Gun Explodes Over charged round

billtheshrink · January 10, 2011, 08:04 AM

Yeaterday my Glock blew up in my hand. I must have somehow given it a double charge of Bullseye (45acp). Completley ruined the gun and yet I was only slightly wounded and am OK. I began reloading last summer and was shooting some of the first rounds i made. What can i do with the few thousand rounds awaiting to be used? weigh them? toss them? Any guess as to how i double charged with a dillon 650? Is it time for me to get a powdetr sensor? Im a little shaken by the experience and they Glock was my favorite carry gun.
Input?

Sport45 · January 10, 2011, 08:18 AM

What can i do with the few thousand rounds awaiting to be used?
Good question. I'd get busy pulling them. Okay, maybe not too busy, but If you pull a couple dozen each day you could work your way through them.

weigh them?
Won't help. The variance in case weight is greater than your charge weight.

toss them?
A couple thousand? That's a lot of money in just the bullets.

Any guess as to how i double charged with a dillon 650?
Lack of attention. Stopping the process at some point and starting over with cases in the shell holder? I don't have a 650, but that's my guess.

Is it time for me to get a powdetr sensor?
Probably. At least if you're not willing to slow down and verify the charges.

Too bad you found out the hard and costly way. My oops was a bunch of squibs when my 550b quit dropping powder. I watch closer now...

Double Naught Spy · January 10, 2011, 08:22 AM

Are you sure it was an overcharge and not a squib?

SL1 · January 10, 2011, 08:25 AM

Could you have fired into a barrel obstruction caused by a bullet from the previous round being lodged in the barrel from NOT ENOUGH powder in the previous round?

That seems to be another common failing of novices using progressive loaders.

In any event, you need to develop a technique that guards against BOTH potential problems.

SL1

hogcowboy · January 10, 2011, 08:36 AM

My wife gets a little bent when I tell her to LEAVE ME ALONE when I'm reloading. Reloading is something that requires
100% attention.

So pay ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION

ammo.crafter · January 10, 2011, 08:42 AM

Had the same thing happen to me many years ago with a Colt Delta Elite in 10 m/m. After the exposion the slide locked up and most of the gases escaped thru the grips. The Colt reacted exactly as it should have thought I did sustain some injuries.
I did find out that the manufacturer had made a special run of 10 m/m for a gun club and that after tesing the club rejected the loads.
Some how the rounds were sold to several distributors rather than being discarded for failures.

Each round you have could be weighed against a "normal" round and segregated. Obviously the heavier rounds have more powder.

Err on the side of caution, your eyesight is not worth the risk.

Brian Pfleuger · January 10, 2011, 08:58 AM

If it were me, I'd disassemble all remaining rounds.

I also wouldn't use a progressive press without some sort of "powder cop" die. No way, no how.

No one is perfect. Even under ideal circumstances, we all make mistakes. You can't pay attention perfectly all the time. A powder lock out die would require both YOUR failure and MECHANICAL failure in order for a double charge or squib to get through.

wncchester · January 10, 2011, 09:09 AM

'You can't pay attention perfectly all the time.'

I can. And do. And have for 46 years. It really isn't all that hard.

salvadore · January 10, 2011, 09:14 AM

Ditto with another's reloads in a light weight commander, everything down the mag well, my shiny new wilson magazine disassembled on the spot.

ammo.crafter · January 10, 2011, 09:24 AM

It felt like a bring string in your hand, didn't it?

Brian Pfleuger · January 10, 2011, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wnnchester

I can. And do. And have for 46 years. It really isn't all that hard.

Not really. You've just never had a lapse of attention when it mattered.

Let's face it, if a progressive is set up right, assuming you have all the fancy feeders, you could stand there pulling the handle with your eyes closed and your iPod blasting and load thousands of rounds without any problems.

You could also load thousands of rounds, never have a failure and believe that it's because you always perfectly paid attention. The fact is, that you've always paid attention when it mattered, or it never mattered, but there's no way, no how, that anyone has loaded thousands upon thousands of rounds for decades on end and been perfectly attentive to every single one, every single time.

In other words, I have no doubt that you've never had a squib or double charge end up in your gun. No doubt that you've caught them all. What I do doubt is that there's never been a single round that was, in fact, safe but could have been a squib or double and you would have missed it. If you catch all the ones that matter, all the rest... well, don't matter.

a7mmnut · January 10, 2011, 09:42 AM

Were the cases new, once-fired, or what?

Do you clean them and check for cracks and bad primer pockets?

