Need an AR Guru I had a Kaboom

[DOC]

Att Admin: If there is a trouble forum I didn't see so you can move this is you want to.

Well I think its called a kaboom when a round blows up in the chamber and it doesn't send the round down the tube in a perfect spiral and then ejects the round in either a perfect lateral movement paralel to the barrel or a tumble that is so fast that it looks like a circle of gold spinning. But this isn't what happened. I heard a boom instead of a crack and then looked down to see the chamber was out of battery. I tried to remove the magazine and and eject the case. The charging handle wouldn't move and the mag was empty.
I saw the spring and the follower on the ground along with about 25 .223 rounds on the ground. The floor plate was about 20 feet behind me and I didn't find it until later.

Since the gun was not working I put it up and when I got home I broke it down. The buffer tube had to be removed to move the bolt back in place in order to brake it down. I was stuck. I finally was able to get the bolt out and found a stuck case in the barrel and the rest was stuck in the bolt and why it was so hard to open the bolt. It exploded the case and jammed open the extractor.

The problem I have now is... Did the extractor get bent? Is the gun sound over all? And WTF caused this? All of these rounds are reloads but I have never had a problem with them before. The only thing that is different is I used Federal Premium Small Rifle primers instead of winchester because the rest were bought out.

Here is some pics let me know what you think.

I didn't use a camera phone so you should be able to see some details.

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00093.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00093.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00094.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00094.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00095.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00095.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00096.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00096.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00097.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00097.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00098.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00098.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00099.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00099.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00100.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00100.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00101.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00101.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00102.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00102.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00103.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00103.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00104.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00104.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00105.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00105.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00106.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00106.jpg)
http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/th_DSC00108.jpg (http://s716.photobucket.com/albums/ww165/davidofdenver/?action=view&current=DSC00108.jpg)

I got my first (and hopfully last) kaboom.

[Dr_Fwd]

Holly crap!!!
Glad nobody got injured! this is the first time I see this.... I see a lot of "that's why I don't use reloads" coming...

[Colorado Osprey]

And that my friends is why you carefully inspect brass after every firing.

You had a case head seperation due to brass fatigue.

The brass could have been weak from prior firing or an over pressure caused from either too much powder, brass not trimmed to correct length, incorrect powder, too much crimp, etc., etc., etc.

What kind of brass were you shooting?
I have had a few failures over the last 30 plus years on reloads and all were PMC brass.

The extractor looks bent in the pictures.
Personally I would replace the whole bolt but keep the carrier, just to be safe.
Then re-check head space on the old barel with the new bolt.

[Dr_Fwd]

looks like you're gonna need a new extractor.

[mightymouse]

The case in question is a Reminton (RP headstamp)

Either:

A) You had a case head separation due to brass fatigue. (As noted above)

or

B) You had a flash detonation (pistol powder contamination?)

I'd personally tear that upper down and get the barrel MPI'd at a local machine shop and replace the bolt and carrier.

[Rampart Runner]

WoW! glad you are OK.

Those are some great pics and should be posted everywhere as a ,unfortunately, text book example of what case head separation looks like.

How many times times were the cartridges reloaded? How hot a load were you running with a new primer. I was taught that when ever you change a component that you should work your way up again.

again, glad you are ok.

[battle_sight_zero]

Was this stuff reloads? If it was not the manufacture may cover your repairs. If it were remanufactured such as Hunting Shack or Centurion they will as well. In fact I have only one bad batch of HSM and I suspect the guy who sold it to me told me it was HSM but he reloaded it. I had something similar happen with some crap I bought at Daves Guns. They advertised it as being loaded on some new brass by some local man who could be trusted. I bought it and boom I experinced almost the same thing after a 2 clips. I replaced my bolt and thankfully the barrel was just fine. It looked bad all chared and all but it cleaned up. Had a gunsmith do an inspection for me afterwards. Scary sorry to see this happen to you!

[jc121]

Seen a few of these and it has always been the ammunition.
Since you are reloading how did the brass look before the kaboom?
do any of them right before the boom look like a case failer may start or was close and do the primer hits look normal and not cratered or starting to flow.

Were you shooting in the heat of the day and had you shot a few rounds before it or let that last round stay in the closed chamber a little longer between shots? also switching to a diffefrent primer with your load may help what happened.

It could of been a combination of all or some of the above and each one by its self and more so in combination will cause it.

The barrel and extention will normally be fine as it is the stong part of the rifle and I have seen much much worse ones.
the bolt should be replaced and the upper reciever should be checked to make sure it still is in spec as you noticed they are designed to blow out the bottom of the mag and may cause the upper to be stretched.

I also take it you are right handed because you did not take a trip to the eye doctor as a left hand shooters right eye is exposed to anything coming out of the ejection port. like unburnt powder and gases.

[DOC]

I think that the cases that I used were once fired lake city but I might have mixed older ones in there before. Anyone able to look at pic I posted of the bolt and tell me if the scratch marks on the extractor are bad?
I haven't gotten that chunk of brass out of there yet. I can't so far. Its really in there. I think I will remove the extractor and try again.

[RRD3]

Doc,


I would not fire that rifle again until you get it checked out thoroughly. In the case of a OOB there are so many things that can be damaged with out notice and open yourself and others to serious injury or worse.

Take it to a gun smith and have them go over the rifle. It's better to be out a few bucks and be safe then the alternatives. [Beer]



PS. Damn it I need to get my gun smith classes out of the way [Mad]

[DOC]

I have been thinking about it and I think I will call Bushmaster and see it they will take a look at it. I don't know what cause this failure but I want to let bushmaster be aware if it is their fault. If not I am happy either way.

[DOC]

I have gotten the gun looked at by an Armorer friend and he said its all good except the extractor. He said I broke that when I opened the bolt. And sure enough when I loaded some rounds it wouldn't pull it out of the chamber. I will have to replace it. The next time I'm at the gun show I will see if one of those AR guys can help me out. I have to get this fixed though its not my gun. And I want to fix it before my brother comes back from deployment. The first thing he says when he comes back is, "Where is my gun, lets go shooting."

I have decided that in case the powder is unpure I am going to pull all those bullets and change the powder. I was wondering if there is a safe use of the old powder? I would hate to just pour it out since I have a few hundred rounds that I'm looking to redo. Can that be used in a .40 pistol without worry?
If it really doesn't have a good use I will just pour it out on my neighbors lawn like I do with my trash (j/k).
Does anyone have an extra extractor that they come pay forward to me? I have been getting raped lately by bank over drafts and I really could have used that money for something better. Like food, gas, ammo, rent, candy anything but give it to them because I ran out of money. I don't charge them for having money in there and not over drawing... Rant over.

So letme know. You guys were very helpful. I got the case out and I will post pics if anyone wants to see it? The round look normal cept for the failure at the base of it.

Thanks again.

[DOC]

I could have it run up to a barrel and really have some fun with some family. Make them think its going to blow.

[MichiganMilitia]

Could you post some pictures? I'm interested to see what this bad boy looks like. Thanks

-MM

[DOC]

Could you post some pictures? I'm interested to see what this bad boy looks like. Thanks

-MM
What's that? The case or the rifle. I don't know what happened to the origanal pictures? But the rifle looks normal cept the extrator. I will get the case and post a picture later.