Squib but no POP..????

[ckc123]

I had an interesting occurance last week, and I'm still trying to figure it out..

I was shooting an IPSC course of fire, and had a malfunction.. the hammer was going down, but nothing was happening.. I was on the 5th target, and everything was going as expected, then all of a sudden the hammer went down, and nothing.. I ejected the round (racked the slide), and again the hammer went down, but nothing.. removed the mag.. racked 3 times (everything look ok..) then again new mag, new round and just click.. at this point I noticed the slide was not all the way in battery (but the hammer was going down. !!!!)

after clearing, and taking it back to the table, I found out I had a bit of a weird squib load.. 1) the bullet was not even 1/8 of the way into the rifling (and hence the subsequently rounds could not load, and the slide could not close)

The funny thing was. everyone I talked to said the same thing "I never heard the "pop" of a quib load..

all I can say is thank god the bullet did not do forward another inch otherwise it could have been really BAD.. Also, I need to get the pistol looked at, the hammer should not have been going down (But I did notice that non of the primers where actually getting it..)

has anyone had a squib that was to quiet to detect? or really little travel in the barrel?? (it's a .40 )

 

[Andy]

I've had squib loads that were more quiet than others, and a FTF that left the bullet in the bore because it engraved in the rifling (in a rifle though).

Darn good thing it didn't travel a few more millimetres - enough to chamber another round or you'd have had nothing to clean other than wounds after your next shot.

You should always inspect the bore after a squib.

 

[Boomer]

Sounds like you had a round with a live primer but no powder rather than a squib. Like Andy said, you are lucky the subsequent round did not chamber. You didn't mention what pistol this happened with, but you are correct that it should be checked out if it will drop the hammer when out of battery.

 

[Kev]

I have had a couple oops when the powder hopper ran dry, but I always heard the pfffffft of the primer. Now maybe....I wear electronic muffs and the pop wasn't loud enough to shut them off? Don't think I can help you, always heard something.

 

[samaftanas]

have to agree whith the no powder resilution it happens to me once and a wile reloading 30-30 cast loads usalley the next bullet pushes it out know poblem. Mind you there cast bollets

 

[ottawaguy]

You just described a squib.
No powder, just a primer. Not uncommon for anyone to not hear it since they are behind you with ears on, talking, joking or laughing at you and so on.

The primer has just enough to stick that bullet into the barrel, but no powder to create the gas needed to move it down the barrel.

You got real lucky!
How many times did you try to rechamber and try to fire a new round. Considering the squib was far enough into the barrel allow the action to close enough to drop the hammer......
Should of picked up a 649 on the way home.