-7-

billtheshrink · January 10, 2011, 09:46 AM

I guess it could have been a squib, but the barrell was clear (after the blow up) If memory serves i was hitting the taget on the previous round (steel sillouette) maybe i am mistaken, but i am pretty attentive to squibs. COULD a double charge be enough top destroy the gun? I was loading 3.9 gr of bullseye. or at least thats what i was trying to load and how i labeled the ammo. I will DEFINATELY be more attentive...re double my efforts..
It split the barrell, the slide, the frame and blew the mag apart as well. If i can, i will try top take photo and post it

jmorris · January 10, 2011, 09:51 AM

At least your OK. Makes a 650 with a powder check die seem cheap now...

Pull them and start over, you have to verify every charge by eye this time.

a7mmnut · January 10, 2011, 09:53 AM

That's a ton of damage for even a double of Bullseye. I'd bet on an obstruction or predetonation? Glad to hear you came out that well.

-7-

Scorch · January 10, 2011, 10:15 AM

FWIW, a double load of Bullseye is one of the most common overcharges that damages handguns, primarily because it takes so little Bullseye to charge a case and a double charge does not look like a lot more powder and will not overflow the case. That is one reason people are advised to use a powder that fills the case as much as possible. It is also one of the best reasons to use a bulkier powder like Unique.

Waldog · January 10, 2011, 10:44 AM

Something no one has mentioned. Were you shooting LEAD bullets in your standard Glock barrel? I don't own Glocks but, I do believe they have Polygonal rifling and lead bullets are a well known hazard that could have blown your gun. Your Glock owners manual even states not to use lead bullets. Look into what is left of your barrel and see if it's leaded up. Just something to consider.

Brian Pfleuger · January 10, 2011, 10:51 AM

What bullet were you using?

With default settings, QuickLoad thinks 7.8gr Bullseye would be:

23,400psi under a 180gr SWC

27,000psi under a 200gr Hornady FMJ

39,000psi under a 230gr Hornady FMJ

I assume a WC/SWC would likely be seated deeper though?

23k is barely over-pressure, 27k is almost certainly not enough to blow up that gun, 39k could easily be enough.

maggys drawers · January 10, 2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

...I began reloading last summer and was shooting some of the first rounds i made... Any guess as to how i double charged with a dillon 650? ...

Looks to me like a classic case of running before learning to walk. I don't think reloaders that are starting out on the uphill side of the learning curve should use a progressive press...too many things happening at once.

Glad you are OK, Bill. Glocks can be replaced, body parts are a little more challenging in that department. My advice is to get a single stage press and slow down. The opportunity to double charge or not charge a case still exists, but I feel it's a lot lower than on a progressive press...and you can still turn out plenty of ammunition.

I know some people on here will disagree, but that is my 2 cents on this one.

Jim Watson · January 10, 2011, 11:07 AM

It took Hatcher more than a double charge to blow up a 1911.
But I saw a Glock 21 blow a casehead with minor damage to the gun and no injury to the shooter with what SOUNDED like a normal load. So I consider a double charge to be the likely cause. I don't know how you do that on a 650 but there is sure to be a way.

riverwalker76 · January 10, 2011, 11:29 AM

Weigh the time spent pulling them versus the cost of blowing up another pistol. Then again ... you might not be as lucky next time.

I'd pull them, and start over. Time spent preventing an injury is nothing compared to the hindsight AFTER you get injured.

It might take you 3 nights in front of the TV to pull them all, but think of the peace of mind you will gain!

Then again ... it may have been these distractions that caused the error to begin with.

4runnerman · January 10, 2011, 11:42 AM

glad your ok Bill. Im with maggys on this one. I run a single stage and will never go to progressive(no need to). I prefer to load one at a time and always will. Same problem could happen with single stage to though. Attention to detail is a must. The main thing is you are alright and im sure this goes with out saying,But i bet you will pay more attention from here on out.

spacecoast · January 10, 2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

You could also load thousands of rounds, never have a failure and believe that it's because you always perfectly paid attention. The fact is, that you've always paid attention when it mattered, or it never mattered, but there's no way, no how, that anyone has loaded thousands upon thousands of rounds for decades on end and been perfectly attentive to every single one, every single time.

Agreed, that's why you build fool-proofing into the process. But you have to understand where/why the potential is for double-charging before you can do this successfully. The simpler the steps are the easier it is to do this. I'm upwards of 10,000 rounds and would not feel comfortable with a progressive press, I'd rather take my time hand-dipping 50 or 100 at a time and know that it's right. My big upgrade someday (or not) will be to move on to a mounted press from a hand press.

