midatlantic Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Experienced an unusual event the other day. I fired a 200 grain round nose bullet, plated, behind 5.5 grains of HP 38. It was the fourth of seven rounds in the magazine. All the other rounds fired previously from the same reloading session had no problems. The first three rounds also exited the barrel with no trouble. But on the fourth round, I pulled the trigger and much to my surprise semi burnt powder blew back into my face out of the ejector port. The slide was forced all the way back, jammed against the frame and unmovable. The spent cartridge was stuck in the extractor. I used a small screwdriver to work the cartridge out of the extractor, but was unable to move the slide. At home, I removed the pin and whacked the back of the slide a couple of times with a rubber mallet. The slide broke free. I removed the guide rod, removed the bushing, and had to tap out the barrel, as it seemed stuck in the slide. Turns out the bullet was halfway down the barrel, and quite stuck. I’ve been unable to get it out despite much hammering and now it’s soaking in kroil oil. There may be a very faint bulge in the barrel where the bullet is stuck. But I don’t know what happened. It was not a double charge, and the prior round exited the barrel with no trouble, then something happened to stop the bullet partway down the barrel and blow the gases out of the ejector port into my face. thoughts anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Just thoughts, no more: How do you know that the previous bullet exited the barrel? Unburnt powder could suggest a too light charge - but the slide slamming back with great force suggests otherwise. Any loose or broken parts in the gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 (edited) Generally if it’s just a single squib from a light load it will not bulge the bbl nor slam the slide back. I’ll bet you have 2 slugs in that bbl or something that was obstructing it. That’s why the high psi reaction. Whenever you try and remove a stuck slug use a heavy hammer like 2 lb. A heavy hammer pushes, a light one peens. A cold rolled rod with the end edges slightly radiused and as close to bore size that you can get will work fine without bore damage. Edited February 13 by Farmer Sp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broadus123 Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 3 hours ago, Farmer said: Generally if it’s just a single squib from a light load it will not bulge the bbl nor slam the slide back. I’ll bet you have 2 slugs in that bbl or something that was obstructing it. That’s why the high psi reaction. Whenever you try and remove a stuck slug use a heavy hammer like 2 lb. A heavy hammer pushes, a light one peens. A cold rolled rod with the end edges slightly radiused and as close to bore size that you can get will work fine without bore damage. Right on !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJH Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 7 hours ago, perttime said: Just thoughts, no more: How do you know that the previous bullet exited the barrel? Unburnt powder could suggest a too light charge - but the slide slamming back with great force suggests otherwise. Any loose or broken parts in the gun? This is what I am thinking as well. Round before the blow up was a squib, probably also where the unburned powder came from. Next round had an obstruction in the barrel. This would also explain why the barrel is bulged now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 On 2/13/2024 at 4:42 AM, midatlantic said: Experienced an unusual event the other day. I fired a 200 grain round nose bullet, plated, behind 5.5 grains of HP 38. It was the fourth of seven rounds in the magazine. All the other rounds fired previously from the same reloading session had no problems. The first three rounds also exited the barrel with no trouble. But on the fourth round, I pulled the trigger and much to my surprise semi burnt powder blew back into my face out of the ejector port. The slide was forced all the way back, jammed against the frame and unmovable. The spent cartridge was stuck in the extractor. I used a small screwdriver to work the cartridge out of the extractor, but was unable to move the slide. At home, I removed the pin and whacked the back of the slide a couple of times with a rubber mallet. The slide broke free. I removed the guide rod, removed the bushing, and had to tap out the barrel, as it seemed stuck in the slide. Turns out the bullet was halfway down the barrel, and quite stuck. I’ve been unable to get it out despite much hammering and now it’s soaking in kroil oil. There may be a very faint bulge in the barrel where the bullet is stuck. But I don’t know what happened. It was not a double charge, and the prior round exited the barrel with no trouble, then something happened to stop the bullet partway down the barrel and blow the gases out of the ejector port into my face. thoughts anyone? Did you find out what was in the barrel, and what happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midatlantic Posted February 16 Author Share Posted February 16 10 hours ago, perttime said: Did you find out what was in the barrel, and what happened? so I have to embarrass myself on front of the entire world! A lesson learned. There was a S&W .40 cartridge mixed in with the .45s in my box of rounds. Outside, in the cold, and I managed it load it in the magazine. (same color shape round). Turns out that it fired, but didn't eject. Which I missed. So when I fired the next round, an actual 45, the bullet pushed the .40 case down the barrel......till it stopped. Please keep this confidential!