I can think of just five:
A 12 bore AyA magnum in which someone fired a steel load through the choke barrel; it now has a nice wide trumpet choke!
A single barrel 12 bore Italian made gun that a Farmer kept in the cow shed window for the odd pot shot at vermin. He kept a rag stuffed down the muzzle to stop dirt and spiders going down. Some kid found it and the cartridges and fired it but omitted to remove the rag. The last 12 inches of barrel parted company and spun round and clocked the kid on the head. Gave him a good scare and the Farmer one too!
An Italian over/under (I can't recall the make) where the barrel just blew open about 14 inches from the breech. The metal was so thin it could be bent easily by hand. How it passed Proof in Italy is a mystery.
A Midland Gun Co. side by side that I sent for Proof in Birmingham and then sold on. The new owner had it for a while when the barrel bulged and split. I sent it off to the Proof House for a detailed investigation and report. Their conclusion was that a stuck wad had caused the barrel to bulge and the next shot had been too much and caused the final split. It went just in front of the forend and no injury caused. In fact the firer was unaware until someone at te clay shoot pointed it out.
The fifth involves a German military Mauser rifle. The owner had some war surplus ammo which was dirty. He decided to put it in a case tumbler to clean it up. The rifle was smashed to pieces, stock smashed, bolt blown out and the receiver bent beyond repair. By a miracle there was no injury sustained. My theory is that the case tumbled ammo had the powder inside broken up into a fine powder which increased the burn rate alarmingly. That rifle was one hell of a mess. Lagopus.....
