Catastrophic failure on 9mm Reload Help

You are at max powder charge for the 124 with win 231, but an overcharge is mostly what happened.

You should know..very hard to double charge on a 650 since it auto index. If there was a screw up, you did stop and corrected a problem and that were the double or overcharge charge happened.
Think about when you reloaded those rounds..something happened during the process.
 
Last edited:
I use Sierra's load data for 231/124 9mm. It stops at 5.1 or something, never had an issue. I really doubt you had a double charge, I'd guess wrong powder myself.
 
B said:
I use Sierra's load data for 231/124 9mm. It stops at 5.1 or something, never had an issue. I really doubt you had a double charge, I'd guess wrong powder myself.
Click to expand...

Just checked Sierra online manual # 6 , and 4.1 is the max for a 124...with W231.
Short OAL will raise pressure even more. Hot load - over pressure load - will take it’s toll on guns and will lead to failure - just a matter of time. Even a steady diet of + P load is not recommended on standard guns.

For shooting paper - no need to go max. Useless. Even in IPSC, making minor power factor of 120, is below factory 9 mm loading.

I put my bet on an overcharge due to an interruption during the XL 650 auto indexing loading sequence.
I doupt a double - a 9mm case topped is about 9.2 grains.

I load 9 mm major for IPSC Open division, and depending of powder 8.8-9.2 is about all. Hard to miss with a case that full. There is no way to seat a bullet at normal 9 mm oal with that much powder.
 
Last edited:
I doupt very much this work. Too much variation, specially if OP use mixed brass like most do.
I would pull them all...it does not worth risking another gun or worse an injury.

Did pull close to a 1000 9 mm major one time..been there done that.
 
I have noticed a few split cases on some of my well used brass, Thinking old weak brass, double charge, would blow the mag to hell, and the plasic frame
I have noticed some 38 sp cases starting to look like cracks starting on a couple as well. Just a thought
 
Janeau said:
I doupt very much this work. Too much variation, specially if OP use mixed brass like most do.
I would pull them all...it does not worth risking another gun or worse an injury.

Did pull close to a 1000 9 mm major one time..been there done that.
Click to expand...

At the very most there won't likely be 2 grains difference between any of the cases. An extra 4.3 grains of powder would show up pretty quickly.
 
The primer aspect of perhaps causing overpress may be a factor. I never thought small rifle would do that, only went by reading they fit and worked and i never had issues with them. Great input guys, possible weakened brass, over charge, shorter OAL are all possibilities. I'll have to pull the last of them and start over. Toss the mixed brass to rule that out. I couldn't have mixed up powders as I only have ever owned 2 kinds and they're very different. Thanks, this info has really helped.
 
Janeau said:
Just checked Sierra online manual # 6 , and 4.1 is the max for a 124...with W231.
Click to expand...

So? That is not relevant to my point. I have been using that load for a decade, if they changed it in a newer edition that really doesn't affect me. I doubt an overcharge or even a double (if you could even do that) would crack the frame of a metal pistol in this instance.
 
FarmerDanz said:
I thought I read once about 231 being prone to detonation on undercharged cases? I wonder
Click to expand...

Probably h110/w296 you are thinking of. Ive used down to 3gr in a 303 british case and 200gr cast with w231 no issues and have done it hundreds of times. One of my best cast loads is 8gr of w231 in the 303 british case
 
I was thinking about a double charge also . my question is you are shooting in competition if I remember correctly . is anyone shooting a Glock ? I have heard that brass fired out of some Glocks get a weak spot in the brass . do you get to collect your own brass or everyone splits what is swept off the floor at the end of the shoot . don't beat me up for this I'm only trying to help .
 
bearhunter said:
At the very most there won't likely be 2 grains difference between any of the cases. An extra 4.3 grains of powder would show up pretty quickly.
Click to expand...

I have found 3-4 gr difference in "same brand, same lot" .38 sp brass and as Coyoteking says with different brand brass have found double digit brass weight differences. You can reliably find a "double bullet seated" case but I sure wouldn't rely on weight comparison to find a suspected double charge in a small pistol powder charge weight.
 
fingers284 said:
I have found 3-4 gr difference in "same brand, same lot" .38 sp brass and as Coyoteking says with different brand brass have found double digit brass weight differences. You can reliably find a "double bullet seated" case but I sure wouldn't rely on weight comparison to find a suspected double charge in a small pistol powder charge weight.
Click to expand...

I see where you're coming from but even with CF rifle cases a spread of 3-4 grains is a lot.

It's a good place to start and not nearly as random as picking a handful of cartridges out of a batch.

UPDATE


fingers284, you really piqued my curiosity with cartridge weight. Soooooo just to scratch that itch, I thought I should check out what the differences in case weight would be between 10 different types of brass, out of my 9x19 bin.

I picked out 5 of each brand, three of which were obvious milspec.

The milspec cases were all 5grains, +-.3 heavier than the the commercial brands. The milsurp cases were IVI, WCC and PMC, which is usually very close to milspec.

Their average weight, over 15 cases was 60.02 grains. 59.8 was the lightest and 60.3 the heaviest. Closer than I expected.

The commercial brands, WW, FC, RP, Norma, WIN, Imperial, Dcc, were all an average of 5 grains lighter, but with a larger spread in weight.

The heaviest were the old Winchester Western at 56.8 and the lightest were the Remington Peters at 54.5.

I rounded everything off to the nearest tenth of a grain.

I will definitely concede that if the OP can't tell the difference between milspec and commercial cases (sometimes difficult) that to weigh the loaded cartridge to find the overloads, if any, wouldn't be the best way to go about this.

OP, get a kinetic puller and pull all of your last batch of reloads and any other suspect batches. It will take a couple of hours but well worth the time and components.
 
Last edited:
It's less than 1k of loaded reloads now so i'll pull them and start again after I shoot some factory through the P320 to make sure it isn't anything off with the gun. That was my first range session and first shot out of the gun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom