Round ruins my bolt assembly

[Mr. Malice]

Hello all, I planned on introducing myself earlier but today at the range I had a problem arise.

Here's my situation, maybe someone can help me out and tell me what route I should take.

So I have the M&P 15-22 (DTX being the first three of the serial#)
Today was my second time taking it out to the range, cleaned it thoroughly after the first day using M-Pro 7 cleaner and lube.
Today I took it out to try out some new ammo to see what worked the best, CCI being the best, then tried Remington Yellow Jackets, then Federal Lightning, then moved onto the Federal 36 grain hollow points (550 round value pack)

I got about 30 shots off with the Federal value pack when boom. Smoke comes out of every gap in the rifle. Set safety, dropped mag, and locked back the bolt. Looked in and hooray, the round went off while only being 2/3 in the chamber.
It blew out a part of my bolt assembly and shot shrapnel into my girlfriends arm.

What is the best route to take to get this repaired? Contact Federal? Contact S&W?
Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Neezer]

First, take girlfriend to nice dinner
Second, contact s&w

 

[Mr. Malice]

Heh, already took her out to dinner, Joe's Crab Shack.

Anyone else? Anyone think the warranty will cover it?

 

[BELT_FED]

Warranty will cover it and id send pics of her arm and a letter and id ask to speak to management when I called and explain what happened... they r sure to be snappy when some gets hurt...

 

[DasFriek]

Well it was just a matter of time before someone got hurt, Even if it don't look all that bad im sure it wasn't fun.
Yeh i think id go past the warranty dept and go a step higher and let them know about this and send pics.

It may get to point S&W may have to do a recall of some of the earlier models. Tell the GF we are glad she wasn't seriously hurt.

 

[Mr. Malice]

I agree, and I am also very glad that it was such a minor injury, its just the fact that it could have been worse.
I've sent an email to S&W with the pictures I supplied in this thread.

P.s. My girlfriend said thanks for caring.

 

[Basil_Moulds]

Now im afraid to switch from aguila ammo to federal bulks......lol

 

[Mr. Malice]

Now im afraid to switch from aguila ammo to federal bulks......lol

Don't! lol
Almost every other federal would be either a fte or ftf.
Stick with either CCI or Aguila. :]

 

[Basil_Moulds]

Don't! lol
Almost every other federal would be either a fte or ftf.
Stick with either CCI or Aguila. :]

All I use is Aguila but im looking to use standard velocity rounds for more accuracy.

 

[BELT_FED]

Well I've got a first gen gun... u know the "1 with all the problems".. anyway I must be holding my mouth right cause this weekend puts me upwards of 13,000 rds of fed. Bulk and I've had no issues or s&w returns..
He may have had a sqib.. it happens... just out of curiosity how man rds had been fired through the rifle and how well had it been cleaned and how much lube was left on it... and when u said it was fed bulk is it the 550 copper washed rds or 1 of the other types they have

 

[BELT_FED]

1 last question did you fire any lead bullets that were not copper washed... or that had a wax on them...

 

[eztarget]

glad to hear she is OK. someone else just posted in another thread about one happening yesterday too. a bit concerning.

 

[ArcaneFlame]

I wouldn't blame the ammo. By and large Federal Bulk receives some of the highest praise and sees the most use by members of this forum. That's almost all I use and some of the other heavy shooters around here would agree. I've got roughly 5,000 rounds through mine (since January) and the vast majority of that has been Federal Bulk 550.

Had you been shooting Remington Golden Bullets at the time... that might be a different story. *cringe*


I'm also glad to hear that your girl is ok and that it wasn't a worse injury. Just out of curiosity, where was she standing/sitting when this happened? How far away was she? From the location of her injury it looks like she would have been to the right side of the gun but facing backwards? The injury appears to be on the outside of her right forearm so she must not have been facing down range or else the shrapnel must have ricocheted off something further to the right and past her and then bounced back. Perhaps she was sitting on the bench/table next to you facing backwards with her hands down on the table at her sides? Not questioning the legitimacy of your claim by any means... it just seems like an odd spot to have gotten hit so I'm wondering how it happened to hit her there. I'll admit that sometimes I put to much thought into this stuff but it's got my curiosity piqued at this point.

 

[chuck s]

Classic (yes, it's becoming Classic) out of battery discharge. The cartridge isn't feeding all the way into the chamber -- literally stuck -- and the firing pin is activating the primer.

Email S&W for a call tag and send the rifle to them.

The question about the bystander so close is a different subject. Stuff happens.

-- Chuck

 

[eztarget]

chuck, can you tell me what design prevents this? i am not very familiar with the actuation system and i am curious how/what prevents this from happening normally and why it doesn't appear to work in these scenarios.

