I have a strange problem I'm trying to wrap my head around. I've been reloading the same way for over 10 years (124 grain 9mm, 4.3 grains Win 231, OAL by the book), thousands of rounds fired with zero issues. I've shot these through at least a dozen pistols. Some courses 1k+ plus in a weekend. Anyway I got a Sig P250 and had a catastrohpic failrure that cracked the lower. Fired same ammo, same reload box same day from my Sig 226 and zero issues. I than tried reload ammo with my new Sig 320 and another catastrophic failure that destoryed the lower and split the magazine into it's 4 components (kevlar glove saved my hand). I'm going through theories and is it possible that since the Sig P250/320 are nearly identical that a reload can somehow be problematic for 1 type of pistol? Barrel lengths are 4.7" for P250 and 4.4" for Sig 226. Any help greatly appreciated here. Despite my time in reloading I'm not overly versed in it but any suggestions as to how this could have occured please send. Before anyone jumps to the ammo being suspect each round is barrel gauged, inspected before range day and I've shot over 10k with this load in 12+ guns without this issue ever occuring.
Catastrophic failure on 9mm Reload Help
- Thread starter johhny12gauge
- Start date
X2 on this.......mostly the reloader’s fault not the gun.......
Ammo problem likely a double charge.
OneBarfly
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
When I transition from reloading for rifles to pistols, I screwed up reloading using a single-stage press and measuring each load. I was thinking that 2.7 grs of Bullseye in 38 spl. what I did realized is that that large weight on my scale bumped up a notch and I didn't notice. So, 7.7 grains were loaded. The S&W didn't KB, but I got three rounds off until it locked up and the cylinder notches were each pushed out (dimpled in the inside of the cylinders). Case separation and the bullets broke into pieces. It was a rookie mistake and I learnt my lesson.
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- Location
- calgary alberta
Double charge would get my vote. Hard to see the difference when minute loads are used as 9 s require. With that small a charge even simply weighing the live cartridges won't really tell as 3 to 4 grains variation in casing or projectile would not be uncommon.
If it were me I would not shoot anymore of them.
I would be pulling rounds and if I found 1 bad one I would pull them all.
I would not have tried them in the 2nd gun either.
But 2 guns going up in smoke pretty much eliminates the guns as the issue, which only leaves one other option.
The Ammo.
Which is another good reason to keep your ammo batches separated and labelled
I would be pulling rounds and if I found 1 bad one I would pull them all.
I would not have tried them in the 2nd gun either.
But 2 guns going up in smoke pretty much eliminates the guns as the issue, which only leaves one other option.
The Ammo.
Which is another good reason to keep your ammo batches separated and labelled
Do you have any powder on hand that is much faster than 231? Like VHT N310?
One common way to blow up a gun is to dump the powder thrower (full of n310) into a slower bottle of powder (like 231) next time you load, some rounds will be almost pure faster powder - and kaboom.
Not many powder that are much faster than 231 though.
You set your thrower to dispense 4.3gr. Suppose the powder had a little bauble in it, like a piece of corn, popcorn or Styrofoam, that took up some space in the measuring cavity.
After awhile the bauble dropped through and now dispense a lot more powder.
I had that problem once. Some mice decided to use my drum pf powder as a nest, and filled it with kernels of corn. I had to run the powder through a screen to get the stuff out of it.
One common way to blow up a gun is to dump the powder thrower (full of n310) into a slower bottle of powder (like 231) next time you load, some rounds will be almost pure faster powder - and kaboom.
Not many powder that are much faster than 231 though.
You set your thrower to dispense 4.3gr. Suppose the powder had a little bauble in it, like a piece of corn, popcorn or Styrofoam, that took up some space in the measuring cavity.
After awhile the bauble dropped through and now dispense a lot more powder.
I had that problem once. Some mice decided to use my drum pf powder as a nest, and filled it with kernels of corn. I had to run the powder through a screen to get the stuff out of it.
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I've only ever had or bought Win 231 through the Dillon. That could have been one possibility. Thanks.
Gonna shoot 50 rounds of factory through P250 & P320 to see if that cycles fine (have another grip that fits both still).
If the factory ammo is fine than it's the reloads and i'll start fresh.
I don't think it's possible to double charge but could an over charge of 4.6 ballpark grains (max is 4.5) cuase that much of a kaboom? Tossing out options.
Gonna shoot 50 rounds of factory through P250 & P320 to see if that cycles fine (have another grip that fits both still).
If the factory ammo is fine than it's the reloads and i'll start fresh.
I don't think it's possible to double charge but could an over charge of 4.6 ballpark grains (max is 4.5) cuase that much of a kaboom? Tossing out options.
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not that likely, I would throw the reloads say do 100 and pich the heavier ones then pull them, its a small charge but double should show up by weight, a quick comparison
One thing to consider, a double charge could be detected without pulling the bullets apart. There wouldn't be enough variation in case or bullet weight to make a significant difference when measuring loaded rounds against each other for comparison. A loaded cartridge with a double charge, would show up very quickly on a decent scale.
I agree that you have an ammo problem, maybe powder, maybe primers. You say you're using Dominion "small rifle" primers. I'm surprised they're working for you. They're quite hard and may be a bit on the hot side.
I quit using them recently, because I found that I was getting inconsistent ignition. Nothing serious but enough to make significant point of impact differences in rifles that normally shoot better than very well. Checked velocities with a magnetospeed and found up to 150 fps spread over a 50 round batch of 55grain, 223rem, shot through my Ruger No1.
I've done what you did, in both pistols and rifles. Other than velocity changes, I've never had extreme pressure issues.
There is definitely a difference between small pistol primers and small rifle primers. Just the hardness alone will cause ignition inconsistencies.
For instance, I used to use small rifle magnum primers in my M1 Carbines back in the day. Always worked well, without issues. I ran out of them, due to my own negligence, so substituted with small rifle magnum primers. No Kaboom but there was a definite difference in velocities and we know that a velocity increase/decrease will be a result of different pressures.
I agree that you have an ammo problem, maybe powder, maybe primers. You say you're using Dominion "small rifle" primers. I'm surprised they're working for you. They're quite hard and may be a bit on the hot side.
I quit using them recently, because I found that I was getting inconsistent ignition. Nothing serious but enough to make significant point of impact differences in rifles that normally shoot better than very well. Checked velocities with a magnetospeed and found up to 150 fps spread over a 50 round batch of 55grain, 223rem, shot through my Ruger No1.
I've done what you did, in both pistols and rifles. Other than velocity changes, I've never had extreme pressure issues.
There is definitely a difference between small pistol primers and small rifle primers. Just the hardness alone will cause ignition inconsistencies.
For instance, I used to use small rifle magnum primers in my M1 Carbines back in the day. Always worked well, without issues. I ran out of them, due to my own negligence, so substituted with small rifle magnum primers. No Kaboom but there was a definite difference in velocities and we know that a velocity increase/decrease will be a result of different pressures.
