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KABOOM!!! (Read 9010 times)

Inspector

KABOOM!!!
« on: December 31, 2016, 05:49:38 AM »
A good friend of mine was hurt yesterday when his Glock in 45 ACP went KABOOM. Fortunately his injuries were minor and look worse than they really are. We suspect an over pressure situation with his reloads. Though it could just as easily have been case failure. I heard from a source that Slick looked at the barrel and said it showed signs of over pressure. What those signs are I am not sure? And I have not talked to Slick yet to find out what he actually saw.

I am saying this because I just would like to emphasize to everyone here who reloads the importance of reading and understanding and then executing all the important safety precautions while reloading. You cannot be too safe.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

Pipitlvr808

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2016, 06:04:26 AM »
I'm glad your friend is OK.  This was one of my biggest fears when I got into reloading. It still is.  Be safe.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

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Pipitlvr808

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2016, 10:20:33 AM »
Do you have pictures of the KABOOM?
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ren

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2016, 12:28:53 PM »
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Deeds Not Words

Heavies

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2017, 08:46:12 AM »
I was there that day.  Glad your friend is alright. Piece of the case or part of the Glock hit him in the forehead.  Good thing he was wearing safety glasses.



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Inspector

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2017, 09:26:33 AM »
Quote from: Pipitlvr808 on December 31, 2016, 10:20:33 AM
Do you have pictures of the KABOOM?
No I don't have any photos. But I did visually check out the gun yesterday. Surprisingly not as much damage as I thought there would be. The frame, barrel and slide looked okay but only by visual. If it were my gun I would be putting straight edge/micrometer on the barrel and slide just to make sure. The extractor looked perfect but the ejector was bent pretty good. The trigger was destroyed as well as the magazine. Even with that the trigger still worked but the safety did not. The magazine was not repairable. If it were my gun and the slide, barrel and frame looked good then I would replace most of the internals to the frame. And I would check out the firing pin as well. Even with all the busted up internals it mostly still worked when reassembled.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

Inspector

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2017, 09:32:49 AM »
Quote from: Heavies on January 01, 2017, 08:46:12 AM
I was there that day.  Glad your friend is alright. Piece of the case or part of the Glock hit him in the forehead.  Good thing he was wearing safety glasses.
Yes he was lucky. He was worried about a piece of shrapnel embedded right above or below his eye and in his hands. Lucky there was nothing in or around his eyes.

He is pretty tough. He got in his car and drove himself to the emergency room.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

K30l4

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2017, 09:46:36 AM »
I just came across an article about a glock 21 kaboom and some pictures. The brass case ruptured where the barrel does not support.


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Inspector

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2017, 09:55:30 AM »
Man that frame was destroyed!!! My friend is really lucky.

No wonder Glock does not recommend reloads be used in their guns.

I have a 17 and it is pretty easy to tell when the cases need to be discarded. Even after FL resizing there is a bulge that won't go through my case gauge. Also, really obvious stretch marks are a big signal to discard the brass. Oh, and 9mm cases are so prevalent and free that if any case needs to be trimmed, I just toss it. When I go to the pistol range I almost always come home with more 9mm brass than I came with. To me there is no need to trim if I can get more for free.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

Bushido

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2017, 07:03:01 PM »
Quote from: Inspector on December 31, 2016, 05:49:38 AM
I heard from a source that Slick looked at the barrel and said it showed signs of over pressure. What those signs are I am not sure? And I have not talked to Slick yet to find out what he actually saw.

When you looked at the firearm, did you see any signs of overpressure?
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Inspector

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2017, 06:05:26 AM »
Quote from: Bushido on January 01, 2017, 07:03:01 PM
When you looked at the firearm, did you see any signs of overpressure?
I did not see any signs of over pressure. Also, the gun had been cleaned and oiled when I looked at it. Slick could have seen something that was apparent right after the fact. That is why I would put a straight edge and micrometer to the frame, barrel and slide before I would consider rebuilding the gun. Bulges, bends, cracks and curvatures could be so slight as to not be visual with the naked eye.

