Scary range trip today.

[osteodoc08]

While I’ve never had a major mishap like that happen to me or someone else shooting near me, I certainly wouldn’t want to be a part of that. Glad everything turned out ok, for the most part. Guns can be replaced. Fingers, eyes, lives cannot.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I had a fellow shooter’s Italian Colt’s copy blow up on him in front of me with another fella’s handloads.
A friend of mine had a gun blow up on him with factory ammo, it was an American made polymer frame pocket .40.
Another friend of mine showed me his Dad’s Colt’s SAA with top half of the cylinder and the topstrap missing. He was shooting his Dad’s reloads. Said it hurt his hand when it blew.
Off the top of my head I can only think of one gun that blew up in 33 years of law enforcement. It was practice ammo frame a very respected manufacturer. The shooter denied having a squib before it blew up but that’s was post accident examination led us to conclude.
Me, I blew up a gun intentionally under safe and controlled conditions once. I was testing double charges on an Italian Colt’s copy. It held together for a couple double charges before coming apart.

[Italia1825]

Not fun, double check your stuff


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[RED BEAR]

now when i say i had two guns blow up on me it wasn't anybody's elses fault . i was just pushing my reloads way past where they should be. thats why the younger and dumber.

[JoeJames]

Not a blown up gun but mighty close: Years ago my hunting buddy and I were out at our range. Some reserves with the local police department showed up to do some shooting. They had an 870 12 gauge and a cardboard box full of assorted shells. One fired it a time or two and then had a jam. Anyway we walked over to help clear the jam. Turned out there were 16 gauge shells in the box too. They had managed to find one and drop it into the 870. The 16 gauge went into the forcing cone, but thankfully not as far as a 20 gauge. Therefore a 12 gauge shell would not quite go in far enough to close the bolt completely, and therefore it would not fire. We cleared the jam, explained what had happened, and then got behind my truck until they were finished.

[OldBearHair]

The 9mm is NOT a forgiving caliber. Text in the Speer Reloading Manuals has said that loads producing 32K PSI at a given overall loaded length pushed pressures to 62K PSI by seating the bullets .030" deeper than spec'ed. I am glad to read that the shooter's injuries are not serious.

This is a winner!!
Thank you 9.3x62AL... This needs to be printed out and nailed on the wall to be read and reread!!

[BHuij]

Man I am so glad nothing like this has ever happened to me. I'm new; only been reloading for about a year and a half, and I got into casting at the same time, so I've never purchased bullets, always just made my own. I'm on a single stage press and extremely fastidious about avoiding double charges and squibs. I usually charge 50 or 100 cases at a time, and then go over all of them with a flashlight from the top before I put all the powder away and start seating. Takes about 10 seconds extra time and gives me the peace of mind of knowing my ammo is safe.

I added that step to my process after a visit to the range where I had a failure to feed in my 9mm. Slide was jammed shut but not totally in battery and I had to tap it pretty sharply on the shooting bench to get it to open up. When I pulled out the barrel there was a bullet lodged into the chamber. Never did figure out if it was a squib or if I just debulleted from not enough neck tension or something. What I do know is that if it had gone into battery, it could potentially have been a kaboom. Now I'm extra careful during loading and also pay very close attention during shooting so I don't miss any potential squibs. I will also never try anyone else's reloads in any of my firearms.

[tazman]

Ed Harris wrote an article on loading for the 9mm. In that article he stated that if you took standard 9mm military ball and seated the bullet .062 deeper(1/16 inch) you would get a pressure increase of 12,000 to 15,000 psi making it roughly comparable to proof loads.
Not quite the same numbers the Speer text quotes but still very substantial.

http://www.grantcunningham.com/2014/...gerparabellum/

[Thin Man]

Breaking down other people's handloads is the only way to go. Just lately I have been disassembling handloaded rounds from a late friend's estate. Haven't found any obvious double charges yet but I have found several rounds, both rifle and handgun, where the "cartridge" of brass, primer and bullet contained NO POWDER. This is just another opportunity for a disaster to find it's way to your door.

[Green Frog]

I had my one blowup when I was doing things as well as I knew, BUUUUTTT, I used some brass that had been loaded many many times for our various 38 revolvers. Then I shot some through a Colt Government Model with a factory 38 WC Conversion (the one that was basically straight blowback.) The last round (fortunately) in the Mag must have been weak at the base, because it separated right at the base, which went down through the Mag well, damaging the magazine, cracking open the left grip, and making me drop the gun onto the bench. Got a couple of brass splinters in the lens of my shooting glasses as well as the skin of my cheek. This was bad enough to get my attention!