Sixer · January 10, 2011, 12:18 PM

Glad you're ok....

Now how about some pics?

zippy13 · January 10, 2011, 12:37 PM

Progressive loaders and self-indexing progressive loaders are fine until something interrupts the process. Then you must be very alert when clearing the problem so you don't double charge or skip charge a round. I tend to think your incident was due to an unnoticed squib/barrel obstruction. On the firing line, several time I've had to alert the shooter next to me because they'd not noticed a squib and were about to drop the hammer on the next round. Even the nicest people may have a squib go unnoticed.

Yes, install a powder check for your 650.

Yes, use a bullet puller on those suspect rounds.

And, finally, develop a strict procedure for clearing the various events likely to interrupt your 650's progress. If you have to re-invent your procedure every time there's a primer feed problem, then you're courting disaster.

January 10, 2011, 08:04 AM	#1
billtheshrink Member Join Date: May 9, 2005 Posts: 67	Gun Explodes Over charged round Yeaterday my Glock blew up in my hand. I must have somehow given it a double charge of Bullseye (45acp). Completley ruined the gun and yet I was only slightly wounded and am OK. I began reloading last summer and was shooting some of the first rounds i made. What can i do with the few thousand rounds awaiting to be used? weigh them? toss them? Any guess as to how i double charged with a dillon 650? Is it time for me to get a powdetr sensor? Im a little shaken by the experience and they Glock was my favorite carry gun. Input?

January 10, 2011, 08:18 AM	#2
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	What can i do with the few thousand rounds awaiting to be used? Good question. I'd get busy pulling them. Okay, maybe not too busy, but If you pull a couple dozen each day you could work your way through them. weigh them? Won't help. The variance in case weight is greater than your charge weight. toss them? A couple thousand? That's a lot of money in just the bullets. Any guess as to how i double charged with a dillon 650? Lack of attention. Stopping the process at some point and starting over with cases in the shell holder? I don't have a 650, but that's my guess. Is it time for me to get a powdetr sensor? Probably. At least if you're not willing to slow down and verify the charges. Too bad you found out the hard and costly way. My oops was a bunch of squibs when my 550b quit dropping powder. I watch closer now... __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

January 10, 2011, 08:22 AM	#3
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Are you sure it was an overcharge and not a squib? __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

January 10, 2011, 08:25 AM	#4
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Another possibility? Could you have fired into a barrel obstruction caused by a bullet from the previous round being lodged in the barrel from NOT ENOUGH powder in the previous round? That seems to be another common failing of novices using progressive loaders. In any event, you need to develop a technique that guards against BOTH potential problems. SL1

January 10, 2011, 08:36 AM	#5
hogcowboy Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2010 Location: N33 32.941 W 97 53.546 Texas Posts: 231	My wife gets a little bent when I tell her to LEAVE ME ALONE when I'm reloading. Reloading is something that requires 100% attention. So pay ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION __________________ Do things as if your life depends on it. It COULD! American Legion Rider

January 10, 2011, 08:42 AM	#6
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	2x charge Had the same thing happen to me many years ago with a Colt Delta Elite in 10 m/m. After the exposion the slide locked up and most of the gases escaped thru the grips. The Colt reacted exactly as it should have thought I did sustain some injuries. I did find out that the manufacturer had made a special run of 10 m/m for a gun club and that after tesing the club rejected the loads. Some how the rounds were sold to several distributors rather than being discarded for failures. Each round you have could be weighed against a "normal" round and segregated. Obviously the heavier rounds have more powder. Err on the side of caution, your eyesight is not worth the risk. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

January 10, 2011, 08:58 AM	#7
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	If it were me, I'd disassemble all remaining rounds. I also wouldn't use a progressive press without some sort of "powder cop" die. No way, no how. No one is perfect. Even under ideal circumstances, we all make mistakes. You can't pay attention perfectly all the time. A powder lock out die would require both YOUR failure and MECHANICAL failure in order for a double charge or squib to get through. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 10, 2011, 09:09 AM	#8
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	'You can't pay attention perfectly all the time.' I can. And do. And have for 46 years. It really isn't all that hard.

January 10, 2011, 09:14 AM	#9
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Ditto with another's reloads in a light weight commander, everything down the mag well, my shiny new wilson magazine disassembled on the spot.

