New fangled fluid steel ruptures with factory loads

Bismuth Magnum Game Load 2 3/4" 1 3/8 oz. shot

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../273129386.jpg

Winchester No-Tox Bismuth

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../408334384.jpg

I share the opinion that almost all chamber and barrel blow ups are a result of:
1. Reload operator error
2. Inadequate wall thickness: Chamber lengthened, over-honed or eccentrically honed barrels
3. Obstruction

Unfortunately, unless money is to be made from a personal injury suit, the cause is never established, and more Damascus mythology is regurgitated.
The idea that the cause(s) can not be determined is silly. Companies make big $s investigating oil rig blow ups and planes falling from the sky. I received a PM from a guy that one oil rig blow out was traced to One weld, made by One guy, at One facility in Houston.

I know with 8's and some 10's there are no other choices...but regardless, it's more risky IMO. I can state this because I have never been able to get my own work error-free enough to satisfy myself, in any aspect of life. If I loaded 100 shells, I could probably get them all right. But there will come a number - 548, 1,320, 11,923 etc. where I make a mistake. If I knew what that number was...but I don't.

I am in more danger driving to work than in shooting my reloads!

If one lacks enough attention to detail to load their own ammunition then they should not.

BFT,

Makes a solid point that attention to detail is everything in reloading.

Drew What was the cause in the picture you posted above? My guess is obstruction given the position of rupture. Unlikely a shell issue itself I would think.

I am lucky I Live in an area where 10 ga. empty once fired hulls are easy to come by. I never reload a case more than twice, and if it is a hunting load only once, and discard.

I have shot Alcan brass cases for over 50 years, no base wad in these cases, and I still look down the barrel after every shot.

At 70++++ I now only load shells in the early Am when my head is at the top of its game, and like Mark I feel safe when shooting them.

When loading you can not be to cautious, and staying focused is a must…
David

"If one lacks enough attention to detail to load their own ammunition then they should not." - BFT

Reloaders have confidence in their ability to safely assemble shotgun shells, but mistakes can happen. They accept the fact that although a mistake is improbable, it is not impossible. Those who choose not to reload simply don't see it as worth the risk, period. I reload and do all I can to eliminate risk.

There are plenty of times, especially after a day's work that I am so brain dead that I never reload!
When I do reload I do not even turn on the radio. I want tunnel vision toward my loading!

if you think "confidence" in your ability is the defining factor - you don't drive on public highways :rotf: :rotf:

I load in an area with no distractions and still set rounds aside to pull apart because i did not like the way the wad felt going in or didn't like the crimp.

If something does interrupt me- that round gets rejected

I weigh sample charges often - even if I am sure its the same bushing I used last time. and the left over powder goes back in the can so that i don;t have to remember or trust having labeled the MEC bottle

I shoot reloads in doubles so that I can look down the tubes,

and this stuff still makes me nervous :corn:

BTW - having shot flintlocks for years in friendly competitions - every one of the few incidents I saw were due to the loader being distracted in the process.

John: To my knowledge, neither shooter measured the wall thickness nor made any other effort to diagnose the blow out. I contacted the gentleman using the Winchester No-Tox and had no response. That is why I so appreciate that a few fellas were interested enough to send me their barrels for an evaluation, but frustrated in the knowledge that there are a lot more out there and simply for the cost of shipping one way we could develop a data base of 'disasters afield'.

This Sterlingworth had been honed to .739" with resultant wall thickness of .018"

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../406729360.jpg

I've got a Smith 4E Chain Damascus getting radiography right now that was honed to .016

I have seen two ruptures in fluid steel, both 20ga, one a Parker, the other an L C Smith. At the rupture line, the Parker was .008, the Smith was .010. Both barrels where not torn could be flexed by heavy thumb pressure.