Kaboom Photos

[OldLincoln]

I came across this in another forum. I was surprised to ss so many revolvers shown as I thought they were less likely to kaboom that autos.

Kabooms (http://kaboompics.imgur.com/kaboom#kv66J)

[CJB]

Hate to say that one PM9 shows he inner set of rails quite well... the plastic is blown off 'em!

[Jeremiah/Az]

Those all have to be bad loads or obstructions.

I saw a shotgun blow up from about 6 feet away @ the gun club. This was the second K80 this same guy had blown up with his reloads in about a year!

[jocko]

some p[retty expensive and strong guns shown here4. I enjoyed thatone single action that had part of the barrel cutaway and there was 5 squibs stuck in the barrel. That is shear stupidity

I would have liked to see some of the hands and faces of the shooters to. Some had to be messed up..

[TucsonMTB]

http://i.imgur.com/tWRzG.jpg

This picture is almost artistic.

It would interesting to know more about what happened here.

[getsome]

Man that makes me cringe...like...:2eek:...What the heck kind of shell is that in the blown up Judge? Looks like its about as long as a 410 shotgun shell but brass...

[OldLincoln]

Yeah, Tucson; it looks like Elmer Fudds' gun in one of the Bugs Bunny cartoons.

[jlottmc]

When I first got to the armory, we had one of our geniuses blow up an M2. We kept the investigation from showing what would have really happened (the guy was a Lat move from admin and had not a clue about guns, but that would have been a career ender with jail time). What had happened was the mighty 50 hadn't been head spaced or timed correctly (the incident was during a shoot, and this Sgt got frustrated and forgot to do that). We were beyond lucky that no one got killed on that one.

[TheTman]

On those revolvers where the cylinder is blown open and the top strap blown off, I saw one of those and it was because the cartridge brass had a crack in it. I had no idea the brass played such an important role, but a little crack in it can really be dangerous.
You really got to inspect your brass closely when you reload. That's why I like my little single stage press, everything goes slow and you have plenty of time to inspect each round as it goes thru the various stages of the reloading process. Even then I did manage to make a squib load with no powder once. Luckily it pushed the bullet just far enough into the barrel that the cylinder wouldn't turn, or I might have one of those pictures like that of my 629 Classic. I did learn to save the beer for after the reloading is done. Man I would have been singing the blues had I destroyed that gun. I did kind of lose interest in reloading after that. I still have all my equipment and I might try it again once I get my farmhouse back.

[TucsonMTB]

Yeah, Tucson; it looks like Elmer Fudds' gun in one of the Bugs Bunny cartoons.
Hey, Old Lincoln! I think you nailed it.

And, I'll bet the "wascaly wabbit" got away too. :D

Rifling must make good notch points in the steel. The symmetry and smoothness of the barrel shards is amazing. Better in a cartoon than in person, I'm thinking . . .

[melissa5]

I worry about squibs more than overcharged rounds.

[getsome]

I do too, My son was shooting my 1911 and had a squib and before I could say anything he would have fired another round but thank God the next round wouldn't chamber or he would have fired it and blown up the gun and possibly hurt himself real bad....Really scared me to death!!!!!

[TucsonMTB]

I do not reload, partly out of concern that I might create a squib or an overcharged round. All of our ammo is name brand, usually domestic production from Federal, Speer and Winchester (not counting .22 LR that includes some imported, exotic target stuff).

We have had only one family KaBoom. It was factory ammo (Federal American Eagle) .380 ACP. I was spotting. I saw the bullet from the round before the KaBoom and the bullet from the KaBoom itself each hit the target and called them for my wife, who was shooting.

My wife was only startled when the P-3AT barrel split, cracking the slide slightly, and venting most of the pressure through the plastic in the area of the recoil spring and guide rod.

I sent Kel-Tec the box end from the ammo and the pistol. They returned a replacement pistol, with the same serial number, which has been just as trouble free as the first one (not counting the KaBoom, of course). I believe it was an overcharged round.

http://home.mindspring.com/%7Ejustsomeguy/KT_Bad_News.JPG

[CJB]

On those revolvers where the cylinder is blown open and the top strap blown off, I saw one of those and it was because the cartridge brass had a crack in it. I had no idea the brass played such an important role, but a little crack in it can really be dangerous.
You really got to inspect your brass closely when you reload. That's why I like my little single stage press, everything goes slow and you have plenty of time to inspect each round as it goes thru the various stages of the reloading process. Even then I did manage to make a squib load with no powder once. Luckily it pushed the bullet just far enough into the barrel that the cylinder wouldn't turn, or I might have one of those pictures like that of my 629 Classic. I did learn to save the beer for after the reloading is done. Man I would have been singing the blues had I destroyed that gun. I did kind of lose interest in reloading after that. I still have all my equipment and I might try it again once I get my farmhouse back.

Odds are the case cracked as a result of non support as the cylinder blew open. When I reloaded commercially, we'd occasionally get a split case make it through the line. Mostly 357 mag cases for some reason. Never an issue, just hard extraction - the case expands but doesn't contract due to the crack. I'd say that was a huge overload....or bullet caught in the forcing cone

[CJB]

I've said this before, but I was present at Markham Park when a guy was shooting his Super Blackhawk with his own reloads... blew the cylinder out. Parts went through the hand of the guy NEXT to the shooter. Bad.

