A little over a week ago I was firing my Bushmaster and it Kaboomed. Fault has been attributed to Maine Cartridge Company many times over however the company blaims the gun (go figure). See below.
(Originally posted on another website a week ago)
I went shooting with a friend up in central New Hampshire. I was shooting my SPR which is built on all Bushmaster parts save the White Oaks Armament barrel and accessories. The gun has already had about 300 rounds through - mostly M855 and some Match ammunition. I'm firing away from a cross-legged sitting position with my nonfiring hand underneath the Daniel Defense free float when I hear an unusual crack. Not a light pop like you'd expect from a squib round. I noticed there was a LOT more gas from the burnt powder/carbon then normal. I look at my AR15 and first notice that the bolt release has been blown off. I look down and see that the magazine is blown out and has expanded scattering rounds all over the ground. I check myself to make sure I am okay and all I have is this black shit on my wrist and jacket.
I turn the gun over. The bolt carrier is cracked all the way through. the upper reciever has a large crack near the chamber/ejection port area. The ejection port cover has been ripped off almost. Parts of the extractor for the gun are lying on the ground - no idea how they got there. The Colt 20rnd magazine turned into a frag grenade since I have piece of aluminum shrapnel lying around where the Magazine decided to crack, disassemble itself and go flying. Rounds of Maine Cartridge Company M855/SS109 type ammunition lie scattered about with the not-so-properly seated SS109 projectiles fallen out of the cases. In the past I had had some issues with their ammunition to being properly seated. Yesterday was a chance for me to burn up what I felt was less then par ammunition. And so I did - with the cost being a KaBoom which I never expected.
Upon further inspection last night. ( I had to use a hammer and screwdriver just to get the bolt carrier to go back and I am STILL trying to get it out of the upper reciever) I noticed the casing remains in the bore while the head of the casing is still in the bolt. The Bolt basically blew up - only half of its left and I'm not sure where the rest of it may have gone. The lower reciever is bulging slightly - but just slightly enough it MAY still be serviceable - the mag well is slightly off where the magazine decided to bloat up then take a dump out the bottom.
Round still lodged in bore - apparetly when the road expanded, crack and pushed gas into the rear of the reciever the round was only halfway down the barrel. More to follow
Sorry the pics suck - yes, I tried macro on my digital - isnt helping.
BEFORE:
AFTER
Where the Magazine exploded/imploded
Nice Purty Mangled Upper
Brass casing *most of it* visible in bore. I need a better pic
Base of casing in what is left of the bolt
You may be asking yourself - does that picture have a CHUNK of the bolt carrier in it? Why yes, that was part of the shrapnel that didn't kill me. And the bent extractor which came through the mag well and "quality ammunition lie next to it on a sheet of paper.
I will try to get ahold of Maine Cartridge Company tomorrow. But I expect to be blow off. Not sure what legal recourse if any I can take on them for remanufactured ammunition of theirs that I purchased 6-8 years ago. I will try to post better quality pictures later today - or if I can physically remove the bolt carrier from the gun - its still so stuck its laughing at my hammer.
I should be pissed - I'm just happy I'm not dead because of some idiot assembling ammunition
UPDATE - Sunday....
. Well I just spoke to the owner of MCC. He claims he had two gunsmiths look at the rifle last week while it was at his shop. And that supposedly the bolt wasn't fully seated forward and somehow the firing pin struck the primer without it being properly chambered. Sounds like BS to me because to my knowledge - AR's don't fire out of battery. Also claimed they checked headspacing and for "high pressure". No idea how one checks for "high pressure".
He said the bolt couldnt have been in battery because the projectile never left the bore. He also went on to mention that he ships thousands of rounds of ammunition to Bushmaster for testing their rifles and has never had a complaint. Maybe I should see if Bushmaster agrees. I seem to remember complaints on quality control from other individuals. Hmmm.
I don't buy it - but I lack paperwork (proving I purchased the ammunition back in 1999/2000) and funds (not hiring a lawyer for 300-500 worth of damage).
Rifle is supposed to be shipped back on Monday. I'm out 300-500 dollars. Money is relative - I'm alive. Buy Maine Cartridge Company ammunition and you could end up in the same boat.
(Originally posted on another website a week ago)
I went shooting with a friend up in central New Hampshire. I was shooting my SPR which is built on all Bushmaster parts save the White Oaks Armament barrel and accessories. The gun has already had about 300 rounds through - mostly M855 and some Match ammunition. I'm firing away from a cross-legged sitting position with my nonfiring hand underneath the Daniel Defense free float when I hear an unusual crack. Not a light pop like you'd expect from a squib round. I noticed there was a LOT more gas from the burnt powder/carbon then normal. I look at my AR15 and first notice that the bolt release has been blown off. I look down and see that the magazine is blown out and has expanded scattering rounds all over the ground. I check myself to make sure I am okay and all I have is this black shit on my wrist and jacket.
I turn the gun over. The bolt carrier is cracked all the way through. the upper reciever has a large crack near the chamber/ejection port area. The ejection port cover has been ripped off almost. Parts of the extractor for the gun are lying on the ground - no idea how they got there. The Colt 20rnd magazine turned into a frag grenade since I have piece of aluminum shrapnel lying around where the Magazine decided to crack, disassemble itself and go flying. Rounds of Maine Cartridge Company M855/SS109 type ammunition lie scattered about with the not-so-properly seated SS109 projectiles fallen out of the cases. In the past I had had some issues with their ammunition to being properly seated. Yesterday was a chance for me to burn up what I felt was less then par ammunition. And so I did - with the cost being a KaBoom which I never expected.
Upon further inspection last night. ( I had to use a hammer and screwdriver just to get the bolt carrier to go back and I am STILL trying to get it out of the upper reciever) I noticed the casing remains in the bore while the head of the casing is still in the bolt. The Bolt basically blew up - only half of its left and I'm not sure where the rest of it may have gone. The lower reciever is bulging slightly - but just slightly enough it MAY still be serviceable - the mag well is slightly off where the magazine decided to bloat up then take a dump out the bottom.
Round still lodged in bore - apparetly when the road expanded, crack and pushed gas into the rear of the reciever the round was only halfway down the barrel. More to follow
Sorry the pics suck - yes, I tried macro on my digital - isnt helping.
BEFORE:

