S&W 500 goes kaboom

[tvfreakarms]

I'm curious how this happened. Bad ammo? Or daily use and being over stressed?

https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/3istgr/smith_wesson_500_kaboom_today/

2 by 2...hands of blue

[Rosereader]

Well it's hard to say exactly what caused that, particularly because the 500 series are subjected to fairly brutal stresses.

But, most likely it was an ammunition failure. I would be more prone to calling it as a wear issue if not for it being a S&W 500. See, being a rather unpleasant weapon (not to mention the cost of ammunition!) I don't see many of them being rented when I go to the range. People tend to shy away from them, and those who do rent them don't go through a whole lot of ammo due to the sheer expense and mild hand trauma associated with it. This one may have been an exception but I sort of doubt it. In addition the failure occurred less than a year into it's operational lifespan.

I'd wager it was either an overpressured cartridge or a squib followed by a success.

It would be much easier to determine with pictures.

[tvfreakarms]

Well it's hard to say exactly what caused that, particularly because the 500 series are subjected to fairly brutal stresses.

But, most likely it was an ammunition failure. I would be more prone to calling it as a wear issue if not for it being a S&W 500. See, being a rather unpleasant weapon (not to mention the cost of ammunition!) I don't see many of them being rented when I go to the range. People tend to shy away from them, and those who do rent them don't go through a whole lot of ammo due to the sheer expense and mild hand trauma associated with it. This one may have been an exception but I sort of doubt it. In addition the failure occurred less than a year into it's operational lifespan.

I'd wager it was either an overpressured cartridge or a squib followed by a success.

It would be much easier to determine with pictures.

When u go the link click where it said "SMITH & WESSON 500 kaboom (today)".
It will show u a pic.
Basically the barrel was destroyed.
Also the gun store they bought it from Davidson's wouldn't honor their warranty.

2 by 2...hands of blue

[Rosereader]

When u go the link click where it said "SMITH & WESSON 500 kaboom (today)".
It will show u a pic.
Basically the barrel was destroyed.
Also the gun store they bought it from Davidson's wouldn't honor their warranty.

2 by 2...hands of blue

I went to the link and read through a bit of it before making my first post, I didn't see a picture but that was probably my bad.


You said the barrel blew? Then I stand by my squib and boom theory.


EDIT: There it is! And my oh my. Yeah, barrel split and snapped the frame when it expanded by the looks of it. Squib is a definite possibility. Wear is pretty unlikely as barrels tend to have a bit more than 9 months life in them before they become outright dangerous.

[mosinnagantm9130]

Looking at the damage, it sure looks like a squib getting a bullet stuck in the barrel, then the next one hit that bullet, which caused a pressure spike, which blew the barrel. I'm surprised there isn't still a bullet in the barrel if that is the case though.

[Rosereader]

Looking at the damage, it sure looks like a squib getting a bullet stuck in the barrel, then the next one hit that bullet, which caused a pressure spike, which blew the barrel. I'm surprised there isn't still a bullet in the barrel if that is the case though.

I've seen cases were the plug got pushed out by the second bullet, alongside the more obvious effect.

Could well be what we see here.

[tvfreakarms]

Well at least it wasn't the barrel being bad.
I would assume u would noticed obvious signs if the barrel was bad. Maybe cracks of some sort.

2 by 2...hands of blue

[SonofWWIIDI]

[Rosereader]

Well at least it wasn't the barrel being bad.
I would assume u would noticed obvious signs if the barrel was bad. Maybe cracks of some sort.

2 by 2...hands of blue

Before you weakened a barrel to the point of it blowing out with a regular load, you'd have already eaten away at all of the rifling. Performance loss is typically the first sign, of course if you see cracks in a barrel the next shot is going to end poorly...

[Wrangler John]

Knowing S&W, they may have screwed a .460 barrel on a .500 frame and cylinder. Had a guy bring a NIB .41 Mag S&W to the range one fine day. After he shot it a couple of times he came to me and asked if I'd check the revolver as it wouldn't hit the target. Alas, I found the barrel marked .44 Magnum - they screwed the wrong barrel on. Good thing it wasn't the other way around.

Note that the barrel extension at the forcing cone was split, and the frame failed at that point. One custom gunsmith that manufacturers five shot revolvers and conversions using wildcat cartridges lambasted the S&W X-Frame revolvers (especially the .460 S&W) as being a bit too flexible for the pressures involved. One little flaw and kaboom. A revolver developing 3,000+ ft lbs of muzzle energy is bound to be problematic. My opinion is that the X-Frame and its cartridges were a stunt for S&W to claim the title as "The world's most powerful production revolver."

Another problem identified with these hand canons was that when fired the heavy recoil would produce a double tap, or a second unintentional round to be fired. If the barrel and cylinder was not completely aligned, or the bolt had floated when the second round went off - well. S&W went to great lengths to prove the revolver wasn't defective.

Check it here: http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2...w-double-taps/

Best to avoid these revolvers, they can kill at one end and injure at the other.

[tvfreakarms]

Knowing S&W, they may have screwed a .460 barrel on a .500 frame and cylinder. Had a guy bring a NIB .41 Mag S&W to the range one fine day. After he shot it a couple of times he came to me and asked if I'd check the revolver as it wouldn't hit the target. Alas, I found the barrel marked .44 Magnum - they screwed the wrong barrel on. Good thing it wasn't the other way around.

Note that the barrel extension at the forcing cone was split, and the frame failed at that point. One custom gunsmith that manufacturers five shot revolvers and conversions using wildcat cartridges lambasted the S&W X-Frame revolvers (especially the .460 S&W) as being a bit too flexible for the pressures involved. One little flaw and kaboom. A revolver developing 3,000+ ft lbs of muzzle energy is bound to be problematic. My opinion is that the X-Frame and its cartridges were a stunt for S&W to claim the title as "The world's most powerful production revolver."

Another problem identified with these hand canons was that when fired the heavy recoil would produce a double tap, or a second unintentional round to be fired. If the barrel and cylinder was not completely aligned, or the bolt had floated when the second round went off - well. S&W went to great lengths to prove the revolver wasn't defective.

Check it here: http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2...w-double-taps/

Best to avoid these revolvers, they can kill at one end and injure at the other.

So it seems for s&w, its about making the most powerful hand canon but probably the longevity on these guns won't last very long

2 by 2...hands of blue

[Ubermcoupe]

...

It would be much easier to determine with pictures.

Pics are in the thread:

[bruce381]

bad heat treat and stress craks at the forcing cone? No barrel upstruction bulge it all happen in the forcing cone.

[bruce381]

barrel spilt over stressed the frame frame blew out kaboom

[sealocan]

it's the new Smith and Wesson Alaskan?
or

lack of a hammer equals impatient bullets?