Thread: What happens when a 50 cal rifle blows up.

The word "detonation" springs to mind, a seriously dodgy "someone-elses-hand-load". With detonation, guns just don't hold up.

Interesting how the fail safe "ears" broke off and in the process the frame broke. As akaroa1 said, not a fail safe, seemingly there just to make sure the breech cap was fully screwed on.

I wonder if the gun would have failed more safely if tempered towards more toughness, less hardness/brittleness @gundoc?

Also, it would perhaps be desirable to deliberately weaken the front of the barrel hinge so that if things blow the barrel flies forwards on the receiver if that cap goes back. The safety "ears" might have a better chance to work then. Designing towards "safe failure" instead of pure faith in that screw lid seems in order -- the assumption being that "detonation WILL happen", eventually, to someone.