EXPERIENCED A 9MM SHOT OUT OF A GLOCK 40S&W YESTERDAY.

[chief38]

I was at the Range Friday and there was a Fellow shooting a .40 S&W Glock next to me (don't know the model as I am not familiar with Glocks or .40 caliber pistols - don't own either). Anyway, I was watching him shoot, watching the recoil, and he asked me if I'd like to shoot it. I said sure and he handed me the pistol with a loaded magazine. The first 3 shots went fine, then the pistol had a FTF. I racked the slide and fed the next round in. Again, another FTF. I racked the slide once again, then pulled the trigger and had a round go off that felt and sounded like a squib load. Barely made noise and felt like a .22. I immediately stopped shooting and cleared the gun fearing there might be a bullet stuck in the barrel. When I ejected the fired case - I was surprised to see it was a 9mm that was severely bulged because it was fired in a .40! When the owner of the Glock saw what had happened, he was embarrassed and apologized to me. Apparently he has loaded a 9mm cartridge into his .40 S&W Glock magazine! To be honest I was shocked that the round even fired! I didn't think the cartridge would head space far enough back for the firing pin to ignite the primer. The 2 failures to fire were more than likely due to the 9mm cartridge being in the .40 magazine and not sitting correctly, because he had no other failures while I was there.

No damage to the pistol - just to the fellow's pride! I think he learned a very valuable lesson - to never have two similar cartridges around each other at the same time and to pay more attention to what he was doing.

He then unloaded the remainder of the magazine, checked all rounds, topped it off and handed it back to me. It shot well, was accurate and had less recoil than I had expected from the short barreled Glock. A bit too thick for my liking but a capable pistol never the less. The fellow seemed like a cautious type of guy who just made an honest mistake - thankfully nothing bad happened. He also said he would never again have 9mm and .40 on the table simultaneously. I said, "great idea".

 

[Steve912]

It happens. I've found a few blunderbussed
9mm cases on ranges.

 

[ericrlarson]

It's happened to me at a major USPSA match. My third stage of the match was to go to chronograph. When the RO fired my round, he said " damn, that doesn't make Major Power Factor!" When my pistol didn't cycle the spent casing, I knew something was off. Somehow another shooter's 9mm ammo was switched for my 40 S&W.


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[Univibe]

The two worst situations are:

Loading a .308 cartridge in a .270 rifle. You will lose part of your face if you survive.

Loading a 20 gauge shell into a 12 gauge shotgun. You pump the slide and fire, and nothing happens. Thinking you failed to chamber a round, you pump and fire again. What has happened is that the 20 gauge shell slid partway down the barrel. The 12 gauge load fires, and runs into the 20 gauge shell, raising pressure drastically. The 20 gauge shell then ignites. You will lose your left hand, and maybe some other parts.

Some people fire .40 in their 10mm handguns, but I think that's a bad practice. Anything that makes 35,000 psi should be treated respectfully.

 

[steveno]

I'm a little surprised that considering the difference in the diameter of the two rounds that the 40 caliber magazine lips would hold a 9 mm in place

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I'm a little surprised that considering the difference in the diameter of the two rounds that the 40 caliber magazine lips would hold a 9 mm in place

Out of curiosity I tried a magazine for my Kahr P40 (single stack .40S&W) and one for my Sig P229 (double stack .40 S&W). Both will accept and retain 9X19mm ammo.

 

[steveno]

I had Browning High Powers in both 9 mm and 40 S & W. I guess I never considered trying a 9 mm round in a 40 S & W

 

[wingriderz]

Had that happen I bought a new .32 for pocket carry asked at counter of the range for box .32 ammo. I had one box with me figured I run 100 rounds threw new gun. Ran the first 50 I had flawless.Grabed 2nd box loaded had a few fte the counter peson gave me .25 ammo.

 

[K Frame Keith]

The HK USP .40 will chamber and fire 9mm. No damage, just expanded and split cases. And rotten groups.

 

[Tom K]

I've seen a .40 fired in a .45. No harm to the shooter, just embarrassment.

 

[sigp220.45]

It used to happen all the time during quals when we would have ammo cans full of loose rounds in both calibers. Guys would grab a handful of 9, load a mag, and accidentally pitch the leftovers into the .40 can. Gave the .40 guys plenty of practice in the ol' tap rack bang.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The extractor will sometimes hold the smaller rim securely enough for it to fire.

 

[Old Corp]

At a LGS/Indoor Range where I worked we had rental guns. A pair of Springfield XD's, one in 9, the other .40.

On some of the crazy-busy days when it was standing-room only it did happen that one of our clerks would hand over the .40 XD and a box of 9mm ball ammo.
Shooter would go for awhile and then come in complaining of malfunctions. Yep, that would be it.

 

[JayFramer]

Had that happen I bought a new .32 for pocket carry asked at counter of the range for box .32 ammo. I had one box with me figured I run 100 rounds threw new gun. Ran the first 50 I had flawless.Grabed 2nd box loaded had a few fte the counter peson gave me .25 ammo.

There comes a time when personal responsibility also comes into play. You loaded multiple .25s and fired them through your .32, you should have paid attention to what was written on the box and the rounds are clearly smaller than .32s.

 

[Inusuit]

.44 magnum rounds will chamber and fire in a .45 Colt rifle. Don't ask me how I know.

A friend and I were running an IPSC course with my 1911 and his Glock M19. Cycling difficulties, bulged cases. Scratched our heads. Turns out he was cleaning his M19 and his M23 at the same time and put the .40 barrel in the M19.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In reloading of cartridges, 45 Colt cases are quite similar to 44-40. (Length and rim size) I would do batches of 5000 45 Colt or 3000 44-40. Invariably there would be a few of the wrong case in the batch, they load, fire and would be fire formed just fine. You would never know the difference until you sorted by headstamp, then resizing those cases used a lot extra muscle.

I do own a 357 Sig and don't allow 40 S&W ammo, brass, or bullets near my stuff. UNTIL last week a friend gave me a 40 S&W barrel for my 226. I will have to develop a protocol for closer inspection of ammo!

Ivan

 

[swsig]

.44 magnum rounds will chamber and fire in a .45 Colt rifle. Don't ask me how I know.

And 9mm rounds will chamber, fire, and eject from an M&P 40c. And don't ask me how I know.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Several years ago I noticed a dozen or so 9mm cases lying on the ground at the range. They were strangely belled, and I surmised that they had been fired from a .40 Glock from the distinctive primer strikes that Glocks leave behind. So evidently it happens with some regularity, and they must have functioned well enough that the shooter continued firing them at least for awhile.

 

[Warren Sear]

.44 magnum rounds will chamber and fire in a .45 Colt rifle. Don't ask me how I know...

I had a friend who was very careless with his ammo. He fired a 35 Remington cartridge in a Mauser 98 chambered in 8 x 57 mm. The gun survived.

Another time he fired a 44 Magnum in a Model 25 S&W chambered in 45 Colt, and this gun also survived. After that I was disgusted by his carelessness.

Fast forward about 20 years. Yes, I fired a 44 Magnum in my own Model 25 S&W chambered in 45 Colt. No apparent damage. A lesson in humility learned by me that day.

 

[Golddollar]

When I ejected the fired case - I was surprised to see it was a 9mm that was severely bulged because it was fired in a .40!

And the CLANG, CLANG, CLANG sound you heard was a .355 bullet rattling down a .40 bore!