Video: Yes, Water Can Burst A Shotgun Barrel

People ask me about obstructed barrels a lot. The answer is simple: obstructions make barrels blow up. It has never happened to me but I know a few people who have burst barrels plugged with snow or mud. None were hurt, which seems mildly miraculous. If you think there might be something in your barrel, unload your gun and check. Even if you don’t think there is something in your barrel, check every once in a while.

Anyway, as this video shows, you can add “water” to the list of obstructions that can destroy a barrel. Obviously, you should not try this at home. We have people on YouTube to do it for us. That said, I am impressed with the redneck safety precautions employed by the tester. This is as safe as you can get using duct tape, a pallet, a tree, and string for this sort of experiment.

The results are conclusive, too. Make sure your barrel is unplugged and not underwater.