View Single Post
 
Old 03-21-2011, 10:27 PM
bmcgilvray's Avatar
bmcgilvray bmcgilvray is offline
SWCA Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,353
Likes: 10,447
Liked 6,092 Times in 1,249 Posts
Default

Hah! Noting perhaps, Erich.

Adhering to? Maybe not so much.







Went into the local gun shop recently to inquire about a part. While idling at the counter as the gunsmith was looking in bins and drawers for the part, I spied the corpse of a sad little Model 60 lying on a bench behind the counter. Asked permission to see it and asked if he knew the story behind the ruined revolver.

The gunsmith said that its owner claimed that it had been fired with factory +P+ ammunition and that was all the 'smith knew about its tale of woe. Didn't know what brand of ammunition or the bullet weight that was involved in the event.

The camera was in my shooting gear in the pickup so I asked if I could take a couple of photos.

This revolver grenaded badly. I'm reluctant to believe the Model 60's owner's story without documentation. This looks like a gross overload to me. I've never seen a J-Frame so busted.

The thing is (and this has been discussed on the Forum in the past) I've not yet seen documented proof that any factory +P ammunition caused a catastrophic failure in any steel-framed Smith & Wesson revolver .38 Special no matter it's age or size.

Any horror stories I've ever read about +P and damaged steel revolvers has been anecdotal in nature.

"Somebody heard that the uncle of their best bud blew up a Model...Bubba's brother-in-law's mechanic's mother was injured when... Gun Exploding Forum had a thread running...Down at the gun shop the counter help claimed that he saw..."

I'd have to pin down the facts to become a true believer in the detonating wonders, or even the battering wear of +P ammunition.

Handloads? Now that is a whole different breed of cat. I love handloading but one is on his own with regards to "performance loading."
Reply With Quote