Glock Kaboomed Next to Me Today...

[MCgunner]

I'd reload for a Glock. I reload for ALL my guns. Just keep it within SAAMI and don't get crazy. 99 percent of these type of kabooms, whether Glock or not, are related to the handload. Many times it can be a double charge of a fast, dense powder, IE Bullseye. In this case it could be an old case reloaded one too many times, perhaps cracked and not noticed. Glocks, also, and one reason I don't own one, are polygonal rifled and they warn against shooting cast led. I shoot nothing, but cast lead for practice and some hunting loads in magnum revolver calibers.

Idiots have no business with a reloading press.

 

[1911Tuner]

You must have missed the part where it was said that these were reloads with bulged bases and hairline cracks???

How could that possibly be Glock's fault???

Lack of case head support contributes heavily to it. Although it's highly likely that this was caused by either an overcharge or substantial bullet setback causing pressures to spike early...if the head support is good, the chamber will contain it. This is one of the reasons that I'm not entirely comfortable with pistols in which head support has been compromised...whether deliberately or by design. While doing that does contribute to feed reliability, there's a short limit as to how far it can be taken. It depends greatly on the operating pressure of the caliber, and whether that pressure goes too high...either by overcharging or by bullet setback.

In a high-pressure caliber like the .40 just a little setback or just a little too much powder can push it over the line. At that point, it's a matter of the strength and malleability of the case or in the thickness of the case web. In some brands, the web extends further up into the wall. Others...not so much.

Over the years, I've seen many 1911 chambers compromised by amateur throat jobs that produced the telltale "Guppy Belly" bulges with some brands of ammo...but not with others. Federal brass will bulge, while Winchester and PMC won't...or at least they won't bulge to nearly the same degree...when fired in the same gun with the same bullet and powder charge.

Of course, there's also the off-chance that the gun in question fired out of battery...which will blow the area ahead of the web. As with this Glock, when they blow, the hot gasses and brass shards go into the magazine, and sympathetic detonarion of one or more of the stored rounds is a distinct possibility. If that had happened, the shooter could very well have lost a finger or two.

Finally...dynamic headspace is also a possible player. If the working headspace is a little long, and the powder charge just a little too much and the head support is lacking just a bit...all it takes is for the bullet to set back .010-.012 inch for things to get interesting.

 

[group17]

Keep those exploding Glock stories coming. It will make it so much cheaper to get my next used one.

 

[christcorp]

I'd like to read some stories of "exploding XD, Kel-tec, S&W, etc...". I'm sure that other pistols explode because of bad reloads or some other reason. Or, is there in fact actually something to there being numerous stories of glocks having problems?

 

[1911Tuner]

Keep those exploding Glock stories coming.

Okey doke.

Early one Sunday AM, I decided to head down to the range for some alone time with my
pistols before the regular crowd showed up. Apparently, another early bird had the same idea, and had come and gone before I got there. My guess was that he left in a hurry.

At my favored falling plate bay, I found drops of fresh blood and shards of black plastic. Further investigation turned up several .40 caliber Blazer aluminim cases with the - firing pin indent that identified a Glock. All cases had a bulge. There were three cases with blown webs that looked exactly like the one pictured above. Either they somehow ejected without incident, or the shooter ignored the red flags and kept bangin' away.

Then, I found the ones that got him...the ones that detonated in the magazine...along with two live rounds. His injuries probably weren't too severe, since he had the presence of mind to pick up the busted magazine, but the floorplate and spring were left behind. I never found the follower, and I didn't find out who shed his blood at the Glock altar until a few weeks later.

 

[Ben86]

How much play should a cartridge have when seated in the barrel's chamber? My taurus 709 seems to have even more than my glocks, and the cases have been looking a little bit bulged. I've only had 1 failure to eject, and the case looked a tiny bit bulged. Isn't it normal for the case to be a little bulged? Should I be worried?

 

[speaksoftly]

I'd like to read some stories of "exploding XD, Kel-tec, S&W, etc...". I'm sure that other pistols explode because of bad reloads or some other reason. Or, is there in fact actually something to there being numerous stories of glocks having problems?

