I didn't even know this was possible

[drklynoon]

Last week the range was pretty busy at first, after a couple hours things calmed down a bit and I was policing brass. A young man and his girl showed up while I was sitting in the dirt, he said hello and seemed like a nice enough kid. Well, a little while later I noticed him shooting an auto of some kind and he was racking the slide after each shot to expel the spent case. I then noticed that the slide wasn't moving at all when he shot. I thought to myself, "what the heck is wrong with that gun." But I kept to myself. He didn't stay long and before he left the nice kid brought all of his brass over to me and through them in my bucket. I thanked him and continued shooting. When I got home and started sorting my scavenged brass I started finding these 9mm with a serious case mouth swell. It hit me he was shooting 9mm in a .40, Yikes. I didn't even know that was possible. Now I feel like a jerk because I didn't say anything to the guy. Since this happened I have examined this a few times and am confused with how someone would continue to operate a firearm that was obviously malfunctioned. I wonder if some jack-leg told him this was ok because it was so obviously wrong. Oh well, if I see it again I'll know to help.

[gray wolf]

Sometimes I hate to but in also, but your post shows that perhaps we should.
Sometimes I visit other forums and the pure lack of understanding about firearms from some of the new people is down right scary, I mean it's frightening.
Even worse than that are the people that get a piece of paper ( Concealed carry permit ) go out and buy a gun and think they know everything about defending themselves. They don't even know how to clean the pistol.

[Mal Paso]

My buddy noticed a target on the other side of the range office was keyholed. I walked over and the revolver looked to be a Single Action chambered in 45 Colt. The Range Master confirmed he had sold them 44 Mag ammo and went over to have a talk with them. I thought that best as some guys get defensive but they came over and we had a very good gun chat.

The following week the RM brought us a Strait Walled 308 Case. Yep, said 308 right on the headstamp. Fired in a gun Stamped 308........................Norma Magnum.

[farmallcrew]

Wow. Glad everyone was able to walk away.

Drklynoon I hope you frequent the range a lot and those people come back and you can talk with them.

[ffg]

9mm in a 40 , wow , that is a great story.

The joys of public ranges , I have seen some very scary stuff . I do not hesitated to call down someone when I notice an unsafe act .

[captaint]

Apparently, some new gun owners need to spend some time getting to know their firearms - and the required ammo. Amazing how just plain careless some folks can be. I mean LOOK at your gun - LOOK at your ammo. Read the instruction manual, if nothing else. WOW !! enjoy Mike

[home in oz]

Sounds like you need to chat with them the next time, give a little firearms lesson...

[Alan in Vermont]

I've got a thread going, over in Wheelguns, about 38 Sp. cases that appear to have been fired in a 10 mm.

[MtGun44]

I have picked up 9mm fired in a .40 chamber several times.

Absolutely amazing how dim some of these folks are.

Bill

[drklynoon]

I go to the range about once a week and have never seen this young man before. If I do I'll be sure to chat with him about how things work. Hopefully, he'll be interested and learn some new things. I've had a few guys come up to me with questions and I try to help when I can but some people I stay away from. One guy was banging the butt of his .38 special against the bench to get the spent brass out. I asked him if the ejector was broke. He said no and gave some crazy nonsensical explanation. Later, the same guy came up and asked if I would teach him how to shoot. I declined and told him to have a good day. Some times its better to stand back from some people but the kid with the 9mm .40 issue didn't seem that way I think he was just ignorant of pistol operation.

[dale2242]

I have seen 40S&W fired in a 45ACP and 41Mag fired in a 44Mag.
It can and will happen.....dale

[Spawn-Inc]

gee, i thought i was the only one that did that.... i have necked a 45acp to 357 loaded them up. they got about 2-3 firings before the neck split like a banana.

i hit paper at 5 meters lol, that's about it. i was board, it was fun, no one hurt

[Wells]

This last summer working as range officer for a glock shoot at plates, one of the shooters was shooting a 45 and had a 40 in the mag about 3rd round in it feed the round ok when he pulled the trigger the round flue out of the gun.
Wells

[Frozone]

It's certainly possible. Done it a time or two myself.
I have identical Glock 23s, one is set up for 9mm with a aftermarket barrel.
Every now and then I grab the .40 cal one and accidentally slap in a 9mm magazine.

I hate wasting brass even if it's only one.
I put orange colored bases on the 9mm mags after a few booboos.

[bucklind2]

I have always lived where I could go out behind the house a shoot until last year. I now have a range 2 miles from my home and go there when I get home. I am a truck driver so I only get there 1 a month at best. I have not had the privilege of seeing some of the thing you guys are posting but I am sure that it happens more than we would like to ever admit.

[drklynoon]

It is interesting going to a public range that is busy. When I lived in IL i usually went to a range that was next to the police station. I think I was the only member they had LOL. I did most of my dumb stuff there. I remember distinctly bringing the pvc target hanger back to them in pieces lol. This range is very active on the weekends and has no range officer. I usually like the freedom the range offers but sometimes it can be a hassle. For target hangers they have two sets of wires running parallel to a long bench. Each set of wires has a top and a bottom and they giv you bungie straps that attach to cardboard and hang on the wires. The system is a little goofy but it works. The problem is, without a range officer we can't stop people from shooting shotguns on the pistol range and shooting the wires down. The other issue is that if anyone wants to change a target the range has to go cold. Thats not a big deal for us because we are members but people who pay by the hour get a little peeved. All in all I am extremely happy to have a place to shoot.

[btroj]

I have some 300 Win mag fired in a 300 Wby mag. Aren't all 300 mags the same?

[P.K.]

Not a hand gun but still one of those "If it looks wrong it is wrong" type of things and the old addage of "Safety First" is the rule. Whenever I see snuffy coming onto the range with an old Mosin I'm reminded of one very "special" individual who thought he had a bad action because he had to use a rubber mallet to open the bolt. Untill I showed him that the steel he was shooting was so pitted with rust every case was coming undone like a zipper from neck to base. Something to be said for those old actions.

[drklynoon]

Yeah no doubt on the old actions. I've been pretty durn lucky or my attention to detail pays off, I've yet to fire the wrong round in a gun or stick a boolit I assume that it will happen sooner or later but remaining vigilant for my own stupidity is my best defense. At a public range one must be hyper vigilant of everyones stupidity.

[chboats]

About a year ago a guy a few benches down from me put a 308 in a 270. It was not a pretty sight. The shooter was OK but the rifle wasn't.

Carl