I purchased this gun 8 months ago when it blew apart in my hand after only 7.5 grains of HP-38. So the bottom loading round for .357. I sent my gun back because it was very obviously metal failure not over pressurized load. This is all Smith had to say. Smith & Wesson have informed me that they do produce all of their revolvers with "weak points" in them in case of over pressure the gun will come apart like mine did. But in my unfortunate case there was no over pressure it was simply do to metal failure and they refuse to stand by their product or help me in any way. I've tried calling but their representatives have been unhelpful and argumentative. I would never purchase another gun from them and would like to warn others about my horrible experience so other people don't have to go through what I did. It was a very expensive gun for me to only own 8 months with maybe 300 rounds through it.
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riverrat38
US Veteran
Gun Girl,
Knowing the weight and type of powder doesn't tell us anything without knowing the bullet that was being used. It looks like it could be an over pressure if the bullet is not a light one. Any chance you could post a photo of the damage. I don't think you will likely convince any of us to turn away from S&W without quite a bit more information.
Rick
Knowing the weight and type of powder doesn't tell us anything without knowing the bullet that was being used. It looks like it could be an over pressure if the bullet is not a light one. Any chance you could post a photo of the damage. I don't think you will likely convince any of us to turn away from S&W without quite a bit more information.
Rick
AUSSIEBOB
Member
I purchased two 686s weighted barrel model 12 months ago
one i still have not used but the other one had to have the yoke
replaced because it was rusted. I sent it back to the importer here
and there smith's worked a new one in and refinished it to perfection
although the gunsmithwho fixed it is a mate of mine.
But on the down side this should not happen.
Bob
one i still have not used but the other one had to have the yoke
replaced because it was rusted. I sent it back to the importer here
and there smith's worked a new one in and refinished it to perfection
although the gunsmithwho fixed it is a mate of mine.
But on the down side this should not happen.
Bob
rotty
Member
Were you using factory ammo?
May have gotten a double charged round and in that case it should be the ammo maker's the one coming to party.
May have gotten a double charged round and in that case it should be the ammo maker's the one coming to party.
I purchased this gun 8 months ago when it blew apart in my hand
The hell with the pictures of the gun, I want to see pictures of the hand that was holding the gun
Is this this for real
The hell with the pictures of the gun, I want to see pictures of the hand that was holding the gun
Is this this for real
RobsTV
Member
Only 7.5gr HP-38?
Current Hodgon load data shows MAX of 6.9gr HP-38 @ 40,000 CUP for a popular bullet.
Accidently double charge and .....
Current Hodgon load data shows MAX of 6.9gr HP-38 @ 40,000 CUP for a popular bullet.
Accidently double charge and .....
Invictus357
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Just my thoughts here.
First time poster "warns" us against Smith and Wesson.
In my experience with calling a company rep, if I am unhelpful and argumentative then invariably they are as well.
I have called Ruger and Smith and Wesson in the past when I had an issue. I was exceedingly polite and was rewarded with a polite and helpful rep.
We have no pics of the gun and scant details of the handloaded ammo. To what I can gather it was possible we have an overcharged load here, or maybe a squib.
If I ever use reloaded ammo and get a kaboom, my first suspicion will be the ammo and not the gun.
If I used factory fresh ammo, then I would call the ammo maker and give them all the pics, etc they need to ascertain what happened.
I don't think we are being told the full story here.
First time poster "warns" us against Smith and Wesson.
In my experience with calling a company rep, if I am unhelpful and argumentative then invariably they are as well.
I have called Ruger and Smith and Wesson in the past when I had an issue. I was exceedingly polite and was rewarded with a polite and helpful rep.
We have no pics of the gun and scant details of the handloaded ammo. To what I can gather it was possible we have an overcharged load here, or maybe a squib.
If I ever use reloaded ammo and get a kaboom, my first suspicion will be the ammo and not the gun.
If I used factory fresh ammo, then I would call the ammo maker and give them all the pics, etc they need to ascertain what happened.
I don't think we are being told the full story here.
It was no double charge it was a 125 grain bullet at 7.3 grains of HP-38. It was no over pressurized as I was the one shooting it and I know what a over pressurized round feels like. I always made sure that the gun NEVER got anything too bad because I knew a Smith couldn't handle anything very hot.
