Anyone have or seen a chain fire?

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Calum

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Last summer during my restricted course the instructor kept telling us not to cup the bottom of the Magazine with ones support hand while using a semi auto handgun in case one gets a chain fire. :confused:

It was a busy class so I didn't get time to ask him what that was or what the chances are of such a thing, and I forgot about it...until now.

So what is it?
And has anyone here ever had one or seen one happen in a semi auto handgun?
:confused:
 
Can't see how that could happen just by keeping pressure on the magazine. Can't really see it happening regardless.. unless it's been modified or the action / trigger group is entirely worn out.

Regards,
 
I think what your instructor was referring to was not having a bunch of rounds go off but a safety issue. I know that if there is a catastrophic failure with a semi pistol (not likely but I have seen 3 in my time) where the round is overloaded (with powder) or if the pistol fires out of battery. The slide will fly off (forward not backwards like in "Sin City") and the magazine will blow out the bottom of the grip. If that happens and your hand is grasping the bottom you could have a severe injury. Maybe that was what he was referring to.
 
watched a Sig blow up the other weekend,double charged round,lifted the slide off the rear rails and blew the mag out on the floor.As it was said before that's why you keep your hand away from the mag bottom,although there was a crfsc video that may have said something about it the video was failsafe pistol / shotgun ,it's been awhile since I have seen it and I'm not sure what they say anymore.
 
I think the 'chain fire' may refer to rounds detonating in rapid succession due to a failure in the top end. Can't say I've ever heard of this happening... even really bad KB's from an out of battery case rupture tend not to ignite the lower rounds remaining in the magazine, but that is the only definition of 'chain fire' I can imagine. Maybe he's got old single action revolvers mixed up with modern brass cartridged handguns. It used to happen quite easily, one chamber igniting after another... hence they used grease to minimize the risks. Haven't heard of this happening 'recently' though.
Perhaps the best explanation is that he has started his own myth to keep people from holding a gun a certain way. For example, walking under a ladder is dumb, but people will only stop doing it if they are convinced it's 'unlucky'.
Convince folks into not holding a pistol one way? Not easy, so scare em into thinkin a 'chain fire' will get them. Perhaps its like '#### Hawks' and '#### rope'?

Why would anyone hold the bottom of a mag anyways? About as ghey as holding the wrist of the strong hand with the weak. :confused:
 
"Why would anyone hold the bottom of a mag anyways? About as ghey as holding the wrist of the strong hand with the weak."

It was a pretty common hold on revolvers back in the day. Ask an old mountie. I've never seen the other cartridges explode, if that's what this gent said. They sure blow out the bottom in a hurry though. - dan
 
Glock4ever said:
I think what your instructor was referring to was not having a bunch of rounds go off but a safety issue. I know that if there is a catastrophic failure with a semi pistol (not likely but I have seen 3 in my time) where the round is overloaded (with powder) or if the pistol fires out of battery. The slide will fly off (forward not backwards like in "Sin City") and the magazine will blow out the bottom of the grip. If that happens and your hand is grasping the bottom you could have a severe injury. Maybe that was what he was referring to.
Click to expand...

Yup I'm pretty sure that's what He was talking about, thanx for the info guys. :)
 
Maybe he was refering to a pistol going full auto.

If this happens on a full mag and your strong arm is not ready for it, your elbow could bend and the pistol will be pointing up or even coming at your face.

If your weak hand is under the mag it offers little to no support to controll the lift in the pistol.

If your weak hand is on the grips with thumb pressing down on the top of the strong hand you have a better chance of controll.

(Note: I dont know for certain what happens when a pistol goes FA, this is hearsay and conjecture on my part).
 
This happened to my buddy when he was shooting his Ruger MKII pistol.
He inserted a fully loaded magazine, loaded a round, and when he pulled the trigger the cartridge exploded (he guesses it was overcharged). This caused two rounds in the magazine to go off, ejecting the magazine. His hands and the gun were covered with black soot, but he was unharmed.
 
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