S&W Sheriffs 357 Special Exploded Today.

[audie.bell54]

Today while at Plum Orchard Lake Gun Range (WV), we witnessed a young boy's/Fathers S&W Sheriffs Special (357) destroy its self. with the first Federal Round in the Cylinder. All were lucky that were there and only the boys hand was left Stinging that did the firing.The revolver in question launched the barrel and bullet down range but left the portion of the barrel with the threads still in the frame. I advised the owner to take the empty cartridge and one other from same cylinder and batch of Federal 158 Grain JSP., rounds to send to Smith & Wesson for investigation. Since the Owner is under impression that the weapon has warranty still in effect. The Boy in question wasn't hurt other than a stinging hand, and the range was closed to collect the parts as they came to land. Any others have or had this kind of issue?

 

[Bill In Texas]

Wow! Scary! Welcome to the Neighborhood!

 

[ridgewalker]

Today while at Plum Orchard Lake Gun Range (WV), we witnessed a young boy's/Fathers S&W Sheriffs Special (357) destroy its self. with the first Federal Round in the Cylinder. All were lucky that were there and only the boys hand was left Stinging that did the firing.The revolver in question launched the barrel and bullet down range but left the portion of the barrel with the threads still in the frame. I advised the owner to take the empty cartridge and one other from same cylinder and batch of Federal 158 Grain JSP., rounds to send to Smith & Wesson for investigation. Since the Owner is under impression that the weapon has warranty still in effect. The Boy in question wasn't hurt other than a stinging hand, and the range was closed to collect the parts as they came to land. Any others have or had this kind of issue?

Not familiar with that model. What is a S&W Sheriffs Special?

 

[H Richard]

If possible keep the gun and ammo together and have an independent investigator try and determine if it was a gun issue, or an ammo issue. Where does the liability fall? If this was a currently owned gun, and you know the barrel was clear, it may well be an ammo issue. If that is the case, the ammo Mfg. needs to know and the lot # of the ammo to check and see if there may be other defective rounds out in the public's hands and need a recall.

If this was the first time you are firing a new gun, did you check the barrel to be sure it was clear? Did a chamber of the cylinder burst or bulge way out? Or, was it just the barrel that blew off.

 

[Rpg]

Do not send gun and ammo back to Smith!

You'll never see it again, particularly if the problem was related to a problem with the gun.

 

[murphydog]

My guess would be it was a Chiefs Special. The OP witnessed the incident but was not shooting it. Might have been a bore obstruction or a mechanical failure at the barrel if the cylinder was intact; the cylinder and top strap probably would have blown out with an overpressure round.

Glad everyone is OK.

 

[steelslaver]

That is an odd failure. Leaving the threaded portion of barrel in the frame. I have to suspect some type of obstruction in the barrel or a serious defect in the barrel. Like stated over pressure would take out the cylinder. If there was no barrel obstruction and the barrel simply failed the recoil shouldn't have been any greater than normal.

Suspect an obstruction.

 

[Bakebfr480]

Sherrifs Special? Pics?

 

[moosedog]

Something is not right with this story.

 

[silversnake]

Not familiar with that model. What is a S&W Sheriffs Special?

Clearly the bigger version of the Chief's Special, hence the .357 magnum chambering...

 

[Muley Gil]

Sounds like one of the newer S&Ws with a two piece barrel. Possibly a new M520.

 

[Drm50]

Has to be barrel obstruction. It's the only thing that makes
sense. Overload or over dia bullet would blow cylinder/ top strap
on firing.

 

[cgt4570]

Fake news? 'Sheriff's Special'? No such animal!

 

[epj]

Yeah, something a bit smelly about this one.

 

[Dvan34]

Back in the 1950's I was on patrol in the desert and practicing with .38 wadcutters and a Colt .38 Spl. Border Patrol revolver. I fired one of the wadcutter reloads and apparently there wasn't any powder. The cap just propelled the lead about halfway down the barrel. So I was walking back to the jeep to get the oil dipstick and push the lead out of the barrel. And lo! Strange thing happened! A rabbit jumped up and I drew and fired! The shot nearly knocked me down and stung my hand. Both wadcutters cleared the barrel. But no damage other than to my pride for doing something so stupid. Fortunately I was alone. Those old Colts stood up to a lot of abuse.

 

[steelslaver]

How about the rabbit. Did you hit it? I have seen guns that survived this, but usually had bulge in barrel.

 

[silversnake]

Back in the 1950's I was on patrol in the desert and practicing with .38 wadcutters and a Colt .38 Spl. Border Patrol revolver. I fired one of the wadcutter reloads and apparently there wasn't any powder. The cap just propelled the lead about halfway down the barrel. So I was walking back to the jeep to get the oil dipstick and push the lead out of the barrel. And lo! Strange thing happened! A rabbit jumped up and I drew and fired! The shot nearly knocked me down and stung my hand. Both wadcutters cleared the barrel. But no damage other than to my pride for doing something so stupid. Fortunately I was alone. Those old Colts stood up to a lot of abuse.

Sounds like the second round was a double charge then?

 

[Black Knight]

I have never heard of the Sheriff's Special. I wonder if it was a gun made prior to 1935 when the 357 Magnum was created. I know that Colt used bore their cylinders straight through before the 357 came out. An old friend of mine had an old Colt .38 Special that he occasionally shot 357s through. I told him that was impossible. He then told me about the cylinder being bored straight through. After we continued talking about safety I doubt he shot any more 357s in it. If this revolver had been made before the Magnum came out it is very possible to have this type of catastrophe happen. I'm glad no one was injured, maybe this can be a learning situation. Use the right ammo for the right gun.

 

[jaymoore]

"Exploded" would be an incorrect term for sure. The failure point at the front of the frame does make a certain amount of sense, due to the generously sized thread relief cut on the barrel OD at that point. But otherwise there do seem to be additional questions about this event.

If first round, then was the revolver not checked for a bore obstruction before loading? If there was no bore obstruction, then the additional recoil felt doesn't make sense. As noted above, the last round fired was unlikely to be defective.

I have seen a 686 that had oversized threads on the frame. Enough so that the owner apparently launched it downrange after a number of shots. In this case, the whole thing went, barrel shank and all. (Yet another oddity captured in detail in photos and in a thread on this forum but now lost with about 10,000 more photos on P'bucket! Errrf. Link below, for all the good it'll do....)

Barrel Cant? Hah! How About Barrel "Can't"!

 

[Davinman]

im not too sure about that Black Knight, i have a colt police positive spl. made in 1914 that will only accept 38 special ammo. i tried to drop 357 mags in the cyl. a minute ago and they dont fit. im not trying to sound like a know it all, just saying i dont see that as an issue. ill bet your friends gun was modified.