If it were my gun and I found signs of over pressure I would probably not rebuild the gun. If I found no signs of over pressure I would consider rebuilding it. The damage I see (and I stress visually only) is not that bad. Either way I would probably send it back to Glock for the rebuild.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

O3A3man

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2017, 10:54:39 AM »
The only question I have is  was it reloads ?  And what was the powder\ bullet combo used. Also, was the loads made on a progressive loader ??  Only time I have seen mishaps with reloads is with loads up at max using fast powder (like Bullseye or Win 231) on a progressive press and a double charge was loaded.  When you are using fast powder the normal charge is so small (like 5-6 grains for a 45ACP)  a double or triple charge will actually fit in the case. This is why I don't advise new reloaders to use a progressive until they are very comfortable with the single stage process.

Your friend was lucky----I once saw a S&W 44 mag blow up and there was not much left of it. There was a loud Kaboom which is the signature of an over charge and the top half of the revolver was gone. Fortunately it blew upwards and the guy did not loose his hand or eyes.
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"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent"

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Inspector

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2017, 01:03:12 PM »
Quote from: O3A3man on January 02, 2017, 10:54:39 AM
The only question I have is  was it reloads ?  And what was the powder\ bullet combo used. Also, was the loads made on a progressive loader ??  Only time I have seen mishaps with reloads is with loads up at max using fast powder (like Bullseye or Win 231) on a progressive press and a double charge was loaded.  When you are using fast powder the normal charge is so small (like 5-6 grains for a 45ACP)  a double or triple charge will actually fit in the case. This is why I don't advise new reloaders to use a progressive until they are very comfortable with the single stage process.

Your friend was lucky----I once saw a S&W 44 mag blow up and there was not much left of it. There was a loud Kaboom which is the signature of an over charge and the top half of the revolver was gone. Fortunately it blew upwards and the guy did not loose his hand or eyes.
I don't know what the powder/bullet combination was. I do know he has been using a progressive press recently. So I believe they were made on a progressive. He is not a new reloader. Though the progressive press is fairly new to him. He has been reloading for years on a single stage.
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SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

Kalen

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2017, 12:40:33 AM »
Holey fu*k! Jebus! Scary! I just reloaded some 45 ACP with 7.2-7.4 grains of Unique/185g Hornady HPs today and stumbled across this thread. Makes me not want to test out the plinking rounds I made, LOL.

However, I get my overall final weight in grains (bullet, primer, case, powder), and measure the final weight and re-verify each round after seating and OAL. Any huge variance and I'm yanking the bullet apart.
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oldfart

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2017, 03:56:18 AM »
Quote from: Kalen on January 03, 2017, 12:40:33 AM
Holey fu*k! Jebus! Scary! I just reloaded some 45 ACP with 7.2-7.4 grains of Unique/185g Hornady HPs today and stumbled across this thread. Makes me not want to test out the plinking rounds I made, LOL.

However, I get my overall final weight in grains (bullet, primer, case, powder), and measure the final weight and re-verify each round after seating and OAL. Any huge variance and I'm yanking the bullet apart.
...
It is nearly impossible to double charge unique in your case.
Unique is fluffy and fills up the case. You should have noticed too much or too little powder
I have run up to 8.5 gr. With a similar 185 jhp.

7.2 unq with a 185 jhp is pretty low. Seems wasteful to use such an expensive bullet for light plinking ammo.
I can suggest less costly alternatives if you like.
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What, Me Worry?

islandgunzx

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2017, 02:43:19 PM »
Quote from: ren on December 31, 2016, 12:28:53 PM

Lmao


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Kalen

Re: KABOOM!!!
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2017, 08:41:29 AM »
Quote from: oldfart on January 03, 2017, 03:56:18 AM
...
It is nearly impossible to double charge unique in your case.
Unique is fluffy and fills up the case. You should have noticed too much or too little powder
I have run up to 8.5 gr. With a similar 185 jhp.

7.2 unq with a 185 jhp is pretty low. Seems wasteful to use such an expensive bullet for light plinking ammo.
I can suggest less costly alternatives if you like.

The staticky little flat discs powder that Unique makes don't meter well in my Lee auto-disc powder drop on my progressive. Hence why I don't stick a larger load in them. I did get 300 New REM brass and the Hornady bullets free, lol.  :thumbsup:
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