ballistics expert, but I was a combat infantry officer in the Great War, and I absolutely know that the bullet from an infantry rifle has to be able to shoot through things." General Douglas MacArthur

                        Comment

                        • louis
                          Senior Member
                          • Apr 2011
                          • 419

                          #13
                          Bolts are not considered dangerous only the receivers have the possible failures.

                          Comment

                          • Griff Murphey
                            Senior Member
                            • Aug 2009
                            • 3708

                            #14
                            Originally posted by PhillipM
                            M2 ball 50,000. Proof load 70,000

                            Hatcher tried to blow up an M1 and gave up at 120,000
                            Oops. Of course you are right. Muzzle velocity of 2800 FPS must have confused my drifting thoughts. Correction accepted and red faced at this time!!!

                            Comment

                            • Dan Shapiro
                              Senior Member
                              • Aug 2009
                              • 5864

                              #15
                              Hatcher tried to blow up an M1 and gave up at 120,000

                              They did not want to destroy their measuring equipment.
                              "No man's life, liberty, or property is safe, while Congress is in session." Mark Twain

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