A close friend had a KABOOM on Friday. Blew up his 3" 629-1. He wasn't hurt and found a piece of the rear site stuck in the ceiling of the outdoor range roof, other parts here and there. Photos pretty much say it all. We're still trying to figure it out. Load was 240 grain Berry's plated bullet over 22.0 gr W-296. He has pulled several bullets and found no variations. Not possible to double charge the case with that load. Here are the photos.

De Oppresso Liber

Wow! Hope everybody's ok.

Glad everyone's ok. Might have been the wrong power choice for plated bullets. From Berry's web site:

Jacketed Bullets: Generally are most expensive but can be shot at magnum velocities and require less cleaning than Cast bullets.
Plated Bullets: Not as expensive as Jacketed and cleaner than lead but you'll want to stay away from magnum velocities when loading plated bullets.
Cast Bullets: Usually cost the least, but are very "dirty" and often cannot be used in indoor ranges.

Velocities depend on the caliber, but as a rule of thumb, we recommend you don't shoot our plated bullets over 1250 feet-per-second. Our 44's actually shoot best around 1150 fps. 45's are generally good at 850-900 fps. Our bullets are not recommended for magnum velocities over 1250fps unless the bullet description denotes a thick plated bullet with a higher listed maximum for velocity.

Important thing is that no one was injured.

Are the 'plated' bullets treated the same as jacketed bullets,,or as cast bullets?
I didn't think 296 was used for cast 240gr loads but again I don't know about the use of the plated lead bullets or if that could cause a problem.

Was any work or alteration done to the gun. I notice that the front and rear side plate screws appear switched. The flat head screw is in the front position.
Could anyone have done something in the past to have altered the lockup, timeing, chamber dimentions, ect.

Many of these incidents are never conclusively figured out as to how or why they occurred.

Answers:
1. Side plate screws are loose and misplaced because he removed the side plate as well as what's left of the cylinder. Not too gently as he says.
2. Don't know. I have the cartridge in the other charge hole in my possession and it shows no powder burns either, just an anomaly near the case head. I'll get a photo of it tomorrow.
3. Bullet exited the barrel and struck the target.
4. Bullet was a 240 gr plated Berry's flat point.
5. No work or alteration was done that he is aware of. He received the gun in a trade at a reputable LGS.
6. This was the first round fired from the gun and from the ammo box. I'm thinking an obstruction as well. Perhaps the bullet was too soft and deformed entering the forcing cone causing a momentary obstruction and the pressure spike caused the detonation forcing the bullet down range???? I should have been a physicist instead of a sheep dog, I'd know the answer, maybe.

De Oppresso Liber

Oh my, that is scary.

ouch, that is pretty scary especially when the exact cause cannot be pinned down. I am glad to hear that no one got hurt.

On a positive note, I would be interested in buying what is left of the frame for use in fitting custom grips.

Wow, the first bullet you fired blew up the gun? I don't think a soft bullet deforming would cause a S&W N frame revolver in good firing condition to blow up. Millions of lead bullets have been fired at extremely high velocities and that does not happen. If lead bullets won't cause that plated bullets won't either.

I have seen blown up revolvers before and that one is an extreme case. Very high pressures are required to destroy a gun that badly, extremely high pressures! A barrel obstruction would have damaged the barrel and that barrel looks unaffected. That sure looks like a double charge to me especially where the majority of damage is centered. The back-strap was ripped away so violently the material was stripped off the top of the barrel threads.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

first bullet fired?? Man my first thought was he mixed up the powders.

It looks like he may have grabbed 231 instead of 296?

Unless those bullets are too soft or an under charge caused detonation, it sure looks like the wrong powder.

I know a very experienced loader that I met one day with his head all stitched up. He had pictures of what was left of his Savage .308 Win.

After pulling a couple of bullets, he saw the charge weight was perfect.

He reached for his powder and instead of W748, he had picked up W296.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

Wondering if it was the wrong powder also. What, if any, other types does you friend have on his bench?

Plated bullets at high velocities are known to shed the plating in the barrel. If this gun went kaboom on the very first handloaded plated round fired, then the cause is most likely a very fast powder. Bullseye would definitely cause that mess.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Easiest thing to do is to pull one of the remaining bullets and check the powder.

A Ruger would have handled that load...

OK, relax, just joking. I am really glad your "friend" was not hurt!

