45 colt destroyed

[Deep Six]

I let a buddy load 45 Colt once - load was 14 gr Blue Dot. It was his first time loading on a progressive. I weighed all one hundred rounds when he was done - one weighed about 14 more than the others. I pulled it apart and sure enough, 28 grains of blue dot in there. That probably would have been enough to blow up a large frame Blackhawk. Very lucky I caught that one. That was on a Hornady LNL with auto-index. I think it happened when he was going 1 at a time to get the powder measure dialed in. He must have pulled the case out to weigh the charge and put it back in the shell plate one position behind so it got charged twice. Again very lucky.

The OP's pictures also show how valuable wearing protective eyewear can be.

[Maximumbob54]

I see the Hornady stamp on that case. Are the cases all the same? If so are they the correct length? I ask because if I'm not mistaken the Hornady ammo with the FTX bullets use a shorter than normal case. I have not a clue as to the increase in pressure you would get from what at a glance looks like an eighth inch shorter case. It may have held up to the abuse until it finally let go. That's if the shorter cases were being used of course. I had one of those cases slip into my .45 Colt brass collection and I didn't notice it until I went to seat the bullet and the mouth wasn't opened at all. Then the powder charge was light because the case activation hardly worked. I've been eagle eye with my .45 Colt brass ever since.

[flyingmonkey35]

Most of my cases were hornady. I bought them new.

[John Boy]

I have heard back from Uberti.
"Something in the gun blew it up."
That's all they would say.
When I asked if they could do any thing. He told me NO.
I got the impression of go piss up a rope.

flyingmonkey - What did you expect, a brand new revolver? I would have been embarrassed to send it to them if it were mine

Might want to stop moaning and whimpering because all indications the issue is the fault of the owner - not a defect with the revolver. And the pictures you posted of the cases is proof positive the cylinder throats were the victim of the charge of powder in the case
Suck it up, be thankful no one was maimed and move on .... might want to frame the revolver over your reloading bench as a reminder!

[Joe504]

[QUOTE=John Boy;2809316]flyingmonkey - What did you expect, a brand new revolver? I would have been embarrassed to send it to them if it were mine

-----

And here we have one of the basic problems of not being face to face. I don't think the OP was looking for sympathy from us, or a replacement from Uberti. I think he just wanted a definite answer as to what happened. I think he is just as incredulous as any of us would be. Our first reaction would be, "How did that happen? " In the first post he lists as much info as he could and is presumably doing so to see if any of us could help him figure out what went wrong.

Of course, I could very well be wrong also.

[Doc_Stihl]

And here we have one of the basic problems of not being face to face. I don't think the OP was looking for sympathy from us, or a replacement from Uberti. I think he just wanted a definite answer as to what happened. I think he is just as incredulous as any of us would be. Our first reaction would be, "How did that happen? " In the first post he lists as much info as he could and is presumably doing so to see if any of us could help him figure out what went wrong.

Of course, I could very well be wrong also.

That's just how I read it.

[seaboltm]

I have double charged on my Lee Loadmaster many times, but I have always caught it. Something will happen that breaks the cycle, like a primer mishap or an case feed mishap, and I have to stop and fix the problem. If the problem is fixed without indexing the press, the next pull of the handle will throw another charge. No big deal, I am aware that I broke the cycle so I simply don't seat a bullet and catch the double charged case on the last station. I also make it a habit to look into each case before seating a bullet.

[45 2.1]

The only gun I ever blew up was my Webley Bulldog, and that was with the proper cartridge loaded by Fiocchi.

I saw a Fiocchi round do the same thing to an old Bulldog. Things like that happen.

[QUOTE=Joe504;2809328]

flyingmonkey - What did you expect, a brand new revolver? I would have been embarrassed to send it to them if it were mine

-----

And here we have one of the basic problems of not being face to face. I don't think the OP was looking for sympathy from us, or a replacement from Uberti. I think he just wanted a definite answer as to what happened. I think he is just as incredulous as any of us would be. Our first reaction would be, "How did that happen? " In the first post he lists as much info as he could and is presumably doing so to see if any of us could help him figure out what went wrong.

Of course, I could very well be wrong also.

Guys, this sport doesn't have someone looking over your shoulder to keep everything between the lines. There are procedures to keep you from doing bad things to yourself or your equipment ............................................... USE THEM.............................................. . and pay attention to what you are doing.

[Love Life]

Good to hear that you were not hurt.

[flyingmonkey35]

Y

flyingmonkey - What did you expect, a brand new revolver? I would have been embarrassed to send it to them if it were mine

Might want to stop moaning and whimpering because all indications the issue is the fault of the owner - not a defect with the revolver. And the pictures you posted of the cases is proof positive the cylinder throats were the victim of the charge of powder in the case
Suck it up, be thankful no one was maimed and move on .... might want to frame the revolver over your reloading bench as a reminder!

