UPDATED-Bad day at the range...

Shark Bait · Feb 2, 2020

Yes, there is such thing as a bad day at the range. My beautiful 629-4 was blown up by a hand load today. I figure I must have got a double charge somehow. I use a Hornady progressive press and can't understand how I could get a double charge.

I caught a piece of shell casing in my left cheek and it bled A LOT! Docs are just going to leave it in there. A souvenir I guess.

Update 2-3-2020:

I went back to the range today to clean up my mess. I figured blood on the firing line might cause others some stress. I found where my top strap had struck the steel supports for the roof. It also sent wood particles all over, which I found in all my gear when I got home yesterday.

I also found a hole in the roof that went clear through the wood and the metal roofing above it. A screw from my rear sight is embedded in the wood below and to the left of the hole.

The stress shown in the metal in the following pictures illustrates the extreme pressure causing the failure. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. My two companions and I were extremely lucky. This easily could have killed someone. Be safe my friends!

hyena · Feb 2, 2020

I'm glad you weren't more seriously injured. I also hope you figure out how you got the double charge to avoid a repeat.

Best wishes.

saemetric · Feb 2, 2020

Nice gun too. Glad you survived.

wheelyfun66 · Feb 2, 2020

Holy cow! Sorry to hear that, and glad it's only shrapnel you caught...
Pricey revolver to replace, as well.

2ndshift · Feb 2, 2020

Sorry about your revolver but I'm really glad you were not injured worse. Guns can be replaced you can't.

The_Truth · Feb 2, 2020

Wow. Terrible day! Damage to that revolver is catastrophic!

Seems like something as easy as putting each loaded cartridge on a scale after you've completed loading would suffice to ensure you didn't double charge it.

It takes guts to admit you made a mistake and post it here for all to see. I commend you. People can hopefully learn from your mistake.

NYlakesider · Feb 2, 2020

Well if you were a cat you would be down to eight lives left.

Like said above best find out how you double charged no sense going through that again.

I had a double go off in a model 27 years back. With that smaller bore on the large frame she held together but it was very interesting!

armorer951 · Feb 2, 2020

Glad you were not seriously injured.

Kurusu · Feb 2, 2020

Shark Bait said:
Yes, there is such thing as a bad day at the range. My beautiful 629-4 was blown up by a hand load today. I figure I must have got a double charge someho. I use a Hornady progressive press and can't understand how I could get a double charge.

I caught a piece of shell casing in my left cheek and it bled A LOT! Docs are just going to leave it in there. A souvenir I guess.

That is the reason why I dislike fast powders in high power calibers. You cannot get a double load with the appropriate powder because it fills the cartridge.

I'm glad you are OK. Too bad for the revolver though.

jimbo728 · Feb 2, 2020

Very sorry that has happened to you. I would be devastated. Very glad you did not sustain more serious injury.
Jim

smoothshooter · Feb 2, 2020

That's why on my Dillon 550 I do not use it as intended.
I interrupt the process by removing them from the shell plate as they move toward the powder station, Put them in a 50 round block, throw the charges by hand using a separate measure, looking at the powder levels in all the cases for uniformity, then feeding the charged cases back into the loader for the remaining seating and crimping stations.
Some of my ammo is used in 1866 and 1873 Uberti replica's, and I don't want to take a chance on having the awkward situation of a firing pin rod being driven back into my eye socket.

HOUSTON RICK · Feb 2, 2020

Ouch! Fortunately, Model 629s are still available, good luck with the shrapnel souvenir and glad that it was not worse!

453030 · Feb 2, 2020

Thank God you are OK.

Shark Bait · Feb 2, 2020

Thanks everyone. Kurusu nailed it. I was using Tite Group and that means plenty of space for a double charge, or worse. And the idea of weighing each cartridge is a great one. Guess I just learned something the hard way. Too late cry now.

75Vette · Feb 2, 2020

That'll ruin your day. Kabooms will sure shake you up. Glad you're ok.

Sevens · Feb 2, 2020

Kurusu said:
That is the reason why I dislike fast powders in high power calibers. You cannot get a double load with the appropriate powder because it fills the cartridge.

I'm glad you are OK. Too bad for the revolver though.

I’ll double down on precisely this comment. If it were Alliant 2400, AA#9 or H-110, no possible way to double charge. As a matter of fact, you could go way over book and make an unsafe load with the right powder but there isn’t enough space in the case to do this damage when using any of the three I listed.

Narragansett · Feb 2, 2020

WOW!!! Glad you were not seriously injured. I have not handloaded in years, but was always afraid of such things happening. That is why I loaded with 2400 in 44 cases. A double charge is impossible.

S&W is to be commended for the strength of their weapon

Shark Bait · Feb 2, 2020

Sevens said:
I’ll double down on precisely this comment. If it were Alliant 2400, AA#9 or H-110, no possible way to double charge. As a matter of fact, you could go way over book and make an unsafe load with the right powder but there isn’t enough space in the case to do this damage when using any of the three I listed.

Yup, I'm convinced to switch to one of those from now on. And I'll weigh my remaining cartridges. Things that don't kill you are great learning opportunities, aren't they?!

Sevens · Feb 2, 2020

Two things I need to add: I’m also sorry that this happened & applaud your guts for sharing the experience, glad you were not harmed (badly.)

However... nope, sorry folks, you cannot reliably weigh a loaded round in hopes of catching a double charge of Titegroup. You would be looking to weigh a small amount and the variance in the weight of components will usually make for a pretty wide variance across a whole bunch of rounds.

Is there -ANY- chance that it was more than just a double charge? In a progressive, it is possible that if one got a double that another got a light charge or no charge, leading to the possibility of an obstructed bore. At that point you not only have a double charge of Titegroup but you have effectively doubled the bullet weight. That wouldn’t just add to the catastrophe, it would multiply it.

Sevens · Feb 2, 2020

Weigh the remaining cartridges just for the exercise but you are plumb crazy if you don’t disassemble each and every cartridge. Whatever failed once could very well have failed more than once.

UPDATED-Bad day at the range...

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