doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Blown barrels and stuck wads ?

With some of the recent photos and discussion on blown barrels resulting from stuck wads, I would like to know what shell is most likley to cause this problem, a reload, a new low pressure, or high pressure, does the barrel sometimes play a part? I have gotten into the habit of checking my barrels on a SxS or O/U when reloading thanks to these posts and photos.

Thank You
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Flip

Flip, From my experience around trap ranges and a few times during hunting situations I would think 99% of the problem is mistakes during reloading.
Dave

I check my barrels every time I shoot, especially when I shoot trap. You will probably get more bloopers when you reload. But anything can happen as far as a wad sticking in a barrel. I remember hearing about Kay Ohye, who happens to be one of the best trap shooters in the country, while he was shooting at the Grand a few years ago. Keeping in mind, you HAVE to buy your shells there; On his first shot, while shooting singles, Kay had a blooper and the wad went about ten feet from the pad. He walked out and picked up the wad and looked at it and said, "Lost target." The first factory shell out of the box was a blooper. Sorry about your luck. By the way, he ran the last 99.

Another quick story. About five years ago I bought a box of Remington Gun Clubs and while shooting trap, I couldn't get one of them into my gun. I noticed why. When the wad was pressed into the hull at the factory, it went in cocked to the side and is almost protruding out the side of the hull causing a large bulge. I still have it today. So anything can happen. Be safe. Good luck.

A leading cause has been detached base wads. This goes back at least as far as the '70s, when Remington's All-American hulls had plastic base wads that occasionally came loose after several reloads.

Recently there have been several barrels destroyed by the same problem from today's hulls. I think (but am not sure) that the new, Winchester poly-formed hulls, reloaded, have been the biggest offenders. I also know of one that occurred with a factory load.

Are the Winchester Hull problems related to base wad being stuck followed by another shell or does this problem happen during the firing process? I have heard much and now only use Remington STS and Gun Clubs but it has never been clear to me what is actually happening.

The issue I referred to is widely believed to be a basewad from the prior hull remaining in the bore when the next cartridge if fired.

Builder,

The base wad from one shell is left in the barrel, when a subsequent shell is chambered and fired the damage is done.

It happened to me with reloaded AA hull, shortly after they changed the design. The gun is a 1927 Parker VHE. The barrel bulged slightly about 2-3" in front of the forcing cone. It was a concentric bulge and was just enough to break the solder joint on the bottom rib and loosen the barrel lug. I did not realize it right away and completed the round before I realized what had happened.....though it's hard to see the bulge you can feel it.

I wonder at times if it is repairable....It's a great gun and one day (when I have the $)I'll send it to one of the good barrel guys to get a definative answer.

Jeff

Thanks guys, the answer to that question has been bothering me.