January 10, 2011, 09:24 AM	#10
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	bang It felt like a bring string in your hand, didn't it? __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

January 10, 2011, 09:42 AM	#12
a7mmnut Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: NC Foothills Posts: 1,150	Were the cases new, once-fired, or what? Do you clean them and check for cracks and bad primer pockets? -7-

January 10, 2011, 09:46 AM	#13
billtheshrink Member Join Date: May 9, 2005 Posts: 67	something else? I guess it could have been a squib, but the barrell was clear (after the blow up) If memory serves i was hitting the taget on the previous round (steel sillouette) maybe i am mistaken, but i am pretty attentive to squibs. COULD a double charge be enough top destroy the gun? I was loading 3.9 gr of bullseye. or at least thats what i was trying to load and how i labeled the ammo. I will DEFINATELY be more attentive...re double my efforts.. It split the barrell, the slide, the frame and blew the mag apart as well. If i can, i will try top take photo and post it

January 10, 2011, 09:51 AM	#14
jmorris Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Posts: 3,077	At least your OK. Makes a 650 with a powder check die seem cheap now... Pull them and start over, you have to verify every charge by eye this time.

January 10, 2011, 09:53 AM	#15
a7mmnut Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: NC Foothills Posts: 1,150	That's a ton of damage for even a double of Bullseye. I'd bet on an obstruction or predetonation? Glad to hear you came out that well. -7-

January 10, 2011, 10:15 AM	#16
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	FWIW, a double load of Bullseye is one of the most common overcharges that damages handguns, primarily because it takes so little Bullseye to charge a case and a double charge does not look like a lot more powder and will not overflow the case. That is one reason people are advised to use a powder that fills the case as much as possible. It is also one of the best reasons to use a bulkier powder like Unique. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

January 10, 2011, 10:44 AM	#17
Waldog Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2007 Location: SOCAL Posts: 359	Something no one has mentioned. Were you shooting LEAD bullets in your standard Glock barrel? I don't own Glocks but, I do believe they have Polygonal rifling and lead bullets are a well known hazard that could have blown your gun. Your Glock owners manual even states not to use lead bullets. Look into what is left of your barrel and see if it's leaded up. Just something to consider. __________________ I am the Christian Conservative that CNN warned you about!! “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.” Winston Churchill

January 10, 2011, 10:51 AM	#18
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	What bullet were you using? With default settings, QuickLoad thinks 7.8gr Bullseye would be: 23,400psi under a 180gr SWC 27,000psi under a 200gr Hornady FMJ 39,000psi under a 230gr Hornady FMJ I assume a WC/SWC would likely be seated deeper though? 23k is barely over-pressure, 27k is almost certainly not enough to blow up that gun, 39k could easily be enough. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley Last edited by Brian Pfleuger; January 10, 2011 at 10:59 AM.

January 10, 2011, 11:07 AM	#20
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	It took Hatcher more than a double charge to blow up a 1911. But I saw a Glock 21 blow a casehead with minor damage to the gun and no injury to the shooter with what SOUNDED like a normal load. So I consider a double charge to be the likely cause. I don't know how you do that on a 650 but there is sure to be a way.

January 10, 2011, 11:29 AM	#21
riverwalker76 Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 993	Weigh the time spent pulling them versus the cost of blowing up another pistol. Then again ... you might not be as lucky next time. I'd pull them, and start over. Time spent preventing an injury is nothing compared to the hindsight AFTER you get injured. It might take you 3 nights in front of the TV to pull them all, but think of the peace of mind you will gain! Then again ... it may have been these distractions that caused the error to begin with. __________________ *Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto* - “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.”

January 10, 2011, 11:42 AM	#22
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	glad your ok Bill. Im with maggys on this one. I run a single stage and will never go to progressive(no need to). I prefer to load one at a time and always will. Same problem could happen with single stage to though. Attention to detail is a must. The main thing is you are alright and im sure this goes with out saying,But i bet you will pay more attention from here on out. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

January 10, 2011, 12:18 PM	#24
Sixer Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,891	Glad you're ok.... Now how about some pics? __________________ Hopp Custom Leather <------ click for HOLSTER awesomeness!! -There is no theory of evolution... Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.

January 10, 2011, 12:37 PM	#25
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Progressive loaders and self-indexing progressive loaders are fine until something interrupts the process. Then you must be very alert when clearing the problem so you don't double charge or skip charge a round. I tend to think your incident was due to an unnoticed squib/barrel obstruction. On the firing line, several time I've had to alert the shooter next to me because they'd not noticed a squib and were about to drop the hammer on the next round. Even the nicest people may have a squib go unnoticed. Yes, install a powder check for your 650. Yes, use a bullet puller on those suspect rounds. And, finally, develop a strict procedure for clearing the various events likely to interrupt your 650's progress. If you have to re-invent your procedure every time there's a primer feed problem, then you're courting disaster.