Kahr Kaboom.....

[Larryect]

But FYI when you are buying your WWB at walmart- yes the 100 box, the so called "value pack", is almost $11.00. But notice how much the fifty packs are of the same stuff- $4.63! COst more for the "value pack"!

Thanks for the tip. I will have to check that out.

 

[Larryect]

My guess is your handload (haven't looked at any tables) is on the hot side and the Kahr doesn't support the case as far down as the other nines you've been shooting, blew out at the feed ramp where it doesn't support.

IOW, I blame your load. Gotta be careful when shooting hot loads in an autoloader. Buy a new gun, load lighter and work up for THAT gun.

I can load JHP 9s for five bucks a box, about. I can buy 'em for a couple bucks more.

It could be a little hot.. It could be I just screwed up.. (I think this was from the first batch I made on this progressive) - I did prove to myself just the other day, it IS possible to double charge a case if you really screw up the progression. But again I am pretty sure I would have noticed a completly full case. It could be weak brass (for whatever reason), or bullet setback.

I started at 4.5 grains and it would just barely cycle a well broken in SIG. Ended up at 4.8.

I did have a friend much more familar with reloading look at the case along with a couple others fired from the same batch. He could not see any high pressure signs (other than the blow out). The case that blew looks like it started horizontaly, right at the base of the cartridge, where it tapers in sharply. He thinks it was most likely a bad case.

I figure I can make 9mm for about $3.50/box - but probably not worth it. Certainly not worth a blown gun or an injury.

I will certainly be re-thinking this. And, the KAHR will only be getting factory fresh for quite awhile.

 

[jerkface11]

I have yet to hear of a kaboom that DIDN'T involve a progressive press.

 

[Larryect]

update.

Got the gun back. They also replaced the recoil spring and polished the feed ramp - no charge. I'm kind of curious if the recoil spring really needed replacement or if they did it as SOP. I'm pretty sure the gun had less than 300 rounds through it.

Havn't shot it yet. It will be getting factory ammo.

 

[Beren]

Glad you're okay. I blew up an MK9 back in the day. It was factory ammo, iirc, but from our after action diagnosis, it appears the pistol stuck ever-so-slightly out of battery.

Therefore the case wasn't fully supported, and boom, it burts near the rim.

I remembered wondering for a moment if I had blown my hand off and that it just hadn't fully registered yet. After a few moments I assured myself that my hand was, indeed, still attached.

Kahr not only fixed her up good as new, they put new night sights on as well. This was four or so years ago. I've since sold the pistol, but I have the parts that blew out of it here somewhere.

 

[duncan]

For 9mm, unless you're shooting ungodly amounts of ammo I wouldn't think that reloading would be worth the time and equipment expense, but then again we all have our own reasons for reloading that have little to do with economy of time or money.

The Kahr feed ramps have a moderate amount of case support. I could have and does happen in a lot of other guns.

It appears that you had a weak case and may have more than 4.8 grains in there.

As to reloading 9mm, you can't find certain rounds commercially. Like hot 147 grain rounds or 115 grainers that will consistently deliver 1911 accuracy from a 9mm handgun. You're right, you could get some 9mm commercial ammo at close to reloaded price but I'm still saving $1 per box of 50 rounds.

If you have several 9mm handguns as many of do, it works for you.

If you shoot 9mm handguns like HKP7s that need NATO-rated 9mm ammo, you will be spending more $$$ for that quality hot ammo. So reloading works for you.

If you have a 9mm AR-15 and load up 10 30-round magazines, reloading becomes very practical. Love shooting this AR:

Reloading works for all of us especially if you can run almost 600 rounds an hour on your Dillon 550.

 

[Blackcloud6]

It could be a little hot.. It could be I just screwed up.. (I think this was from the first batch I made on this progressive) - I did prove to myself just the other day, it IS possible to double charge a case if you really screw up the progression. But again I am pretty sure I would have noticed a completly full case.

I strongly think you double charged. This case looks just like the one I blew up in a Sistema Colt some years ago. The case that blew was from one of the first batch of .45 acp I ever reloaded on my Dillon 550B. It was a double charge, its the only answer. It is very easy to double charge a .45 acp and not know it. You may have been distrtacted, going too fast etc. It happens.

 

[Navy joe]

Maybe it was a bad case, maybe not. I still go for setback based on your description of force required to unseat the bullet with a whack-a-mole puller. The only ammo that I've had that pulled as easily as you describe was some Independence .45ACP, I didn't get setback, I got setforward due to shooting it in a revo.

Here is how your setback possibly and your lack of neck tension for sure happened. You stated that the pulled bullets exhibited a .003" crimp ring. I have reloaded 19,500 plated bullets in 9x19 with great success. You do not crimp that much, only enough to remove the bell. I set my crimp by adjusting to where a pulled bullet exhibits no measurable deformation in the crimp area and the case mouth measures the same as the rest of the body.

The only reason I posted is I hate seeing bad info. Someone posted that you needed more crimp to stop setback/easy pulling bullets. Wrong. As above you need less. When you crimp more, the bullet deforms. As you release the die the brass springs back a little. Lead does not spring back. Voila, crappy case neck tension. Don't believe me? Try resizing a loaded plated bullet round. You will be able to turn if not pull out the bullet by hand. If the more crimp school of thought was right that sucker should be in there good after resizing right?