VaRecon
Member
Count yourself lucky the people at S&W have seen this problem before and made it to where only your topstrap and cylinder got blown up.
It would've been a lot worse had those weak points not been designed that way.
No offense to MOST reloaders out there, but anything can happen. Usually the dog barks, the kids need something, the phone rings, someone comes in the driveway, the cat wants attention, the spouse needs attention, etc. I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER trust reloaded ammo but for two close and long term friends of mine. I ran into a guy out hunting with reloaded ammo from several garage sales!!! Say what you want in rebuttal, but I haven't blown anything up with factory ammo. Each to their own though as this is only my opinion. The load data posted from a member/manual suggests the mind was somewhere else when reloading. How inexpensive are lessons supposed to be?
Maximumbob54
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7.3 grains of HP-38 is the starting load for a 125 grain XTP.
Don't take this the wrong way, but...
How do you know for sure that the rounds you fired were loaded with exactly 7.3 grs. (or "7.5" for that matter) of HP-38? Unless you loaded them yourself or were present during their assembly, you're really just going by the word of the person that reloaded them.
How do you know for sure that the rounds you fired were loaded with exactly 7.3 grs. (or "7.5" for that matter) of HP-38? Unless you loaded them yourself or were present during their assembly, you're really just going by the word of the person that reloaded them.
BlueOvalBandit
Member
Soooo... the cylinder spontaneously disassembled and the top strap broke and it wasn't the ammo's fault....
7.5gr of clays or another really fast spikey powder might be able to do that.... just saying.....
7.5gr of clays or another really fast spikey powder might be able to do that.... just saying.....
jframe
Member
I just really don't believe in reloading. The owner's manuals for EVERY gun company caution against it, and S&W is without a doubt within their right to not back up this particular gun. It really doesn't matter whether it's considered an overcharge or not, the simple fact is that it was an admitted reload. I don't get to shoot very often, and ammo cost is one reason why. I don't own a .44 ANYTHING simply because of feeding costs. On the other hand, at least when I DO get to go shoot, I'm not worried about coming home minus one appendage. Good luck to the OP, and I would consider it a lesson learned.
When I started to reload in 2004 I used Unique powder. After Trail Boss was introduced I switched to it. It is so "fluffy" that it is imposable to over load. A double charge would over flow the case and would still not exceed maximum pressures.
TrueTexan
Member
Smith prints in their manual do not use reloads. That fact that it was a reload would be one reason that Smith will not replace the gun. When I reload and use the ammo I take responsibility for what ever happens. That is why I only shoot my own reloads. I also done by ammo at gun shows because I don't know the origins of the super cheap deal named brand ammo.
VaRecon
Member
And for the record, my 27 Smith handles some pretty hot reloads.
Idk if I would try it in a scandium or 8-shot revolver, but then again, I don't know why I would want to.
Idk if I would try it in a scandium or 8-shot revolver, but then again, I don't know why I would want to.
Maximumbob54
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For those that don't reload I don't begrudge them anything. Heck, please leave your empty brass behind for guys like me. I check, double check, and then check my loads again for powder levels. Then I go back to the book yet agian, visit the scale again, and I check every tenth powder throw all the way to the end to make sure the measure isn't drifting or anything. Reloading is as dangerous as driving your car. Both are easy to make a serious screw up if you stop paying attention.
Allen-frame
Member
Looking at some posts of kabooms in the past one would have to wonder.
When a bullet is seated just a fraction deeper than the publicized o.a.l.
the pressures spike dramatically.
I won't be one to call 'double charge' here or anywhere else.
But it would seem that an ammunition malfunction of some sort was
the culprit here.
Cylinders and topstraps don't just come apart like that without some
radical pressure spiking.
Maybe a heavier bullet (longer) got into the mix and was inadvertently seated as the 125 gr. bullets in question.
That would do it , no?
Allen Frame
34 years of handloading and no kabooms to date.
When a bullet is seated just a fraction deeper than the publicized o.a.l.
the pressures spike dramatically.
I won't be one to call 'double charge' here or anywhere else.
But it would seem that an ammunition malfunction of some sort was
the culprit here.
Cylinders and topstraps don't just come apart like that without some
radical pressure spiking.
Maybe a heavier bullet (longer) got into the mix and was inadvertently seated as the 125 gr. bullets in question.
That would do it , no?
Allen Frame
34 years of handloading and no kabooms to date.
