Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-25-2016, 02:58 AM   #1
Tallor
 
Join Date: May 2016
Default Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

This would be extremely unlikely... but if a bullet were to hit the barrel of a weapon and penetrate its DR (whether the weapon be a rifle or a tank gun) would it possibly cause a stoppage? Has that ever happened?

And I'd definitely be curious if that misfortune has ever happened with HE rounds! Yikes!
Tallor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2016, 03:25 AM   #2
The Colonel
 
The Colonel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

It's entirely possible for rounds to stick in a damaged barrel - although it's at least as likely that they will burst the bore instead. I've no personal experience of it, but I've been warned of it as a hazard in the case of a bent rifle barrel - realistically a barrel hit from an equivalent weapon is likely to do something that puts the weapon beyond safe use.

IIRC there's a scene in Tali-Ihantala 1944 where one of the Finnish StuGs suffers gun damage, tries to fire and bursts its bore, but I have no idea how realistic that is...
The Colonel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2016, 04:43 AM   #3
Lord Azagthoth
 
Lord Azagthoth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Helmouth, The Netherlands
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

Last year, someone's rifle exploded at the range in Harskamp.

The cause was a piece of cleaning cloth still inside the barrel. The shooter got wounded and some other shooters lying left and right of him got very lightly wounded.

The result was that private gun owners were banned from the shooting range (and we have only two outdoor shooting ranges in the Netherlands).

The Germans experimented with bent barrels successfully. The bullet doesn't get stuck inside of it (of course, the barrel is made this way).

I don't know what would happen if you target someones barrel. I think yopu need at least an armor penetrating bullet for the barrels are made of hardened steel. Maybe the owner of the targeted gun will notice he has to recallibrate his optics afterward.
__________________
May the Force be with us all

Dark Lord Azagthoth

Star Wars - TRPG
Lord Azagthoth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2016, 10:42 AM   #4
swordtart
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

I have seen a Lee-Enfield rifle with a Mauser bullet jammed in the barrel.

This apparently occurred in trench fighting in WW1, a shot from a german soldier by fluke hit the muzzle of the British rifle at just the right angle to run up inside the barrel until it jammed.

I have also seen a sectioned Bren gun with three or four rounds wedged halfway up the barrel where the first hit an obstruction and the rest piled up behind it. At some point the barrel burst behind this blockage.

I have also seen artillery barrels that where holed in the side by aircraft cannon fire.

I suspect the majority of people who took hits to their gun would probably not be inclined to return fire with the damaged gun (probably plenty of less damaged ones lying around by that time).
swordtart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2016, 11:24 PM   #5
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

The majority of guns are designed to just tolerate the stress of firing their bullets, which is why corrosion and overheating is a worry. Softened or damage barrels tend to explode and, with large guns, they can kill people. I was raised in the South and, quite regularly, we would hear about people losing a finger or an eye because they tried out an antique firearm that had been in storage without checking to see if there was damage. A gun that had been damaged in battle would be even a worse risk and, as a GM, I would give a damaged gun a Malf of 10+, at best.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 12:12 AM   #6
Tallor
 
Join Date: May 2016
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

Quote:
Originally Posted by swordtart View Post
I have seen a Lee-Enfield rifle with a Mauser bullet jammed in the barrel.

This apparently occurred in trench fighting in WW1, a shot from a german soldier by fluke hit the muzzle of the British rifle at just the right angle to run up inside the barrel until it jammed.

I have also seen a sectioned Bren gun with three or four rounds wedged halfway up the barrel where the first hit an obstruction and the rest piled up behind it. At some point the barrel burst behind this blockage.

I have also seen artillery barrels that where holed in the side by aircraft cannon fire.

I suspect the majority of people who took hits to their gun would probably not be inclined to return fire with the damaged gun (probably plenty of less damaged ones lying around by that time).
Links please, of possible! Those examples sound pretty neat!
Tallor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 03:27 AM   #7
swordtart
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallor View Post
Links please, of possible! Those examples sound pretty neat!
Sorry, they were all military museums / research institutes / workshops respectively not found on the net. One of the advantages of working for the military is you get to look at stuff not available to the public.

The rifle with the enemy bullet in it may have been at the royal armouries though, it was a while ago.
swordtart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 08:11 AM   #8
Lord Azagthoth
 
Lord Azagthoth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Helmouth, The Netherlands
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallor View Post
Links please, of possible! Those examples sound pretty neat!
It is discussed at www.vuurwapens.net (eye witnesses are member of that forum as are most of the Dutch shooters).
__________________
May the Force be with us all

Dark Lord Azagthoth

Star Wars - TRPG
Lord Azagthoth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 11:38 AM   #9
GodBeastX
 
GodBeastX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Behind You
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

http://www.outdoorhub.com/stories/20...ons-can-learn/

Here's a bunch of videos and stories of people who had squibs and crap happen. Things like guns exploding in user's hands and other situations.
__________________
RPG Jutsu.com - Ninjas Play GURPS
GodBeastX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 06:52 AM   #10
Lord Azagthoth
 
Lord Azagthoth's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Helmouth, The Netherlands
Default Re: Damaged Barrels and Malfunctions

I learned to wait 30 seconds after a malfunction (for a delayed ignition). Then check the gun for obstruction in the chamber and barrel.

But I see many shooters going to quickly to a reload and fire again after only checking the chamber.

Safety first.
__________________
May the Force be with us all

Dark Lord Azagthoth

Star Wars - TRPG
Lord Azagthoth is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
damaged barrels, guns, malfunctions

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:29 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.