500 S&W factory squib load almost got me!

[AKMac]

Yesterday I became the proud new owner of a slightly used .500 S&W Magnum. I've been dreaming about owning one of these for quite some time, and yesterday was the day. I picked it up for what I think was a fair price. In addition to the gun it came with 60 rounds of factory ammo (20 round lots from 3 different manufactures)

Well today I had a few work related issues to deal with, but I was able to sneak out in the afternoon for an impromptu shooting session to test my new toy! I decided to shoot my .44 Magnum to work my way up to the .500. After throwing a few cylinders of some hot .44 hand loads down range, I decided it was time to unleash the mighty 500.

Having never fired a .500 before, and watching a few videos of people accidentally touching off 2 rounds from instinctively gripping the trigger during recoil, I decided it would be wise to only load 1 round at a time. I touched off my first round and was surprised at how much of a blast came from the gun, but also relieved that the recoil wasn't unmanageable for me.

Next I decided to try one each of the 2 other boxes of ammo I had with me to compare the recoil. Although I would doubt my accuracy would win any competitions, I was begging to settle into my new toy and enjoy it. After firing the 3 rounds, I decided to try a full cylinder from one of the ammo manufactures. Rounds one and two went off just fine. When I went to fire shot 3, I heard a click but no BANG! After waiting a few seconds for a hang fire, I went to open the cylinder to but to my surprise it was jammed.

At this point I was thinking that the stupid S&W lock had turned itself on from excessive recoil. After packing up my stuff, and swearing at S&W and their stupid locks, I went home with three live rounds still in the cylinder.

Once I got home I inserted the stupid lock key to see if it had indeed locked itself. Unfortunately it hadn't. Next I took a flashlight to look at the cylinder gap and could see a sliver of copper shining back at me. It was a squib. After grabbing a hammer and cleaning rod I pushed the bullet back into the case, thus freeing up the cylinder to move.

It appears that the primer did ignite and pushed the bullet just enough to engage the rifling but not enough to travel down the barrel significantly. The powder appears to be partially burnt as well. I can only imagine the outcome had the bullet traveled down the barrel, became stuck, and then I fired another round of full house .500 S&W Magnum!

Moral of the story? Always, Always, Always check the gun after a misfire!

Now the big question, what to do with this batch of factory ammo? Contact the company to see if they will make it right?

 

[JD 500]

Glad things didn't go real bad for you. Makes me wonder if that factory ammo is crappy factory reloads like HSM. Looks like a 350gr Berry's plated bullet in your photo. Wonder if you would get someone more knowledgable than I to reply if you posted in the reloading forum (or maybe ammo forum). My best guess would be a primer maybe not seated all the way? Not sure. I wouldn't hesitate to call ammo mfr.
I have heard it is not good to shoot the 500 without having all the charge holes full. I think it had to do with the cylinder moving rearward during recoil and having all 5 case heads/rims there to support cylinder. You can always load empties (now that you have some)

Looks like from your photos you reload. You are gonna love the 500. Between bullet and powder selections, you can make rounds that recoil like a .38 all the way up to full house 500's.

There are a bunch of good guys here that load for the 500. This forum was a great help to me as I started loading for my 500.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[TDC]

Obviously, you're gotten possession of some very faulty merchandise. You didn't mention the manufacturer of your ammo...

If you didn't purchase the ammo yourself there is a possibility either someones hand-load slipped into the box .... or perhaps the whole box is hand-loaded using virgin brass and jacketed bullets then placed in an original factory box, appearing to be original factory production. That possibility would be my first suspect....

I wouldn't fire another round of that ammo without notifying the apparent manufacturer or the person you purchased the 500 from. I'd advise them what has occurred and ask how you should proceed with determining the actual cause.

Any manufacturer would want to know if some inferior or potentially dangerous ammo has slipped through their quality control...

My own 500 has never seen factory loaded ammo. I re-load and cast my own bullets. I double and triple check every powder charge in every round. Those who don't, sadly, often experience a squib load like yours.

JMHO

 

[peyton]

Go and buy a lottery ticket!! You did get lucky and displayed great quick thinking by not firing twice in a hurry. We were at a bowling pin shoot and my son was using a 1911 and all of a sudden the slide locks to the rear after 2nd shot. He clears the magazine and waited for the range safety to clear the line. We found a bullet sticking out the end of the barrel plus a defenite bulge in the barrel. Good Colt steel, it did not blow up the gun. He did not even noticing one shot had less recoil.
We replaced the barrel that week and the gun shoots like a champ.

 

[AKMac]

The ammo in question was still factory sealed in a clear bag, so it's unlikely that someone's handloads slipped into it, or that moisture has leached into it. I can't explain it any other way then it's just bad ammo, plain and simple. That said, I don't want to publicly bash the ammo company until I have spoke with them personally about the subject.

