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

Originally Posted by caberslash

Aye, but were they not usually fitted with some sort of recoil dissipating system and positioned skywards, hence if it did vent out of the breech it would be directed downwards? (still a bad day though!)

No

Interupted thread breeches preceeded mechanical recoil dampning.

Interupted thread breeches have half the amount of bearing surface as a entirely threaded breech plug does.Breech plugs being introduced in the matchlock age continuing to today in modern reproduction muzzle loaders still using a threaded breech plug.

Where ever the the barrel is pointing makes no odds
If the breech lets go .