Nasty Squib Today

[baddad06]

We'll after 7k reloads I had what I think was my 1st squib today in my EMP 40. The problem I have is my neighbor was firing my pistol when it happened. He loaded 5 of my reloads in the mag and fired 3 when he had an FTF. He cleared the round but the gun wouldn't chamber the next round. He handed me the gun and I dropped the mag and locked back the slide. I looked looked in the chamber and into the barrel as far as I could see with no obstruction. I reload the mag racked the slide and thank god the round wouldn't chamber. We left the range and when I got home I broke down the pistol. Once I removed the barrel I saw a bullet lodged about 1/3 of the way in the barrel just deep enough to where I couldn't see it through the chamber but shallow enough to prevent a round from clambering. I was unable to push the bullet through so had to pound it out against the rifling. Fortunately it doesn't appear I damaged the rifling. I called my neighbor and asked if he felt a light recoil or anything unusual when he fired the round and he swears he didn't. I loaded the rounds last Sept. using 4.9 of Universal with Berry's 180gr RN. At that time I was loading on a SS and weighing every round. The case was ejected and I have no way of knowing what caused the squib. I just can't believe it was a light load.

I'm still shook up over it! Any thoughts?

 

[GaryL]

I once had a squib - an old mil surp round that had powder that went bad. So only a partial burn. Lots of unburnt powder everywhere with that one, and having to do the same thing as you. Except that I could see the obstruction by pulling the bolt.

So unless you had unburnt powder, you probably had very little or none.

Might want to get a bore light. Or carry a pistol cleaning rod along. It's always a good idea to check for obstructions after a failure before continuing on.

 

[cowtownup]

It's aggravating isn't it... I know you wish you would have been shooting that round so you could have felt the recoil. hopefully some more clues will arise and help you figure out what happened...

 

[rcmodel]

It is possible, after dropping the magazine, clearing the weapon, and locking the slide back.

To stick your thumb in the ejection port to reflect some light.

And then look down the barrel from the muzzle end safely.

If you can't see your thumb, you might have a bore obstruction!

rc

 

[gahunter12]

No or very little powder. The only squib that I ever had was 6yr, and 100,000 rounds ago just after I started loading. It was a true no powder squib that had enough power to eject the case, but the bullet stopped just in to the rifling.

 

[Vol46]

Most likely no powder. The primer will provide enough push to lodge the bullet a little ways down the barrel.

 

[baddad06]

Great input RC thank you. I wish I would have thought of that!

 

[leefan]

I had a similar experience myself recently, thankful like you that the next round wouldn't chamber, but then I half remembered a video from a few years back where I hazily recollect that they fired round after round of .357 into a jammed up barrel until the seventh or eighth round finally blew it up.

 

[sexybeast]

No or very little powder. The only squib that I ever had was 6yr, and 100,000 rounds ago just after I started loading. It was a true no powder squib that had enough power to eject the case, but the bullet stopped just in to the rifling.
__________________

It ejected the case? I've ran the line on many matches, was a range officer, and had a few squibs myself. I've seen a lot of squibs. Never have I seen the case eject! One of the symptoms of a "squib" is an empty case in the chamber!

 

[243winxb]

When i see a post like this, i always think neck tension, another plated bullet or Lee FCD. http://www.photobucket.com/kabooom

 

[leefan]

My one and only self-loaded squib ejected the case. So like an idiot I kept trying to load the next round, thinking it was a failure to feed. Lucky for me the squib bullet was barely into the lands.

 

[leefan]

Your kabooms remind me of a friend in my far-off youth who loaded a 357 to grams instead of grains. He lived, but his revolver wasn't in too good a shape and he had to throw away his pants. He didn't continue reloading.

 

[gamestalker]

Any time a reload doesn't work as it should, a barrel inspection should be made to check for an obstruction. I use a coin or a key that will reflect light through the barrel.

But then again, I've not had a squib in more than 30 years of reloading. Not that I haven't missed a charge before, but I inspect each case prior to seating the bullet, which is when I catch the error.

GS

 

[tyeo098]

I carry a flashlight.

Shine it down the muzzle and look in the chamber.

Keeps the RO's from freaking out...

 

[leefan]

Remember to wait the requisite thirty seconds to allow for delayed detonation, haha. Me, I take a coffee break before looking down the barrel or removing a failure to fire. I'm still shooting up some Aguila 380's I bought in '09 that have a high primer failure rate.

 

[WestKentucky]

Auto and revolver are two totally different animals when it comes to squibs. Cylinder gap bleeds off pressure. Auto barrel don't give any pressure relief til the action opens. Seems like a squib in a revolver would be easier to feel but I have nothing to base that off of.

