How I turned a perfectly good revolver into a giant paper weight

[alleyoop]

I had this happen to a bud of mine with a 380 he caught the fact that the first shot never left the barrel, we stopped firing any 380 that day after returning home he discovered that the 49th ed Lyman 380 max load was less than start load in a couple other manuals. The point is IMHO one source ain't good enough, I always cross reference loads.

[Animal]

Animal, there is nothing wrong with your gun. It's a piece of machinery that was misused, and now it will be put away in an unsafe condition. That is the last of a long string of bad conclusions.
First of all, let me say that you are not alone. Another member made the same mistake a few months ago with his revolver. He did bulge his barrel in multiple places and had nine boolits and three bullets stacked up in there. Observe what your barrel looks like on the inside:
Attachment 81747
Fortunately, I was able to save his gun, and it is back with him now and running young.

If you care for some advice, I have a few pieces for you.
First of all your barrel diameter. A smaller bore will not stick bullets. It will increase noise, pressure, felt recoil, and bullet speed.
Second, If you don't own some actual reloading books, you should go buy some and double check your steps (not that I saw anything wrong with your described process) What Chargar was trying to say is that you should realize the fact that it was nothing the gun did that landed you in this situation, and before you pull the handle on another reloading press, you should make sure you understand what happened. Pull the remaining cartridges and weigh them out to see what you did! throw some more charges and see if they are correct! check your scale to make sure it was set correctly! Just putting the gun away is not going to solve anything, and you will be doomed to make the same mistake with your new glock or what ever you end up with. I've got news for you: it can happen to a glock too!
Attachment 81748
Chargar was attempting to save your life, because the steps you have taken so far are irresponsible and inadequate. (sorry if that hurts your feelings, but the good news is there is a cure!).
Now, it is possible that you didn't destroy your pistol, and if you're just going to put it away, I would like to buy it from you (at a significant discount of course) because it can be repaired and put to good use.
If you prefer to keep it, it is your responsibility to have it repaired. Either figure out how to do it yourself, or take it to a gunsmith in your area. Setting it aside in it's present condition is unsafe. (Just my humble opinion)

No one here is trying to belittle you in any way. We want to prevent people from making horrible mistakes, and encourage them to continue to become better reloaders. Part of that is pointing out what is wrong sometimes.
After all, we are all just experts in training.

That is a fascinating photo. I'm pretty sure that is what my barrel looks like. I thought about the safety aspect of keeping that around the house in that condition. I'll go talk to the fellas at my LGS when I'm off next to see if there is any hope in rendering it 'safe' at the very least.

I have a lee modern reloading manual that I've worn out. Of course you can never have too many manuals. Since the majority of my equipment is Lee, I've base my loads on his recommended preparations.

[Win94ae]

Win94, I'm online searching causes for this condition right now. You listed a few things that I mentioned as a potential factor, do you have any input to provide on those? such as the primer. I'm all ears.

I had a lot of "input" in my first post, and you didn't employ your "ears" to any of it.

I use the same bullet, a magnum primer, light loads, in a bore that slugs at .351. Never have I had a problem... ever.

But you couldn't have made a mistake... yet you sit there and let not one, not a few, but SIX FREAKING BULLETS stack-up in your bore! You don't do anything about it until the gun malfunctions.

Then you come here and insult people, saying they should be ashamed! The absurdity!

I'm ignoring you now.

[Animal]

Not a prob Win

If the 'input' you were referring to was the 'potential uncharged cases' I just simply don't put stock in that. I can see where it would be easy to draw that conclusion but I recall checking each row with a light. This goes against what you believe about my methods and I'm ok with that.

[MBTcustom]

Animal, have you had a chance to pull any of the remaining cartridges, and verify that the charges are correct?
I still think something is not right here, with the load.

[41 mag fan]

Not a prob Win

If the 'input' you were referring to was the 'potential uncharged cases' I just simply don't put stock in that. I can see where it would be easy to draw that conclusion but I recall checking each row with a light. This goes against what you believe about my methods and I'm ok with that.

I thought that too 23 yrs ago, until I stuck a boolit in my 357mag forcing cone, locking up the cylinder.
turns out I had a row...5 cases total, I totally missed, and I checked each row before I loaded them.

[Animal]

Animal, have you had a chance to pull any of the remaining cartridges, and verify that the charges are correct?
I still think something is not right here, with the load.

I was able to work a couple of the bullets out of the cylinder. Fortunatly I had enough clearance for 2. After trying to tap the bullet (through the bore several times) the bullets began to jump crimp. I wasn't intending for that to happen, but when it did it made it easy to work the bullets out. There was a powder charge in each one. I have not pulled the remaining bullets but I shook them next to my ear and could hear the powder charge swishing.

I use the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. It takes longer than the other option from Lee but it allows me to get a visual on each charge while charging. I check each one for +or- 0 before charging the case when working up a load.

I also check the scales calibration when I move to the next charge weight. I'll pull bullets when I'm off Monday.

[MBTcustom]

Can you get the powder out and measure it? I have no doubt that you had powder in each case, I'm just wondering if it was enough.
Also, did you weigh the charges when you set up the powder measure?

