This always happens when I play hooky from work. It was kind of slow..so I took off early from work and decided to go to the club and do some shooting! All guns are clean...lots of ammo..plenty of targets...it's gonna be a great afternoon! 
I'll work my way up to the point in a minute.
I started reloading about 8 months ago. I started out with a RCBS Rock Cruncher single stage press. I have never had ANY issues with my work. I think I've had probably 3 or 4 light loads..but enough to operate the slide. I don't push maximums..and I don't knowingly do anything stupid. I attempt to err on the side of caution. I purchased a Dillon 550 B about 4 mos. ago. That's when the factory started. I reload now..just cuz' I'm bored and nothing is on TV. I probably have enough ammo to last for another 5months..and I shoot about 400 rounds a week. I have had no problems with anything except assuring that my 40 cal stuff is done correctly so I don't experience problems with my Glock.
I made 100 rounds of 45 acp self defense ammo using Hornady Hollow points when I first started out on this single stage press. The powder I used was Unique. I used a middle of the range charge and CCI primers and once fired brass. I was learning under the direction of a guy that works at a local reloader's shop. He sat with me while I loaded 100 rounds of .308 ammo. I learned a ton. When I put together this 45 ammo..I set the crimping/seating die up in one step. I don't do that any more..but I did then. When I was done, the loads would not chamber properly in my 1911. I went back to him and he said to set the crimp a little tighter to eliminate the flare in the mouth. I did it..and it worked. I have fired off the first 50 of these loads without incident. I had a full 8 round magazine of these loads in my range bag, so I decided to fire them off for giggles. I normally don't shoot with them..but in this case..this day...I did.
I'm on the line...I shoot the 1st 6 rounds. All is good. The 7th round...KABOOooM!!!
I could feel the explosion in my hand, and I felt something hitting me in the face..but it didn't really hurt all that bad...kinda like when your next to someone firing a revolver and you feel the crap coming out of the side of his gun on a crappy load. Anyway..the explosion shocked me a bit and I knew something was seriously wrong. I placed the gun on the bench. I felt something on my face..like sweat or something. Nope...it was blood..and a lot of it!! I picked up the gun sock that I use to cover my pistols when not in use and by the time I stopped bleeding and could get to a bandage, that gray sock was ALL burgandy! You could actually see streaks of what looked like sweat all up and down the front of my black shirt. Nope..no sweat..that was blood as well. I hustle over to the bathroom..bleeding all over and finally with the help of some cold water got the bleeding to come to a light dribble. Slow enough to at least get a bandage on before the area got covered with blood.
OK..enough details about the gory parts. Now..lets go see what the gun looks like! I was using my Les Baer 1911 witha Wilson Combat 8 rd. mag. The magazine was still in the gun, but the base plate...spring and follower was missing. They retrieved the mangled spring about 20 feet away and the metal base plate about 10 ft away. The 8th round was jammed in the bottom of the mag. I thought for sure that my
most expensive pistol was toast at this point. I nervously kept shooting with my other guns for the next 3 hours. My accuracy sucked..cuz' I was apprehensive and gun shy.
I get home that night and after I appealed to my wife for sympathy and didn't get any..I proceeded to the garage to try and break down my Les B. 15 minutes later..I retrieved the casing that was still jammed in the barrel. I put the pistol back together..cycled it..and all seemed well! Just a magazine blow out! The casing that was stuck in the barrel was toast. The bottom..just above the extractor lip was blown out.
OK..that's the story. The question is....WHY? The case wasn't worn out. It was once fired brass. It was not double charged...I know..cuz' I was watching that VERY carefully when I started reloading. The bullet was seated at a measurement within the specs of the Hornandy reloading manual. The pistol used was a Les Baer 45 acp with a supported chamber.
Here are some pictures to gander at. My thoughts are that it fired while it was not in full battery..but I may be wrong. Especially on a 1911.
Crappy photo...Iphone with bad lighting! Hopefully you can see enough detail.
I'll work my way up to the point in a minute. I started reloading about 8 months ago. I started out with a RCBS Rock Cruncher single stage press. I have never had ANY issues with my work. I think I've had probably 3 or 4 light loads..but enough to operate the slide. I don't push maximums..and I don't knowingly do anything stupid. I attempt to err on the side of caution. I purchased a Dillon 550 B about 4 mos. ago. That's when the factory started. I reload now..just cuz' I'm bored and nothing is on TV. I probably have enough ammo to last for another 5months..and I shoot about 400 rounds a week. I have had no problems with anything except assuring that my 40 cal stuff is done correctly so I don't experience problems with my Glock.
I made 100 rounds of 45 acp self defense ammo using Hornady Hollow points when I first started out on this single stage press. The powder I used was Unique. I used a middle of the range charge and CCI primers and once fired brass. I was learning under the direction of a guy that works at a local reloader's shop. He sat with me while I loaded 100 rounds of .308 ammo. I learned a ton. When I put together this 45 ammo..I set the crimping/seating die up in one step. I don't do that any more..but I did then. When I was done, the loads would not chamber properly in my 1911. I went back to him and he said to set the crimp a little tighter to eliminate the flare in the mouth. I did it..and it worked. I have fired off the first 50 of these loads without incident. I had a full 8 round magazine of these loads in my range bag, so I decided to fire them off for giggles. I normally don't shoot with them..but in this case..this day...I did.
I'm on the line...I shoot the 1st 6 rounds. All is good. The 7th round...KABOOooM!!!
I could feel the explosion in my hand, and I felt something hitting me in the face..but it didn't really hurt all that bad...kinda like when your next to someone firing a revolver and you feel the crap coming out of the side of his gun on a crappy load. Anyway..the explosion shocked me a bit and I knew something was seriously wrong. I placed the gun on the bench. I felt something on my face..like sweat or something. Nope...it was blood..and a lot of it!! I picked up the gun sock that I use to cover my pistols when not in use and by the time I stopped bleeding and could get to a bandage, that gray sock was ALL burgandy! You could actually see streaks of what looked like sweat all up and down the front of my black shirt. Nope..no sweat..that was blood as well. I hustle over to the bathroom..bleeding all over and finally with the help of some cold water got the bleeding to come to a light dribble. Slow enough to at least get a bandage on before the area got covered with blood. OK..enough details about the gory parts. Now..lets go see what the gun looks like! I was using my Les Baer 1911 witha Wilson Combat 8 rd. mag. The magazine was still in the gun, but the base plate...spring and follower was missing. They retrieved the mangled spring about 20 feet away and the metal base plate about 10 ft away. The 8th round was jammed in the bottom of the mag. I thought for sure that my
most expensive pistol was toast at this point. I nervously kept shooting with my other guns for the next 3 hours. My accuracy sucked..cuz' I was apprehensive and gun shy.
I get home that night and after I appealed to my wife for sympathy and didn't get any..I proceeded to the garage to try and break down my Les B. 15 minutes later..I retrieved the casing that was still jammed in the barrel. I put the pistol back together..cycled it..and all seemed well! Just a magazine blow out! The casing that was stuck in the barrel was toast. The bottom..just above the extractor lip was blown out.
OK..that's the story. The question is....WHY? The case wasn't worn out. It was once fired brass. It was not double charged...I know..cuz' I was watching that VERY carefully when I started reloading. The bullet was seated at a measurement within the specs of the Hornandy reloading manual. The pistol used was a Les Baer 45 acp with a supported chamber.
Here are some pictures to gander at. My thoughts are that it fired while it was not in full battery..but I may be wrong. Especially on a 1911.
Crappy photo...Iphone with bad lighting! Hopefully you can see enough detail.