Froggie

[El Bibliotecario]

Reading the original post, as soon as I read 'cloud of smoke,' I thought, 'So what did some fool do?' His denial of using handloads could mean he is denying his mistake to himself, which raises the possibility of a repetition.

A few years ago I told the executor of an estate that I doubted if his auctioneer would want to deal with handloads, for liability reasons. But the auctioneer was delighted to sell the handloads, and my lifelong experience with human foolishness makes me suspect that not all purchasers were buying them for the components. I recently broke down a few hundred rounds of a caliber I no longer use rather than offering it for sale because I think anyone buying a stranger's handloads, including mine, is a fool, and I meet fools already without seeking out additional specimens.

Am I wrong in my perceptions? Is there a ready market for handloaded ammunition?

[JoeJames]

Reading the original post, as soon as I read 'cloud of smoke,' I thought, 'So what did some fool do?' His denial of using handloads could mean he is denying his mistake to himself, which raises the possibility of a repetition.

A few years ago I told the executor of an estate that I doubted if his auctioneer would want to deal with handloads, for liability reasons. But the auctioneer was delighted to sell the handloads, and my lifelong experience with human foolishness makes me suspect that not all purchasers were buying them for the components. I recently broke down a few hundred rounds of a caliber I no longer use rather than offering it for sale because I think anyone buying a stranger's handloads, including mine, is a fool, and I meet fools already without seeking out additional specimens.

Am I wrong in my perceptions? Is there a ready market for handloaded ammunition?

Just food for thought on other folks handloaded ammo: Over the years I have noticed sort of a trend in reloading. In my opinion many reload because the factory ammo is not hot enough, and they want to push it more. Few I know of went for lighter loads and more accurate loads. I do, but I think I am in the minority. With that in mind, ie., hot loads, another factor to consider when buying someone else's handloads; it may not be double loaded or a squib load, it just may be loaded way too heavy. I would not buy someone else's handloads.

[tazman]

I have met way too many people who want to buy a standard cartridge and load it like a magnum. I know of one enterprising young man who bought a 243 and decided he wanted a 243 magnum and ended up blowing up the rifle twice. First one was free, the second one he had to pay for. Nobody believed his story the second time.

[country gent]

When accidents happen remember to protect yourself also Blood and body fluids are carriers. Wash very good with disinfecting soap as soon as possible. Any thing with these on them like clothing should be destroyed. Area and other items need washed down with bleech water or strong disinfecting soaps. Im not saying don't help them but do protect yourself from these fluids and get them removed as soon as possible.

[tazman]

When accidents happen remember to protect yourself also Blood and body fluids are carriers. Wash very good with disinfecting soap as soon as possible. Any thing with these on them like clothing should be destroyed. Area and other items need washed down with bleech water or strong disinfecting soaps. Im not saying don't help them but do protect yourself from these fluids and get them removed as soon as possible.

Good point.
I grew up in a time when you didn't have to worry about that kind of thing. I need to stop and think a bit before I react because if I go with my ingrained reaction, I won't consider the fluid thing.

[country gent]

Most don't, Later on in the shops I worked we were given a basic emergency kit for use. A pair of nitrate gloves, a wrapped sanitary napkin. and a small container of purells type waters soap. Usually the first guy there didn't grab it but the second and rest did. A head/face wound bleeds a lot and can be tricky to control the sanitary napkin can be used for a compress and absorbs a lot.

THe big thing is get it under control and then to medical attention.

[bgw45]

It is sad in several ways. IF, Mr. Bang was really shooting factory ammo then I'd be really interested to know which brand, type and caliber. IF, Mr. Bang was shooting his reloads and could not muster the courage to admit it, then please, remember just what he looks like and avoid him at all times when at the range. He may have missed an opportunity to learn from his error.

[RP]

I have only been to a few public ranges and all the pistol stations have dividers between the shooters which is a good protection from flying brass and gun parts. Draw back is you do not know if the guy or gal next to you has his or her pistol pointed towards another booth.
I enjoyed going to the range meeting new people and just sitting around talking good way to get away from the day to day grind. Sure you had THAT GUY show up from time to time but they raised the fees and the some of the guys working there were just plain power blinded experts on everything I just do not go its not worth the hassle anymore.