Please see a description of what happen to a friend with myself and 5 others.
‘The Russian’ was on the back of my ATV with the 12ga as 2 weeks ago we left to go hunting for 9 days near Warren in Western, New South Wales, Australia.
We use shotguns off the back of ATVs.
Main loads are factory SG’s, and my hand loaded 9 ball SG’s and 1oz Slugs.
However I was given some SSGs.
After firing 200 or 300 hundred shells through the Emilio Rizzini Hombra on this trip (lots of animals taken), we fired about 100 SG’s then the top barrel blew up. No hang fire.
No slugs were fired this day…We don’t recall a miss fire on that barrel. The gun had just fired both barrels only 30 seconds before, so unlikely to have anything in the barrel (mud, sticks, etc).
This was the only shell fired from a box that now (after a closer look and dismantling) looks like someone else’s (not our groups) reloaded shells. I bought about 250 shells off someone who told me they are all factory loads. It is now obvious that these 25 were reloaded.
Shell description:
Powder is unknown black round disks that are shiny on top and bottom but dull on sides, but weighed 30.4 grains
lead shot consisted of 17 balls of total weight 1.25 oz
Hull was Win Ranger AA
Wad was white with spike in middle and with no wings.
White fill was around the lead shot.
Top was crimped and not melted/stamped.
Shotgun:
Emilio Razzini Hombra 30” Sporter U/O with screw in chokes.
Chokes mounted were cylinder (top barrel) and Improved cylinder (Lower barrel).
Gun was bought new and was in excellent condition, cleanish bore, no pitting.
Had fired more than 300 shells since last cleaned (a week earlier).
A wad is still in the top barrel very close to the muzzle. It appears fairly normal looking (not mangled)
Top barrel is pushing on lower barrel. Centre? Rib is coming apart in 2 places about 6 inches, and 10 inches down the top barrel. No other bulges are detectable by eye.
The shell that caused the problem is the actual one in the photos. It shows no sign of overpressure though. The primer is still firmly in place, no cratering, Hull has no splits, brass base looks fine...
We are still trying to find the possible powder (at this stage only buy sight). I realize sight is not very good, but it has excluded quite a few powders.
We suspect it maybe a pistol powder.
We asked the guy I got them from but he is adamant that they are all factory loads…(he loads 44mag and 243 rifles also)
We only want to find the cause and if it’s the shell, to get them off others before this happens again.
Any idea what could have happened?
I know it is hard to tell by the photos but ideas are welcome.
Photo showing damage to his hand was taken a few hours after accident.
The T-shirt is another story all together…
‘The Russian’ was on the back of my ATV with the 12ga as 2 weeks ago we left to go hunting for 9 days near Warren in Western, New South Wales, Australia.
We use shotguns off the back of ATVs.
Main loads are factory SG’s, and my hand loaded 9 ball SG’s and 1oz Slugs.
However I was given some SSGs.
After firing 200 or 300 hundred shells through the Emilio Rizzini Hombra on this trip (lots of animals taken), we fired about 100 SG’s then the top barrel blew up. No hang fire.
No slugs were fired this day…We don’t recall a miss fire on that barrel. The gun had just fired both barrels only 30 seconds before, so unlikely to have anything in the barrel (mud, sticks, etc).
This was the only shell fired from a box that now (after a closer look and dismantling) looks like someone else’s (not our groups) reloaded shells. I bought about 250 shells off someone who told me they are all factory loads. It is now obvious that these 25 were reloaded.
Shell description:
Powder is unknown black round disks that are shiny on top and bottom but dull on sides, but weighed 30.4 grains
lead shot consisted of 17 balls of total weight 1.25 oz
Hull was Win Ranger AA
Wad was white with spike in middle and with no wings.
White fill was around the lead shot.
Top was crimped and not melted/stamped.
Shotgun:
Emilio Razzini Hombra 30” Sporter U/O with screw in chokes.
Chokes mounted were cylinder (top barrel) and Improved cylinder (Lower barrel).
Gun was bought new and was in excellent condition, cleanish bore, no pitting.
Had fired more than 300 shells since last cleaned (a week earlier).
A wad is still in the top barrel very close to the muzzle. It appears fairly normal looking (not mangled)
Top barrel is pushing on lower barrel. Centre? Rib is coming apart in 2 places about 6 inches, and 10 inches down the top barrel. No other bulges are detectable by eye.
The shell that caused the problem is the actual one in the photos. It shows no sign of overpressure though. The primer is still firmly in place, no cratering, Hull has no splits, brass base looks fine...
We are still trying to find the possible powder (at this stage only buy sight). I realize sight is not very good, but it has excluded quite a few powders.
We suspect it maybe a pistol powder.
We asked the guy I got them from but he is adamant that they are all factory loads…(he loads 44mag and 243 rifles also)
We only want to find the cause and if it’s the shell, to get them off others before this happens again.
Any idea what could have happened?
I know it is hard to tell by the photos but ideas are welcome.
Photo showing damage to his hand was taken a few hours after accident.
The T-shirt is another story all together…
