Wear those safety glasses.......

Randy,
an explanation of detonation can be found in P.O.Ackley's "Handbook For Shooters and Reloaders"

"Finally, is there any danger of loading too low? Powder experts claim there is. If a load is reduced so much that the case is filled to, say one third of it's volume, there is the possibilty that the primer flash will rush along the surface of the powder, igniting part of it, creating enough pressure to push the bullet into the forcing cone where it comes to a halt, and then, when the ignition has spread to the entire powder charge a few thousandths of a second later, the lodged bullet cannot again accelerate fast enough to keep a dangerous pressure from arising. As a matter of fact, guns have been blown up under condititions for which no other explanation could be found."
 
Randy, I've been wondering if you had determined what happened, it sounds like to may have the cause. I have been watching this, as I shoot some similar loads in my Contender in .22 Hornet. From what I have read, seating the bullet out too far could have contributed to this. If it's right against the lands, excess pressure can develop before it has time to exit the barrel. Between that, the phenomenon that Rich describes above, and the possibility of the powder settling into the neck, you may very well have your explanation. Glad to see you're recovering, hope you're back to 100% soon!
 
Just wanted to 'bump this to the top' as a reminder to wear those safety glasses and hearing protection. With load development and praire dog shooting in full swing I don't want to hear that someone had a similiar accident as me without safety equip. Also remember those glasses when fishing. A friend told me about his father losing a eye to a fishing jig that came unstuck and popped him in the eye last year.

Randy
 
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