AFTER

Where the Magazine exploded/imploded

Nice Purty Mangled Upper

Brass casing *most of it* visible in bore. I need a better pic

Base of casing in what is left of the bolt

You may be asking yourself - does that picture have a CHUNK of the bolt carrier in it? Why yes, that was part of the shrapnel that didn't kill me. And the bent extractor which came through the mag well and "quality ammunition lie next to it on a sheet of paper.

I will try to get ahold of Maine Cartridge Company tomorrow. But I expect to be blow off. Not sure what legal recourse if any I can take on them for remanufactured ammunition of theirs that I purchased 6-8 years ago. I will try to post better quality pictures later today - or if I can physically remove the bolt carrier from the gun - its still so stuck its laughing at my hammer.
I should be pissed - I'm just happy I'm not dead because of some idiot assembling ammunition
UPDATE - Sunday....
. Well I just spoke to the owner of MCC. He claims he had two gunsmiths look at the rifle last week while it was at his shop. And that supposedly the bolt wasn't fully seated forward and somehow the firing pin struck the primer without it being properly chambered. Sounds like BS to me because to my knowledge - AR's don't fire out of battery. Also claimed they checked headspacing and for "high pressure". No idea how one checks for "high pressure".
He said the bolt couldnt have been in battery because the projectile never left the bore. He also went on to mention that he ships thousands of rounds of ammunition to Bushmaster for testing their rifles and has never had a complaint. Maybe I should see if Bushmaster agrees. I seem to remember complaints on quality control from other individuals. Hmmm.
I don't buy it - but I lack paperwork (proving I purchased the ammunition back in 1999/2000) and funds (not hiring a lawyer for 300-500 worth of damage).
Rifle is supposed to be shipped back on Monday. I'm out 300-500 dollars. Money is relative - I'm alive. Buy Maine Cartridge Company ammunition and you could end up in the same boat.
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