I've had it happen with a .40 Stout and Wicked in a fully supported chamber using once fired brass. The only indication something went wrong was that the next round wouldn't fully chamber. Of course it HAD to happen during a match.
.45 ACP Case Head Separation
- Thread starter max
- Start date
OP
There was no double charge. Recoil and report were normal. My friend shooting next to me didn't observe anything out of the ordinary either.
I blame the slightly oversized coated bullet whose base was right at the cannelure.
I blame the slightly oversized coated bullet whose base was right at the cannelure.
Sounds to me like at least a double charge. A friend of mine blew up a Ruger 1911 with a double charge, blew the magazine out the bottom, cooked off the next cartridge in the mag, locked up the action, slide back. See picture, he sent gun back to Ruger to check out. They cleaned it up replaced the grips, and magazine and said it was good t go.
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2006
- Messages
- 7,717
- Reaction score
- 7,085
Wasn't a separation, but during a match I once had an ejected case leave a contrail/smoke trail. Everybody noticed it and as soon as the line was clear they converged to find the case. The rim of the case and extractor groove had a longitudinal failure in it. Lost it over decades no clue as to brand/# of reloads. Do have some brass from the 60s where you can't read the headstamp anymore.
Best comment: "If you use a stick powder, you ought to be able to get at least one more reload out of that."
Best comment: "If you use a stick powder, you ought to be able to get at least one more reload out of that."
ReloadforFun
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2021
- Messages
- 283
- Reaction score
- 322
Many years ago I saw the remains of a 1911 that had experienced a double charge. It was at the gunsmith where they were trying to figure out how to get it apart to see if the frame was damaged.
No part of the barrel; hood was ever found, and the slide was bowed out to both sides.
I wasn't able to stay and find out what they managed, but double charges must be taken very seriously.
No part of the barrel; hood was ever found, and the slide was bowed out to both sides.
I wasn't able to stay and find out what they managed, but double charges must be taken very seriously.
Well over 30 years of reloading for me and so far, has not happened to me.
Have yet to have a double charge since I started reloading with my Dad in the late 70's as his "assistant", but have had a few squibs that the volumetric, and more expensive than Lee AutoDisk setups, didn't get right
FWIW, I look at it as no one will ever bat 1000% in MLB, and with how much I load and shoot, it's just a matter of time if I live long enought.
Last edited:
Have yet to have a double charge since I started reloading with my Dad in the late 70's as his "assistant", but have had a few squibs that the volumetric, and more expensive than Lee AutoDisk setups, didn't get right
FWIW, I look at it as no one will ever bat 1000% in MLB, and with how much I load and shoot, it's just a matter of time if I live long enought.
I have yet to load a squib either. When I started with a single stage press, I checked every case for a visually consistent charge of powder. When I went to a progressive press, that habit was retained. Even though the RCBS powder measure has a clear plastic drop tube and I can see the powder falling, I still take a second or two to look and visually verify the powder in the case.