[Animal]

Will do Goodsteel. I'll check and report back on the matter.

[aspangler]

Now, it is possible that you didn't destroy your pistol, and if you're just going to put it away, I would like to buy it from you (at a significant discount of course) because it can be repaired and put to good use.

Wait a minute! I got dibs.

[Heavy lead]

I'm certainly glad the OP in ok, when I was 19 adn first started reloading for the 44 magnum I did stick a bullet due to no powder, thank the lord I unloaded, pulled the cylinder and checked as the next one had a full charge of H110, I learned my lesson without damage except a slight mess in my shorts. I had no mentor, but some common sense and the fact that at 19 knew I was human and made mistakes.
The second time this happened was last year, as 46 years old, this was in a 1911 with factory loads, so it can happen with any round, I believe not only in careful reloading, but understanding the firearm in use as well, I'm coaching two new shooters and will not let them shoot reloads yet, they are to use factory rounds, at least 1,000 before we venture down that road and I've warned them about knowing, for 100% sure that the bullet went downrange, and if they are not sure then unload and check.
All loads reloads, or factory are subject to human error.
It's scary stuff that being aware of what's going on can save a lot of grief.
Animal, thanks for having the courage to share, keep your chin up and learn, we all learn every day, or should.

[oldgeezershooter]

I recently purchased a digital scale to double check my old Pacific balance scale, I use them both and have a very bright overhead light in my reloading room to examine powdered cases.
Years back I had some squibs using a book load for my 45-70 with 2400.
I noticed something wasn't right at once and stopped and tapped out the boolit. Noticed unburned powder in the barrel.
A friend told me about light charges in large cases, so now I use a powder that fills the case.

[DrCaveman]

My input may be skewed as i dont shoot test loads at commercial ranges, with other people around

Generally i like to shoot in the woods, by myself or maybe with my beautiful black lab hanging out if my loads arent expected to be ear-splitting 50kpsi loads

There is a particular sonic signature to rounds that make it out of the barrel. It is a similar signature whether it is 22lr from a six gun or 45-70 from a rifle. It is different from a revolver vs a closed-breech system like a bolt action or autoloading pistol but still similar

There is a distinct two or three part component that encompasses the: 1) hammer strike and primer ignition followed by 2) a release of gases at high velocity through a narrow, tuned acoustic resonator (cylinder gap/barrel) followed by 3) reverberation within the area of the shot typically an indoor range walls or an outdoor range draw or if you shoot in the woods, the local watershed.

If you dont hear each one of these components of the sonic signature, your shot probably did not make it out the barrel and shooting with that load STOPS IMMEDIATELY.

Glad you are OK.

FWIW i havent stuck any boolits since using my own cast lead. The only BULLETS i ever stuck were store-bought jacketed. Maybe....only use cast from here on out?

[Char-Gar]

Animal/Jug Johnson....here is your take away from this..

1. Don't shoot low end loads with jacked bullets in a handgun, for at those pressures it is easy to stick a bullet in a barrel. The fact that somebody else did it doesn't mean it will work for you.

2. If you pull the trigger and something does not feel right, sound right or look right stop shooting.

Learn these lessons and don't be a dumb ***. Now consider your butt adequately chewed...carry on.

[Animal]

DrCaveman,

Lead is definitely my preference. I can't see why I would buy jacketed bullets anymore.

[Animal]

Char-gar, will do!

[Skunkworks]

What y'all that sugests unscrewing the barrel seems to overlook, is the ejector pin that lies in a groove under the barrel!

http://www.taurususa.com/revolvers.cfm

What i would do if it was me, is take a 6-pack of cold beer and go to a good friend with a lathe.
Get him to make a brass bushing that will guide a 1/4" drill in the barrel.
Get a long 1/4" drill or get him to lengthen it with a brass rod so it will go all the way into the cylinder.
Drill out the center of all the bullets.
Dunt panic if the drill "digs in" at the end there is a spent case in the cylinder so no harm will be done to the revolver!
Do the same thing but now with a 19/64".

Now "all" you have in the barrel are jackets.
Get your friend to machine a brass rod that fits good in the bore.
Tap the stack of jackets backwards carefully.
Back the one up that is lodged between the cylinder and barrel.
Now open the cylinder and unload before tapping the remaning jackets out.

But that's just what i would do

[Animal]

I just went back and checked my bore slug dimensions. .347 (lands) .354 (groove)... sound about right?

[MBTcustom]

Sounds like an awesome cast lead shooter to me! LOL.
So how about those cotton pickin' powder charges!
Just kidding, your doing fine.
Seriously though, pull the cotton pickin bullets, and measure the cotton pickin powder charges.

[WILCO]

The firearm or it's maker bear no responsibility or fault in this matter. The fault is 100% on the shooter.

I agree. Perfect example of why I espouse the importance of reloading manuals and having a complete understanding of the process to assemble ammunition.
It was alarming to read of other posters nonchalantly stating they've had a smaller number of stuck bullets too. If it happens once, that should be the last time it occurs.