That is such an extreme kaboom, I would think wrong powder, as well. That's an expensive day at the range, but all is good if everyone walks away unhurt.

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NRA Life Member

Maybe he had 2 cans of powder out at the same time previously and managed to dump the wrong powder in the 296 can. Considering it was the first round shot. I dont think theres any way it was a barrel onstruction, omly in cartoons.

I think we can rule out a barrel obstruction. Myth Busters tried to blow up a 686 after filling the barrel with squibs and all that happened when they ran a full powered 357 Magnum into 6 squibs is they "shot" 3 of the squibs out of the barrel.

I'll also agree that it's NOT possible to double charge a 44 Magnum case with W-296, you would have powder all over the press. However, it is VERY possible to double charge a 44 Magnum with something like Titegroup. IMO what we have is a case here of using the wrong powder. Basically, he thought he was using W-296 when he was in fact using another similar looking powder with a much higher energy density.

I know some reloaders keep several powder measures pre loaded with powder and just use whatever measure has the powder they want to use when they set up thire press for a new caliber. In that type of setting I could see someone grabbing a measure loaded with something Titegroup when they intended to take the one loaded with W-296. Then if they were to proceed loading without taking the time to actually weigh the charges they were throwing they could conceivably load up a whole batch thinking they were using W-296 with they were actually using Titegroup or some other.

I would suggest that one of these suspect loads actually have the powder charge weighed, not simply looked at. Looking at my Lee manual a double charge of W-231 would have a similar charge volume as a single charge of W-296 but instead of weighing 22 grains the W-231 would weigh around 16 grains. If so, this illustrates the importance of using Weight as a confirming check if you are charging by Volume and using Volume as a confirming check if you are charging by Weight.

I have been looking for a 629 just like that for years
:......(
Guess my chances of finding one just dropped
That sucks. I hate to see that

Boy, lot of speculation... I'll phone my friend today and have him give us a run down on his procedure etc. He pulled several rounds and found all charges were within a tenth of a grain or two. I'll pull the round down I have today and do a visual comparison of the powder in the round and some W-26 I have on hand, but like I said I'm a sheep dog, not a scientist. Both powders should look different, yes? I'll take photos of the comparison.

De Oppresso Liber

P.O. Ackley was adament that a reduced charge of a magnum powder would occasionally cause a much higher pressuer situation than too large a charge of the same powder. I'm not sure whether he was ever able to replicate the situation in a lab, but he shows several photos of blown up guns in his book, and he claims this to be the cause.

Glad you all made it through that!
I am in agreement of the "full charge, wrong powder" theory.
Powder companies are making their container labels more and more similar. Hodgdon is no exception.
Either he grabbed a similar looking canister or, possibly, in the past, dumped a fast powder into the wrong can when emptying the powder measure.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Let's start at the beginning:
Powder: Hodgdon data indicates an extremely small window for this powder in this caliber. Minimum 23 grains, maximum 24 grains. (With an 11,000 CUPS pressure difference between the two). The OP states a charge of 22 grains which is below the minimum. Depending on the scales used, this charge number could be plus/minus who knows how much. Also as we all know, below minimum can be as devastating as above maximum.

Bullet: Berry's specifically prohibits using their plated bullets for magnum loads. Users are warned to keep the velocity below 1250 fps. These bullets do not have channelures, a must for making magnum rounds, IMO.

Primer: Unknown. If a magnum primer was used, the pressure could rise dramatically.

I am glad no one was hurt. Hopefully this expensive lesson will serve as a reminder that we are participating in an activity calling for strict adherence to rules and freelancing is done at the users risk.

I thank the OP for posting this. It will remind me to pay close attention to my own work.

As I understand it this is possible in a Magnum Rifle cartridge, I'm not at all convinced the same is possible in a Magnum Handgun. In addition a charge of 22 grains of W-296 is probably a very suitable choice for a starting or low mid range charge for a plated bullet in 44 Magnum.

As I understand the theory, which is admittedly hard to prove, it's sort of like this with a Magnum or High Power Rifle caliber with a severe undercharge. What happens is that the intitial pressure buildup is so slow that it cannot get the bullet moving down the barrel. Then as the pressure starts to build the ignition process speeds up a lot and a very rapid rise in pressure is seen, a rise that is too rapid for the now moving bullet that is moving too slow for the rate of rise in pressure behind it. At some point the temperature and pressure rise to the point when the remaining powder Detonates with obviously catastrophic results.

