Ruger sp101 blew up

[Savageman25]

So I go out to shoot my brand new ruger sp101 today. I was shooting rounds that my father in law had given me, since he sold all of his 357 revolvers. I had shot it about 30 times when booooom. Cylinder blew apart and top-strap bent upward but didn't break.
So could it be the gun had a metallurgical defect or was it the ammo? My father in law never reloaded but I can't say that it wasn't reloads he bought off someone, because truthfully I do not know and neither does he. The ammo had been sitting around for years.
I'd love to post pics of it but I'm not totally sure how to.

 

[slickracer]

Guaranteed it was the ammo. Probably some old reloads with a long forgotten recipe. Glad you didn't get hurt.

 

[rcmodel]

Yep!

Only one thing will take a cylinder apart and peel the top-strap back like that.

Double or triple charge of fast burning pistol powder.

You can't put enough slower magnum burn rate powder in a case to do that.

rc

 

[back40]

i guess it's not totally impossible that it wasn't the gun, but honestly with unknown ammo, i'll go with the ammo every time.

glad you weren't hurt.

 

[Nighthawk0083]

If there is any of that ammo left I would get rid of it! Pull the bullets and maybe keep the brass but discard powder and primer. Dont take a chance of it happening again. Sorry for your loss and more importantly glad no one was hurt.

 

[Savageman25]

Attached are pics. I definitely said thank you Jesus for protecting me. Yes sir that ammo will never get into another gun. I reload and have never had something like that happen before. If anything it was a good lesson. Both to make sure I pay attention to my reloads even more, and to never shoot ammo I'm unsure about.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Ouch

 

[weblance]

Ill give you $20 for the hammer. Seriously...

 

[Savageman25]

Other pic. First I'm going to call up ruger and see what they will do for me. I know that most likely it's not there fault, but they might help me out with getting it going again.

 

[kajunshooter]

That little Ruger SP101 is built like a tank. I would have to think it's the ammo. My rule is if it's not factory or my own reloads it doesn't go in my guns. Glad you are ok, the gun can be replaced. As already said, get rid of any of that ammo you have left.

Kajun

 

[skidder]

Attached are pics. I definitely said thank you Jesus for protecting me. Yes sir that ammo will never get into another gun. I reload and have never had something like that happen before. If anything it was a good lesson. Both to make sure I pay attention to my reloads even more, and to never shoot ammo I'm unsure about.

I'm glad you're alright! I would have thanked Jesus too!

The sturdy construction of the Ruger frame looks like it held up pretty good. It could have been alot worse.

 

[kajunshooter]

...

 

[ColtPythonElite]

That gun is beyond repair.

 

[Savageman25]

Gods honest truth I didn't even think they were reloads. I just figured it was factory ammo that he had just sitting around for a long time.

Ya I figured it couldn't be saved.

 

[C5rider]

Sorry to see that. Sorry it happened to your gun. Thankfully, you're okay.

THIS is the reason that I have a speed-loader full of 357 ammo that I've never shot. It came with a gun that I purchased one time and I've always been afraid to shoot them. Never know if someone was hot-doggin' some ammo or worse.

Seeing this, I think I'll go pull some bullets tomorrow...

Sorry it happened, but thank you for creating a thread to remind us all to stay vigilant and respect the power of powder.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Could there have been a squib load fired first that lodged a bullet in the barrel?

Are there any of those loads left? If so, open them and find out what kind of power, how much, and how much the bullet weighted,

It takes a lot to blow up a SP101.

I hope no one was hurt!

Oh, and while the gun is totaled, the hammer, trigger group, grips, cylinder latch system, and maybe the front sight can all be saved.

Deaf

 

[rcmodel]

Mr. Ruger's investment cast frame design & manufacturing teams saved you.

A lesser guns top-strap could have broke in front when the top half of the cylinder broke it.
At probably close to 100,000 PSI pressure.

Then bent back & snapped off at the back, done a double back flip, and stuck in your eye.

Good gun design prevented that.


rc

 

[longknife12]

Did that with a Combat Masterpiece 50+ years ago. Dude had a double charge of Bullseye instead of 5066. LAST hand load I ever fired that wasn't done my ME!
Dan

 

[Havok7416]

Deaf, while it is possible, I doubt a squib with another one behind it would have caused that problem. I speak from experience on that. Besides, half of the cylinder is gone. That's a clear overpressure at the chamber which can only happen with a massive charge as RC said.

 

[kcofohio]

Glad you're okay! Thank you for posting your misfortune.
This should serve the shooting community as a reminder not to shoot reloads from others. Myself included, as I too have received some reloads.
They are heavy crimped and hard to pull, so I was toying with the idea of just shooting the remainder. Now I won't.
Again, glad you are okay.

 

[Seven High]

Ruger will probably want you to send in the ammunition as well as the SP 101. Especially if it was factory ammunition.

 

[Gun Master]

Glad you're OK ! ><>

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Holy Hanna! Definitely a double or triple charged reload. Glad your ok.

 

[Jim K]

Absolutely a very high pressure round, not a barrel obstruction.

The most likely problem was the wrong powder. I would pull down the rest of the loads, then have an experienced reloader look at the powder charges. A while back there was a fad (promoted by one of the gunzines) for "duplex" and "triplex" loads, meaning the use of two or three different kinds of powders in the same case. The writers claimed super velocities and safe loads; that nonsense blew up guns of all makes, but Rugers took a big hit because of the idea that no possible load could damage a Ruger. So the suckers almost invariably chose Rugers for their super loads and rapidly proved themselves wrong.

Ruger will not "help out with getting it going again". The gun is beyond repair; it is scrap. The best they might do is send you a voucher for a discount on a new gun.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Part it out and sell what's left on eBay.

Surprisingly, It all will add up to a pretty good partial payment on a new one.

rc