Likewise, most modern military rifles are designed so that errant high-pressure gas leakage, usually caused by a ruptured case, is captured, deflected, and vented in such a way as to minimize injury to the shooter.
This is also the reason for the extra “safety lug” on rear of the bolt on Mauser bolt-action system. It is not a “head-spacing” lug as are the ones at the front of the bolt. It is there just to catch the bolt when the front lugs fail (shear off) and thus prevent the bolt from shooting back into the shooter’s face. The Mauser rifle’s “third lug” was actually invented (and patented) by Georg Luger when he was working for Paul Mauser (specifically there to improve the unwieldy Borchardt Pistol). As things developed, Mauser’s pistol (C96) subsequently lost-out in worldwide acceptance to Luger’s pistol (which resulted from Luger’s improvement of the Borchardt).
Mauser’s and Luger’s once-strong friendship never recovered!