So, why Rifle and not Handgun. Personal theory here. One, high power rifle bullets are universally jacketed and copper jacketing has a Static Friction Coefficient that is significantly higher than the Dynamic Friction Coefficient. As a result, it's "harder" to get a jacketed bullet moving. Two, Spitzer type bullets typically have a rather long bearing surface, which means more drag and a higher disparity between the pressure needed to get the bullet moving. Three, modern rifles typically feature a rather small bore in comparison to handguns. IIRC you have to get up to the 50 caliber 500 Magnum to produce the same energy level as the 30.06. Since the Force exerted on a bullet is a function of Bore Diameter and Pressure, smaller bores means a much higher operating pressure. Finally, rifles do have longer barrels, so it's possible that with a handgun the bullet has left the barrel before a runaway pressure rise can cause detonation so the only result of this process in a handgun is a lot of muzzle flash. With a long barreled rifle, plenty of time for things to get "out of hand".

Live and learn. Glad he lived. I learned a bunch reading this thread.

Of course all we can do is speculate. I would "guess" wrong powder also OR I never understood how folks load plated bullets for almost full house magnum loads??

How do you properly crimp them? The revolver dies roll crimp so to put a heavy crimp (which it should be) you are gonna crack through the plating, I do not think that would be good?

When I load a LSWC there is a lot of the case mouth crimped into the groove. Would this distorted a platted bullet so much that it jams in the forcing cone?? I do not know, as I do not use plated bullets??

Just a WAG.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Should have gotten a model with the endurance package.

Just kidding, in all seriousness, glad no one was hurt.

Thanks for posting this, its another reminder that we must be constantly vigilant when reloading. Often times the routine can become mundane and we can lose focus. Thank God all that was destroyed was a replaceable piece of forged steel. Although that was a mighty fine looking piece of forged steel before the kaboom.

I've always read that light loads of W296 can be hazardous. Could this be proof?

Only if it sticks the bullet in the barrel which does not seem to be the situation as they say it was the 1st shot

Reduce H110 and Winchester 296 loads 3% and work up from there. H110 and Winchester 296 if reduced too much will cause inconsistent ignition. In some cases it will lodge a bullet in the barrel, causing a hazardous situation (Barrel Obstruction). This may cause severe personal injury or death to users or bystanders. DO NOT REDUCE H110 LOADS BY MORE THAN 3%.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I just filled a 44 mag case to the top with H110 it is over 30 grains. No way to seat a bullet.
Leaving an estimated amount of room for a bullet it holds around 29 grains so there is no way to double charge. I am guessing again, wrong powder or the bullet wedged in the forcing cone .

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Still Running Against the Wind

Wow. I just do not believe that was not the result of a mistake in powder or something. I do not see a stuck bullet causing that damage, especially without evidence of the obstruction still being in the bore.

Somewhere around here I have a box of 50 plated bullets with a similar load of 296. After seeing this, I think I'll pull the bullets, use the powder for fertilizer and salvage the other components.

A double charge of a fast burning powder can cause catastrophic results.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

Glad no one was hurt.
These types of post help to keep it real and a reminder the importance of safety and paying close attention to all aspects of reloading.

And Just think,, There is alot of New Reloaders out there,, Be careful & READ a manual or three ; ) PS Glad everyone is OK
Y/D

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GOD/GUNS/GUTS>GET EM ALL

Sorry, but that did NOT happen form a 22gr charge of W296. I will speculate it was the wrong powder he THOUGHT was W296. I have put some crazy loads of W296 thru various 44mags, enough to stick a case into the cyl, the guns never came apart. That is a double or triple charge of fast burning powder IMO.
An aquaitance of mine did that to a RBH. He told me he loaded BlueDot, swore it was BD. When I went to his house, he had BD & RedDot on the bench together. Yeah, I was betting it was RD. When it comes to powder charging triple checking everything prior to charging is not paranoid.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

You can save the powder also. I just do not think plated bullets are the right choice for Magnum loads. Mainly for the crimping issue more so than exceeding 1200 fps. But if the recommendations are followed, they should not be loaded more than midway of the FMJ load data and H110/W296 should not be downloaded more than 3%

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Still Running Against the Wind

One more thought, maybe an obstruction in the powder measure cause a onetime "short" charge of powder. Does seem like a case of wrong powder. Let us know if your friend figures it out.

take care

I also vote for the incorrect powder as the cause of this "blow up".

