Check the casing (in hindsight)

[Madmomo]

Well I guess I feel pretty lucky today.

After a couple thousand reloads (.40) I had a case failure today at the range. Basically blew out the back of the shell, tossed the magazine out the bottom of the gun and gave me some bruises to my trigger hand. I always check powder loads, and even have the extra powder check die for my LNL, and the only thing I can think of is I passed that threshold for using shells over and over. It literally separated at the base of the shell and then peeled around the back of the barrel after meeting the resistance of the magazine, for the short half second before that broke the magazine release and propelled out. The "Glock bulge" in shell casings has always bothered me a little to where I even got the full resizing die, maybe I need to look into a better barrel as well. My Glock will need some work, minor, to fix the extractor pin and take out the casing still in the barrel, but all in all could have been worse. I guess I'll go pull a few hundred bullets and maybe recycle my shells for some new ones and start over. Anyone know a good inexpensive gunsmith (I hope that ins' t an oxymoron) in the San Fernando/Simi area? With the casing wrapped around the end I can't remove the slide on my own.

[ChrisToad]

Glad you're okay... bottom line.

Got a pic of that separated case?

[Madmomo]

I'll try to take a pic of the inside where the case peeled if I can get in close enough later. I thought I threw the bottom of the case in my bag but can't seem to find it at the moment. (given my excitement at that moment in time I could have put it anywhere) I rechecked the other loads from that batch and the powder is spot on. I spend time checking each case for flaws but didn't spend as much time checking the bottom ( where the sides meet the bottom lip) but should given the constant bulging/resizing going on there.

[bruceflinch]

Are you sure you didn't have a hotter than normal charge? Only seen cases split from wearing out.

[meaty-btz]

Incipient Case Head Seperation.

Always inspect your brass for signs. I am glad you are ok. It should be much easier to notice the signs of pending failure in a pistol cartridge vs the long bottleneck of a rifle so check check check.

[Bill Steele]

What powder and charge are you using and how many cycles do you reckon you had on the case?

With a LnL AP's auto indexing, I would think it is pretty difficult to get a double charge (like impossible) and the Hornaday powder drop is pretty fool proof, I think you are looking in the right area (case issues).

[Madmomo]

Here's what it looks like at the moment from the back end of the barrel. You can see the case sitting in there peeled back missing the head and rim. Can't find the head but I think it separated at the extractor grove. To be safe I'm recycling, tossing, all my cases and starting fresh. I don't want to risk me or the gun once I get it fixed.

Oh and I was using WSF powder with a 180 grn bullet. I am usually in the middle or less of the recommended powder range. this one would have been in the 5.4 grain range. (5.4 to 5.8 recommended) The case was through the cycle 5 times. I checked the others in that load, I had just shot 9 of them in this round before hitting that shell, and none of them show any wear at the rim or by the head. I am thinking it is the constant bulging and resizing inherent with Glock shells that caused it to weaken.

Also my setup is impossible to get a double charge since I also have the RCBS lock out die set in one of the stations.

[Taildraggerdave]

What kind/type of bullet was it? Lead or jacketed?
I see that it was a 180 grain.

Take care,
Dave

[Madmomo]

Berry's bullets 180 grn RSFP plated. I also clean my guns religiously and had only shot 20 rounds or so that day before this magazine of 10.

[Taildraggerdave]

5.4gr of WSF seems pretty hot for a plated bullet. Typically, plated bullets use lead specs in the reloading guides. Hodgdon's site lists 5.4-5.8 of WSF but for a jacketed bullet.
Maybe someone else can offer some more.
Glad you are ok.
Dave

[Bill Steele]

5.4grs would be fine, in fact at those velocities running the max 5.8gr would not have been a problem (although for that case, obviously not).

Looking at the case, I would be really surprised if you couldn't get that case out of the barrel. It looks like there is a fair amount of brass hanging out.

Can you get the slide off by popping the slide cover plate off and pulling the striker pin out the back? If you can, I think getting the case out will be pretty straight forward, once you get it field stripped.

[bruceflinch]

Worst case (pun intended) scenario, Drive a bullet down the barrel w/ a dowel & pop that piece o' brass right out.