Never never fire unknown reloads....

[cigars]

Sorry to hear that Andy. Maybe it's best to just make a wall hanger out of it now. Heck of a story to go with it.

 

[Ownerus]

OUCH! Since propriety prevents the use of more accurate words. I've been sorting thru many years accumulation of odd rounds. Many from boxes of random gear I've been given over decades. I think I'll revisit my plan to burn them up in a plinking session. So sorry to see you blindsided like that.Your friend too.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Maybe... With the cracked receiver ... its not fireable in any case ... It is hard to look at now.
We will see what my friend the gunsmith says...
Andy

Sorry to hear that Andy. Maybe it's best to just make a wall hanger out of it now. Heck of a story to go with it.

 

[Quartermaster]

I'd venture to say that no gun , no matter how robust , should be shot with unknown ammo.
The 03A3 is a very strong action , which is what saved the shooter today from serious injury.
Andy

Imma still do it.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Imma still do it.

Well they are your guns and your life , so , do as you wish....
I would not fire any ammo I just happen to find on the ground.
Andy

 

[Certaindeaf]

Imma still do it.

lol

 

[RVTECH]

Dang shame Andy!! I WILL admit however a few years ago I was given a bunch of reloading components, brass, powder and some loaded ammo. Well having been a long time reloader I took some time to 'sort out' what I determined to be reloads and what was factory ammo since they were mixed. A close examination revealed the reloads fairly quickly. Reloads will most always have some tell tale signs such as additional dings and dents on the rims, primers that look too 'new' and crimps that do not have that nice, smooth factory roll (this was 30-30 ammo). Anyway I sorted out what I determined to be factory and , well while there were two different brands they all matched in length, primer and bullet style so - I fired them. HOWEVER I still felt a bit 'guilty' KNOWING I could have made a mistake but at the time I felt my observations were exacting - I doubt I'll ever do it again!

 

[RVTECH]

well while there were two different brands they all matched in length, primer and bullet style

And I forgot to say headstamp also and that was the go/no go for me.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

It had to happen to something like the 03
Bad day Andy, sorry to see this.

Like a 'good' train wreck, in for the pics....

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Yep... It was a nice 03 ... But at least the 03A3 was stout enough and designed for such things...
Still....
Andy

 

[Flymph]

So I went shooting this afternoon with a friend and his buddy.
Friends buddy brought ammo to shoot in my rifle.
The rifle in question is a Remington 03A3 from 1943.
Long story short ... No one was seriously hurt but...
My A3 now has a crack in the receiver by the "Hatcher hole" and the barrel seems twisted.

Friends buddy bought some reloads at a gun show awhile back ....He was not aware that he bought reloads ... and seems honest about it.
Sigh
Andy

He's paying for damages... if you can ever find one so nice again... condolences.

 

[Koda]

sorry to hear this Andy... yeah, this confirms something I learned earlier this year... the easy way though.
I will never buy reloads again

I wont even buy reloads anymore myself. Just not worth it. Plus on new guns it voids the warranty. Thing is, now that the ammo crunch is over there is no need to buy reloads.


commercial reload

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well he suffered bruises , cuts and burns , very lucky .. .as for a replacement rifle ...I hope so but we will see.
Andy

He's paying for damages... if you can ever find one so nice again... condolences.

 

[RVTECH]

as for a replacement rifle ...I hope so but we will see.

Sounds like a great 'hobby build' from a new 03-A3!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Could be ... Right now I'm just in a wait and see and WTH frame of mind...
Andy

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

jesus how hot of a load was it? seems like my 03a3 could shoot anything with how well theyre built.


if i did that to your rifle i would offer to make it right or as right as possible in your eyes

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I don't think it was *that* hot, i reckon they at least scraped the powder level with the top of the brass before seating the bullet.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I don't think it was *that* hot, i reckon they at least scraped the powder level with the top of the brass before seating the bullet.

probably a bullet seated to the cannelure instead of proper COAL. negligence maybe?

 

[MountainBear]

I imagine this is a case of throwing the wrong powder rather than an over-loaded round. Most .30-06 loads fill the case fairly full. To get the pressure necessary to crack a nickel steel 03a3 receiver, my best guess would be wrong powder.

Again

 

[P7M13]

Sorry to read this Andy.
Glad everyone is OK. Did you ever get the serial number history on your 03A3? Mount it on the wall with that.
I do shoot reloads, but only from known sources (other reloaders I trust).
Do you have any rifles more modern than that one?