Strange Range Pick-Ups

[federali]

Guns work better with correct Ammo!

Years ago I did witness two of my friends sharing a point at a municipal range and getting their ammo mixed up with the result that a .41 Magnum was accidentally fired in a .44 Magnum. Everything sounded normal but no bullet hole in the target.

 

[jcelect]

OOPS!

At the range watching two guys pondering over a 300 Win Mag? About 10 rds down range with a good pattern(not a good group)! The owner claimed the gun could shoot one hole at 100 yds! I checked the spent rds! Short necked 7MM Mag! Ain't gonna reload them!
jcelect

 

[jjfitch]

Overworked nickel plated brass!

I didn't pick this up at the range, I removed it from a K frame, probably can't reload that one again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

38 spl can and often be reloaded 10 plus times. Unfortunately nickel plating somehow creates brittle cases and results in what you are seeing here. Sometime the case looks just fine after reloading and splits while just sitting in a box over time.

After shooting 38 Spl if you hold several cases in your hand and shake the cases split cases make a distinct dull ping rather than a higher pitched ping (normal)!

Smiles,

 

[Racer X]

I didn't pick this up at the range, I removed it from a K frame, probably can't reload that one again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

you can glue that right up so the powder won't leak.

 

[colt_saa]

you can glue that right up so the powder won't leak.

Another use for Flex Seal

 

[colt_saa]

I didn't pick this up at the range, I removed it from a K frame, probably can't reload that one again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

If you reload a casing enough, this will happen no matter what cartridge we are talking about

 

[Krogen]

He was fire forming for the wildcat 40/9 cartridge. Hits like a 40, recoils like a 9. Saves powder.

Ahhh yes. The old 9mm necked up to 40 cal. Requires a clamshell chamber to load the round.

 

[DWalt]

I took a young hunter out for deer many years ago. He was carrying his father's rifle, a 7.5mm Swiss. I forget why I checked the magazine, but the ammo included not only 7.5mm but also .303 British and .284 Winchester. I'm not sure who loaded the magazine, the 12 year old kid or his college president father.

Actually, the .284 Win and the 7.5 Swiss are pretty much the same cartridge except for the bullet diameter. I make 7.5 Swiss cases from .284 brass.

I have seen numerous blown-out cases at ranges, mainly .40 S&W cartridges which were obviously fired in .45 ACP pistols. I once mistakenly (due to a mixup in guns and inattention) fired a cylinder full of .32-20s in a .38 Special revolver. I didn't notice anything suspicious until I ejected all those expanded and split .32-20 cases.

 

[gwpercle]

I didn't pick this up at the range, I removed it from a K frame, probably can't reload that one again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

This is what a 38 special case look like after many reloadings ...just plumb wore out !
It's not an overload simply reloaded until the brass fails .
Gary

 

[kraynky]

I didn't pick this up at the range, I removed it from a K frame, probably can't reload that one again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Nothing a little JB Weld won't fix! LOL!

I actually had some nickle .357 brass (reloaded once too many times) produce the exact same results, when fired from my model 66. The old nickle case was brittle from too many resizings, and being that it was probably 25 years ago, I may have used an ammonia based polish in the tumbler. (before I knew better)

Something like Brasso in a tumbler will make those nickle cases brittle.

 

[DWalt]

Actually, I have experienced similar case splitting with new factory loads. For some reason, the brass has become brittle. I once came into five boxes of Canadian CIL Dominion .38 Special wadcutter target loads (not plated) cheap and at least half of the cases split like that on the first firing. It doesn't do any damage, but the cases aren't reloadable. Also had some older factory .44 Special cartridges do the same thing.