Question about channels in face of 1906 20ga VH

[Bruce Day]

Jim, I have seen one pierced primer incident, without ill effects at all. It was a semi auto of some type, don't recall. It did nothing.

The idea is that the firing pin ( or Parker hammer nose) pierces the primer because the primer is not seated deep enough or the strike is too deep. The primer ignites but because there is a hole through it, gunpowder gases backflow through the primer hole and into the gun. Within the confined space of the action body, the gases can fracture the wood joining and or escape through the trigger slots, so the concern goes.

I have never seen this happen but I am aware that the gun club experts say that it can.

I wonder if anybody here has seen this happen with bad results? Again, it must be infrequent because the manufacturers do not put the grooves in . There are a few vintgage guns with gas grooves but I've forgotten which makers.

[Twice Shooter]

I have seen a number of hand loaded shells, some of them my own, where powder does not get loaded into the shell for one reason or another. The primer explosion will eject 1 1/8 ounce of shot about 50 or so yards and sometimes also ejects the wad but usually the wad stays in the barrel. It's very critical that the wad, if still in the barrel, be removed before firing the next shell or you will blow the barrel. I've seen blown barrels but I've never witnessed one. And I don't really want to. Cheers, Tom

[Bill Murphy]

I agree with Bruce. The gas relief grooves were milled or filed by someone who was trying to solve a problem that did not exist. Gas relief grooves are part of the original equipment of some guns, but not to solve a problem that normally exists in shotguns. Platinum plugged gas relief valves are a standard piece of equipment on high grade muzzle loading fowlers, but I have never seen such a gun with a missing platinum plug.