(Update) Exploding Handgun

[Mossy Man]

IMO, stop trying to point the finger. The picture is obviously the case of a squib-kaboom and is operator error.

I've had two squibs, one from Tula 7.62x39 in my AK and one WWB in my 1911. It can happen with ANY brand new or reloads.


If it feels weird, STOP. Figure out what's going on before you pull that trigger again. I bring a light just for this purpose.
If you don't know how to ID a squib and act accordingly, you shouldn't be using firearms.

Take this as a cheap lesson in firearms safety.

Learn from this mistake and move on.

[Pete1979]

From the looks of your barrel in your original post it seems like some copper plating or exposed lead stripped off of one of those bullets starting a buildup in the rifling. That buildup could have eventually caused a big enough pressure spike to split the barrel. Sometimes if a case doesn't have enough flare (like a short case running through a progressive machine), you end up with plating scraped off or folded up near the case mouth. I've had it happen more than once loading 200gr plated round nose 45.


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[SkyHawk]

If it feels weird, STOP. Figure out what's going on before you pull that trigger again. I bring a light just for this purpose.

Yep - a bore light kept in the range bag is cheap but wise, as is a wood dowel.

[The Gleam]

Ya the barrel is done, the lower frame is done and I'm sure the slide and striker are toast also...I need to bring the barrel to the range and show the manager the barrel now that I was able to get it a part...And I think I'm going to leave out that I used reload ammo when I send it back to Springfield

No. They'll deduce that was the case anyway, so being dishonest won't get you anywhere other than a reduction in self-esteem.

Or at least it should.

[HPGunner]

I've had squib loads from LAX ammo before. I had a 38 special squib round stuck in the barrel of my colt official police. I knew to check the barrel when something didn't feel right shooting. Brought back the ammo to LAX and they gave me a full refund, but said that there was nothing wrong with their ammo. That was the Last time I would ever try their ammo. I'm not surprised it was LAX ammo. Good luck, and hopefully SA will do something to help you out.

Edit - at a minimum LAX should reimburse the cost of their crappy ammo

[someoneeasy]

I'm sorry that happened to you. I will say that Springfield WILL know it was reloads. When I was at Glock Armorer training, he told us how they can determine reloads and what it looks like when its reloads.
It looked liked yours on the photos they showed us. They showed us a few firearms that blew up.
I always use factory loads because of warranty with gun manufactures and don't trust reloads from shops or ranges.
Just buy online for factory loads and purchase in bulk. Its alot cheaper and will always have some in stock.

I'm curious how you're able to tell the difference between reloads and factory ammo? What would these tell tell signs be?

[jpx0123]

do you have any unfired LAX loads and the casing they removed. check and see if they are all the same. if the casing pulled is the same as the unfired reloads and they use the same kind of casings on their reloads, should be easy to prove.

[aznanimekid]

OP I'm glad your ok and hope your gun gets taken care of by somebody.
Here is a curious question for everybody, the XD seems to be a very stout handgun, looking at the pics of the aftermath.
Just wondering how other manufactures such as Glock, HK, CZ and others would handle this same scenario.
Anyone have any info or pics of other guns with squib loads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heckler_%26_Koch_USP#cite_note-Kokalis-5

"In one particular test, a bullet was deliberately lodged in the barrel and another bullet was fired to clear the obstruction. The barrel was successfully cleared with only minor structural deformation and continued to produce consistent groups when test fired for accuracy."

from arfcom

"ever see the HK testing video where they clear a squib in a USP with another bullet, cool stuff. I saw it years ago and can't find it on Youtube. The jist of it is that HK designed the USP to survive a squib. So that's what they did. It's among the torture test where you see a HK in deep freeze with ice coming off of it being fired and all of that. I'll see what my google can come up with, but it is real."

[Carcassonne]

[Carcassonne]

At least it wasn't one of these.

The funniest thing about that picture is that there are more bullets in the barrel than are in 1 cylinder.


.

[RR.44]

Well, I hope you have learned that next time your shot doesn't go off as normal that you stop everything and physically check the barrel for obstructions, otherwise this will happen again.

[essjay]

So I went to the gun range and spoke to the Manager range master, handed him my pistol. He took a look, then went to the small work shop and proceeded to try and remove the spent casing. After he removed the casing and did an inspection he then stated that is was not the reload ammo. Which to me is BS...I shot there ammo I told him.

If your gun kB'd at LAX, using LAX ammo, you should have had them look at it then and there, not waited a couple days and came back. Not saying that things won't turn out right for you in the end, but it would've been a lot easier to get it taken care of then and there.

[gsparesa]

If your gun kB'd at LAX, using LAX ammo, you should have had them look at it then and there, not waited a couple days and came back. Not saying that things won't turn out right for you in the end, but it would've been a lot easier to get it taken care of then and there.

Yup!

[nice shot]

Good morning, so to answer jpx0123 I still have about 700 rounds of their reloads, there are about 15 different manufactures and there is some of the same rounds. The casing that was removed didn't seemed to be damaged (I have it) so I will definitely be taking those back to the range as well. The guys there so far have treated me fair, I will be updating the end results soon...

[nice shot]

On the day of the kaboom there was No manager on duty, the range master at the time asked me to come back on the following day. I returned the next day and spoke to the manager and after his pistol inspection he stated (they would take care of me) if SA didn't do anything. This Monday the owner of the range will be in, so I will be going back to speak with him about the incident...