 

[Mr. Malice]

Well I've got a first gen gun... u know the "1 with all the problems".. anyway I must be holding my mouth right cause this weekend puts me upwards of 13,000 rds of fed. Bulk and I've had no issues or s&w returns..
He may have had a sqib.. it happens... just out of curiosity how man rds had been fired through the rifle and how well had it been cleaned and how much lube was left on it... and when u said it was fed bulk is it the 550 copper washed rds or 1 of the other types they have

Well the first day at the range I would put it at about 200 rounds. Waiting a good 2 mins between every 25 rounds to cool.
The day the "misfire" happened I would say I put about 10 rounds of the CCI Stinger 32 grain 1640fps copper plated hollow, 25 round of the CCI mini-mag 36 grain 1260fps copper hollow, 35 rounds of the Remington yellow jackets, and then about 25 rounds of the Federal Value pack, that of which caused the "misfire". That puts it at around 295 rounds approximately.
The round that it happened with is the Federal value, which is 36 grains, copper plated hollow point, 1260fps at muzzle and 1000fps at 100yrds. Thats all that is on the box unless you also want energy info and drop rate.
As far as cleaning goes, I cleaned it very well using M-Pro 7 gun cleaner and M-Pro 7 lubricant protectant after the first day, I did not leave any excess lube, as I know that can cause huge problems. I have not yet cleaned it after this incident, I want to send it back in the exact shape it was in when the problem happened.

 

[Mr. Malice]

I wouldn't blame the ammo. By and large Federal Bulk receives some of the highest praise and sees the most use by members of this forum. That's almost all I use and some of the other heavy shooters around here would agree. I've got roughly 5,000 rounds through mine (since January) and the vast majority of that has been Federal Bulk 550.

Had you been shooting Remington Golden Bullets at the time... that might be a different story. *cringe*


I'm also glad to hear that your girl is ok and that it wasn't a worse injury. Just out of curiosity, where was she standing/sitting when this happened? How far away was she? From the location of her injury it looks like she would have been to the right side of the gun but facing backwards? The injury appears to be on the outside of her right forearm so she must not have been facing down range or else the shrapnel must have ricocheted off something further to the right and past her and then bounced back. Perhaps she was sitting on the bench/table next to you facing backwards with her hands down on the table at her sides? Not questioning the legitimacy of your claim by any means... it just seems like an odd spot to have gotten hit so I'm wondering how it happened to hit her there. I'll admit that sometimes I put to much thought into this stuff but it's got my curiosity piqued at this point.

I took the picture exactly how she was standing when the misfire happened, with her arms crossed. There were a couple of people at the range so she was watching to the left of me, watching me fire, and watching the pretty 5.56mm to the left of me fire.
So that would put her right by the ejection port, and her arm right in the trajectory of the shrapnel.
But you did make a valid point.

 

[ArcaneFlame]

I took the picture exactly how she was standing when the misfire happened, with her arms crossed. There were a couple of people at the range so she was watching to the left of me, watching me fire, and watching the pretty 5.56mm to the left of me fire.
So that would put her right by the ejection port, and her arm right in the trajectory of the shrapnel.
But you did make a valid point.

Thanks for the explanation. I was just curious. I think you might have misspoke though... (I could be wrong, I often am) she would have had to have been to your right, correct? Since the ejection port is on the right side of the gun. To my (limited) knowledge, S&W doesn't make a left ejecting version of the gun. Anyhow, thanks for the info... even though it was a bit off topic.

Please keep us updated as to S&W's response and how they treat you in resolving this. From most accounts you'll be taken care of in short order. I would definitely try and elevate the issue with them though and ensure that they know that someone has now gotten injured, albeit a minor injury. (luckily) The next person might not be so lucky and if needed they should take action to prevent that from happening. Even if it meant a general recall to fix the problem. Better to be inconvenience and have to send our guns in to be repaired than to have someone seriously injured in the future.

 

[Mr. Malice]

Thanks for the explanation. I was just curious. I think you might have misspoke though... (I could be wrong, I often am) she would have had to have been to your right, correct? Since the ejection port is on the right side of the gun. To my (limited) knowledge, S&W doesn't make a left ejecting version of the gun. Anyhow, thanks for the info... even though it was a bit off topic.

Please keep us updated as to S&W's response and how they treat you in resolving this. From most accounts you'll be taken care of in short order. I would definitely try and elevate the issue with them though and ensure that they know that someone has now gotten injured, albeit a minor injury. (luckily) The next person might not be so lucky and if needed they should take action to prevent that from happening. Even if it meant a general recall to fix the problem. Better to be inconvenience and have to send our guns in to be repaired than to have someone seriously injured in the future.

Yes, she was on my right, but facing left with her arms crossed.. I know its confusing but ya..

 

[ArcaneFlame]

Cool thanks. One last quick question... roughly how far away from you was she? I think it could be good to know as it could influence me a bit when I go to the range. I may be more cautious about other shooters being to the right of me. I might start shooing on the far right lane more often, just in case I experienced an OOB discharge.