Five Dumbest things you ever did

[ZAPPER68]

Here's one...for the time being, more to follow...we were out jack lighting (hunting jack rabbits at night while riding on snow mobiles). I was riding shotgun (literally with mint Winchester Model 97) and fell off a couple of times trying to keep up the the wiley wabbits.

My buddy finally got one in the headlight and I stood up and squeezed off a round. Unbeknownst (sp) to us the barrel got jammed full of snow when I fell off previously and as soon as I pulled the trigger there was this horrific KABOOM and a flash of fire. The barrel exploded and ripped apart from the muzzle to a couple of inches ahead of the magazine.

We made a beeline to the farm, into the shop, gun goes into the vice and we sawed off the 'nasty bits' and continued hunting. I kept that 'modified' Model 97 for years with the short barrel and finally sold it to a friend that needed it more than I did....a new full length barrel was part of the deal.