Saturday, November 16, 2013

Not the best range day. KABOOM!

And the Uzi went "Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat, POP!" The bolt rode back half way and stopped in a cloud of smoke from the ejection port as the top cover bulged and snapped loose of the rear catch, flying open.

That's not supposed to happen.

Squib load while testing a new ammo recipe. That bullet lodged in the barrel just ahead of the chamber and the next round fired into it, immediately expanding and plugging the bore. With the barrel thus obstructed, all of that pressure had to go somewhere and it did--right back into the action.

Fortunately the Uzi is over-built like a little tank so this is fixable. I may or may not be able to salvage the top cover but I have spares and those are cheap. The bullets are already out of the barrel and it doesn't appear damaged, but I have spare barrels, too. The main thing is that the receiver is unharmed; that would have been cause for tears had it been damaged. But Uzis are tough and the gun will be ready for test-firing as soon as I get around to putting it back together. Still...quite the downer on the range, especially as it was only about a dozen rounds into the first magazine.

But it also stands as a good reminder to all though about why we wear safety glasses when we shoot. A lot up unburned powder and brass fragments came back out of that ejection port and that could have been nasty had it caught someone in the face. Precautions, folks!

11 comments:

  1. Oh damn... Glad you're okay!!!

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  2. First off, what Old NFO said - glad you're okay.

    Second, didn't know you had an Uzi. Is that an auto or semi-auto Uzi?

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  3. @ Graybeard: It's full-auto. It's a great weapon when it's not impersonating a hand grenade due to faulty ammunition.

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  4. Ouch! Glad you're Ok and the gun is fixable.

    Man, there must be something in the water. I had my second the other day while instructing at our women's night shoot. Luckily I got her stopped before she could crank off another round. Purchased reload with no powder.

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  5. My condolences. That Uzi is pretty much the most fun I ever had with my pants on. Hope she goes back together OK.

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  6. Anonymous9:32 AM

    Yikes!
    Glad you were following safety protocols.

    gfa

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  7. Anonymous1:17 PM

    I am glad to hear you were not hurt

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  8. My wife and I have shot a full auto Uzi at a range that rented them. Tons of fun.

    If not for effects the crazy Class III laws' had on prices, I think I'd own one.

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  9. @ Graybeard: Tell the wife it's an investment then buy one. And thye do rise in value, so there's truth to it.

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  10. Glad you are OK and it seems the full auto gods occasionally take a disliking to you.

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  11. @ Keads: yeah, they do tend to smack me around a bit. But the M60 kaboom was attributable to an unscrupulous and dishonest seller.

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