John Boy.

I do not believe I have come off as whiney.

Per advise on this forum. I choose to call Uberti. They requested it back for inspection. I did not force the issue.

I was just a bit shocked at the borderline rudeness of the tech who called me.

Did I ask for a replacement no. Did I ask for a discount . no

Nor did he offer me a cost of Fixing it.

Just told me it blew up. And I'm sending it back. Then got very abrupt when asked a question.

I fix multimillion dollar computers every day. Where minutes of down time cost millions of dollars.

If I did that to one of my customers I would be fired so fast it would make my head spin.

Yes we have warrantied obvious damage to the equipment.


So I expect the best out of company's and there employees as that is what I give.

And you should to.

[flyingmonkey35]

One other thing I have never stated that this wasn't my fault.

I question. I examine. I take responsibility for what I did.

I am not embarrassed by it. Nor do I hide it out of shame of messing up.


I learned from it and hopefully others have as well.

[Cap'n Morgan]

Nasty things besides a double-charge can happen when a large volume case like the 45 Colt is matched with a fast burning powder. I know 'cause I've been there' (well, actually it was my dad, but that's another story) and here's why: Seating depth!

According to QuickLoad, loading a 45 Colt with a 200 grain SWC boolit over six grains of Bullseye will put the load in the 8.500 psi range - well within the 14.000 SAAMI specs. Now pushing the boolit back to remove any air space in the case will almost quadruple the pressure to 32.000 psi - that's even slightly more than a double-charge with normal seating depth would produce and well into 44 Mag country!

Unfortunately IMR BP is not in QuickLoad's data base so I can't give you the exact numbers, but it is obvious that a boolit moving back due to recoil can drastically increase pressure.

[fouronesix]

I don't have Quick Load but over charges are over charges- no matter the load density. PB is not known as a squirrely powder, so I still suspect simple over charge in the case of the OP.

High density fast powders like Bullseye are easier to overload or double charge. Low density fast powders like Trailboss are harder to overload or double charge. So powder burn speed alone is not the only criteria for greater potential of over pressure. The same would hold true for large capacity cases like the 45 Colt, which by their design, have a greater potential for over charge.

In a revolver, I don't believe load density would be the problem, as recoil tends to "pull" the bullets out thus increasing loaded case volume. Just the opposite is true for tube mag guns, semi auto handguns, heavy recoil magazine guns, etc. where the potential exists for pushing bullets in because of chambering or recoil inertia thus decreasing loaded case volume.

[MtGun44]

Occam's Razor = double charge.

Sad to say, THE most common reloading failure, usually happens to pistols because they have room for
two normal charges. Could happen with extremely reduced charges in rifles like 10 gr Unique, but not
with normal rifle powders - no room.

So far, I have done it ONCE. Fortunately, it was a 1911 and it took it well. Grip replacement and a
new mag and the gun has been in fine service for 30+ years since. I caught one the other day,
got my rhythm screwed up and was watching closely - and there it was. . . . . . I look at EVERY
charge before I put the bullet on. It has been many years since I caught one.

Bill

[flyingmonkey35]

Final word

Its hard to read.

Condition received --- Poor ... Firearm has Catostrophic incident top strap has bowed upwards & cylinder has been blown apart.

6-5-14. Gun has been blown up by overcharged ammo.
RO spoke with customer, customer was using reloads Not warranty. Marked unsafe to fire. Sent back to customer.




Their we have it folks.


Thanks all lesson learned. Weigh your loaded rounds when using large cases with small loads.

[Maximumbob54]

Wow, is that just sad to look at though.

[Springfield]

Weighing you loaded rounds will probably not help. Try weighing your bullets one day. Do they vary more than 3 grains? Same for your brass, does it vary more than 3 grains? So if you get a light bullet with some light brass, you could have 6 grains more powder than you think you do and it will weigh out fine. Try it.

[DeanWinchester]

'Unsafe to fire'. Wow. Bet that took a college educated engineer to deduce that.

[OuchHot!]

I am really sorry that you went through this and I respect that you could post it here. It is a good reminder for all of us what can happen. One thing, for sure; frame that sucker and hang it on the wall. It is one heck of a keepsake! Jeesalloo, I am glad you were not hurt!

[John Boy]

6-5-14. Gun has been blown up by overcharged ammo.
RO spoke with customer, customer was using reloads Not warranty. Marked unsafe to fire. Sent back to customer.

Officially concluded in writing by Uberti - Presume this ends the thread