Compromised barrel on a shotgun
 

Anyone ever have a barrel split from the sight down towards breech.

Not only split, but basically banana peel like 6-8 inches??
Gun is a newer Remington 870 wing master.

Barrel was not plugged.
Right shells were used.

Not my gun or me, was my sons.

I don't water fowl much, like one shoot a year. He's hardcore goose and ducks.
Second owner of his shotgun, bought almost new condition. Maybe one box with last owner, son has pounded maybe 4 boxes down the pipe.

Any help is appreciated!!!

Steel shot and a full choke?

^^^^^^ that would be my guess.

Saw this happen a couple weeks ago. Even asked him if he’d ran steel through it before.:sign0176:

Why would the steel shot affect it. It’s my understanding that the shot never touches the barrel as it is inside the wad until it leaves the barrel?

That's actually somewhat the problem, if it was loose it would pass through more freely. as a wad the shot must compress slightly through the choke, steel is not as soft as lead and so does not compress much at all and a full choke is to agressive for a wad full of steel.

What ammo and what choke where being used at the time?

Steel shot has three major differences than lead when it comes to barrels.

The first is that it needs very heavy wall thickness on the wads because of its hardness

The second is that because it does not compress like lead does, so a condition called Bridging can happen if the forcing cone of the gun is too abrupt, or the choke constriction is too abrupt and too tight.
The third, is that when lead is compressed , its lubricity increases, steel does not compress so the lack of lubricity adds too the bridging effect.
Cat

another problem that has been observed is rusted together steel shot -

cartridges that have been wet having the shot welded together like a slug from rust.

The old "immovable object, irresistible force" on a full choke.

Hence the bridging issue .
I have never seen this personally but I have taken some ammo apart and thecdifferent Shot configurations and overall quality is staggering at times!
Cat

Well looks like full choke, and he was shooting steel yep..
3" and 1-1/8 bbs

I would bet the steel and full choke would be the culprit. Was hunting with a buddy of mine who split the barrel on his brand new SBE2 doing this. Wasn't a happy camper as it was only 5-6 shots down the pipe before it happened.

Lesson learned. At least 870 barrels are available for a reasonable price.

Man that must have been an eye opener.

Especially if you were cycling another round in to take another bird:scared0015:

Yep he was dialed in on another goose he said, then " THAR SHE BLOWS " happened. Scary stuff. :scared0015:

Lesson learned is right.

Glad nobody was hurt

Make this thread a sticky for those that claim you can shoot steel and full chokes.

shot
 

The large steel BB shot through a full choke is the culprit.

19yrs later and people are still trying it... I don't think a sticky is going to help.

It doesn't help that the manufacturers don't all use one rating for constriction. While most companies use the standard designations for lead shot, other companies rate their chokes for steel shot, and a choke that is rated Mod for lead, is rated Full for steel Some chokes actually have both lead and steel ratings stamped on them. Some people see Full chokes listed for steel, and assume that all Full chokes are safe for steel. And many people simply have not bothered to learn about chokes. I have had several people show up to shoot clays, or to hunt with me, that had no clue which choke to use, or what difference it makes. One person even showed up with no choke in the gun, ready to shoot, he didn't know what the chokes were. Many people just purchase a shotgun, and some ammunition, and head out shooting.But given that many of those same people don't even understand the firearms laws or the hunting regulations, it shouldn't be surprising.

Some of the guns I've had over the last 10yrs or so came with a full choke, but, it was a lead rated full. Not a steel rated full, owner's manual said that as well I believe. Strikes me as one was a Mossberg 500 and the other was the SBE2, possibly the CZ Ringneck, have to check that one to be sure. Quite possible to have that situation with an 870 as well. Even with ones that are steel rated, I am very hesitant to use them for it. I expect over time they may possibly have an issue, even with smaller shot, and at that, they aren't likely meant for anything bigger than #2. My Fabarm and Beretta fulls are steel rated, but I have no use for them, the mods do a fine job on a pattern board, SBE2, mod was all I needed.
That is a tough way to learn about chokes with steel shot.