Burst Barrel

[Timothy Gregory]

A few years ago, I traded a .32 cal rifle for a .62 cal smooth-bore. Looked to be styled as a "Tulle" but had an English lock. I sold it to a friend of mine last fall. It appeared to be a well made gun and I did some good shooting with it. My friend did well with it, having the lock and touch-hole reworked which made it even better. Last Friday, as he was shooting it in his back yard in preparation for our gun clubs monthly shoot, the barrel burst. The burst split the barrel from about an inch in front of the touch hole all the way to the muzzle with the split running roughly along the top and bottom. It peeled the sides of the barrel around like a banana peel. My friend was stunned but unhurt. It was not an "India" made gun or barrel and we are at a lose as to what may have caused the rupture. I know there is a way to post pics on this forum but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. When I do, I will post some pics of this tragedy.

 

[Timothy Gregory]

The Pics will also be posted on "Buck Creek Muzzle-Loaders" Facebook page.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I await your pictures and more details. :shocked2:

 

[roundball]

Sounds like the classic result of a bore obstruction...but I'm surprised to hear of one with a split of that magnitude.

Is there any chance some modern smokeless powder got mixed into his powder...ie: was he possibly using powder from some pre-opened cans he'd bought used somewhere?

 

[BillinOregon]

So glad to hear your friend was unhurt.
Only splits I have seen were in an extensive collection owned by a local historical society -- and both were in the left barrels of side-by-side percussion shotguns. One in particular was a lateral tear about four inches long at the front end of the forend. My guess -- and it's just a guess, of course -- is that the right barrel had been shot enough times that the shot charge in the left barrel moved forward and became an obstruction. If right handed, the shooter may well have lost his left thumb in the accident. I can't imagine what caused a barrel to split from breech to muzzle, unless it was a defect in the steel.

 

[razorbritches]

Crankyman.

I too am very interested in modeling this failure, But more importantly I am thankfull that your friend was unhurt. You don't get many free passes in gun failures, thank GOD for this one.

 

[LLCranford3]

here's a link to the barrel pics:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buckcreek-Muzzleloaders/114394185248848

 

[KABAR2]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buck...80633106864.1073741826.114394185248848&type=3

Looked at the photos on face book... It's hard to tell but where the metal failed the surface looks grey not bright and shiney like it cristalized you may have to find out what kind of steel the barrel was made from.... the way it split looks like a bore obstruction your friend holding the gun doesn't look to happy.... glad to hear no digits lost and no bodly harm done....

 

[Rifleman1776]

My gut is more with smokeless powder than obstruction.
Would like to know more about the barrel.
IMHO, a split like that is better than a grenade-like shatter.

 

[coloradoclyde]

The pictures ar not the best but I wonder if he only short started a ball. The point of rupture usualy has the largest separation which in this case would indicate it originated at the muzzle.The fact that the shooter was not injured also makes me think it started at the muzzle. the inside color of the barrel is also odd, does not appear to be BP fouling :hmm:

 

[Billnpatti]

Wow! I have never seen a split barrel like this where no one was injured. Miracles still happen. Thank The Good Lord for that.

I have two ideas of what could have happened to cause such a split. In expressing my ideas, I do not mean to demean the skill and experience of the shooter. The possibility exists that this could happen to any of us given the right set of circumstances. First, and I believe to be the most likely set of circumstances, I agree with Rifleman1776. I believe that somehow smokeless powder was loaded into the barrel by accident. I don't know enough about what exactly was going on or how the smokeless powder could have gotten mixed up and gotten into the barrel, but I think this is the most likely explanation.

The other possibility is that the shooter was distracted after loading his gun, forgot that he had already loaded it and started loading a second charge on top of the first. I AM GUILTY OF HAVING DONE THIS. He then could have short started a ball, was further distracted and forgot to seat the second ball on its charge. Fortunately, I have never done this. Two full charges with one short started ball could have caused this kind of damage.

Let me add this one disclaimer: I was not there and I do not know the circumstances. I do not mean to demean the shooter by making these guesses. They are, at best, just my guesses and may lie afar from the actual truth. If any further investigation is done and the truth is found, please post it for the edification of us all. :hatsoff:

 

[Shine]

Was that barrel DOM tubing. Don't mean to open a can of worms. But if you have straight seams and you get a straight split. Who built it? I bet I can guess by the description of the style and parts used.

 

[coloradoclyde]

The split appears to twist. I thought DOM only had one seam the barrel has two splits.

 

[Shine]

It does not have a seam per say but when it its drawn some times it will get a groove that looks like straight rifleing.This is a lemon I got from a member of the Corinth school. Im trained to follow the evidence.

 

[Shine]

There are some good milling marks. And the flats go from 8 to round not tapered. I would guess it is a DOM tube. That steel is a lot harder than the steel the big name barrel makers use.

 

[coloradoclyde]

My point was if the barrel split on the seam it would still be in one piece, not two

 

[Shine]

Not if there were more than one defect mine had 2. I think it had a start and just followed it

 

[coloradoclyde]

I see your point about the milling marks.good observation :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have never seen a muzzleloader blow up but I have seen plenty of modern guns and it always boggles the mind. I stuck a bullet one day in the middle of U.S.P.S.A. run and am so glad the R.O. noticed and stopped me before I pulled the trigger again.

 

[54ball]

Simple yes or No Answer please.
Is that gun from Mississippi?