What Happened?

[12gafun]

I get this text message from a fellow range buddy I shot with saying that his barrel on his Blackwater edition 590A1 Mossberg 12 ga just blew up. I asked if he was okay, he was, then sent me these pics of his barrel. Told me he was shooting some Remington sluggers & some 3 inch magnum slugs also. Then this happened, he was sure that nothing got stuck in the barrel.
I know at this time he has contacted Mossberg about this, interesting what could have caused the barrel to blow out like that unless it did get a squib. Could a stuck wadding caused this? Not sure how long he has had the 12 ga shotty but with that being a Blackwater edition shotgun with that heavy walled barrel, should handle the shells he was shooting.

 

[MikeD]

Per my experience, the location and type of fracture looks like an obstructed barrel.

 

[12gafun]

My buddy is hoping at this time that Mossberg will replace or repair the shotgun. I agree that I looks like a obstruction. Had to be something being a heavy walled barrel same barrel that came on the military version of the 590A1 shotgun. Thanks for your replies.

 

[John A.]

I don't know how Mossberg handles these types of things, however, I do know how a few others will handle it.

First, they will want the gun, and any unused ammo from that lot/box of bullets.

Then, they'll probably replace the barrel and/or any other parts that need replacing and contact the ammo manufacturer, who in turn will likely pay for the replacement parts themselves because that's the cheapest and easiest thing for them to do.

It does look like an obstruction to me too. The barrel does not appear to be thin or dinged/dented inward or bent, which could also obstruct the slug.

And if he's certain the prior slug exited the barrel, it may could have been the wad. Piece of a bore patch from a prior cleaning maybe. I think that both of those would be unusual, but it could happen.

if it had been a over charged shell or something, the pressure spike is going to be at or very near the chamber/receiver/bolt. And in this case, thankfully was not.

Glad that your friend is OK.

 

[12gafun]

Thanks I am glad he came out okay also.

 

[CaddmannQ]

I would not doubt a faulty Factory shell for an instant.

I have recently had way too many fail-to-fires, I also recently had a 38 special cartridge with two slugs stacked in it from the factory.

I avoided damaging my gun because I noticed that round was a bit too fat & it stuck when I put it in the chamber.

If this happened to the shotgun, so it had an overload or a double load stuffed in it, I could see it blowing out a barrel.