[Gordon Gauge]

Had an out of battery discharge with the Click Clack today. Looking at the spent brass, it appears that a case got pinched on the open end on ejection squashing it flat but holding the bolt open. The next round chambered and fired, spraying the right side of my face with powder residue and assorted little hot items. The round hit the target at 25 yards about 10" low. Good thing I was wearing my shooting glasses. GG

 

[050]

NO FAIR GORDIE!

That target still counts and I'm gonna tell Joe Haller on you!

Glad you didn't get messed up, but doan be turnin' in no 250 on it!

 

[xxring]

GG

REAL glad to hear you are ok....that had to really suk. I been lucky and not had one of those yet. Now where did I put them glasses?????????????

 

[Gordon Gauge]

Antlurz, that happened on the third row down and the bullet landed off the target low. So hey, maybe I was shooting a sighter?? The fact that the next 3 shots went into the 9 ring at 3 o'clock had nothing what so ever to do with me flinching, dammit.

But man it really made me realize once again that a "religious" agenda of safety gear and precautions is so important. Sometimes when everything is going along so well it's easy to slack up. Don't let that happen, be smart every time you shoot, and always wear that eye and ear protection. I'm guessing those little blisters on my cheek would be somewhat more uncomfortable on my eyeball. GG

 

[050]

Know what ya mean. Not exactly a pleasant thought. I still think a little "U" shaped piece of tin mounted behind the ejection port would be a smart move for left hand shootin' on the clacksters...

Ron

 

[050]

....ain't you got some Kudzu to boil or something?

 

[plchacker]

This is a real concern. I've never had it happen, but there have been times that I was suprized that it didn't. Big concern is that my daughter is a lefty, and that would be bad. Its come up before, we need smoe sort of protection for left handed shooters. Might be a good time to start.

 

[1178]

Had an out of battery discharge with the Click Clack today. Looking at the spent brass, it appears that a case got pinched on the open end on ejection squashing it flat but holding the bolt open. The next round chambered and fired, spraying the right side of my face with powder residue and assorted little hot items. The round hit the target at 25 yards about 10" low. Good thing I was wearing my shooting glasses. GG

I had a similar thing happen to me about 20 yrs. ago while I was squirrel hunting...but it was with another brand rifle. It deafened me in my right ear for an entire day.

The odd thing is that I'm almost deaf in my -LEFT- ear today, but my right ear isn't too bad.

I am glad that you are OK...

 

[knitepoet]

The IMPORTANT THING

GG, is that you weren't seriosly injured!!
Thank God for that!!
Paul

Hey antlurz, I've been fighting Kudzu since I got married and moved here.. If you like, I'll GLADLY send you some!!
It's GREAT for stopping soil erosion... I guarantee you it is

Did you know that Kudzu has a root like a potato that can go up to twelve feet deep and weigh up to 300 pounds? That's why it's so hard to eradicate
Paul

 

[VictorLouis]

Gen. Craig Boddington addressed this in a recent article.

That is, the fact that a leftie should have a true lefty action for safety reasons. Look at any RH centerfire bolt gun, and you'll most likely see the gas bleed-off port on the right side. So, if you're shooting it LH, and there's a catastrophic failure, you get all that right in your face!

 

[3984]

Lefty Shooters

I will add an experiance of my own to the list of horror stories. About 6-7 years ago I had completed my new 10-22 Conversion. It was completed with a Butler Creek Heavy barrel. All was well and I was happy as a clam, that is untill I took it home to show my dad and brother my new rabbit killin machine. I was demonstrating how accurate it was and how fast the follow up shots were and had a sudden explosion that severly gouged my glasses (Thank god not my eye) . Turns out that the extractor slot on the barrel had fractured and the end of it broke off leaving the shell partialy unsupported and the side blew out and blew the extractor out with it. The extractor is what gouged my glasses I can only imagine. The nice folks at Butler Creek were nice enough to replace there faulty product (Turns out that they knew that some of the early barrels had the groove cut at to shallow of an angle that left it to thin and was prone to failure. And just think I didn't even sue them! Needless to say I will not ever buy or use ANY of there products again.

