My Savage 17hmr blew up today!!!!

Glad to hear that you are OK. I think it is funny though that everyone is blaming it on being a Savage. If you have a bullet lodged in the barrel and fire another round it doesn't matter what gun you have, there are going to be problems.

It's a good thing it was a rim fire and not a big center fire round as it could have been much worse.
 
Glad to hear that you are OK. I think it is funny though that everyone is blaming it on being a Savage. If you have a bullet lodged in the barrel and fire another round it doesn't matter what gun you have, there are going to be problems.

It's a good thing it was a rim fire and not a big center fire round as it could have been much worse.
 
Originally Posted By: VarmintsBewareI used my Savage 17HMR with Hornaday 17gr VMAX ammo and shot about 300 hunred rounds last month PD hunting. Didnt seem to have any problems other then me not knowing how to shoot a 17HMR quite yet as accurate as I like to be.

I am glad you are OK and not injured, especially with your eyesight. Thats why I wear shooting glasses even while hunting, just in case.

DOCUMENT everything, pictures, on paper, date and time, weather conditions, ammo used (even if same or different brands)
Have the gunsmith do the same: take pictures,document thoroughly on paper what they discovered and did to the rifle.
Like a crime scene investigation, because it could lead to civil litigation of some sort ie: difference in way rifle is manufactured/ ammo is manufactured that will change.

Once again, glad you are OK


wayne

+1
 
Sounds like the ammo to me as well ,squib ! I would think the companies involved would step up and help you out , just contact them . Did you check to see if theres a recall on any hmr ammo ?
 
Due to the nature of rimfire cartridges, the priming compound sometimes does not completely fill the internal void of the rim. There can be gaps in the compound that cause misfires or weak combustion.

I have fired thousands of rimfire cartridges shooting .22 target pistols and there have been lots of misfires and a few weak loads; maybe not what I would call squib loads, but weak combustion.

If the ones that misfire are turned to present a new spot for the firing pin to hit, they usually fire. Sometimes, even that doesn't work---leading me to think that there was little or no priming compound in the rim.

FWIW, sounds like an ammo issue to me, with maybe a weak burn which left a bullet lodged, then another round afterwards.

Glad you survived with no injuries, a credit to the Savage.

Jim
 
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I don't think the split case deal is exclusive to Savage. I had a NEF in 17 that would also split em once in a while.. I am thinking this is an ammunition problem..

FWIW i once had a 22 rimfire bullet lodge in the barrel, unknown to me. I fired another on top of it. Only thing that happened was a slightly bulged barrel which I caught while cleaning.
 

It's hard to say at this point if you had a squib load or not. To my understanding, a squib load puts a bullet into the barrel however so far, and when another round is fired, the pressure has to go somewhere. If the bullet was stuck in the barrel and another one landed on top of it, most likely the barrel would split. I didn't notice any damage to your barrel, or even to the forward chamber area.

However, you mentioned that something is there since you can't see through the barrel. Perhaps a bullet just stuck in the lans area and didn't go up into the barrel. I suppose that could account for the stiff bolt closing and damage to the action only. Would be nice to know if a bullet is stuck in the lans.

Several years ago when my son was in high school, he was shooting a little Winchester model 67-A youth single shot .22 rifle. He shot several rounds and all was well. Then he fired one that he said didn't sound right. Not realizing the potential for danger, he then shot another.

Well, the previous bullet lodged in the barrel. Below are photos that illustrate what can happen with a squib load. My son is now 30 years old and still has a tingling sensation in his hand. He is blessed that the good Lord was watching over him that day. He still talks about it. It was a real "earth-shattering" experience for him.

Here's what's left of my son's nice little youth model Winchester. If you notice, the damage was done about where your hand would be on the forearm. Scary stuff.

01-19.jpg


02-19.jpg


03-17.jpg


04-13.jpg


05-10.jpg




Perhaps a bullet was stuck in the lans, thus not allowing the last round to chamber properly. The pressure would then be rearward. I'm definitely no expert, I'm just thinking out loud here in trying to reason it all out. Once you find out what is blocking your view through the barrel, then you will know. If it's not a bullet, then there was another issue. For now it's anybody's guess.

All of us will be interested in knowing what really happened. Please keep us informed once you determine the cause.



 
Unreal!

Those photos are a good example of how fast things happen. I hope I never experience anything like that. I think it would take me a good while to pick up another gun & pull that trigger. Wow!
 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
It's hard to say at this point if you had a squib load or not. To my understanding, a squib load puts a bullet into the barrel however so far, and when another round is fired, the pressure has to go somewhere. If the bullet was stuck in the barrel and another one landed on top of it, most likely the barrel would split. I didn't notice any damage to your barrel, or even to the forward chamber area.

