blueeyedme Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I was at my clubs USPSA fun shoot last night when I had an unusual occurrence on the final stage - third to last target. While engaging the target I had a FTF (no pop) - doesn't happen often but I know the drill - smack, rack, bang. The new round fired but I felt a sort of sandblast on my hands - not painful but suprising...I engaged the final two targets and finished the stage. Back at the table, I notice my flecks of blood on the outside my hands where the sandblast was felt. I asked the RO if he noticed anything unusual about the FTF or my re-engagement (I was shooting through a wood barrier window and thought maybe I hit the wood and sent fragements back) - anyway, he said everything seemed fine. I asked a couple of my squad members and they suggested perhaps a case failure. When I got home and took a closer look, I was pulling little metal fragements out of the small wounds. Additional data.. Firearm: P226 Reloads from my Dillon 650 w/powder check installed 147gr Bayou Bullet 3.8g VV N330 1.135 OAL PF: 135 Winchester primer Mixed range brass I have shot maybe 5k of this load without any problem. Any ideas on what might have happened? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unregistered Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Did you recover the round that had the FTF and the brass from the cartridge that did fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Did you recover the round that had the FTF and the brass from the cartridge that did fire? Unfortunatly, no. I didn't think about that until after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njl Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Check your barrel for a bulge. I wonder if you had a squib and got away with firing another shot (much higher pressure due to 2 bullets) and the case failed, but the barrel cleared without flying apart. Lead is softer than jacketed ammo, so maybe the two bullets managed to slide down the barrel? Was the metal you pulled from your wounds brass fragments? I had a few squibs recently with .45acp (still not sure exactly what happened) and with those, with hearing protection on, just a primer going off is nothing more than a "click". The first time it happened, I assumed it was just a failure to ignite...until I racked the slide and an empty case fell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Check your barrel for a bulge. I wonder if you had a squib and got away with firing another shot (much higher pressure due to 2 bullets) and the case failed, but the barrel cleared without flying apart. Lead is softer than jacketed ammo, so maybe the two bullets managed to slide down the barrel? Was the metal you pulled from your wounds brass fragments? I had a few squibs recently with .45acp (still not sure exactly what happened) and with those, with hearing protection on, just a primer going off is nothing more than a "click". The first time it happened, I assumed it was just a failure to ignite...until I racked the slide and an empty case fell out. Yup... JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Check your barrel for a bulge. I wonder if you had a squib and got away with firing another shot (much higher pressure due to 2 bullets) and the case failed, but the barrel cleared without flying apart. Lead is softer than jacketed ammo, so maybe the two bullets managed to slide down the barrel? Was the metal you pulled from your wounds brass fragments? I had a few squibs recently with .45acp (still not sure exactly what happened) and with those, with hearing protection on, just a primer going off is nothing more than a "click". The first time it happened, I assumed it was just a failure to ignite...until I racked the slide and an empty case fell out. Dark fragments - so probably not brass - very small like slivers but definitely metal. I have not inspected the firearm or the barrel as of yet - it was late when I got home. Will do a complete cleaning and inspection this evening. Not sure how I would have got a squib as my loading process is pretty sound - but I guess anything is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I couldn't believe my first squib either. I was even more shocked by having 2 more squibs from the same batch of ammo...and kind of pissed after pulling the rest of the batch (110 of 200) and finding a full charge of clays in every one of them. I was having considerable difficulty with the priming system on my RL550B during that batch, and kept having to stop to deal with non-primed cases...but I didn't think I'd let any uncharged ones through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Well I cleaned and inspected my gun. Everything normal. Took a micrometer to the barrel and the measurement was consistent. Function check was ok. I guess I got lucky...still don't understand the blowback in this case. I had more injury to my left hand forward of the knuckles -givin a standard grip with my left fingers wrapped around and over my right fingers, I don't see where the peppering would have come from. I will also have to evaluate my loading process. With a working powder check, I don't see he a squib gets by but with the human element, anything is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babaganoosh Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I couldn't believe my first squib either. I was even more shocked by having 2 more squibs from the same batch of ammo...and kind of pissed after pulling the rest of the batch (110 of 200) and finding a full charge of clays in every one of them. I was having considerable difficulty with the priming system on my RL550B during that batch, and kept having to stop to deal with non-primed cases...but I didn't think I'd let any uncharged ones through. Same thing happened to me loading on my LNL. A primer issue was distracting me and ended up with a few squibs in a 300 round batch. Those went right into the practice bin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ainfantry7 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 This thread has been bothering me for the past few hours. I just woke up and realized what it could be. I believe you had an out of battery discharge. It's happened to me a couple times with different pistols, mostly 1911s. Sig Sauer says that it can't happen, however if you google search it, you will find that many people have had similar experiences. Hope this helps, I woke up out of a dead sleep with this theory... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Another possibility that just occurred to me...were you per chance shooting steel or any other sort of reactive targets? Also, the fact that you mention it as "last night" makes me think "indoor range", which usually means steel backstop. Perhaps you got some lead fragment backsplash off the target or backstop? Are the wounds on the parts of the hand that would be facing downrange? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unregistered Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 This is bugging me quite a bit... Any strange residue or marking in the chamber? On the slide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyNo! Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) You were struck by (metallic) fragments. Shrapnel is intended to harm you and if you ever encounter it in a match, you should leave! Edited February 9, 2012 by DyNo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 This thread has been bothering me for the past few hours. I just woke up and realized what it could be. I believe you had an out of battery discharge. It's happened to me a couple times with different pistols, mostly 1911s. Sig Sauer says that it can't happen, however if you google search it, you will find that many people have had similar experiences. Hope this helps, I woke up out of a dead sleep with this theory... Now that actually makes a lot more sense to me. When I cleaned it, there was unusual powder burn marks on the extractor exterior side of the barrel from the breechblock forward that looked like gasses may have escaped. Makes more sense then a squib or double charge...besides, I saw the misfired bullet come out and I would swear it was intact. I also think I saw the discharge in question with fragments or gasses fanning out...but maybe I am just thinking I saw that at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Another possibility that just occurred to me...were you per chance shooting steel or any other sort of reactive targets? Also, the fact that you mention it as "last night" makes me think "indoor range", which usually means steel backstop. Perhaps you got some lead fragment backsplash off the target or backstop? Are the wounds on the parts of the hand that would be facing downrange? Outdoors with berm...we are lucky enough to have outdoor, lighted shooting bays for action pistol sports. No reactive targets on this particular stage. I think ainfantry7 hit it on the head with his OBD theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 This is bugging me quite a bit... Any strange residue or marking in the chamber? On the slide? Interior of chamber and barrel was clean. Exterior residue on the extractor side of the chamber forward of the breechblock leading me to believe that gasses did in fact escape but I did not find any further fragments inside the slide or in the rail grease when I cleaned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyedme Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 You were struck by (metallic) fragments. Shrapnel is intended to harm you and if you ever encounter it in a match, you should leave! Shrapnel: Fragments of a bomb, shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion. I think metallic fragments thrown from a firearm in a detonation event qualifies, but if it offends you - metallic fragments it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now