Yep - combine that with a less-than-fully supported chamber and you get this:
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| The unexplained Ka-booooooom - explained? http://ellegon.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4878 |
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| Author: | kimberman [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | The unexplained Ka-booooooom - explained? |
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF SEMIAUTOMATIC HANDGUNS The continuous reloading and chambering of the same round may cause catastrophic failure in semiautomatic handguns. Current Information - The Security Force at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, recently reported on the catastrophic failure of a semiautomatic handgun when it was fired. The internal explosion caused the frame to break while the slide and barrel separated from the weapon and traveled down range. No one was injured in the incident. An investigation revealed that security personnel were repeatedly charging same round of ammunition into the chamber. Technical personnel at Glock, Inc. advise that repeated chambering of the same round may cause the bullet to move deeper in the casing, further compacting the propellant. When a normal cartridge is fired, the firing pin hits the primer, igniting the propellant. When the propellant burns, the gas pressure drives the bullet out of the case and down the barrel. However, if the propellant has been compacted, the pressure may increase beyond the gun’s specifications, causing the weapon to break apart. Sigarms, Inc.’s personnel confirm that reloading the same round five or six times will cause problems, noting that reloading the same round even once will void their warranty. Both manufacturers stress that the problem is not with the gun, but with chambering the same round repeatedly... |
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| Author: | joelr [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Interesting. Orthogonally, we ran into the opposite sort of problem last Sunday, when I was doing some quals down at Burnsville. My 642 repeatedly jammed with Blazer .38s. Upon examination, it became clear that the crimp wasn't just inadequate, but missing -- bullets got pulled enough to prevent the cylinder from rotating. |
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| Author: | DeanC [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Yep - combine that with a less-than-fully supported chamber and you get this:
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| Author: | ryanj [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:24 pm ] |
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DeanC wrote: Yep - combine that with a less-than-fully supported chamber and you get this Ouch, how's your trigger finger? |
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| Author: | plblark [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
joelr wrote: Interesting. Orthogonally, we ran into the opposite sort of problem last Sunday, when I was doing some quals down at Burnsville. My 642 repeatedly jammed with Blazer .38s. Upon examination, it became clear that the crimp wasn't just inadequate, but missing -- bullets got pulled enough to prevent the cylinder from rotating. I'd heard of that even with good crimps in the Scandium .357 Magnums but in .38 ... scary. |
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| Author: | DeanC [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:47 pm ] |
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ryanj wrote: Ouch, how's your trigger finger? That's not mine. |
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| Author: | Pred [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:31 pm ] |
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I had just recently read an article in one of the gun rags warning about that very thing. I think the article was on reloading the 9mm... So what's a guy to do with the previously loaded round? Check the OAL? If the length is okay I'd assume it would be okay to rechamber again? Or if it's not, pull the bullet and reload it? I just can't see myself disposing of every round I clear after an IDPA course or pin shoot. |
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| Author: | DeanC [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:46 pm ] |
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Check the OAL. I'd also get a match cartridge gauge. Just drop the cartridge in and see if it fits. If it doesn't fit, you've got issues. 
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| Author: | cobb [ Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
DeanC wrote: Check the OAL. I'd also get a match cartridge gauge. Just drop the cartridge in and see if it fits. If it doesn't fit, you've got issues. A match cartridge gauge would check if a cartridge is too long, that isn't the apparent problem. If the bullet was pushed into the case, the cartridge guage will not do any good but pressure would be higher than normal. A round that has been chambered many time can have the bullet pushed deeper into the case and you would have to measure with a calipers to check that. |
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| Author: | A Brit in MN [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:06 am ] |
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WARNING......OFF TOPIC Love the new avatar Pred!! 
We now resume our shedyuled programming. |
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| Author: | Pred [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Thanks Brit. Anyway, I guess it would be unlikely that my practice ammo would be chambered more than twice. I suppose it's the carry ammo that would more likely be chambered and rechambered over and over again. |
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| Author: | hammAR [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:16 am ] |
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Pred wrote: I suppose it's the carry ammo that would more likely be chambered and rechambered over and over again. That's exactly what you don't want problems with, especially self incurred...... 
I tend to shoot off carry ammo weekly, of course it's .45 ball, which is also what I practice with too .......... 
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| Author: | Ramoel [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:17 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Most of the problems are with the .40 S&W. It's a high pressure round with little margin for error. Add a chamber that is not fully supported and you have an accident waiting to happen. I notice my XD40 tends to "shorten" the rounds after about two chamberings so I make sure I shoot those slightly shorter rounds at the range before they become a problem. The .45 acp is a low pressure round and not quite as critical if the bullet seats a little deeper. |
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| Author: | ChillyW [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:55 am ] |
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joelr wrote: Interesting. Orthogonally, we ran into the opposite sort of problem last Sunday, when I was doing some quals down at Burnsville. My 642 repeatedly jammed with Blazer .38s. Upon examination, it became clear that the crimp wasn't just inadequate, but missing -- bullets got pulled enough to prevent the cylinder from rotating. I've had the exact same problem. Same gun, same ammo. No more Blazer ammo for me. Does Winchester do white box .38? |
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| Author: | BigRobT [ Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:14 am ] |
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I have an H&K USP Compact in .40 S&W. I chamber a round and it stays there until it's fired. So far, that only happens at the range. I can see it now, the Government will require no rounds to be chambered for those security guards, military not in combat, DOD Police, etc. |
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