+1 Though Im sure that when a Kel-Tec, XD, or S&W goes kabloom it'll be the pistols inferior non-Glockness that's to blame and not the ammo. Haha

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

There was one story about someones USP 45 blowing up with pictures but it was reloaded gunshow ammo, possible double charge.

Edit: Found it, http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/hk-kb.html

 

[EdLaver]

Reloads a no-no and a no-go in a Glock, period. I know ammo prices are expensive but sometimes you have to follow the rules laid out by those who have already experienced it and reported it.

 

[Ratdog68]

First... I hate to see anyone get hurt. And, incidents like this do not help the shooters' cause (no matter which flavor Kool Aid you drink).

Aside from that... it's rather entertaining (given the history of all the chin music of how inferior Brand X is to Brand Y) to read all this "ain't the gun's fault !!!". Objectivity is a hard thing to hold close at all times.

Idiots are out there, I've met some. I knew a clown that went out and bought a .458 Win Mag for deer hunting (WA State has small bodied black tail), and purposely "reloaded" his brass to the point of blowing the primers right out the back of the cases and then back 'em off until they remained intact. I was pleased to have him relate this to me. I made it a point to distance myself from him in anything related to firearms (after telling him he was crazy). However... to immediately assume all the blame goes to the "reloads"? Or, to justify a KB with "it's purely a numbers thing"? Sounds a little irresponsible to me. Each incident like this needs to be evaluated and learned from on an incident by incident basis. Some of these postings read like "Everybody liked the economy of the Ford Pinto, look how many of them were sold... and, any car can KB if rear ended." Very true... but, doesn't mean the design shouldn't be evaluated.

I have an old 3 screw Super Blackhawk .44 and used to own a S&W 629 in .44. While nothing was wrong with my S&W, I wouldn't subject it to the same loads I was ok with running through my Ruger... and my buddy's Dan Wesson will probably take even hotter ones. Sure, I'm as guilty as the next guy of suffering from brand loyalty... but a feller's gotta remain objective too. I mean... I've always had a soft spot in my heart for my favorite "Bow Tie" offerings, but, I understood the shortcomings of the Vega too. You'd THINK that the lovers of all things "Combat Tupperware" would want to be at the forefront of identifying a model's design weakness and scream at the top of their collective lungs for the HQ in the Fatherland to correct matters... would you not? Instead... all I've read is "BAD AMMO !!!! La La La La.... !!!"

 

[2ac]

I've a quick question. Is this mainly a .40 cal prob then? All others aside. I'm thinking of replacing my CZ with a G19 and want to reload for it. Am I going to run into case bulging issues, or is it mainly the 23's unsupported chamber?

Thanks,

 

[Mike J]

DIdn't Glock start giving their .40 caliber chambers more support somewhere around 2007? I was thinking I had seen some pic.'s on the internet that would support this.

I have seen pic's online of blown up XD's. One was caused by a double charge. Springfield gave the guy a good price on a replacement frame & was going to check out his gun for him. The other was caused by a squib load. It was fired again while the first round was lodged in the barrel. IIRC the ammunition manufacturer was supposed to be standing good for the replacement of it. I don't believe the shooter in either instance was seriously injured but they did have some hand injuries. Having that happen with any brand gun would be enough to give you a flinch when shooting from then on.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Thats the thing with polymer guns, they are fragile to over charges and such. One of the reasons I prefer metal.

 

[KurtC]

1911Tuner,

I've read thru all these posts and apparently you are wrong Everyone here says Glock KB's are caused by using lead bullets or double charged reloads, neither of which is possible with Blazer .40 aluminum cased ammunition.

You had better get your facts straight, because the evidence you found indicates that the jacketed factory ammo was being fired out-of-battery, which would indicate a design flaw.

 

[ndindy]

"I'd like to read some stories of "exploding XD, Kel-tec, S&W, etc...". I'm sure that other pistols explode because of bad reloads or some other reason. Or, is there in fact actually something to there being numerous stories of glocks having problems? "

It's a bigger deal when it's a glock. AFAIK glock mainstreamed the non-metal handgun and stepped on a bunch of peoples toes by doing so. Kind of like the die-hard chevy guy going on and on and on about a ford he saw sitting with a flat tire while disregarding the 10 chevy's he's owned with bad engines. Or vice-versa, it's all the same imo.

