29 -2 KaBoom
- Thread starter Rigmover
- Start date
G
Guest
Reloading is as "Safe" as the 'person' doing the Reloading; nothing more and nothing less. If the person doesn't do the work properly some very "<span class="ev_code_RED">Bad Things</span>" like this can happen.
I looked as closely as I could at the primers that were present and the one on the Right appears to have been properly seated and the others don't appear to be "flattened or cratered" which can be signs of over pressure. But, that beings said; I'm guessing that this was the "ONLY" double charge in the cylinder at the time of the shooting. If the one "unfired" cartridge had also been "Double Charged" then - I believe - it would have created another Ka-Boom and more of the cylinder and likely more of the gun would also be gone.
I've 'looked into' a number of "destructive" firearms accidents since my first one in late '69 and this one has all the "signs" of being a Double Charge of Powder. Operator Error.
I looked as closely as I could at the primers that were present and the one on the Right appears to have been properly seated and the others don't appear to be "flattened or cratered" which can be signs of over pressure. But, that beings said; I'm guessing that this was the "ONLY" double charge in the cylinder at the time of the shooting. If the one "unfired" cartridge had also been "Double Charged" then - I believe - it would have created another Ka-Boom and more of the cylinder and likely more of the gun would also be gone.
I've 'looked into' a number of "destructive" firearms accidents since my first one in late '69 and this one has all the "signs" of being a Double Charge of Powder. Operator Error.
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I am very curious how Fugate Arms would describe this if they were selling it...
"Custom gunsmithing includes lightening cuts. Some wear, not really 'collector quality.' Sold as a collectors item only. Have a gunsmith inspect before attempting to shoot."
"Custom gunsmithing includes lightening cuts. Some wear, not really 'collector quality.' Sold as a collectors item only. Have a gunsmith inspect before attempting to shoot."
BruceM
Member
Wimer would give it a 92.3%. 95.2% if you have the top strap and the rest of the cylinder.
Bruce
In my world, we look at those pics and say, "That's a bad day in Bad Day Land."
Yee-ouch.
I'd have those parts cast in a resin globe and keep the orb on a little stand and VERY INCONVENIENTLY IN THE WAY on my reloading bench, always.
Yee-ouch.
I'd have those parts cast in a resin globe and keep the orb on a little stand and VERY INCONVENIENTLY IN THE WAY on my reloading bench, always.
wraco
Member
It sure does seem like a double charge alright. The 44 mag. case, if I recall, on avrg. takes some where around 23gr to 24 gr to fill to the top.
Hard to figure, as it's natural to look down at your loading block. I usually clean up each reload with a rag and low volume loads I like to give them a quick little shake.
The good part is, it sounds as the shooter and by standers weren't hurt and he now has a parts gun.
Rod
Hard to figure, as it's natural to look down at your loading block. I usually clean up each reload with a rag and low volume loads I like to give them a quick little shake.
The good part is, it sounds as the shooter and by standers weren't hurt and he now has a parts gun.
Rod
David LaPell
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One thing I started to do when I began reloading is to take a flashlight when I am done loading and visually check over the loads so I can tell if one was double charged or not. I actually did find one once, luckily for me that is my overall safety check.
I really don't want any of my guns to experience such a disaster.
I really don't want any of my guns to experience such a disaster.
tomhenry, after seeing that gun and considering a double charge of 7grs. of unique possibly in one of my handloads, gives me the creeps. i've always been careful but a sight like that is a sobering reminder that these things can happen.
Originally posted by BruceM:
Wimer would give it a 92.3%. 95.2% if you have the top strap and the rest of the cylinder.
Bruce
Jerry
SIGWolf
Member
Send it back to S&W, I'm sure they'll take care of it. It's obviously the fault of poor workmanship or inferior materials!!
G
Guest
If you're really concerned you can simply take an empty case, a bullet, a primer and a charge of powder and weight them. Now you'll know how much your loads should weight and then just simply runs each of them onto your scale and if one suddenly "Bottoms OUT" then you'll "know" you've got a problem.
Easy, Simple and Works!
G
Guest
While nothing was mentioned about where these loads came from I have known a couple of very "GOOD" reloaders who decided to 'Up-Grade' to a Progressive Press and since that time they have had more than a few 'Overloads' and several 'Squibs' - neither of these is a fun thing to have happen.
I keep considering a Progressive but when I start pricing the really good ones that include the "powder checker" features I keep turning around and look at my Good Old One 'Lunger' RCBS Rockchucker that has turned out many thousands of rounds of "Good" ammo for me over the years. And, I it brings me back to the "Reality" of why put out that much more money when I can still get what I want from what I have. I also look at the fact that loading the way I do gives me a very good chance of keeping track of what I am doing and then doing it right.
I know the Progressives aren't supposed to let this type of thing happen but then I once had the chance to 'load' .38 Specials on an "Ammo Load" Progressive Reloader and this was really "Grand" because if I could keep up with loading Primers and Bullets and Powder and Cases into the hoppers this machine would turn out 3500 to 4000 finished cartridges per Hour!!! Awesome! But, I also remember having the machine suddenly "Stop" because their was something wrong! Too much/not enough Powder, no Primer, no Bullet or the Bullet upside down, or whatever.
