Posted on 12/20/2007 5:12:50 AM PST by cbkaty
Shooting accident kills man at Houston gun range
A man was fatally shot during an accident at a west Houston gun range, police said.
The 45- to 50-year-old man died after he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest at American Shooting Centers in the 16500 block of Westheimer Parkway, Houston police said.
The incident happened about 6:40 p.m. Authorities say they believe the injuries were caused by a rifle.
No other details were immediately available Wednesday night.
I bought an original about 1 year ago and haven;t fired it.
I belong to several gun groups on line and posed the question about modern ammo versus military ball ammo in Garands and a number of responders told me hwat you said. A great many others said that the Garand wasn;t desinged to handle the kind of higher pressure commericial ammo available today.
I do know the Greek government still manufacturers military ball ammo for these things and there are suppliers on the net where you can get the stuff.
I had some modern commercial ammo from Winchester and contacted them directly about the safety of using it in an M1 Garand and a M1917 .30-06 caliber WW1 bolt action.
They told me it was safe in the original WW1 bolt action but not in the Garand.
I think that it would be wiser to avoid modern ammo in a Garand, and if you absolutely had to use it, use the lightest weight bullet available - I think its 150 or 160 grains. But it would appear you are still taking a chance on damaging yourself and/or a WW2 piece of history if you use modern ammo in it.
I wouldn;t based on what Winchester told me in an e-mail communication.
Was the shooter hurt or the gun damaged badly?
See my response below on modern ammo in Garands.
That’s horrible Eaker. Are there details yet? Such an odd story.
It is not really modern vs military ammo. It is bullet weight and pressure.
http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/30_ammo.html
You can buy modern ammo that is similar to military although it is still more expensive to shoot. I’m cheap, I shoot the Greek stuff - preferably in the clips - have a ton of them around the house.
Their website states “The last cease-fire is
at 6:30 PM every night.”
wonder what happened...
I bet it was dark and he was retrieving a target when some idiot decided to clear his weapon down range.
Gun destroyed, but the shooter’s a tough cuss.
And he is getting used to pain...
There was some really bad Koren surplus a few years back. Certain lots would split cases and cause all kinds of problems. Most is used up or broken down for components by now, but it occasionally shows up.
I shoot at this range too and they are extremely strict. I wonder how it happened?
Strictly conjecture on my part, but I'd guess "handloaded ammo with a high primer leading to a slamfire".
It's my understanding that early in the life of Garands one was tested with a custom load which was estimated to produce 120,000 psi, roughly twice that of a standard load (probably fired with the gas-cylinder plug removed).
As the story goes, it broke off one of the locking lugs on the bolt, but no other damage. It went on to fire another 5,000 rounds (with the one-lugged bolt) uneventfully.
Factory Wincheester ammo and a brand new Garand. Training by a former Marine.
Well that just stinks.
How’d it fail? Chamber blow up, back end of the receiver pop off, or something else?
Brand new Garand?
Like one of those modern reproductions or an original never before fired?
good reason not to shoot gunshow ammo.
M1s were designed for Ball M2 150gr FMJ for
2700 or so fps muzzle velocity. Get away from
these parameters and one is flirting with disaster
or at least a bent op rod.
Actually it is one of the largest outdoor and lighted range in America. It is designed for everything from trap, skeet, pistol, rifle, and high-power long range rifle.
The Range is part of a 6,500 acre County Park, "George Bush Park".
Yes. I have been to that range. I just forgot the name of it.
6:40 in the evening in late Dec doesn’t sound right.
The sunsets at 5:26 in Houston tonight.
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