UPDATE 4/30/18 - Gun is Finished! - This makes me sick - Barrel Crack - PC Comp40

[SVT28]

OhWell, I took the Comp40 out on its maiden voyage today and planned on shooting one 50 rd box of Federal Aluminum 180 grain 40 and 50 rd box of Perfecta 180 grain.

As you can see today was not a success. After four rounds of factory Federal, I felt a soft recoil on the 5th round and didn't see the slide cycle. I looked down and saw this.

I immediately made sure that the barrel was empty (no squibs) and tried to rack the slide. No dice.

I don't know what my next course of action is. At first we thought it was a squib round but I'm positive I hit paper with my first 4 rounds. So my next assumption is an overcharged/cracked aluminum case. I cannot disassemble so I'll be calling Smith for a return label on Tuesday. Should I go ahead and reach out to Federal with the Box Lot # and a picture of one of the successful spent casings too? Or wait for the cause of failure from Smith and Wesson?

Any help or support is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Edit. I just took a bore light and looked down the barrel. No barrel bulge at all, just two cracks starting at the chamber (where I can see the split aluminum casing) that go about a third down the barrel. The cracks line up with the cracks in the casing.

SVT28

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[torizus]

Save all of it,ammo,target and pics,either S&W or the ammo manufactures should/will definitely compensate you. That blown case is probably the deciding factor,as long as they're not reloads.

That shouldn't happen, glad you weren't injured

 

[StakeOut]

If this a brand new gun then I'd think there was a barrel manufacturing defect.

Are there 4 empty cases on the ground>no live round in the chamber.

Overpowered factory round you surely would have felt.

If you stick a rod down the barrel does it do to the bolt face?

You don't want to mail it with a round in the chamber.

 

[SVT28]

Thanks, I'm glad I no one was injured too.

I could only find one casing from the first 4 rounds after I fired the 5th shot (the range officers sweep pretty regularly). The casing for round number 5 is still stuck in the chamber due to the tight tolerances and barrel being severely cracked. There is no bullet in the barrel, and no bulge evidence from a squib. The barrel cracks seem to align with the aluminum case cracks. A cleaning rod down the barrel hits the bottom of the empty case.

I've saved the remainder of the box, as well as the one spent casing I was able to find. This ammo is 100% factory Wally World Federal Aluminum bought yesterday.

SVT28

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[ladder13]

Barsto barrel is original to these guns?

 

[SVT28]

Barsto is factory. The compensator cannot be removed either.

 

[hoc9sw]

That is Federal's new packaging, not specific just to WalMart.

Do be sure you don't send anything away without keeping copies of receipts, lot numbers off the ammo, and photos.

 

[SVT28]

Thanks for the recommendations. Unfortunately I don't think I saved the receipts for the ammo, but I will be stopping by Walmart to see if they will reprint my receipt.

Here is a picture of the magazine with the next round. I also tried to take a picture best I could of the barrel from the muzzle end.

SVT28

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[WR Moore]

Email with pictures to S&W customer service. If you charged the ammo purchase, the credit card company should be able to provide transaction details that should help Wally World track the purchase.

Do save everything. Federal & S&W will probably go back and forth about who's paying. That said, I've seen over pressure events before and never seen a split chamber. I'd want written assurance that you'd be made whole before parting company with the evidence (gun & ammo).

Extremely rapid pressure peak with 180 grain bullets was why the FBI put off adopting the caliber until the 165 gr bullet loads were developed.

 

[ditto1958]

My guess is that S&W will say it's the ammo, and will tell you to take your claim to Federal.

As others have said, document and save everything before you send the gun to S&W.

 

[SVT28]

I just looked over the box of ammo and found a warning regarding not shooting this ammo through a compensated/ported gun. For the life of me I've never noticed this warning. Would this have anything to do with the failure?

SVT28

 

[03Fatboy]

So sorry to see this and I hope it all ends well.

But, I'm getting real nervous about having to contact Smith and Wesson. I doubt they have parts nor the craftsmen to make it right again.

 

[GaryS]

It might. Either way, it likely will give Federal and S&W an out.
Nice gun, sorry to see that this happened.

I just looked over the box of ammo and found a warning regarding not shooting this ammo through a compensated/ported gun. For the life of me I've never noticed this warning. Would this have anything to do with the failure?

SVT28

 

[SVT28]

Yes, this is what is making me so depressed. Regardless of the cause of failure, I don't think this gun is going to be able to be repaired. The comp is permanantly fixed on the barsto barrel, I don't even know how Smith and Wesson would be able to get it apart. I'm sure Smith and Wesson will say its the ammo, and Federal is going to say we put the warning on the box, and now I have a really expensive 1 of 240 paperweight that I got to shoot 4 and a half times.

Thanks again everyone for the help so far, I guess I need to get my ducks in a row for Tuesday.

SVT28

 

[Arik]

Did you try taking a rubber mallet to it?

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[Nacho Man]

Whats that ring around the case? Would bullet set back cause this?

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

In addition to the above good advice, I thank you for taking the hit for all of us because of unavoidable imperfect manufacture (ammo or gun), and am confident that it you will receive "rough justice" of some kind if the Barsto is within warranty. if they do not cough up on warranty, it might be a good one for small claims court. They may pay your claim just to go away.

 

[AlHunt]

Send that thing to S&W and you'll never see hide nor hair of the broken parts again. Regardless if they fix it or not, they will not let those parts back into the wild.

 

[BMCM]

All is not lost...

I doubt very much you will receive any satisfaction from either Federal or S&W. Barsto no longer makes that stuff either.
However...

Assuming there is no damage or deformation to the slide or frame... My advice would be to acquire a chunk of 10mm bore barrel blank then seek out a skilled machinist/gunsmith who can make you a new barrel assembly. There are guys out there that specialize in this kind of stuff... Fabricating parts & assemblies for obsolete firearms.

I'd take a stab at it myself if I had the machinery. Unfortunately I'm still saving up for some big machines, and that only after I finish out the shop.

Best of luck

Cheers
Bill

 

[lrrifleman]

I agree, that if it is sent back to Smith, it most likely won't be returned. Since it is a 3rd Generation design, is it still being supported by Smith?

I think that the reason the slide won't budge is because of the cracked and flared chamber. If part of the chamber can be cut away through the ejection port, I feel that the slide could be moved far enough to remove it from the frame. The comp had to have been attached some how, and it should be able to be removed. While it may take some time, I think that a competent gunsmith could save this pistol. I doubt the frame is damaged, just a cracked and flared chamber.

I don't think that this is a lost cause. Remember, Murphy was an optimist!