Ruger LCP Explosion

[rcmodel]

The Ruger LCP is almost an exact copy of the much earlier Kel-Tec P3AT pistol.

Yes, it has a separate ejector, just like George Kelgren, and his Kel-Tec company designed it years earlier.

rc

 

[AlfonsDeWolf]

OP, in your supplied photo of the two cases, the case markings look totally different to me, like two different dates of manufacture or production facilities. One looks deeper and more sharply stamped. Also, the brass on the base looks different, rougher on the right. Could they be from different lots with different primer manufacturers? Maybe one of these was left by another shooter with a .380? That might help explain the firing pin strike anomaly. Just stuff to ponder....

 

[joystick]

230rn- I checked the spent cartridges that came with both of my LCP's. Both primer hits are off center. It is due to the design of the gun.

justice06rr- "I was using one clip"; flashback to my old M1 Garand days?

peakbagger46- Flinching, yes! The first few times back at the range I had to keep my laser sight turned off. It was embarrassing to see it shaking all over the target as I squeezed the trigger. I was lucky to hit the back wall of the range. I'm doing much better now. My groups are still not great, I usually buck one or two during a session. I really hate that.

AlfonsDeWolf- I only had two boxes of ammo since the gun was brand new. One was hollow point, the other was Remington ball ammo. The reason the case markings look different is because the bad one has been flattened by a severe overpressure. There is no way I would ever shoot a round left on the range.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[rsrocket1]

What does quickload say for pressure with a normally charged cartridge but with the bullet set back, say, 1/4" or whatever you can figure may raise pressure noticeably?

Won't work. .25" setback would compress the powder to 250% which is unrealistic. I tried 0.1" setback and it showed 32.5kpsi, 0.15" setback = 50kpsi 0.2" setback = 125 kpsi, but you'd be compressing the powder 150% so I'm not sure you'd be able to push the bullet down that far without using a press. That would be unlikely to happen through normal chambering of a cartridge into the gun.

 

[BSA1]

How full the case is wouldn't provide any useful info.

You mean like;

How precisely powder was measured into each case?

How much powder variation there is between each round?

Weather the volume of unused space between the powder and bullet was enough to allowed a double charge to go undetected?

Could a foreign substance be mixed in with the powder?

What is the overall quality control?

And, the larger flake powders take up more room in the case.

I have never read of ammunition manufacturers changing powder in the middle of production run. Please share your information about how this practice is done with ammunition manufacturers.

 

[Malamute]

Won't work. .25" setback would compress the powder to 250% which is unrealistic. I tried 0.1" setback and it showed 32.5kpsi, 0.15" setback = 50kpsi 0.2" setback = 125 kpsi, but you'd be compressing the powder 150% so I'm not sure you'd be able to push the bullet down that far without using a press. That would be unlikely to happen through normal chambering of a cartridge into the gun.

I'm surprised it wouldnt be able to set back much, your earlier post mentioned a particular charge that only occupied 40% of the available space. In any event, it illustrates that bullet setback can have very noticeable effects on pressure. I think most don't realize how much, and how bad an idea it is to "just shoot it" to get rid of a cartridge that's set back.

 

[huntsman]

I only had two boxes of ammo since the gun was brand new. One was hollow point, the other was Remington ball ammo. The reason the case markings look different is because the bad one has been flattened by a severe overpressure. There is no way I would ever shoot a round left on the range.

So was it FMJ only or JHP also? the reason is because somebody mentioned firing out of battery, I experienced issues with my LCP not going all the way into battery when I racked the slide (on a reload) shooting certain JHP.

 

[alleycat7002]

Had several LCPs no problems.... Compared to a kel tec the ruger is better made. I have had both kel tec was a jamomatc

 

[joystick]

huntsman - I was not shooting hollow points that day. That's my carry ammo, I only shoot it twice a year. I use Dynamic Research Technologies, 85gr HP ammo. It does have a copper jacket.

I don't pull the trigger if the gun is out of battery. I check for a shadow at the rear of the slide. In over two years, I have never had an out of battery condition with my LCPs. I would never shoot a round that caused that condition.

I don't use reloads in the LCP.

The damage done to my gun is not consistent with an out of battery condition.

All indications point to an overpressure.

 

[greenmtnguy]

I'm glad that you are OK - I'll add my limited experience to the pile that indicates severe overpressure of the cartridge. The way the barrel is bent and the slide is peeled open seems to me to indicate excessive chamber pressure, and there is no tell tale barrel bulge or imprint that is sometimes present with an obstruction. But, this opinion is worth what you paid for it!
I hope that Remington and Ruger will do right by you - I expect that Ruger certainly will

 

[Hondo 60]

As long as you didn't run any reloads should be no problem.