However, you mentioned that something is there since you can't see through the barrel. Perhaps a bullet just stuck in the lans area and didn't go up into the barrel. I suppose that could account for the stiff bolt closing and damage to the action only. Would be nice to know if a bullet is stuck in the lans.

Several years ago when my son was in high school, he was shooting a little Winchester model 67-A youth single shot .22 rifle. He shot several rounds and all was well. Then he fired one that he said didn't sound right. Not realizing the potential for danger, he then shot another.

Well, the previous bullet lodged in the barrel. Below are photos that illustrate what can happen with a squib load. My son is now 30 years old and still has a tingling sensation in his hand. He is blessed that the good Lord was watching over him that day. He still talks about it. It was a real "earth-shattering" experience for him.

Here's what's left of my son's nice little youth model Winchester. If you notice, the damage was done about where your hand would be on the forearm. Scary stuff.

01-19.jpg


02-19.jpg


03-17.jpg


04-13.jpg


05-10.jpg




Perhaps a bullet was stuck in the lans, thus not allowing the last round to chamber properly. The pressure would then be rearward. I'm definitely no expert, I'm just thinking out loud here in trying to reason it all out. Once you find out what is blocking your view through the barrel, then you will know. If it's not a bullet, then there was another issue. For now it's anybody's guess.

All of us will be interested in knowing what really happened. Please keep us informed once you determine the cause.






wow it is amazing to see the power, those pics are works of art! Good luck with your .17!
 
I was lucky. The 22 I had only bulged the barrel.. It is a Remington pump. The only way I knew that anything happened was when cleaning there was a loose spot midway up the barrel. I remember firing a round that didn't quite sound right at a rabbit.. I had Remington re-barrel my pump.. Now I pay attention a bit more than I used to. Unless you ask my wife..

6mm that's some scary stuff right there.
 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
It's hard to say at this point if you had a squib load or not. To my understanding, a squib load puts a bullet into the barrel however so far, and when another round is fired, the pressure has to go somewhere. If the bullet was stuck in the barrel and another one landed on top of it, most likely the barrel would split. I didn't notice any damage to your barrel, or even to the forward chamber area.

However, you mentioned that something is there since you can't see through the barrel. Perhaps a bullet just stuck in the lans area and didn't go up into the barrel. I suppose that could account for the stiff bolt closing and damage to the action only. Would be nice to know if a bullet is stuck in the lans.


I think you're spot on there 6MM
I obviously didn't understand the meaning of a "Squib"
confused.gif
But I disclosed that fact in my post.
I "assumed" a bullet stuck anywhere from the chamber to the muzzle was a Squib.
Learn something every day eah?

PS,,, those pix are a real eye-opener! Yikes!
 
Originally Posted By: WeaselCircusI'm ok. Shook me up a bit and I had to do a quick check to make sure all my fingers and eyeballs were there and working, and thankfully they were.

Ammo was Hornady Vmax 17gr, which is the only round I've ever used in that rifle. There was a bit of smashed cartridge against the bolt, but I lost that in the walk back to the truck. I think part of it may also now be lodged in the barrel since I can't see any light down it.

Here is My 2 cents worth.
Well in light of not being able to see through the barrel and what you said about the bolt being sticky, and being that the rifle had been working great before it blew up. I would not blame the rifle but praise it for how strong it was. On the round that blew up if you got the bolt closed on it, It surely was not the rifle that caused your problem. As others have stated about the round before the explosion probably was a squib which left a bullet in the barrel. I would bet you a dollar to a hole in a doughnut it was the Ammunition's fault not the rifles.

I have had 2 of the 93s like your and I also have the SS laminated heavy barrel Savage with thousands of rounds down the tube of two of the and nary a problem, the third one ( like yours) is a brand new one and has only been shot a couple hundred time so far.

I am very glad you were not hurt, But gland you posted about it. I got 4 days of Rat shooting coming up this week and next and I will try to be more aware that each shot exits the barrel before shooting another.

I would go after the ammo maker. It was bad ammo.

DAB
 
This seems pretty common with 17 hmr I had a Remington 597 that blew up on me, I think it is mostly the ammo after I got to looking ever spent case was bulged or cracked I went back to the good ole 22 wmr.
 
I would definately gather up ALL of your leftover 17hrm ammo, especially the box you just used.
Inspect the neck for cracks.

My dad had to send his winchester lever back 3 times because of it blowing the action open, every time they said that it was fixed and/or fine.
we didnt know what the heck was going on, only once did it have significant damage...the last time.

after awhile the ammo companies sent out a press release about the cracked necks.

he sold the winchester, and bought a different rifle, henry i beleive, but we check all of our ammo, every round before it goes into the gun.

if youve had it for some time make sure to check that ammo.

glad your ok
Dave
 
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There is a thread on 17hmr.net about the same thing.Sorry,I am computer illiterate and don't know how to post links.Btw...glad you werent hurt.
 
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