I don't shoot factory ammo either but it seemed like a waste to not shoot, what I thought at the time, was perfectly good ammo. I've learned my lesson.

It's funny because I've been shooting for many years, and have burned my fair share of powder. I've read and heard story's about squibs, but have never experienced one until today. I just feel lucky I didn't KABOOM a .500 S&W Magnum!

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I had never had a squib after shooting for 20 years and reloading for 5, until this last summer. I was shooting a reload of 45Auto Rim out of my 625 at the range and when the squib round went off, it wasn't the usual bang, but more of a 'fffsst' sound. I was able to open the cylinder and looked down the barrel and there was the bullet stuck just at the start of the rifling. After hammering it out, I was good to go and have had no problems with that one.

I then was shooting 17HMR out of my 647 two weeks ago and had a squib with that factory load. This one got stuck in the same place yours did so it locked up the cylinder. Once I got it home the stuck bullet was very easy to get out.

Squibs are no fun and I hope I don't get anymore anytime soon.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

I had that same thing happen to my reloads 6-7 years ago.

When the 500 first came out they ran LP primers in the cases. So I'd reload these with pistol primers (Federal Magnum pistol primers)

I reload with H110. I was getting hang fires in the cold weather. In the summer time everything was fine, but in the cold the gremlins woud appear.
Well, I got one stuck, just like you. I smartened up and went to Rifle primers and thru the pistol brass away...No more problems.

The rifle primers carry more explosive mix to totally ignite the powder. There is a chance you had a dud primer cause this....

 

[bigshot500]

Lucky you...glad it worked out...question what brand of ammo caused this squib? I have never seen this before...interesting pictures you posted..

 

[John Ross]

Although I, too, suspected a crappy reload, this stuff DOES happen with factory ammo. I refuse to load for anything that throws the brass on the ground, and I buy .45 and 9mm by the pallet load. Two weeks ago I had a .45 ACP bullet (230 grain Hardball) end up sticking 3/8" out of the muzzle of my M1A1 Thompson.

It does happen.

 

[7P's]

I can't add anything to this thread but I can advise that AA1680 powder has to be compressed in the SW500 Mag – a non-compressed load will result in a squib load. I had a couple and after calling the powder company received this advice from their ballistic tech. My squib was with 440 and 500 grain hardcast bullets. Here's his reply in part:

Joe,
A-1680 is actually too slow burning for the 500S&W.
Although it can be used the loads need to be compressed.
Its not really the primer being at fault but the powder being too slow burning creating too low pressures to sustain combustion.
Although we do publish data for that combination the loads are all heavily compressed.
The 32grains you used are way below the efficiency-threshold.

However the heavier 500gr + bullets will help some in making it more efficient.
However, it will also require a compressed load.
How long are these projectiles/bullets ?


Caliber: .500 S&W.
Barrel length: 8"
Special note re COL: With heavy bullets the COL will extended beyond the standard 1.905" towards 2.210".

Powder: Accurate – 1680®.
HEAVY BULLETS:
Bullet weight: 500 -510 grains.
Start load: 35.1 grains (1125 – 1225 ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 39.0 grains (1350 – 1450 Ft/p/sec). LD ca 110%
Bullet weight: 525-535 grains.
Start load: 30.0 grains (1075 – 1150 ft/p/sec)
Maximum load: 33.0 grains (1200 – 1275 Ft/p/sec). LD ca 110%

 

[doc540]

What company made the ammo?

 

[TDC]

Here is a picture of one of my own re-loading screw-ups... It is the barrel of a 1911 I was shooting rapid fire with re-loads I hadn't been careful putting powder in.

I apparently missed one case when I dumped the powder, hadn't checked it carefully and this was the result...

The primers possess enough power to eject the bullet from the case into the barrel but not enough to push it through. The bullet lodges in the barrel and if another round is fired it hits the stuck bullet. The ring on the barrel indicates where the slide stuck open and it took a gunsmith to free the action up again..

I hang this barrel over my re-loading bench to remind myself to always be careful and double check each step of the process.

I know this is getting away from the thread but I believe hearing these stories is important, especially with a caliber as powerful as a 500 S&W.

 

[sceva]

The ammo in question was still factory sealed in a clear bag, so it's unlikely that someone's handloads slipped into it, or that moisture has leached into it.

The only ammo I see in bags are Gun Show ammo or something from an "independent manufacturer" I do not trust it and I avoid it but that is just my opinion. I won't even buy boxed ammo at a gun show unless it's rimfire or I am sure it is actually factory ammo as I have seen too many boxes that, when you open them, are obvious re-loads.

 

[nebmike]

I just feel lucky I didn't KABOOM a .500 S&W Magnum!

Mmm, yeah I'm pretty sure that would peg your fun-meter and probably even bend the needle in the process!