A Surprise At The Range Yesterday

[rjk]

Several of us went to the pistol range a few days ago to shoot 1911s. Some were experienced, some were not. We purchased several boxes of .45 reloads and everybody was loading magazines. We have never had any problems with ammo from this range in the past, but what happened surprised the hell out of me.

One of the boxes of .45 apparently had a 9mm Luger cartridge mixed in that got loaded into a magazine. Yea, I know, anybody experienced should have instantly detected the size difference when they picked up that cartridge, but they didn't and we honestly don't know who did it.

As best I can tell after the fact, the 9mm chambered, the edge of the brass case caught the edge of the .45 chamber, holding it back against the breech block, the pin struck and fired the round. The round fired with a dull thud and we knew instantly something was wrong. I first thought it was an undercharged round and the bullet may be in the barrel (happened to me on a Markarov with MilSurp ammo once). The barrel was clear. Fortunately no one was hurt and no damage is apparent.

Lesson: Don't assume what you bought is what you got.

[elrcastor]

OMG, glad you are all ok!!!!

[Vin496]

I once loaded a 9mm in a .40, and like you as I was shooting I heard a dull thud, and noticed the slide did not cycle. I opened it and there was a stuck case, it took a little prying and the 9mm brass came out.

All that had happened is the brass had expanded and split, no other damage. Went on shooting and learned to not mix magazines.

[DougJ]

Wow, haven't seen that before. It's amazing that someone could load a 9mm alongside a .45 ACP!

I'm glad no damage was done, and now you have a good cautionary story to tell noobies.

Did the slide cycle at all?

[evidens83]

I always worry about this at the range when I buy their reloads. After your post it gets me thinking even harder. Thanks for the heads up and I'm glad nobody got hurt or their 1911 damaged.

[kurac]

I also had this happen with a 9mm in a .40, I guess my buddy didn't notice the difference in diameter. It was in my Glock 23, it did fire and eject, I believe I was shooting it since he was kind enough to load up a magazine for me. That is the last time I brought 9mm's and .40's on the same trip to the range.

[bombadillo]

I was at the station over where a guy had an issue like that only he made the bonehead move himself. He was trying to fire a smaller round out of a gun than was supposed to be chambered for. I can't remember what the round was but it was a bolt rifle and the 2 different rounds were close in size. When at 25 yards he was trying to sight in a new scope, he was keyholing the rounds something was off. The R.O. sent him home and he came back with the right ammo.

[BamBam-31]

Wow, glad no one was hurt. Last time I loaded a 9mm into a .45 1911, the entire round just slid right out through the barrel. I guess it's just bad luck that the OP's stuck in the chamber.

[CSACANNONEER]

I always worry about this at the range when I buy their reloads. After your post it gets me thinking even harder. Thanks for the heads up and I'm glad nobody got hurt or their 1911 damaged.

Why worry? You should be alert enough that this can't happen.

BTW, OP thanks for posting this. I've seen .40s in a .45 and 9mm in a .40 but, I never thought that a 9mm could actually fire from a .45acp. It was a very educational thread for me.

[hybridatsun350]

Last time I loaded a 9mm into a .45 1911, the entire round just slid right out through the barrel.

Yea, that's what usually happens.

Now for the next question, why are you trusting someone with a handgun that can't tell the difference between a 9mm and a .45 ACP? That's not a gun knowledge issue, that's a common knowledge issue. If something looks that much different than all the other stuff, don't you think you'd second guess loading it in the gun?

[BlackonBlack]

Blown away there was a 9mm in a box of .45 but even more blown away it could have mistakenly been loaded. I guess if you weren't looking and muscle memory kicks in.... Mistakes happen glad everything is cool!

[rjk]

If you asked me before this happened, I would have told you it couldn't happen; that the 9mm would slide out the barrel of the .45. The chances of of the the edge of the brass case cathching the edge of the .45 chamber, to hold it back against the breech block so the pin would hit the primer and fire are near zero (but obviously not zero).

[cortayack]

Thats why I (myself) reload my own ammo and load my magzs....

[Oldnoob]

Wow, glad no one get hurt.

[flatovercrest]

It's amazing that someone could load a 9mm alongside a .45 ACP!

That's what I'm thinking too..