357 sig kabooom

[eldon519]

I don't disagree with you, but as I understand it, this kB occurred with a handload.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I think we all understand that both factory and hand loaded ammo can be loaded out of spec. With the amount of ammo most manufacturers are churning out I'm sure it is also going to be more common to find ammo out of spec. I check mine thoroughly.

The unsupported chamber is the true issue. A fully supported chamber provides a measure of safety and is less prone to mechanical failure than an unsupported chamber. Glocks are particularly vulnerable to Kabooms because the use a deeply cut ramp and a loose chamber. If a case ruptures the hot gases are vented to the bottom towards the ammo in your hand. This was particularly dangerous when the mags (and grip) were almost all plastic. This provided very little protection for you hand. I believe Glock uses steel lines mags now. This is an improvement but they really need provide fully supported chambers thier high pressure rounds like the .40, 357 SIG, and the 45 GAP. I haven't heard about too many problems with the 9mms and 45s.

 

[jon_in_wv]

Here is an example of a case rupture I had with my CZ52. It was very high velocity and high pressure ammo. I believe it was Czech surplus. In a gun with an unsupported chamber this could have been ugly. As it was, I didn't even know this rupture had occurred until I picking up the brass and noticed the split in the case.

 

[wally]

In a gun with an unsupported chamber this could have been ugly. As it was, I didn't even know this rupture had occurred until I picking up the brass and noticed the split in the case.

The split shown is in the neck area, these are pretty much harmless in any gun and means the brass has hit its end of life as a cartridge and is ready for recycling.

Now if all your brass is doing this, you need to get the gun checked, but any reloader sees these eventually.

--wally.

 

[AK103K]

You also see them in older military surplus rounds, and especially with hotter rounds like the 7.62x25. Its not unusual at all. I doubt that an unsupported chamber in that case would have been an issue either.

 

[jon_in_wv]

possibly. But which would you rather have something like that happen in? My M&P has a nicely supported chamber. I prefer it over any Glock.

 

[AK103K]

I'd rather it not happen in anything, but if you shoot a round like that and use ammo like that, its going to happen (like that) in anything you shoot.

I've had it happen with reloaded brass in a couple of calibers, mostly .45 and 9mm, and especially when using nickeled brass. You normally dont even know it happened until you hear the funny "clinking" sound when you pick them up and they bang into the rest of the brass in your hand.

I really dont think a case split like that would have turned a Glock into a hand grenade, any more than it would your M&P or my SIG.

My bet with the Glock is that it was in fact the reload. Its been my experience that most failures due to ammo are. If your loading for something that tends to be picky or prone to this sort of thing, you just have to take a little extra care or shoot factory ammo. If you reload enough, sooner or later or going to have some sort of issue, and hopefully, its doesnt involve the word "boom".

 

[wuchak]

I think Midway is right. You need to take it up with manufacturer, not the retailer. Even Cabela's who will let you return anything no matter how long you've had and abused it (you should see some of the stuff in the Bargain Cave), will not take back reloading supplies and ammo. There is no way for them to tell if it was your loading technique (most likely in most cases) or the components that failed. They are not staffed to take up these cases on your behalf with the manufacturers.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

never mind

 

[jon_in_wv]

AK103. I didn't say my case split would turn a a Glock into a hand grenade. There is no need to over dramatize my point. My point was only that things do happen. Cases fail. And I prefer a gun with a supported chamber. Glock should fix this with their weapons rather than deny it, blame the user, or blame the ammo. It CAN happen with any weapon, but when you see a prevailing trend with one family of weapons it is something that should be addressed.

 

[Haycreek]

The ka-boom in my G 31 was PMC case failure, no damage to the Glock. Pistol was inspected by Glock in Smyrer GA. Glock said not to use PMC.

 

[tsuehpsyde]

It's astounding how many people are quick to blame a Glock for a kB when it's almost always the ammunition to blame (in this case, bad brass). Hot reloads, bad brass, or just plain bad ammunition are not a gun's fault.

Bad ammunition or bad reloading will cause any gun to malfunction or kB, not just Glocks.

And I'm sure some guns just plain malfunction from time to time, but all guns are prone to this. Find me a semi-automatic pistol that hasn't had a problem at some time or another in it's history, and I'll show you someone fudging the numbers.

 

[Bullet]

jeepmor
As for you guys who think things won't fire out of battery, try this. Take your gun, safely empty, and use a matchstick or something to put a small gap between the breech and chamber, pull the trigger. Most will still strike. You can use feeler gages to find where that go no-go point is. I know my Taurus guns will fire with some gap between the barrel and breech not being 100% closed, I suspect others will too. If not, try it and chime back in.

I’m not exactly sure where you can put a feeler gage. My G17 doesn’t have room for anything. If I pull the slide back enough to put a feeler gage in, it won’t fire.