I keep considering a Progressive but when I start pricing the really good ones that include the "powder checker" features I keep turning around and look at my Good Old One 'Lunger' RCBS Rockchucker that has turned out many thousands of rounds of "Good" ammo for me over the years. And, I it brings me back to the "Reality" of why put out that much more money when I can still get what I want from what I have. I also look at the fact that loading the way I do gives me a very good chance of keeping track of what I am doing and then doing it right.
I know the Progressives aren't supposed to let this type of thing happen but then I once had the chance to 'load' .38 Specials on an "Ammo Load" Progressive Reloader and this was really "Grand" because if I could keep up with loading Primers and Bullets and Powder and Cases into the hoppers this machine would turn out 3500 to 4000 finished cartridges per Hour!!! Awesome! But, I also remember having the machine suddenly "Stop" because their was something wrong! Too much/not enough Powder, no Primer, no Bullet or the Bullet upside down, or whatever.
Hawgleg44
Member
Many years ago, before he got out of Dodge and moved to VT, I was at Karl Sokol's shop, Chestnut Mountain Sports, back when it was in Sunderland, MA. He had a 5" S&W 625 .45acp that looked just a little better than the 29 pictured in this thread. The cylinder looked the same, but the topstrap was still attached to the gun, but had a large bulge in it now. The owner was a pin shooter using a light charge of a fast burning powder. I don't remember what powder it was though. It was assumed that the shooter double charged the case.
When I started reloading, it was on an RCBS Rockchucker. Check the powder levels, and you'll be fine. Then, my father "upgraded" to a Lee progressive. Their powder measures suck. More squib loads than you would imagine.
Then, we got a Dillon SDB. Their powder measures hold a charge extremely accurately, and the SDB auto indexes, so you don't have to worry about an overcharge, either. I still use a bright desk light shining into the case and visually verify the level of the powder as I seat the bullet at station #3 though. Only out of habit, since I've never once, in the past 22 years of using that same press, two factory rebuilds and hundreds of thousands of rounds, caught an abnormal powder charge from it.
When I started reloading, it was on an RCBS Rockchucker. Check the powder levels, and you'll be fine. Then, my father "upgraded" to a Lee progressive. Their powder measures suck. More squib loads than you would imagine.
Then, we got a Dillon SDB. Their powder measures hold a charge extremely accurately, and the SDB auto indexes, so you don't have to worry about an overcharge, either. I still use a bright desk light shining into the case and visually verify the level of the powder as I seat the bullet at station #3 though. Only out of habit, since I've never once, in the past 22 years of using that same press, two factory rebuilds and hundreds of thousands of rounds, caught an abnormal powder charge from it.
OP
Rigmover
Member
Heres a interesting link to a S&W Kaboom RIP http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7d8_1174515078
Dale53
Member
Keep in mind that the most dangerous thing regarding reloading is driving to your component supplier. I don't know of a single reloading accident fatality but MORE than 41,000 people were killed and 2.49 million were injured in auto accidents in 2007.
Gee, reloading don't seem so bad after all.
But-t-t, if you do not do your homework and if you fail to "pay attention" you, too, can become a statistic (and WATCH your driving
).
Dale53
Gee, reloading don't seem so bad after all.
But-t-t, if you do not do your homework and if you fail to "pay attention" you, too, can become a statistic (and WATCH your driving
Dale53
OP
Rigmover
Member
Geez this guy loaded 18.2 grs to have a kaboom.I just loaded a couple hundred rounds of .454 Casull at 36 grs double what he used to blow up his gun but im only using slow burning powder H-110 with small rifle primers and 240 hornady XTP-Mag HP'S out the barrel at almost 2000 ft/sec its quite the hand cannon real fun to shoot too!
Wickahoney
US Veteran
In 40+ years of being around S&Ws and guys that shoot them I have seen 8 or 10 post war Hand Ejectors blown up. From pre Model 10s up through 29-2 and 57s. All pretty much looked just like this one with the blown off top strap and fractured or blown apart cylinder.
In every one of those cases the cause was eventually traced to double or in one case triple charges of fast burning powder.
I'm a pretty careful reloader and "MY" rule for Magnum pistols is I simply won't use a powder that allows the case to hold a double charge. They may not be the cheapest to load or the most efficient use of powder but I have also never blown up one nore do I worrry about it.
Simply no way your going to get 40 grains of 2400 into a 44 Mag case.
RWT
In every one of those cases the cause was eventually traced to double or in one case triple charges of fast burning powder.
I'm a pretty careful reloader and "MY" rule for Magnum pistols is I simply won't use a powder that allows the case to hold a double charge. They may not be the cheapest to load or the most efficient use of powder but I have also never blown up one nore do I worrry about it.
Simply no way your going to get 40 grains of 2400 into a 44 Mag case.
RWT
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