The Night Rider
Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2022
- Messages
- 2,146
I went to Sportsman's Warehouse with my wife once and all we could find was a box of .45 GAP. Thankfully the salesman stopped me and told me that it would not fit in a 1911.
Haha, now I feel better about my 9mm vs 40s&w mix up. I think I would have noticed that the .380 rounds were noticeable smaller than 9mm.A few years ago I went to my favorite gun store that also had a firing range. I didn’t bring ammo. I bought 2 boxes of Blazer Brass 115 grain 9mm there and went into the range. I loaded my magazines not noticing something wasn’t right with the ammo until I fired my first round. The gun fired but the recoil wasn’t there. I didn’t see the case eject. I stopped immediately. I dropped the mag then locked the slide back. I could see the case well inside the chamber. I turned the gun up and rapped on the side of the slide and out came a .380 ACP case.
My 3 mags were full of .380 ammo except one that had 16 rounds. I unloaded the mags. Put the .380 ammo back into the 9mm box and went out to see the range master.
At first I thought CCI had made a mistake and put .380 ammo in a 9mm box. The range master told me it was his fault. He was showing a new shooter the differences between the 9mm round and the .380 round and he mixed up the trays gong into the box. Sure enough he had a .380 labeled box full of 9mm.
He handed me that box and told me to keep the .380 ammo gratis for the error. I did own a .380 pistol so I got a good deal.
It’s funny, I should have noticed but for some reason I didn’t. I sure didn’t admit to the range master that I loaded 3 -17 round mags full of them.Haha, now I feel better about my 9mm vs 40s&w mix up. I think I would have noticed that the .380 rounds were noticeable smaller than 9mm.
I have done this also, out of a Colt SAA. It took a knife to get the case out, which about two-thirds of the case was missing.Buddy of mine grabbed six of my .44 Magnum rounds and loaded up his .45 Colt revolver.
Fired one shot, BOOM! .44 Mag noise and recoil stopped him from firing shot number two.
If he hadn’t been shooting a 5.5” old model Vaquero .45 Colt, things wouldn’t have turned out as well as they did. (Just a split case, and a whole lot of embarrassment.)
Stay safe.
Good call. Although we've all been guilty of it at some point, dumbassery does not constitute a legitimate alibi.When the range master saw what the guy had done, he refused the alibi and DQd the shooter.
But a .40 S&W will fit into a .45 cal. 1911 mag and barrel & may feed and fire. Full disclosure below.I was lucky. 45acp won't fit into a 40 caliber mag.
Yes it is. And that is why I leave one of my Star Firestar pistols and magazines in my range bag while I have the other one out.Its easy to have a mix-up like that. Wrong ammo, wrong magazines, or just plain forgetting one or the other. It happens............
I make it a point to double check for that stuff after I get everything out and before I load it into my range bag.
Mine was when I first got my SAR9 years ago. Took it to the range, loaded up a couple of mags and almost instantly the problems started. Spent casings being ejected over my head and into my shirt, behind my safety glasses and constant FTFs. Got home and called SAR warranty department and explained my problems........ SAR rep: "What grain ammo were you using?" Me: "115 grain." Rep: "The manual states you have to start with 124 Grain NATO rounds to break it in, it was designed as a NATO sidearm."Yep, good lesson in paying attention.
I successfully loaded and fired a .40 S&W round in my Kimber .45 ACP. It even cycled enough to eject the case as mangled as it was. It happened a couple of times until I got fed up and took the case to the front desk and asked them what could cause that. He looked at the headstamp and asked what gun I was shooting. I cannot describe how stupid I felt, especially with the look he gave me. I've never made that mistake again.
I specifically don't own a .380 or .40 cal because of the similarity to 9 mm and 45 ACP. I occasionally pick one up at the range and it goes through the reloading process until I put it in the sizing die. At least it won't blow up there.I chambered a 9mm in 40s&w magazine once. The 9mm went right into the barrel which is why I'm surprised @Mike J was about to fire a round especially without a kaboom.
Not a great idea to have 9mm and 40s&w loose ammo mixed together.
I bought a box of 250 gr Berry's Bullets in 45 Colt at Bass Pro Shop and the box was filled with 300 gr 45-70 bulets. The first two people I talked to told me they couldn't return ammo, even if the wrong kind was in the box. They weren't having any of the argument that the bullets by themselves without a case, primer or powder weren't actually ammo. Finally I got high enough that they agreed to "give" me the correct bullets. I left the 45-70 there because I didn't have any use for them.Many many moons ago I was buying a case of Federal 115 grain ball 9mm from a local shop. I remember it was a whapping 85 bucks for the case. I paid my money, they handed over the case. So far so good. Got home and went to put the ammo away. That's when I saw they gave me a case of Federal 147 grain HP. Called the store to let them know I'll be in to swap out the ammo for the ball ammo. They told me to keep it. Something about not being allowed to sell "used" ammo. I asked what the difference in price was so I can pay it. Was told since it was there mistake I don't have to pay the difference. I still buy guns there.
I own 380acp, 9mm, 40s&w, and 45acp. I can't ever see myself getting confused with .380 and 9mm or 40s&w and 45acp.I specifically don't own a .380 or .40 cal because of the similarity to 9 mm and 45 ACP. I occasionally pick one up at the range and it goes through the reloading process until I put it in the sizing die. At least it won't blow up there.
It’s more a collecting and sorting issue than using issue.I own 380acp, 9mm, 40s&w, and 45acp. I can't ever see myself getting confused with .380 and 9mm or 40s&w and 45acp.
380 is noticeably shorter and smaller. A 9mm won't fit in any 380 mags I know of, and a 380 isn't going to blow up a 9mm handgun:
View attachment 1171547
40s&w is noticeably shorter and thinner. 45acp won't fit in a 40s&w mag or chamber, and 40s&w is to small to fit in a 45acp mag. The lips of the mags I tested won't catch the top round. 9mm and 40s&w on the otherhand are very easy to mix up if not paying attention as a 9mm will fit and feed into a 40s&w mag and chamber, and there's a chance of a kaboom.
View attachment 1171550