Bad Ammo Explodes Kimber

[sdsguy87]

Hey guys,

Just saw this video in relation to bad ammo being available due to the shortage. It was posted back in April, so it may be old but I figured it should still be helpful. From his description of the ammo box, sounds like it was Winchester.

Hopefully this can help someone. Also, if anyone has an idea as to how to figure out the issue prior, that'd be great.

[NoNOS67]

[edgerly779]

Nice if the ammo was displayed. Was it reload or factory.

[sdsguy87]

Nice if the ammo was displayed. Was it reload or factory.

He doesn't want to say the specifc brand, but he says it comes in a plain box from a major high quality factory. I've only seen Winchester in a plain box, so it's my guess that it's Winchester.

Thanks for embedding. I can't figure this out.

[MontClaire]

I thought it was a Winchester too.

[NoNOS67]

Thanks for embedding. I can't figure this out.

Only use portion of URL shown in bold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE4_E84qrx8


So you can see what it should look like. Replace parenthesis with brackets.

(YOUTUBE]mE4_E84qrx8[/YOUTUBE)

[sdsguy87]

Only use portion of URL shown in bold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE4_E84qrx8


So you can see what it should look like. Replace parenthesis with brackets.

(YOUTUBE]mE4_E84qrx8[/YOUTUBE)

Thanks!

[stilly]

I thought that the secondary aka light detonation explosions only occured in rifle rounds where folks shot too light of powder in there. I was under the impression that this can not happen in pistol rounds. Anyone care to enlighten me on what is true or not? What I seemed to be able to find was that nobody was really ever able to reproduce the secondary detonation.


As for the gun, well, it IS a Kimber...

I doubt that it was a squib load because a squib would typically blow up the barrel further down. I SAW the results of a squib load in a 12GA Mossberg 500. LoL, that was a mess, but it sure destroyed the barrel.

I am leaning towards possible double charge. I did not watch the entire video, the drawing of the secondary light load was making me mad.

[SonofWWIIDI]

Only use portion of URL shown in bold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE4_E84qrx8


So you can see what it should look like. Replace parenthesis with brackets.

(YOUTUBE]mE4_E84qrx8[/YOUTUBE)

Thanks, that info will come in handy!

[Ghost_Maker]

I SAW the results of a squib load in a 12GA Mossberg 500. LoL, that was a mess, but it sure destroyed the barrel.

12ga musta been a slug???

[Wrangler John]

The detonation can occur under at least two circumstances I am familiar with. Usually it will involve slow burning ball powder, such as W-296 or H110 (both are the same powder). In the light load scenario, there is insufficient powder to raise ignition pressure and temperature, where the charge begins to burn, then pauses, degrading the remaining powder into a solid mass, then ignition resumes and pressures spike as the degraded powder deflagrates. The bullet acts as a barrel obstruction, where pressures rise too quickly bursting the case or wrecking the barrel before the bullet can exit the muzzle. Remember that as the bullet moves forward, pressure drops due to increasing bore volume behind the bullet. Which is why large caliber bullets in large capacity cases can use faster powders and maintain safe pressures. The surface area of the bullet base is a larger piston than a small caliber bullet, so it moves more readily and the bore volume increases proportionally.

I experienced the second example in a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt, loaded with a published MAXIMUM charge of W-296 and a 250 grain jacketed bullet. The load was extremely accurate. Upon reloading, I accidentally grabbed a tray of standard pistol primers instead of magnum primers. The loads were otherwise identical. Upon firing there was hangfire with a serious delay and extreme recoil. The case had to be driven from the cylinder with a brass rod and the primer was completely flat. Large chunks of partially burned W-296 fell from the muzzle that gave the appearance of black plastic nodules. That standard primer did not have the flame temperature or pressure to completely ignite the charge. It began to burn, then paused, and finally the powder, which had lost its granular structure and partially melted, reignited in an uncontrolled manner. That it was a Ruger Blackhawk and not a Colt SAA, prevented a blowup. The Ruger suffered no damage.

Using heavily deterrent coated ball powders in handguns requires a magnum primer and, just as importantly, a heavy crimp to provide consistent ignition. The crimp is a major factor in producing consistent accuracy.

So, either a light charge or an improper primer can cause the effect.

[polo.45]

Two weeks ago.

Memorial Day weekend.... I went shooting and this happened to me.. Winchester white box ...

[stilly]

The detonation can occur under at least two circumstances I am familiar with. Usually it will involve slow burning ball powder, such as W-296 or H110 (both are the same powder). In the light load scenario, there is insufficient powder to raise ignition pressure and temperature, where the charge begins to burn, then pauses, degrading the remaining powder into a solid mass, then ignition resumes and pressures spike as the degraded powder deflagrates. The bullet acts as a barrel obstruction, where pressures rise too quickly bursting the case or wrecking the barrel before the bullet can exit the muzzle. Remember that as the bullet moves forward, pressure drops due to increasing bore volume behind the bullet. Which is why large caliber bullets in large capacity cases can use faster powders and maintain safe pressures. The surface area of the bullet base is a larger piston than a small caliber bullet, so it moves more readily and the bore volume increases proportionally.

I experienced the second example in a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt, loaded with a published MAXIMUM charge of W-296 and a 250 grain jacketed bullet. The load was extremely accurate. Upon reloading, I accidentally grabbed a tray of standard pistol primers instead of magnum primers. The loads were otherwise identical. Upon firing there was hangfire with a serious delay and extreme recoil. The case had to be driven from the cylinder with a brass rod and the primer was completely flat. Large chunks of partially burned W-296 fell from the muzzle that gave the appearance of black plastic nodules. That standard primer did not have the flame temperature or pressure to completely ignite the charge. It began to burn, then paused, and finally the powder, which had lost its granular structure and partially melted, reignited in an uncontrolled manner. That it was a Ruger Blackhawk and not a Colt SAA, prevented a blowup. The Ruger suffered no damage.

Using heavily deterrent coated ball powders in handguns requires a magnum primer and, just as importantly, a heavy crimp to provide consistent ignition. The crimp is a major factor in producing consistent accuracy.

So, either a light charge or an improper primer can cause the effect.

THANK you yes. I have only heard about this happening with W296 or H110 ball powders and I did not think that you would use either of those in a .45 ACP. Maybe someone at the factory mixed powders and what not.

BUT the way I read it (of Secondary Detonation in General) was that the volume of air was allowed to mix with the burning gasses and so it produced an explosion instead of a propelling ball of gas. This was mainly in a rifle load though with a very light load. - Too much air inside it.




ANd yes, that 12GA was a squib slug. Pretty hard to squib other than a slug I think. What? sabot with full choke?

[LoadedM333]

Memorial Day weekend.... I went shooting and this happened to me.. Winchester white box ...

That's scary!

[polo.45]

That's scary!

And then that bullet got stuck inside the chamber... I didn't know what to do...I called my friend..... He told me to hold the slide pointing to a safe direction .... Then hit the back of the grips with my palm ... Two hits problem resolve... First time a had a problem. With kimbers.