Have seen a 1911 go south.... stupid ass "gunsmith" blew up his own 1911 with his own reloads, a classic double charge of 231 powder. Blew out the barrel's chamber through the ejection port, bent the slide.

Have seen two suicides... at the range, one Corvette floor get shot, ricochet through a leg, one finger blown off by Glock, one right leg shot (right next to his 'nads) with Glock (both Glock shots were the old Glock case with the post, and the gun being put in with round in chamber). Have more negligent discharges than I ought to have - two right in front of me as I faced the shooter. Have also witnessed one self inflicted shot to the ankle at the range. Guns can be messy in the hands of the stupid.

I can almost forgive a squib being seconded from a revolver, but not an automatic.

[ltxi]

..........I can almost forgive a squib being seconded from a revolver, but not an automatic.

Not sure I follow that.

[Jeremiah/Az]

CJB, where did you see all of that? I don't wanna go there!:eek:

[Rainman48314]

I came across this in another forum. I was surprised to ss so many revolvers shown as I thought they were less likely to kaboom that autos.

Kabooms (http://kaboompics.imgur.com/kaboom#kv66J)
Was #73 a Kahr Arms product?

[CJB]

Not sure I follow that.

Shooting light target loads, the revolver shooter may encounter a squib that does not cause a mechanical malfunction, and may inadvertently put a second shot down the barrel. The autoloader shooter should always check for a squib, with any malfunction that causes failure of the slide to fully cycle. Not too many folks still shoot those ultra light load 38's and such, but some do. Back even in the late 70's and early 80's... light load revolvers were popular at ranges, and squibs were not totally uncommon. Less so today I'd imagine them being a pretty rare event because revolvers are mostly out of fashion for target shooting.

[CJB]

CJB, where did you see all of that? I don't wanna go there!:eek:

At three local gun ranges, two of which employed me for range duty, general fixups, training, etc... I did that as a second source of income for over ten years. It was great too... because I got to apply my skills for machine design to the reloading biz (the range made oh... 40-50 boxes of ammo daily of one caliber or another, every day...almost a million rounds a year). Also got to hone skills with machine work, learning from a master machinist, who was gun illiterate. He could cut metal, I had ideas.... match made in heaven. Ended up doing some contract work after I "retired" from the local ranges, for two well known Ct and Az firearms companies as well.

[Indigo]

http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n618/devito99/dbf51781.jpg

[getsome]

There was a case of a Probation Officer being shot and killed yesterday at the Jackson Georgia State Prison during a training exercise...They have not released any details about how it happened but I wonder if a Glock was involved...I have never fired a Glock or even dry fired one so I don't know much about their triggers so I want to ask others more familiar with Glocks why they seem to have more AD issues and is it due to the design or just the fact that there are so many out there?....

[wyntrout]

At the last gun show, I finally picked one up and dry fired it... I was surprised when it went off as I was trying to get a feel for the trigger. That's a very light trigger pull and quick let off. It just goes to show that the first time you handle a gun and try to get a feel for it, it should NEVER be loaded... AND you should NEVER "Ass-U-Me" that it's unloaded, OR that YOU know how to check that for sure... even in gun shows!

Wynn:)

[Bawanna]

There was a case of a Probation Officer being shot and killed yesterday at the Jackson Georgia State Prison during a training exercise...They have not released any details about how it happened but I wonder if a Glock was involved...I have never fired a Glock or even dry fired one so I don't know much about their triggers so I want to ask others more familiar with Glocks why they seem to have more AD issues and is it due to the design or just the fact that there are so many out there?....

I think your partially right in that there are so many out there. Most discharges I've heard of at our state academy occur during cleaning. In order to take the slide off you have to pull the trigger and release the striker.
They have numerous clearing stations and lord help you if you drop that striker anywhere but at the clearing station.

I don't recall any injuries but several discharges.

Actually the Glock helped make me comfortable with a 1911 again. A wise detective here who carries one asked me how I avoided a discharge with a Glock that I was comfortable carrying. I said keep my finger off the trigger. A light bulb went off in my head and I realized the 1911 even had an added safety and a grip safety. Apply the same concept and I can't go wrong.
Been comfy with the 1911 ever since.

[OldLincoln]

I has similar experience to Wynn only I had alresdy loaded and chambered it. I was drawing down on my target when it went off way high. I swear that trigger is as light as Dad's 1911. If you even think about pulling the trigger it's almost too late to change your mind. On a Kahr you can do the "she loves me, she loves me not" thing during the trigger pull.

[TucsonMTB]

The light trigger may help explain why Jocko finds that he shoots so much more accurately with his Glock than with his beloved PM9.

Years ago, I rented a .40 S&W Glock for an evening of shooting with a friend in California. He brought along his Para Ordnance 1911 with an LDA trigger. I don't remember much about the Glock, but the shiny stainless 1911 started a life long romance with that platform from which I have still not recovered. Not that I am trying very hard.

