Bullet Overload?

kulboy · 10-31-2006, 09:39 PM

Long time lurker, love the forum. Not quite sure if this is the correct category to post this under. I have a Ruger 270 that I have been shooting for 16 years now. I bought a bunch of different boxes of ammunition to take to the range to practice with.When I shot the5th bullet on the Federal 150gr nosler partition something felt really weird to me. My rifle shot forward to the right and up in the air. I looked through the scope and no bullet hole on the target. I wasn't for sure what happened but quickly found out when I went to pull back the bolt. It had locked up on me.

I took the gun to the gunsmith and he had to hammer the bolt up and out because it was not moveable by hand. Then he had to stick a rod down the barrel to get the cartridge out. He completely checked out my gun and said everything looked great. He said that it was definitely the bullet and said that it was an overload. What do you guys think? Could have there been a more serious outcome? I bought these because everyone says on here that they are the best. The gun shot fine after this but my bolt is not closing correctly now.

Soilarch · 10-31-2006, 11:12 PM

I'm really interested as to what the guys on here say. It's got me stumped. (The part about what you "felt" the rifle do).

If you don't get any responses here, try the reloading section. There's a few guys that post in there who really know their stuff, but I'm pretty sure they check these sections also.

45/70 Govt. · 11-01-2006, 12:10 AM

I don't believ I've ever seen a case quite like that before, I have seen some over max reloads go BOOM!!!, but they were not like that!!!!!

Briman · 11-01-2006, 12:14 AM

Was it brrand new factory ammo or remanufactured ammo?

kulboy · 11-01-2006, 01:20 AM

This was brand new factory ammo from Cabela's with a date on the box of May 2006. When I shot the jump I felt wasn't extreme but it was enough that I knew something different happened. The gunsmith said that he has never seen that on factory ammo in his 40 years of being a gunsmith. I emailed Federal yesterday with a pic and have not received a response yet.

Swampdog · 11-01-2006, 02:32 AM

That is most definately an over loaded round.Look at the primerpocket how big it has been enlarged.The rim has been torn away .Where the case was stuck to the bolt face.I would almost bet the primer was also stuck to the bolt.These aresign of dangerously high pressure levels.I have only seen this in reloads.It could have been devastating.I had it happen on a Savage 110.(My fault screwed up the powder load somehow the round shot about 2 feet high and kicked like a mule From then on it would not cycle anything but factory food.)You are lucky.

kulboy · 11-01-2006, 02:43 AM

Swampdog, the gunsmith told me that I was luck as well so now I am more than just a little freaked out (hence being awake at 2:30am waiting for people to reply). I don't recall ever seeing the primer when I got the bolt open nor the gunsmith mentioning anything about it. If I am lucky what exactly could have happened that would have been bad?

DANTHEHUNTER · 11-01-2006, 03:53 AM

There is no dought that is a hot load. Only a hot load could weld the shell to your bolt face. If I was you I would take it to a gun smith and have him check your entire chamber if its not head spacing your shells. Something has changed and its not worth the chance. How about calling ruger and seeing what they would do.

kulboy · 11-01-2006, 04:05 AM

The first thing the gunsmith checked was the head space and he said it looked good along with everything else. Isn't this an issue with Federal and not Ruger?

Rootsy · 11-01-2006, 06:42 AM

definitely over pressure... i wonder if the bullet diameter itself wasn't large and during the swaging the pressure spiked.... maybe a 7mm bullet in a 270 shell?