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 55 minutes ago, midatlantic said: so I have to embarrass myself on front of the entire world! A lesson learned. There was a S&W .40 cartridge mixed in with the .45s in my box of rounds. Outside, in the cold, and I managed it load it in the magazine. (same color shape round). Turns out that it fired, but didn't eject. Which I missed. So when I fired the next round, an actual 45, the bullet pushed the .40 case down the barrel......till it stopped. Please keep this confidential!!! We won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 2 hours ago, midatlantic said: so I have to embarrass myself on front of the entire world! A lesson learned. There was a S&W .40 cartridge mixed in with the .45s in my box of rounds. Outside, in the cold, and I managed it load it in the magazine. (same color shape round). Turns out that it fired, but didn't eject. Which I missed. So when I fired the next round, an actual 45, the bullet pushed the .40 case down the barrel......till it stopped. Please keep this confidential!!! Oh. I never thought of that - but then, I don't have anything in .40. People, hopefully, learn from mistakes but it is much more pleasant if you can learn from other peoples' mistakes. Just quoting to make sure that things that are on the interwebs stay on the interwebs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Yikes! First time I’ve heard that but your secrets safe with me. Should have cut a clean hole in the target if it would have made it though. Glad you didn’t get hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
625 Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Bad luck on the loading, but so lucky to have two eyes and hands. I may have to rethink how I store my ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 What pistol was it? Discussing a "hypothetical situation like this", elsewhere, all kinds of ideas came up. - can a .45 magazine hold a .40 round? Apparently, a .40 round would just jump out of a .45 1911 magazine. - could a "too loose for the magazine" .40 round slip into the barrel early, followed by a .45 round during the same cycle? - one guy demostrated an unfired .40 round just slipping through a .45 barrel. - there was doubt about the firing pin igniting a .40 round in a .45 gun. I guess the extractor could, with luck, hold the smaller round just firmly enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymhay Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 It looks like there was a crimp issue. I lowered the crimping die very slightly, and the rounds started going in. I guess the die must have managed to back out after the last group of cartridges. I made 450 cartridges, and only the last 50, which came from the same box, had this issue. I didn't think there was any way for the crimping die to move, but it looks like I was wrong about that. While I was at it, I checked the sizing die, and there was a tiny gap between it and the shell plate, so I fixed that for next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nc1911 Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 40 s&w loaded to 1.195 work just fine in my Tripp 45 acp magazines in my DW 40 cal 1911. Haven’t had a single feed issue yet, although I do have separate 40 cal magazines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IVC Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Wow, good to know - normally, a squib will get stuck close to the breach and won't let the next round chamber... But having a lower caliber brass pushed into the chamber... scary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJH Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 For some reason I'm thinking the 40 brass was in the 45 brass when the 45 was loaded. The only thing I'm wondering is if he deprimed while loading I would assume the 40 brass would still have a primer in it because you couldn't push the old primer through the 45 grass and I don't know how well ignition would have worked. However if the brass was prepped and deprived earlier and then a piece of 40 brass got inside some 45 brass, depending on a couple of things I think you could load a bullet on top of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Neill Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 40 cartridges have been known to rattle down the bore and obstruct it when the next round is fired. It would take racking the slide for the new round to be loaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 2 hours ago, RJH said: For some reason I'm thinking the 40 brass was in the 45 brass when the 45 was loaded. The only thing I'm wondering is if he deprimed while loading I would assume the 40 brass would still have a primer in it because you couldn't push the old primer through the 45 grass and I don't know how well ignition would have worked. However if the brass was prepped and deprived earlier and then a piece of 40 brass got inside some 45 brass, depending on a couple of things I think you could load a bullet on top of it No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 50 minutes ago, Guy Neill said: 40 cartridges have been known to rattle down the bore and obstruct it when the next round is fired. It would take racking the slide for the new round to be loaded. I was thinking the same thing that a 40 would slide right on out of a 45 Unless it did actually fire but not extract because it swelled or split the brass in the chamber and that’s why it stuck. Still doesn’t explain why it would have cycled the slide unless it was just because it’s a higher psi round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJH Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 1 hour ago, Farmer said: No You are correct. Idk what I was thinking about lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 On 2/18/2024 at 10:22 PM, perttime said: - can a .45 magazine hold a .40 round? Apparently, a .40 round would just jump out of a .45 1911 magazine. I've ran my CMC Shooting Star 45 mags in my Trojan 40 and they seemed to work just fine! I don't think I would try to shoot a match with them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Yep. I found a whole thread, here, where people said their .40 1911s worked OK with .45 mags. At least Tripp and Wilson mags were mentioned. No idea if all mags would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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