Still don't own any Glocks. Aesthetically, they remind me too much of PEZ dispensers for bullets. . . . :behindsofa:

[ltxi]

Shooting light target loads, the revolver shooter may encounter a squib that does not cause a mechanical malfunction, and may inadvertently put a second shot down the barrel. The autoloader shooter should always check for a squib, with any malfunction that causes failure of the slide to fully cycle. Not too many folks still shoot those ultra light load 38's and such, but some do. Back even in the late 70's and early 80's... light load revolvers were popular at ranges, and squibs were not totally uncommon. Less so today I'd imagine them being a pretty rare event because revolvers are mostly out of fashion for target shooting.

Ok, I understand that. Very light loads were never my thing. I think in terms of if it doesn't feel right......

[ltxi]

There was a case of a Probation Officer being shot and killed yesterday at the Jackson Georgia State Prison during a training exercise...They have not released any details about how it happened but I wonder if a Glock was involved...I have never fired a Glock or even dry fired one so I don't know much about their triggers so I want to ask others more familiar with Glocks why they seem to have more AD issues and is it due to the design or just the fact that there are so many out there?....

Short, relatively light trigger, (imo) no real safety. It was right after Glocks hit the streets that general training got really serious about finger outside the trigger guard and full coverage of the trigger by a holster.

[Scoundrel]

While we're talking about ammo issues that might make your gun do things you don't expect...

I stopped buying Federal Champion 9mm Luger when I found this one in my box (picture below). I had some before this one which were slightly blemished, but this one was over the top. I'm seeing a lot more consistency and less garbage in the S&B stuff I buy now.

http://bruteforcetech.com/misc/2Bullets.jpg

[CJB]

Short, relatively light trigger, (imo) no real safety. It was right after Glocks hit the streets that general training got really serious about finger outside the trigger guard and full coverage of the trigger by a holster.

All the problems I've seen with Glock - were three. I was immediate first hand witness to two, and close witness to the third.

Two of them, the idiot gun owners, one was a LEO btw, tried to put the pistol in the case with a chambered round. There was (maybe still is, dunno) a round "post" in the middle of the case that was there expressly to preclude putting the gun in the case with a chambered round. To get the gun in the case, the trigger had to be to its rearmost position, so... the chamber would have to be empty. Idiots found a way to "just barely" get the pistol in there. The cop put the case in his trunk and the gun went off when he slammed the trunk shut. The bullet exited the rear of the car, and entered his upper right thigh about as close to his 'nads as you'd still be able to call a clean miss. He came maybe 1/2 inch or so from blowing his own testicles clean off, maybe taking out this pecker at the same time. The other guy was in the showroom of the range, snapped the lid on the case, like Tupperware, and the gun went off, almost completely severing his left ring finger.
Idiot number three was used to lowering the hammer on his 1911 after chambering a round. He'd close the slide, hold the hammer and pull the trigger. He chambered a round, put his thumb and forefinger behind the Glock slide and pulled the trigger. This was also in the showroom, right at the sales counter, and the bullet passed in front of a range employee, and entered display of ammo on the shelf behind the counter. A few rounds were set off, harmlessly, there.

Never saw any pocket firing or such with Glock, but I know it can happen! Thats one reason I LOVE the Kahr trigger. Best trigger out there, and safe too with its long pull.

[Scoundrel]

All the problems I've seen with Glock - were three. I was immediate first hand witness to two, and close witness to the third.

Sounds like in (at least) two of those, the people running the show share the blame. Who lets people put live rounds in a gun at the sales counter?

Let's see:
1. Lots of people around.
2. People handling firearms that they are not familiar with.
3. Live ammo.

WTF?!

[wyntrout]

"Still don't own any Glocks. Aesthetically, they remind me too much of PEZ dispensers for bullets," TucsonMTB

That's a good one! I know they are good guns... just not for me! I've considered them many times, but could never make myself buy one. I'm just not comfortable with them and have many other choices.

Wynn:)

[TucsonMTB]

Thanks, Wynn! You and I appear to think alike on many topics. :)

[CJB]

Sounds like in (at least) two of those, the people running the show share the blame. Who lets people put live rounds in a gun at the sales counter?

Let's see:
1. Lots of people around.
2. People handling firearms that they are not familiar with.
3. Live ammo.

WTF?!

EXACTLY my point at the time!!!!

NOBODY SHOULD HANDLE GUNS WHILE IN THE SHOWROOM, UNLESS ITS A SALES ITEM!!!! (and is supervised by staff)

The finger scenario: The individual actually had paid, was on his way out, when he decided to load his Glock. I'm not sure where the magazine came from. I'm almost certain he did not load the magazine out in the sales area. Its me belief that he had a charged magazine in his pocket "for the trip home".

The ammo box scenario: Longtime ex-LEO customer paid, was BSing at the counter with staff, and all of a sudden, announced his plan to leave, pulled his Glock, pulled a magazine, and bam. It happened in a second.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who carries a closed action arm out of the range, or pulls a gun out of a case without asking, or pulls a gun from concealment without asking... automatically becomes a perforated target. How can I, as staff (at the time) know the difference between him and a bad guy? I cant. End of story.