Blown 45 ACP brass

[Magload]

This is why shooting glasses are required. I have no idea what caused this brass to blow. The load was 5.3grs of TideGroup behind a 200gr P SWC. 5.7gr is listed at max and I have chrono'ed these loads and was testing groups this morning. On the 8th round this happened. The shot did not seam like it was maybe a double charge and it wasn't following a squib. Blew the bottom of the mag off breaking the plastic and covering both hands in black. My face was the only damage beside the mag and the round that was in the mag. Destroyed the bullet. Range gun smith/manager cleared my Gold Cup and pronounced it ok. Suspect it was just a bad piece of brass. Winchester range pick up no idea of how many time reloaded.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Is the GC factory or does it have work done to the barrel. Might be a little short on chamber support and that piece of brass was tired and edgy.

Well now your OP is gone..

 

[Magload]

Is the GC factory or does it have work done to the barrel. Might be a little short on chamber support and that piece of brass was tired and edgy.

Factory as far as I know as I bought it used. I don't see any work done and I suspect it was tired brass. I have put 1150 rounds through the gun.

 

[bigggbbruce]

With the barrel in hand how does it look with a round in the chamber. Can you see past the webb and up the side wall of the brass.

 

[AveragEd]

I'm very glad to hear that you and your gun survived and I certainly don't mean to rub salt in the wound but here is a good reason why it makes little sense to pick up what another shooter has discarded. New brass is not that expensive and knowing how you care for your firearms (we traded S&W 686s once), I'm kind if surprised to learn that you use range brass.

Again, sorry you experienced this ordeal but glad you came out of it okay.

Ed

 

[Magload]

With the barrel in hand how does it look with a round in the chamber. Can you see past the webb and up the side wall of the brass.

No I just pulled the barrel on my Remington R1 and it looks the same. The R1 I bought new so it has had no work on it. Could it be possible the gun wasn't 100% in battery? These rounds plunk fine and are at a COL of 1.230 the the load data called for 1.220". I suspect I will just have to chock it up as a bad experience and how I don't start flinching.

 

[Magload]

I'm very glad to hear that you and your gun survived and I certainly don't mean to rub salt in the wound but here is a good reason why it makes little sense to pick up what another shooter has discarded. New brass is not that expensive and knowing how you care for your firearms (we traded S&W 686s once), I'm kind if surprised to learn that you use range brass.

Again, sorry you experienced this ordeal but glad you came out of it okay.

Ed

Thanks Ed. Maybe I will go back to 45 ACP brass with small primers I know when I get it at the indoor range I shoot at that it is once fired. I just started loading large primer again and been looking it over petty well.

 

[Magload]

Could it be possible this was a double charge. This is the best picture I can seam to get and it sure does look like over pressure signs to me.

 

[gwpercle]

Another cause would be if the bullet was driven deeper into the case when it struck the feed ramp (not enough neck tension - tired brass)
That would cause the pressure to jump and blow out the unsupported section of case. Not fully supported area is typical of 1911 design .

Glad you are OK...those safety glasses did their job and a great reminder for all of us to wear them .
Gary

 

[Magload]

Another cause would be if the bullet was driven deeper into the case when it struck the feed ramp (not enough neck tension - tired brass)
That would cause the pressure to jump and blow out the unsupported section of case. Not fully supported area is typical of 1911 design .

Glad you are OK...those safety glasses did their job and a great reminder for all of us to wear them .
Gary

Thanks Gary that is one I hadn't thought of. It would be a good reason to move my COL out to 1.250. I only have 15 rounds of these left so I am going to pull them. I would be a nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs shooting the last of these.

 

[Rule3]

Dang, that must hurt. Glad you are OK and had safety glasses!!!

On most all Kboom threads the answer is just never known, it is all speculation. Could be this or that.

Bad brass, out of battery, wrong powder charge.???


Safety Glasses!!!

 

[SMSgt]

Factory as far as I know as I bought it used. I don't see any work done and I suspect it was tired brass. I have put 1150 rounds through the gun.

IF you're going to put 1150 rounds through your gun, you gotta use more than one piece of brass! Then it doesn't get so tired.

 

[Magload]

I thought maybe some of you might want to see what happened to the round that was in the blown out mag. The one on the right was not in the gun.

I do not know why the photo uploader is rotating some of my pictures. Sorry

 

[Magload]

Dang, that must hurt. Glad you are OK and had safety glasses!!!

On most all Kboom threads the answer is just never known, it is all speculation. Could be this or that.

Bad brass, out of battery, wrong powder charge.???


Safety Glasses!!!

Kind of what I figured. Well I hope this post will make others think before shooting with out safety glasses.

 

[Maddog 521]

Magload you're a lucky man to survive that. Be safe out there.

 

[Twoboxer]

. . . Maybe I will go back to 45 ACP brass with small primers I know when I get it at the indoor range I shoot at that it is once fired.. . .

If that small primer brass you pick up has a single green sharpie marker across the base, it's mine and it's been reloaded many times

Well, only at a range in Eastern PA

Very glad all is well with you!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm glad you have no serious injuries.

I know you say it didn't seem like a double charge but so many threads like this always include TiteGroup. It can not be a coincidence.

 

[fredj338]

No not the brass. I have loaded maybe 100K 45acp over the years, several diff guns, some brass loaded 15X +, barely read the headstamp, never seen one do that, ever. It looks like an out of battery firing. Could have been a double charge of TG, easy to do, but your gun would likely have suffered more damage. Also a double that would separate the case head like that would blow the primer out of the pocket & the rpimer pocket would look like you could put a shotgun primer in it. Could have been both. You GC should not be able to do that, but old guns are like old people, they can develop problems.

 

[Magload]

If that small primer brass you pick up has a single green sharpie marker across the base, it's mine and it's been reloaded many times

Well, only at a range in Eastern PA

Very glad all is well with you!

Thanks
I been thinking about color coding my bases. It's to bad factory loads don't use a different color primer then when you buy once fired you would know they were once fired.

 

[Magload]

No not the brass. I have loaded maybe 100K 45acp over the years, several diff guns, some brass loaded 15X +, barely read the headstamp, never seen one do that, ever. It looks like an out of battery firing. Could have been a double charge of TG, easy to do, but your gun would likely have suffered more damage. Also a double that would separate the case head like that would blow the primer out of the pocket & the rpimer pocket would look like you could put a shotgun primer in it. Could have been both. You GC should not be able to do that, but old guns are like old people, they can develop problems.

Yes it think I would have felt the difference. Well I know I keep my eyes open when it goes bang as I seen the stuff coming back at me. Looked like a muzzle blast but at the wrong end of the gun.