I still have the shell casing that failed and the one prior to the failure which is very bulged, if anyone would like to see what can happen.

 

[plchacker]

Safety glasses, safety glasses, safety glasses. I know I'm preaching to the chior, but its so true! The loss of an eye happens so fast, and most times it can be prevented.

I've got my thinker in overdrive, and will be fabricating before long. Any choice of metals?

 

[1890]

I've got my thinker in overdrive, and will be fabricating before long. Any choice of metals?

Anything as long as it is light...I would love to have something like that!

Glad to see that I am not the only "Lefty" out here!

Jeffrey

What type of glasses are the best to have that won't shatter and become more of a problem? Some of the generic ones for sale seem rather flimsy?!? Any thoughts...

 

[050]

It's too bad there isn't some sort of gizmo there on the side of the receiver that one could go to to attach a shield without drilling and tapping the receiver.

Actually, with a bit of metal bending a person could utilize the scope base holes as an attachment point. It would be a bit tricky working around the rear ring, but could be done, easy enough, I spose...

Ron

 

[ordinaryguy]

****, guys, that's scary. Shooting lefty is risky with autoloading rifles. Shot an M-1 carbine as a kid, and it sprayed my face with hot powder ,which was a bummer 'cause I really liked that gun. Weird thing is I shoot pistols right handed. I use Remington shooting glasses - they're curved sport type glasses, with several different lenses, and were not too expensive. Lefties rule!

 

[RedSS]

The problem is that 85% of shooters are right handed. In most cases, finding a LH rifle is not only a difficult venture, as few dedicated-LH models are made, but the cost in owning one is somewhat prohibitive as well. The average LH American won't spend $1500 on a LH rimfire rifle to pop cans and close range squirrels (I too fall into this category, even though I shoot quite a lot more and at longer ranges than the average American). Even selection in bolt action centerfires are quite limited--as is most often the case, only the most popular of chamberings are offered.

Companies won't waste the resources and time necessary to convert a popular rimfire model to LH, given the relatively low demand for LH rifles.

 

[2945]

Im right handed, but left eyed.... No way around it for me

 

[JB in SC]

If a shooter wants a LH bolt, they're available from $125 (Savage/Lakefield) on up. True, the better ones start around $500, but there are still inexpensive options available. The old Browning patent produced by Remington, FN and Miroku with bottom ejection works as well as any semi-auto as a plinker.

Personally, I changed to LH bolts in the late eighties with zero regrets. I still wear safety glasses (Decots) whenever I shoot.

You're only issued one set of eyes.

Actually Phil, I have been assimilated..........

JB

 

[Elkein]

I posted real early on in this tread but it never showed, goofy server error or something.

Anyhow it went like this.
Two possible solutions, take a piece of clear lexan, glue to the top of the reciever to create a shield that curves cleanly off the top, past the charging handle and down... Okay so you don't want ANY plastic on your gun, the bolt charging handle is steel, a custom steel shield could be formed and fitted/welded right onto the bolt charging handle, it'd need to be a little longer than the current bolt handle and at least three times as tall. That could shield shrap but wouldn't vent all the gas away.

 

[2893]

it's unfortunate for those of us that grow up

"goofy" footing surf boards, and never having the right pair of siccors, not to mention power tools, how many of us have walked into dads workshop and looked at the table saw and wondered oh this is going to be fun?? my father in law laughes when he sees me use a skill saw, blades always on the wrong side.

as to firearms. I've grown up shooting right side bolt action rifles, tried to make the switch in my twenties, I just could'nt get the hang of it. it just seemed natural to remove my right hand come back work the action (trigger finger off trigger) hand back to the forstock and never have moved my head off the comb. as to the click clacks, I've been a little concerned, I've never had a malfunction, other than a stovepipe, but what about somekind of stainless deflector?

I don't think it would have to be to obtrusive to get the job done.