 

[gahunter12]

I have seen quite a few squibs in IDPA eject the case. Could be do to lighter recoil springs, but seen it happen many times

 

[Swampman]

Your kabooms remind me of a friend in my far-off youth who loaded a 357 to grams instead of grains.

That's what he may have TOLD you, but I'm betting on some other cause. A three gram load would be better than 46 grains and I've never seen a .357 load calling for only three grains of powder. Even using a 20 ton hydraulic jack for your press it'd be pretty hard to get that much powder in the case, let alone seat a bullet, crimp it, and not have it pushed outta the case!

I've stuck a few bullets in my time, although not from squibs. It was before I learned that lead bullets are way better than jacketed for subsonic rifle loads.

Fortunately, it's SOP to check the bore after any shot when you don't actually SEE a hole appear in the target, so no harm done.

 

[leefan]

What he actually did was have a pharmacist friend measure out a sample of powder for him, as he did not want to buy a scale. At the time (over thirty years ago) I thought that anyone who reloaded must be crazy, so I did not ask for details. I haven't changed my opinion over the years, BTW. He was a PhD, too. My wife calls me The Mad Scientist when she sees calipers, two scales, calculator, rubber gloves, goggles, lab notebook, and the Frankenstein's Monster that is my reloading bench. "Is this dangerous?"

 

[baddad06]

I loaded these rounds in Sept. of 2013 when I was still using a SS press. I used the RCBS charge master and weighed each round. My process was to throw the charge take the pan and fill the case then seat the bullet one at a time. That is why I was shocked to have a squib.

Someone had mentioned it might have been caused by a bad crimp? Is that possible? I have a couple of hundred rounds from the same batch and am afraid to use them.

Thoughts

 

[leefan]

Were it me, I would treat them like I do junky factory ammo that won't feed or fire reliably but that I don't want to disassemble and reload. I'd fire them one at a time. So you get a squib. Pound it out. It's not like you're going to hurt the barrel if you're careful. You get several, tear the rest apart and see if you can find the flaw. Make it a science project.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

It is possible, after dropping the magazine, clearing the weapon, and locking the slide back.

To stick your thumb in the ejection port to reflect some light.

And then look down the barrel from the muzzle end safely.

If you can't see your thumb, you might have a bore obstruction!

rc

I do the same thing when checking a bore but I use a piece of white paper or folded business card instead of my thumb.

 

[rsrocket1]

Squibs happen. Be prepared for it. You should always stop everything and inspect the bore when a misfire or off sounding round happens (and instruct anyone shooting your guns/ammo to do the same no matter how "experienced" they are).

To inspect for bore obstruction:
Lock the slide back, drop the mag (no chance of accidentally chambering and shooting the gun). Stick your range rod down the barrel.

To know what a squib feels like: Load a bullet with just a primer, no powder. Shoot it.

To know how to pound out a squib: Use your brass range rod and hammer that you always keep with in your range bag. With an autoloader, field strip the barrel and pound the bullet out with multiple light taps either from the muzzle or the chamber, which ever is the shortest distance. The bullet will come out. With a revolver, you always have to tap it out from the muzzle, sometimes with a locked cylinder if the bullet doesn't clear it. The bullet will simply be driven back into the case. I can strip and pound out a squib from my autoloaders blindfolded. Don't ask me how I know

Better to learn what it feels like and how to clear it when you expect it. Like learning how to change a tire or put on snow chains. Best to learn on your driveway in bright sunny weather than on a the side of a cold wet highway.

Never tap/rack/shoot again if a round sounds or feels different. Stop and inspect everything. I've now recently heard multiple times where someone swears the case ejected with a squib and the recoil felt normal. If you think its true, try it yourself. Work down a load with lighter and lighter charges until you get a stuck bullet. I'm sure you will get FTE's before you get a stuck bullet and you will definitely feel the difference between a light load where the bullet exits and a stuck bullet.

 

[sexybeast]

I've now recently heard multiple times where someone swears the case ejected with a squib and the recoil felt normal. If you think its true, try it yourself. Work down a load with lighter and lighter charges until you get a stuck bullet. I'm sure you will get FTE's before you get a stuck bullet and you will definitely feel the difference between a light load where the bullet exits and a stuck bullet.

Exactly! Please explain how the case can eject from the chamber if the bullet does not leave the barrel?

 

[Havok7416]

What rsrocket said is very true and spot on. I bought a purpose-built squib rod that hasn't failed me yet. I have used it several times. Pushing a bullet out will not damage the rifling -- the bullet goes through the barrel much faster than you can push it out! Just don't use a steel rod.