That is, when one experiences a funny sound/recoil impulse (i.e. a squib load), they should check for a barrel obstruction (unless of course they see a plume of dirt or hit target).
I teach this to new shooters early on. I load their gun with a primed only case (no bullet), then when they try to fire another round with "a bullet stuck" in the barrel" we have a talk.
One of the 10 commandments of gun safety is to be sure your barrel is clear of obstructions
This sounds good on paper but MANY experienced shooters do not recognize when a bullet gets stuck in the barrel from a squib load or primed only round and will try to "tap, rack and fire", except it becomes "tap, rack and kaboom".
It happened recently with an experienced shooter, new 1911 and a no powder NAME BRAND defense round. Lucky all that happened is the new gun went to the gunsmith to be checked over and have a new barrel installed.
Last year I was standing by a experienced shooter when he fired a no powder load, sticking the bullet in the barrel. He immediately started to jack another round in the chamber to fire the gun again. I reached in front of him and grabbed the gun from above locking the slide about half way back, as I said, "Don't shoot. There's a bullet stuck in the barrel".
The shooter and the gun store manager, who was also watching the shooter, both doubted me, until they checked for themselves.
This happens so seldom that few people catch it when it does happen. Then they fire another round, with mixed results.
But it DOES happen.
I was asked to inspect some 38 revolvers carried by a government security guard force. Two out of 5 guns had ringed barrels from firing with bullets stuck in the barrel.
On my range there's been at least five bullets stuck in barrels. Lucky I caught most of them.
Just recently a friend was about to buy a nice Colt 1903. I told him to pass because the barrel was bulged.
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