Even if you did, it's still no problem. Don't ask how I know..
Contact Ruger & Remington

Between them they should over-compensate you.

 

[joystick]

Here is a link to a great video with more info on bad ammo and what can happen to a gun:

https://youtu.be/mE4_E84qrx8

The barrel on this 1911 style pistol didn't do much better than the one on the LCP.

 

[joystick]

The powder from two Remington .380 cartridges measured at 3.2 grains each. There was also not quite enough room in the cart for a double charge without compressing the powder.

Pictures show the normal charge level, double charge level and power used.

 

[RecoilRob]

What seems weird to me is that the KABOOM'ed round didn't impact the paper. Wonder why? Just theorizing that no hit would imply the barrel came apart way before the bullet got down it...wouldn't it?

Did the blown case look normal inside? If by chance something foreign had gotten into the case and took up a lot of volume even a normal charge would act like an overcharge. With factory ammo you're kind of at their mercy, and this doesn't give me a warm'n'fuzzy about Remington after all their other gun problems. Maybe the R51 team was sent to build ammo?

 

[ritepath]

Now I know not to buy Remington mega packs for my LCP.

 

[huntsman]

this doesn't give me a warm'n'fuzzy about Remington after all their other gun problems.

When I shot UMC in my .380acp guns I always got the impression it was a bit wimpy compared to WWB but my experiences were with 50 round boxes.

 

[redbullitt]

Glad you are okay. Looks almost like that gun gave its life to protect your hand lol.

I'd say that ruptured case really shows how poor of an pressure sign reading the primer can be in pistol rounds. Things like that always make me glad to make my own ammo...

I am sure both companies will take care of you.

 

[joem1945]

A little duct tape here and there it will be good as new. Glad your OK!

 

[Jim K]

The "excessive recoil" noted when, for whatever reason, high pressure gas is released into the action need not be the result of an over-pressure load. The high speed gas itself, impacting the pistol frame and grip will feel like extremely heavy recoil, even abrading the hand or spraining fingers. Stocks can split or crack, with the gas driving pieces into the hand. Magazine springs can be compressed so hard and fast that the spring is flattened and destroyed. Magazines bulge and floor plates can be blow out, even ones welded or riveted in place.

Jim

 

[9 fingers]

Remarkable that no major injury occurred. And while I am no expert on why this would happen, I will tell you that the only defective centerfire ammo I have ever fired was Remington and I don't buy their ammo any more.
9 fingers

 

[fastbolt]

Glad you're okay.

Glad Ruger stepped up and replaced the gun.

My thoughts?

Just speculation, but that sort of dramatic damage is usually caused by what's described in armorer classes as an "over-pressure event". Over-pressure can occur when a bullet is setback in the case, for example, and it sometimes doesn't have to be by very much.

I like to quickly visually check rounds as I load them in magazines. I'm looking for obvious defects or manufacturing issues that could slip out the door. I especially check budget line ammo for such things. Sometimes it might be a manufacturing defect (case mouth damaged, improperly positioned primer cup, etc). Sometimes it might be a bullet setback inside the case (even from the factory). Anything that visibly sticks out.

Obviously, you can't catch everything by the naked eye.

I can think of a few cartridges in 2 different calibers, produced by 2 of the different major makers, a few years apart, where the cases were trimmed just enough overly long to prevent chambering and the pistols going into battery. The differences of the overly long, improperly trimmed cases weren't obvious to the naked eye, but were seen back at the bench, when the rounds were carefully compared to proper OAL rounds, on a level surface and under good light (and using reading glasses ).

 

[W.E.G.]

Somebody wrote that shooting the recent crop of pocket-.380 guns feels like a firecracker going off in your hand.

I guess they weren't kidding.

These stories always remind me of the old Skeeter Skelton column where he wrote about "The Mama Mia Mishap."
Google it.
Don't be drinking over the keyboard when you do. Funniest gun story ever told.

 

[Jesse H]

Our PD orders Remington UMC .40 in the 50 round boxes by the case. One of the guys found a 9mm round in one of the boxes. Fortunately it happened during a SWAT training day where most of the guys are switched on and it was noticed.

 

[230RN]

Just one datum point, subject to verification, is that a 9mm HP round will set back from .001" to .0015" with each chambering from the magazine in my Kahr CW9.

Your inchage may vary.

That cartridge seemed to fire normally, but I could not recover that particular case from the litter on the range floor.

I was loading and unloading frequently when I first got it, so decided to check that with one single round on three occasions. By the third occasion, I decided to make it my carry gun and quit unloading/reloading it.

 

[WardenWolf]

Damn. That's one hell of an explosion. Kudos to Ruger, though, in that the grip portion of the frame remained completely intact. When Glocks kaboom, the grips shatter.