Potentially serious accident narrowly avoided at the range today

[FireBirdDS]

I was burning through the last of my Tulla 9mm, one of the cartridges must've been defective and loaded with a light charge, because after firing the round, it got jammed just inside the barrel. I noticed it on the next round when the slide was kept under about a 1/4" from entering battery. I couldn't figure out why until I field stripped it and noticed the jammed round, at first I just grumbled about it cutting my practice short. It wasn't until I left the range that the gravity of what COULD'VE happened struck me. It was God's providence that that round jammed where it did! Had it jammed just a quarter inch further, the next round would've chambered right behind it, and my barrel could've exploded in my hands. (I also didn't have safety glasses on either at the time). It was His hand that stopped that bullet where it did to keep that next round from fully chambering.

Needless to say, I'll never EVER buy eastern-bloc made ammo AGAIN! (a shock to many of you no doubt) In horror, I also threw out the rest of it I had.

And lesson learned on FULL safety gear!

 

[Tobryan]

What gun were you using?

 

[FireBirdDS]

What gun were you using?

M&P 9c

 

[chezuki]

Needless to say, I'll never EVER buy eastern-bloc made ammo AGAIN! (a shock to many of you no doubt) In horror, I also threw out the rest of it I had.

A squib can happen from any manufacturer... and you should always wear your safety glasses!!! What range let you shoot without safety glasses?

 

[FireBirdDS]

A squib can happen from any manufacturer... and you should always wear your safety glasses!!! What range let you shoot without safety glasses?

It was private property out in Whitestown. A friend of mine has some shooting berms with some lanes marked out. I'm blaming nobody but myself for that one. Like I said, lesson learned.

 

[M67]

Ha, funny this should happen to you too. I was shooting my 1911 today and was using some 50 year old....crap...basically, 185gr SWC .45s, most of them shot, but the last one squipped on me. The second I heard it I knew what had happened (has happened a decent amount on me with old 38spl wadcutters). Had to pound out the bullet, was soft lead at least.

Did the action actually cycle on the squib or did you manually have to rack the slide?

 

[rockhopper46038]

Glad it wasn't worse, FireBird.

 

[FireBirdDS]

Did the action actually cycle on the squib or did you manually have to rack the slide?

The action cycled because the next round was on its way into the chamber when it got stopped.

 

[M67]

The action cycled because the next round was on its way into the chamber when it got stopped.

Okay, I read your post a couple times but wasn't sure, just said the next round wouldn't chamber. Didn't know if it was by hand or if it cycled.

That's pretty weird (in a good way) how it cycled the action but the bullet got stuck pretty early on. My 1911 moved enough to get the hammer at half cock, and the bullet even went down the barrel more than yours

 

[02roadster]

Any mfg. can produce a squib. Always wear eye and hearing protection! I go another step and wear "shooting gloves" as well. Simple, cheap insurance for the "parts" that cannot be replaced.

 

[BigRed3588]

I've never experienced this problem before. Say the round goes far enough down the barrel for the next round to chamber; can you hear or feel a difference between it and a normally functioning round? Or do you just hope it's close enough to the chamber to prevent the gun from going into battery?

 

[JB357Mag]

To me it sounded very different, & I was about 14 at the time.

I told my Dad and the Lake Co. sheriff we were shooting with
that something didnt sound right and they checked it and a round was
stuck in the barrel and it happened twice.

Jimmy

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

Glad to hear that you and your gun are ok.

 

[NHT3]

I beat these particular issues to death in my Basic pistol class. Misfires, hangfires and squib loads. Most people don't realize the difference and that when they have a bullet stuck in the barrel they have a potential bomb on their hands. And as many have said you can get this from any ammo, not just from overseas.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]-- [/FONT][FONT=&amp]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT]Ruger MK III, M&P & 1911mechanic
NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] –[/FONT] Certified Glock armorer

 

[ole hombre]

Whoa, that gets my attention! Glad you got out of that situation without a serious injury.
Not being fully versed on semi-auto internal workings, I am puzzled how another round got within 1/4" of battery. Was the live round that cycled-pushed up inside the spent round?
I always have the glasses and earcovers but am thinking seriously about the gloves as well.
Thanks for posting.

 

[BigRed3588]

I beat these particular issues to death in my Basic pistol class. Misfires, hangfires and squib loads. Most people don't realize the difference and that when they have a bullet stuck in the barrel they have a potential bomb on their hands. And as many have said you can get this from any ammo, not just from overseas.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]-- [/FONT][FONT=&amp]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT]Ruger MK III, M&P & 1911mechanic
NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] –[/FONT] Certified Glock armorer

How often would you say this happens? I'm just kind of surprised to see so many responses from people that have experienced it. I started shooting with my dad when I was about 8 and have never had it happen. It sounds like I should be counting my blessings.

 

[CitiusFortius]

Like I said, lesson learned.

We've all had those moments, whether or not we admit to them is another story. Glad you're alright.

 

[ultra...good]

How often would you say this happens? I'm just kind of surprised to see so many responses from people that have experienced it. I started shooting with my dad when I was about 8 and have never had it happen. It sounds like I should be counting my blessings.

Could not even guess how many rounds I have gone through in my life to date. 100,000 or so would be a fair estimate, all factory loads, and I have yet to have an issue yet. I am paying attention though, just in case. I am kind of happy with 10 fingers and 2 eyes and would really like to keep it that way.

 

[jcwit]

I had the slide go into full battery after a squib and the next round fired. was doing some fast timed firing.

Gun was a Kimber Custom. Barrel bulged & cracked, recoil was extreme, both bullets exited the barrel. No one hurt other than sore wrist. Replaced barrel with Ed Brown target barrel, gun still works fine. Now have another few thousand rounds thru it.

 

[loony1]

I beat these particular issues to death in my Basic pistol class. Misfires, hangfires and squib loads. Most people don't realize the difference and that when they have a bullet stuck in the barrel they have a potential bomb on their hands. And as many have said you can get this from any ammo, not just from overseas.
[FONT=&amp]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]-- [/FONT][FONT=&amp]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&amp]
[/FONT]Ruger MK III, M&P & 1911mechanic
NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&amp] –[/FONT] Certified Glock armorer

It should be #1 in my honest opinion.