Brass broke off and shot out bore?

[Sharps-Nut]

I have not been here in a while, looks like things have changed a bunch, only one bpcr page.  Well lets see what you folks thinkof this.  I let a newby use my gun in a bpcr match last month and appears that 3/4 of an inch or so of brass broke off the end of a 45-70.  He did not realize it and fired the rest of the match. Who knows if that was the other first shot or the last shot fired for the day.  All I can say for sure is I cleaned the gun and all seemed ok at the end of the day.  When I got home and cleaned the brass one was missing a inch or so of the end. So the question did this hurt the bore?   The gun is a original rolling block actiond rebarreled with badger barrel.  The load if it matters was 30-1 lead 500 grain jones bullet loaded with 65 grains goex cartridge.  I had stop playing with the gun several years ago due to tenonistis and it was just setting so I thought I'd help a newby see what it was about.   Am I in deep crap as far as the barrel is concerned or will it take scrap brass being thrown out it at 1100 fps.

[Ray Newman]

Damage? Maybe yes; maybe no.

Most likely not.

To be on the safe side, I would slug the bore its entire length--once from the muzzle; then from the breach & pay attention to any loose spots where it is easier to drive the slutg thru.

I would also securely mount the rifle in a vise & lay a straight edge along the flats (if an octogon) & look for any bulges. You can do the same w/ a round barrel, just rotate the straight edge every 90 degrees.

Moral: Don't lend firearms or tools....

[John Traveler]

Sharps Nut,

I've had a couple very similar incidents happen to me with no apparent ill efffects to the rifle.

1.  US Caliber .30 Carbine with overlength case fired with lead bullet.  1/8" of brass case extruded and appeared as brass "flashing" after the shot.  Normally a long case will prevent bolt closure, but the shooter "slammed the bolt home a couple times to chamber the round.  No apparent bore or chamber damage.

2.  .223 Remington 55 grain reloads fired in a Ruger Mini-14.   Long case necks. Case flashing fragments on case, with some fired with the bullet.  No bore damage.

3.  Pistol caliber (.357, .44 magnum, and .45 Colt carbines that fired and tore off the case mouth at the cannelure.  Subsequent rounds fired normally with no bore damage.

Your soft lead bullet loads, and the very nature of those soft bullets probably helped prevent bore/chamber damage.  True, chamber pressures probably increased, but not probably dangerously so.  The torn-off case just acted like a bullet jacket and made it out of the barrel.

I've read that in the "good old days" this was a fairly common occurance, and torn-off case necks in BP calibers did no apparent harm unless the bore obstruction was serious.  If you carefully slug and inspect the bore, you are likely to find no damage.

HTH
John

[Double D]

Here's a Q&D way to check a barrel for bulges.  Take a piece of computer printer paper and wrap it around your index finger one layer thick. With light  pressure slide your paper covered finger up and down the length of the barrel and you will find the bugle if there is any.

Beside what makes you think the end of the case went down the barrel, and even if it did what can it hurt.  That .030 extra thickness might raise pressures a little bit, but the combination of case and bullet starting down the bore together would most likely swage down and act like a half jacket bullet.  

Now it the jacket came off in the barrel or was sucked down the barrel after firing and another bullet was fired over it then you might get a bulge.

Most likely the case separated and came out when extracted.   Not to of an uncommon circumstance particularly for used brass.

I would use the paper to check for a bulge and then shoot the gun an see if there is a problem.  My guess is there isn't one, a problem that is!

Let us know!

[Sharps-Nut]

I have found pieces of brass with the end shot off at the range but never expienced it.   I will look it over before shooting it again but sounds like its ok.  Thanks

[Sharps-Nut]

I would want to see the sight and touch it before buying.  A mva or baldwin is of no concern on this as they are a work of art.  The others mentioned I am not a familiar with.  Some of the less expensive one's have the vernier roll stamped and are tough to read with great accuracy.  I experienced this first hand.  Get one with crisp engraved markings so you can make 1/2 or smaller sight adjustments, this is where its at for tweaking and staying on center of animal.   If you buy a good one as I mentioned above it will only raise the value and shooting pleasure of your gun.  The cost is high for good sights 500.00 and up rear sight only.  Browning sights are being sold thru midway in the 350.00 price range.  Mixed feelings as to quality but they are failly well made and crisply engraved.  Just my actual experience, not a sales pitch.   A fellow shooter friend of mine moved up by several animals by getting a mva sight over a italian one with no other changes.

[Dusty Ed]

HOWDY PARDS
I have never happen to me except on 357 herret many year ago.
But the cartridge stayed in the gun.
Now the other day I was shooting my 4065 RB rebarreled by Ron Snover.
This gun is a tackdriver.
Well when I ejected this shell there was only half of it there ,so i clean
the barrel no sign of the other half, it took a new cartridge in  the chamber ,checked for bulges ,the bullet hit the 200yd. target 6" low perfect windage.
So I went on shooting , Up into the 3" group.
Dusty Ed :wink:
.

[Lead pot]

I have that happen to me several times through the years the last time at the Quigley this year during practice, with out damage.Most separation stayed in the chamber with about 1/8" engaged in the riffling.
One cause is from a long soft case that gets a light roll crimp while seating the bullet, it will stretch the case enough to ride up in the throat were it will crimp tighter to the bullet and separate the case usually behind the bullet base. I don't like to anneal my cases only once when the cases are new for this reason. Over annealing get the cases to soft and you have to trim more often and I feel it shortens the life of the case. Every time you trim that case the case wall gets thinner.
I don't full length size so I don't over work the brass.I get a lot of range time now that I'm retired, last year I burned over two cases of GOEX, and I only found 4 cases I had to pitch with a ridge were the base of the bullet would be.
Improper case cleaning and a hard crimp on a soft case will pull it.

Keep shooten Sharps-nut

Kurt