Let the sparks fly

[showmebob]

Hello

I hope the experts here have an opinion on what is happening with my M&P 9 Pro.
Many times when I shoot there is a single spark that flies off the gun in the 11 o'clock position. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it is always in the same position.
I am not seeing powder flash, this is definitely a spark that shoots out about 5-6 inches from the front of the gun.
Any ideas?

 

[rbernie]

My guess is that it's glowing embers from improperly oxidized/burnt powder. It happens to all guns and with all ammo, but some ammo is far more prone to it than others. Wolf has been, in my experience, the worst at this.

 

[Gun Slinger]

I've observed the phenomena that you describe.

Might be a extremely small piece of metal (mild steel) from the bullet jacket (the very mild steel in Wolf's bullet jackets may be the culprit here) since copper's resistance to sparking (a higher energy threshold is required) makes it unlikely, but not impossible that it is not the cause.

rbernies guess is also a very good one as well and might be even more "realistic" than mine given the occasional occurence (I've encountered that, too) with other brands of 90/10 Cu/Zn gilding metal jacketed ammo. Could be that Wolf's powder is the real culprit.

 

[showmebob]

That may be just what is happening. It just seems strange that the spark would always be in the same place. BTW I (this time) was shooting reloads with 231 powder and
Berrys plated bullets, Winchester or CCI primers.