So the die hard metal guys will go on about tupperware, die hard plastic guys will go on about antiquated designs and capacity. Some day polymer guns will be about the only thing on the market and when something new comes along it will start all over again.

I own all kinds, easy for me to make fun of both sides

As for your post, I owned a keltec, it blew up with factory loads. Pretty unexciting other than I won't own another keltec.

 

[Ben86]

As for your post, I owned a keltec, it blew up with factory loads. Pretty unexciting other than I won't own another keltec.

Which model and year was it if you don't mind me asking?

Before I buy a new gun, would it be a good idea to check head space and chamber support? If so, is there any othe way than awkwardly asking the guy behind the counter to insert a live cartridge?

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

People don't post their story and pictures of a exploded gun just because they hate that product. They probably do now because their gun blew up but still. If something major happens you typically want to tell someone unless its something personal. These people don't bash something this good unless they have good reason and evidence, both are provided.

Here is a catastrophic KaBoom of a FNH FiveseveN because of someone using reloads. It fired out of battery because of a improperly loaded case. http://www.packing4life.com/showthread.php?t=4578

 

[christcorp]

Anyone who says you can't use reloads in a glock, keltec, s&w, springer, etc... doesn't know what they are talking about. The gun manufacturer says it because of legal liability. "That's the ONLY reason they say it". If you reload, follow instructions and measurements, then your reload will NOT perform any differently than factory ammo. I don't buy remanufactured or reload ammo unless I know the source personally. e.g. I WILL buy ammo from mastercast.net. If you don't know how to reload, and you double charge and blow up your gun, then you my friend are an idiot and don't even deserve to own a gun. I don't buy the "Accidents do happen" excuse. Accidents imply an act of god and are not preventable. Reloading ammunition can be 100% quality controlled. If you don't do the actual reloading, then you take your chances. But to say that reloads are a no no in ANY gun is totally ignorant. If you reload properly, your gun couldn't tell the difference no matter what ammo you put in it. If you reload improperly, well, we already established what that means. The reloader is an idiot.

But back to the glock. Anecdotally, it sure does seem that Glocks have had MORE reports of kabooms than most any other gun. And if it's going kaboom when using blazer commercial ammo, then i doubt that it's an ammo thing. I would say the gun was defective.

 

[Oldnoob]

Kaboom can happen in any gun. End of story. Don't put the Glock hating agenda into a misfortune even.

 

[rscalzo]

It does not necessarily have anything to do with reloading. We had one on our range using standard W-W Ranger SXT 165 grain ammo. the problem was caused by an out of battery detonation. The cause of the malfunction was the use of our Ultrasonic cleaner. It loosened and allowed dirt and grime to build up in the firing pin channel locking it far enough forward to set off the primer before the handgun was in battery.

The handgun was repaired and put back in service in short order.

I've fired thousands of hand loaded rounds through my Glocks. Only problem to date was the slide falling off. One reason all departmental Glocks have the slide lock spring replaced every so often.

 

[REAPER4206969]

it sure does seem that Glocks have had MORE reports of kabooms than most any other gun.

Glock's are the most widely and heavily used handguns on this continent (possibly planet.) Glock sold five million pistols as of 2007, of course they're going to be more reports of problems.

 

[sideways]

I had a very similar gun do that once it was a squirt gun I left in the freezer.
1911s forever
Glocks never

 

[MCgunner]

Reloads a no-no and a no-go in a Glock, period.

If that is true, it's yet another reason not to own a Glock. I mean, i don't like 'em, anyway, funky unsafe trigger design and inability to fire my cast bullets.

I have handloaded for my handguns for 35 years, include my rifles and it's 45 years. I won't own a gun that won't shoot properly crafted handloads, though I have know idea why a Glock wouldn't. I do much prefer my own hand cast bullets, though, and I know that IS a no-no in a polygonal rifled barrel.

 

[mongo4567]

I saw an HK P7 blow its magazine out the bottom in the lane next to me. It must be junk and have a poorly supported chamber. Nevermind the fact that the ammo was gunshow reloads and that the shooter said it had happened a couple of times before with the same reloader... He was happy because the reloader gave him an extra bag of ammo when he brought in the ruptured case.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Sounds like it still was able to function and was poorly loaded ammo. Theres a difference between regular loaded factory ammo and overcharged poor handloads.