Unusal Malfunction

[knifemaker]

If you were wearing ear muffs or ear plugs while shooting, you may not have heard the primer go off.

[Petrol & Powder]

Yea, thought about that. I was shooting alone and heard the hammer fall.

[9.3X62AL]

I have seen about a half-dozen "no powder/primer ignited" conditions in autopistols at work during range quals. In all cases, the bullets were driven into the throat HARD and needed the range rod and a bit of oil to drive the jacketed bullets out. 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP.

Think of the odds here, P&P........a cartridge containing no powder and a weak primer SIMULTANEOUSLY. Outside my experience entirely.

[Petrol & Powder]

I have seen about a half-dozen "no powder/primer ignited" conditions in autopistols at work during range quals. In all cases, the bullets were driven into the throat HARD and needed the range rod and a bit of oil to drive the jacketed bullets out. 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP.

Think of the odds here, P&P........a cartridge containing no powder and a weak primer SIMULTANEOUSLY. Outside my experience entirely.

Kind of where my thinking is.

I too have seen a functioning primer but no powder in semi-auto pistols. The bullet always ended up in the barrel past the chamber.

I'm not saying that it would be impossible for the primer alone to move the bullet just outside the casing but my experience has been the primer will push a jacketed bullet at least into the rifling beyond the throat.

In the situation at hand, the bullet ended up just outside the casing and wasn't even engraved with the rifling.

[GhostHawk]

Soundguy that may be possible. I've personally never seen it, or heard of it.

But yes in the realm of "it ain't likely, but it could happen" that one I would have to say does exist.

I think at this point without the brass we likely won't know for sure.

It is a caution for all of us though.

[Wayne Smith]

On my one example I have no idea how far the primer put the bullet into the forcing cone and how much the slide trying to chamber the next round did. It was stuck tight, though. Had to take it home to my brass rod. Ever since I've had a brass rod in my shooting case. Never had to use it!

[charlie b]

I've had something similar happen when I was firing a mixed batch of old rounds. Short explanation first.

When setting up loads for a new bullet I use a bare case and the bullet. I seat it on the long side and chamber it to see how long it needs to be. I then end up with a dummy round that I keep for measuring OAL when using those bullets. They rarely have a crimp.

Well, I had one of those 'sneak' into a batch of rounds and did not notice the lack of primer when I loaded the magazine. The bullet stayed in the throat and the next round jammed it tight in the rifling. I found the case so knew what happened when I saw it.