Low Number '03 catastrophic failure- recent.

[gnoahhh]

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]

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/...091#Post446091

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.

[chuckindenver]

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..

[ElWoodman]

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.

[dryheat]

It's always a reload.

[PhillipM]

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.

[cplnorton]

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.

[psteinmayer]

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!

[chuckindenver]

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

[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....