Henry Chainfire!!!

Logan Hawke · January 17, 2009, 09:03:45 PM

Howdy Pards,

I attended the 144th anniversary of The Battle of Fort Fisher today and they were doing some infantry demonstrations along with the artillery. The soldiers (union) started to talk about the Henry and the advantages it gave the troops that had it. Two of the Yanks began to demonstrate the loading of a Henry (blanks) when..............BOOM.........you hear a loud explosion and see a cloud of smoke!

One of the rounds had went off in the magazine.... causing a chainfire! Luckily the reenactor only suffered a minor cut on his nose from a casing fragment and a little powder burn on his face but otherwise seemed to be Ok.

I managed to get a couple of pics afterward that I thought I would share with all of you.

Fox Creek Kid · January 17, 2009, 10:20:12 PM

Let me guess. He dropped the follower.

Logan Hawke · January 17, 2009, 10:26:55 PM

Quote from: Fox Creek Kid on January 17, 2009, 10:20:12 PM
Let me guess. He dropped the follower.

Not really sure what caused it...but I do know that it got everyones attention.

Hoof Hearted · January 17, 2009, 11:01:38 PM

YEP

Dropped the follower

Let him know that I'll buy his damaged barrel or the entire firearm, really!

HH

Virginia Drifter · January 18, 2009, 12:28:02 AM

Either the follower dropped or a primer was not seated correctly.

Forty Rod · January 18, 2009, 03:20:08 PM

Quote from: llm on January 18, 2009, 12:28:02 AM
Either the follower dropped or a primer was not seated correctly.

Or (with blanks) the case mouths weren't sealed properly.

Montana Slim · January 18, 2009, 04:55:12 PM

Hard to tell from the photos, but I suspect the blanks are crimped to a point.
This was the first mistake.
Dropping the follower was number two.

All my 44-40 lever-gun blanks are open on the end and filled with florafoam to seal.
No way this could happen with that type of blank.

Regards,
Slim

Fingers McGee · January 18, 2009, 11:26:19 PM

Quote from: Montana Slim on January 18, 2009, 04:55:12 PM
Hard to tell from the photos, but I suspect the blanks are crimped to a point.
This was the first mistake.
Dropping the follower was number two.

All my 44-40 lever-gun blanks are open on the end and filled with florafoam to seal.
No way this could happen with that type of blank.

Regards,
Slim

That was my first thought, star crimped blanks & dropping the follower. Recipe for disaster.

FM

Hoof Hearted · January 18, 2009, 11:37:51 PM

Maybe the feller that this happened to shouldchange his nick name to "Fingers" also

Capt, Woodrow F. Call · January 20, 2009, 06:56:55 AM

Howdy.

Is it possible for 44-40 flatnosed bullet to make a chainfire?

Br
Call

Forty Rod · January 20, 2009, 10:48:30 AM

Quote from: Capt, Woodrow F. Call on January 20, 2009, 06:56:55 AM
Howdy.

Is it possible for 44-40 flatnosed bullet to make a chainfire?

Br
Call

If you have high primers, yes.

Fingers McGee · January 22, 2009, 11:29:58 PM

Quote from: Hoof Hearted on January 18, 2009, 11:37:51 PM
Maybe the feller that this happened to should change his nick name to "Fingers" also

Fumble Fingers or Slippery Fingers maybe.

I've got all mine and no schrapnel wounds in em.

Fm

sundance44`s · January 23, 2009, 03:00:50 PM

Or mabe rifle primmers in a pistol cartridge ...high primmer ..again.