Simply put, I love plated bullets. The give me a load I want at $60/1000 which is cheaper than the best deal out there. I have spare time, not spare money. When I was shooting factory I was single, and 30K rounds per year was affordable. Back the crimp off and keep loading. I won't address the likelihood of a doublecharge, I've never loaded on a 1050, but if you aren't using a powder check die, maybe you should.

 

[roo_ster]

Larryetc said a double charge fills the case to the rim. If this is the case, I doubt he would have been able to seat the bullet, unles W231 is easily compressable.

 

[Ulvetann]

Wow, what a hole, I am glad it didn't happen to me, I am a links shooter, and that would be my thumb over that hole!

 

[gudel]

how much did it cost you to replace that gun? did you get it replaced for free?

 

[Larryect]

Thanks for the replies.

Here is how your setback possibly and your lack of neck tension for sure happened. You stated that the pulled bullets exhibited a .003" crimp ring. I have reloaded 19,500 plated bullets in 9x19 with great success. You do not crimp that much, only enough to remove the bell. I set my crimp by adjusting to where a pulled bullet exhibits no measurable deformation in the crimp area and the case mouth measures the same as the rest of the body.

The only reason I posted is I hate seeing bad info. Someone posted that you needed more crimp to stop setback/easy pulling bullets. Wrong. As above you need less. When you crimp more, the bullet deforms. As you release the die the brass springs back a little. Lead does not spring back. Voila, crappy case neck tension. Don't believe me? Try resizing a loaded plated bullet round. You will be able to turn if not pull out the bullet by hand. If the more crimp school of thought was right that sucker should be in there good after resizing right?

This is an interesting concept and I remember reading a discussion about this concerning Lee factory crimp dies, which I am using as well. I will check it carefully the next time I set the press up for 9mm. Currently I have it set for 45 ACP (large primer). I don't really like changing the setup a lot - especially primer size!!.

I remembered wondering for a moment if I had blown my hand off and that it just hadn't fully registered yet. After a few moments I assured myself that my hand was, indeed, still attached.

Yea. I know what you mean. Shot didn't feel right, hand stung. saw flame out the side. I looked at my hand to see what the damage was - luckily there was none.


The first part of my index finger was across the hole. The factory said it was designed to blow out that panel with an overcharged case. I think the panel itself hit my hand causing more space to open at the top side allowing most the flame to go up and away from my hand.

It cost me $46 to ship it overnight FEDEX insured. The factory did not charge for the repair.

 

[wild_bill]

kahr kaboom

I have had a similar experience with a kahr P9. reloaded ammo jacked bullet, brass by cci blazer, loaded 10% under 9mm max standard [ not +P], all powder levels checked before bullet insertion. appears to have too much unsupported case outside of chamber. should a gun of this price range have this type of problem if a week case should blow through? will I use blazer brass again? NO!!! wil I shoot any more kahr guns???? have also had quality problems with auto ordanance, owned by kahr. what is this world comming to? take out my 50 yr plus guns and never have a problem.

 

[dogtown tom]

Welcome to THR.

Don't blame Kahr or CCI.
You ignored the manufacturers warning about using reloaded ammunition.

 

[dogtown tom]

double tap

 

[21bubba]

Maybe they improved something in the last 4 years.

 

[wally]

I got my Kahr CW9 shortly after this thread appeared. This is the economy model with standard rifling making lead bullets OK.

I've been running 50 rounds through it every range session, on average I shoot it once a week, probably about 6000 rounds through it so far, almost all of them 147 gr hard cast reloads using 3.7 gr Unique. All I've done was replace the recoil spring at about 4000 rounds and clean it occasionally.

I figure the gun is "free" now based on the cost differential of my reloads vs the cheapest .40S&W factory practice ammo, since I use it as an analog for my carry PM40, and it saves wear and tear on my #1 carry.

I couldn't be happier about it, although mine was defective out of the box, Kahr fixed it and its been great ever since.

--wally.

 

[kappelmd]

I have shot several different jacketed reloads in my Kahr K-40 and Mk-40 with no problems. It is quite easy to produce more accurate reloads than the factory WW white box ammo. I am impressed with Kahr for repairing the pistol at their expense.

 

[sgt127]

I have had a similar experience with a kahr P9. reloaded ammo jacked bullet, brass by cci blazer, loaded 10% under 9mm max standard [ not +P], all powder levels checked before bullet insertion. appears to have too much unsupported case outside of chamber. should a gun of this price range have this type of problem if a week case should blow through? will I use blazer brass again? NO!!! wil I shoot any more kahr guns???? have also had quality problems with auto ordanance, owned by kahr. what is this world comming to? take out my 50 yr plus guns and never have a problem.

what is this world comming to? take out my 50 yr plus guns and never have a problem.

When the OP's Kahr blew up, your other guns were only 46 years old...

I have a PM9, never had a factory case blow out. Everyone that mentions a blow out in a Kahr 9mm always seems to be using reloads...hm...Wonder if there is a correlation?