Guns are dangerous. Federal AE223BK Kaboom.

[Lostinthewoods]

Sorry Derek,

There was nothing wrong with the case, the round went off when the case was not fully in the chamber, by about .100" or so.

I don't care how good any smith is, I don't care if he's Eugene Stoner, I don't care what Federal says, if they tell you otherwise, they are wrong.

I don't know HOW this occurred, but there is NO other explanation for the pressure ring expanded between the extractor groove and the main body of the case.

Either the bolt was not fully seated or VERY excessive headspace (.100" or more, unlikely) occurred.

HB

[markm]

I looked at the bulge in the case head, and I don't see it as proof of some sort of out of battery discharge. It's close, but I just dropped a live round into one of my AR chambers and the case bulge is right about where the case head is exposed at the radiused part of the chamber.

My vote would be an overcharged round. Not so significant that it created a full blown Kabizzle, but that flattened primer is a good clue. The primer flow too. Especially for Fed 223 ammo.

[ST911]

The pictures you posted are definitely reloaded ammunition. I doubt federal would sell reloads like that in one of those boxes (which should have red 20 rounds boxes in it).

Here's what happened.

Your dealer bought some reloads from an unknown entity. He sealed them up in a plastic bag. He put them in an empty Federal ae223 box and sold them to you as new.

Federal is not to blame here, if you want to blame someone, it should go directly back to the person who sold you the ammo.

Why do you believe those are "definitely reloaded ammunition?"

Those rounds look like every other AE223 I've seen, with incidental marks and blems consistent with other bulk packaged loads.

(Emphasis in quotes is mine.)

[Fireglock]

Well I've been reloading since 1970 and I can see one thing, the pressure was way up, the flattened primer and ejector hole flow show that. Those are both signs of overpressure. Typically in a bolt action the ejector hole flow of brass leaves a shiny spot where the bolt shears off the excess in the pocket when rotated to extract the case.

[Derek_Connor]

Sorry Derek,

There was nothing wrong with the case, the round went off when the case was not fully in the chamber, by about .100" or so.

I don't care how good any smith is, I don't care if he's Eugene Stoner, I don't care what Federal says, if they tell you otherwise, they are wrong.

I don't know HOW this occurred, but there is NO other explanation for the pressure ring expanded between the extractor groove and the main body of the case.

Either the bolt was not fully seated or VERY excessive headspace (.100" or more, unlikely) occurred.

HB

Im open to theories, but whats your background that would trump someone's visual inspection of the actual upper?

[markm]

Why do you believe those are "definitely reloaded ammunition?"

Those rounds look like every other AE223 I've seen, with incidental marks and blems consistent with other bulk packaged loads.

Same here. The ammo looks like the AE223 I have right now. There was apparently some confusion that it was XM193... which the ammo doesn't look like. But it does look like AE223.

[Derek_Connor]

I posted it somewhere in this thread, but it is AE223BK.

NOT XM193.

[mrwickwire]

From looking at the picture of the case rim section, it appears that there is a "bulge" above the rim. This might indicate that the weapon fired "WAY" out of battery. Can anyone comment on this? Why would the case have "bulged there?

Until that day,
Darkop

I was thinking the same thing. I was surprised it took so long for someone to mention it.

[Lostinthewoods]

Im open to theories, but whats your background that would trump someone's visual inspection of the actual upper?

This is the internet, I could tell you I am the Queen of Sheba.

Prove me wrong........

Take a measurement (with a caliper) from the blown case.

Measure from the flat face of the cartridge (i.e. the flat headstamp area) to where the body goes back to the normal chamber size. (For example, lay the flat head on a table and measure UP to the flat of the chamber walls, including ALL the radius) This will give you the total measurement of 3 things.

1. Depth of the bolt recess where the cartridge head sits (approx. .122")

2. Depth of the chamber radius (approx. .045-.047")

3. Headspace when the cartridge was fired

I'm just going from memory on the above 2 measurements, but they should be close.

If I am WRONG, you should have a measurement of .122+.047+approx. .007 (normal headspace) say around .176". Anything much over that and it was not fully chambered or your gun has a huge radius on the chamber, way out of spec.

Just eyeballing your blown case and a WAG on my part, I"d say yours is .210" or more.

So, got a caliper to prove me wrong?

When you prove me right I will give you my creds, then you might believe me.

HB


ADD: The flattened primer and extractor signs will also go along with the excessive headspace issue, so if I am right, those signs would be expected and are not problems with the ammo.

[Fireglock]

This is the internet, I could tell you I am the Queen of Sheba.

Prove me wrong........

Take a measurement (with a caliper) from the blown case.

Measure from the flat face of the cartridge (i.e. the flat headstamp area) to where the body goes back to the normal chamber size. (For example, lay the flat head on a table and measure UP to the flat of the chamber walls, including ALL the radius) This will give you the total measurement of 3 things.

1. Depth of the bolt recess where the cartridge head sits (approx. .122")

2. Depth of the chamber radius (approx. .045-.047")

3. Headspace when the cartridge was fired

I'm just going from memory on the above 2 measurements, but they should be close.

If I am WRONG, you should have a measurement of .122+.047+approx. .007 (normal headspace) say around .176". Anything much over that and it was not fully chambered or your gun has a huge radius on the chamber, way out of spec.

Just eyeballing your blown case and a WAG on my part, I"d say yours is .210" or more.

So, got a caliper to prove me wrong?

When you prove me right I will give you my creds, then you might believe me.

HB

Would it be reasonable to expect the BCG to be pushed back if the gun fired out of battery?