WARNING – Image with blood shown. Those with weak stomachs should not click!
Despite being the most friendly people on the planet, weapons can still be mean to Canadians. This time, a Savage Axis beat up the shooter during an out of battery detonation as the shooter was attempting to clear a stuck cartridge testing the rifle prior to a scheduled hunting trip.
The .30-06 was not going into battery and when attempting to yank the round of out of the chamber, the firing pin caused the primer to rupture with the lugs not engaged. The catastrophic detonation sent brass, copper, and lead fragments from the breach, hitting the shooter above the right eye and peppering him in other places.
Fortunately, the unlucky shooter was following all the safety rules.
“The barrel was pointed away from me. It was quite a moment. The gun went one way and I went the other,” he said.
Per the victim:
“My ears are still ringing, I’ve still got a friggin’ headache, but the main thing is I’m still around here to talk it about I guess,” he said. “It could be worse, I could be blinded or whatever, right?”
Due to either luck, or a pair of safety glasses, his vision is A-OK. I personally prefer not to rely on luck. Wear your glasses!