Years ago, Jeff Cooper wrote an article called "The 2.7 Bullseye surprise" to describe some kabooms that occurred amongst target shooters who were loading 38 specials with the lightest load that was published for their bullets (158g, I think) by Hercules. It was speculated that the load was so low that the primer was able to ignite the entire load at once, causing an explosion. But no one was ever able to duplicate this in an experiment. He later concluded that a double charge was the more likely culprit, since it would be hard to notice in a charge this low.
But double charge is not the case here. I subscribe to the 'wrong powder' theory. I recently did this myself, when I accidentally loaded 158g lead bullets in .38 cases with 4.5g of Bullseye instead of 4.5g of Unique. Not having loaded this load since last fall, I mistakenly remembered to use Bullseye instead of Unique and loaded 160 rounds that way, for an uncoming match. No kaboom, luckily for me. But I performed poorly during the match and could not figure out what I was doing wrong. I later disassembled a round and discovered my mistake. Turns out that 4.5g or Bullseye is a +P load with that bullet, and I was shooting them from a .357 magnum N frame. So no problem aside from an embarrassing performance at the match.

Go to your friend & tell em I`m glad he`s OK !!

Then go to his reloading area & see if he leaves powder in the hoppers of measures .

Bet he does !

Then poured 296 on top of another ,faster powder.

Could bullet setback affect pressure, like when loading a 180gr .40?

Your friend is very lucky indeed.
What a mess.

Your friend had some good luck. And to top it off,
he has a war story he can tell for the rest of his life.
Surviving the incident, in my mind, anyway, is easily worth
the cost of the gun, whose picture should be framed and mounted.
(Maybe over the reloading bench?)
TACC1

Not only is an undercharge NOT as dangerous as an overcharge, it is not dangerous at all (as long as the bullet exits the barrel, which was not the problem here).

A magnum primer is SUPPOSED to be used with 296.

OK, the plot thickens. I pulled down the round next to the "kaboom" round. I found 20.3 gr of a powder that was not W-296, at least to my eye (hand loader for 30 + years). I called my friend and he said he has three powders on hand, W-296, Lil' Gun, and Red Dot. I ruled out Red Dot for the obvious reason (no red dots). I compared the powder in the round with some W-296 I had on hand and some Lil' Gun. Lil' Gun looks close but an obvious difference. Friend said he took the powder from the W-296 one pound jug. He doesn't use a powder measure. He weighs each charge on a RCBS 5.0.5 scale. I was curious because the powder in the round looked familiar. I retrieved a can of W-231 I have on hand and did a comparison. It's scary to look at. I have attached photos of the comparisons. I called him back and told him what I found and he checked the W-296 jug and described the powder as a flattened ball/flake type powder. Doesn't sound like W-296, he bought the W-296 new. So we can be assured that the wrong powder was used, hence the "kaboom", what powder is in the W-296 jug is a mystery. It doesn't appear to be W-296 or Lil' Gun, but sure looks like W-231... Here are the photos.

De Oppresso Liber

Well... I suppose that answers the question of what caused it.

If he thinks it might be W231, he can measure the density of the mystery powder and compare it to that of W231. I would just weight a case full of both powders and compare. He would only need the relative densities, so he wouldn't need the exact volume, just that they were the same. Fast and slow powders have very different densities. I tried this with Universal and A#5, and the A#5 was about 30% heavier for a case full, and these are both medium speed powders.

Best,
Rick

22g of W231 will generate about 154,000 psi peak within the first 1/8" travel of the bullet. If you can pour the pulled powder back into a 44 mag case, see if it reaches up to about 1/4" from the top of the case. If it's close, it's probably W231.

Glad to hear your friend still has everything God originally gave him. This could have been a much worse situation.

Its a shame such a beautiful 629 was blown up. A real shame.

For the guy that said a Ruger would have taken that load, you're just plain evil.

As a matter of fact, after I weighed the charge I put it back in the case and it was indeed close to 1/4" from the case mouth. Looked like with the bullet seated it would be a compressed load.


De Oppresso Liber

Fredo...great job helping your buddy sort this out. And thanks for sharing it with us. These stories remain in my head forever and every time I'm at the bench they help keep me focused.