Author Topic: Ruger Compact - accidental discharge (Read 1389 times)

crow_feather · « **on:** September 24, 2003, 05:19:17 PM »

My wife recently took a Ruger Compact 7mm-08 boar hunting. In the blind, while the rifle was pointed out the blind window, she closed the bolt on a loaded round and the rifle fired before the bolt was turned down. It was still dark in the blind and my wife reported that it was hard to get the bolt closed when this occured.

I checked the round and found a light firing pin strike on the primer. (This was before the bolt was fully closed.)

After I checked the bolt, there were no other problems or repeats.

Any one have a similar occurance or know what could have occurred.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2003, 06:48:08 PM »

I've never had a problem with my M77 MKII. I'd check the trigger/sear area for a foriegn object ( twig,leaf,etc.) . A few questions about her rifle : has a trigger job been done on this rifle and if so how light is the trigger pull ; was the safety on as she loaded the rifle ; and was she pulling the trigger as she closed the bolt ( with her finger or accidently with her coat/shirt/belt/sheath knife on belt )? As soon as I raise the bolt handle on my Ruger I use my little finger to put the safety on. I had the trigger pull on my M70 Win. too light (factory tiriggers on M70s shouldn't be less than 3# pull). If I closed the bolt rapidly the gun would drop the firing pin about 65% of the time. I adjusted the pull weight to 3# and all is well. The firing pin would only fall when closing the bolt hard and fast. Dave

crow_feather · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2003, 04:25:57 AM »

The rifle was brand new - no trigger adjustment can be made. The safety was in the middle position and finger not on trigger. The rifle fired before the bolt was fully closed - I thought the bolt had to be turned down before the rifle could be fired.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2003, 01:24:02 PM »

If the bolt was partially open when the cartridge fired, you should have had a primer back out or partial or even total head separation, did you?

Dave in WV · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2003, 01:45:39 PM »

When I asked about trigger adjustment I know you can't adjust a factory trigger. I should have asked if an aftermarket trigger has been installed. If not then other than a foriegn object tripping the sear I can't think of anything. If an aftermarket trigger is improperly installed the safety won't always work. Dave

crow_feather · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2003, 05:24:30 PM »

Double D
My wife said that she felt the bolt recoil, but the bolt was closed - not turned down when the rifle discharged. There was no seperation, primer was normal - flattened but showing a light firing pin strike - about 1/2 of normal depth.

Dave,
Standard trigger. Nothing changed from stock. Rifle is very accurate without modification.

The only thing that I can figure is that the firing pin remained forward when the bolt was slammed forward. Even with the safety off, I thought it was impossible to fire the rifle until the bolt was fully closed.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2003, 03:51:24 AM »

I recommend taking the rifle to an authorized Ruger repair center or sending the rifle to Ruger before firing the rifle again. There could be serious damage to the rifle since it was fired in an unlocked condition. I'm glad for your wife she isn't wearing the bolt in her arm or head or worse. Dave

CJ · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2003, 04:18:50 AM »

As stated, sounds like the firing pin was frozen forward. Maybe a burr or frozen grease?

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** September 26, 2003, 08:29:07 AM »

It's all speculation about why the gun fired. Everything from bound up trigger, burrs, to finger on trigger. But one thing is for sure that gun did not fire unlocked. It may not have been fully locked. If it had unlocked the bolt would have been blown open and case burst.

I'll throw one more bit of speculation out there. High primer on a handload! Even speculate one step more, Remington Winchester or most likely Federal primer. Closing the bolt crushed the primer causing it to fire, the effect of inertia imprinted the firng pin hole on the primer. Is that primer dimpled or raised.

All specualtion. Dave in WV is giving you the best advise get it back to a Repair station.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2003, 09:28:56 AM »

Disassemble the bolt and see if there's any rust or crud in there.

crow_feather · « **Reply #10 on:** September 26, 2003, 09:35:20 PM »

Double D,

Rem 9 1/2 primer - I feel each primer that I seat to ensure it is seated. I have loaded thousands of rounds, but must agree that one (high primer)can always get by a person. I also agree that 50 K pounds pressure will not be held in check by a 120 lb woman's hand. She did say though that the bolt was not closed.

Thanks for everyone's help, I will have the rifle checked.