Taurus .380 TCP Blew Up In My Hand

[ZigZagZeke]

From the outside looking in, I think many folks have their head in the sand, concerning reloads. If ya think kabooms or squibs are not possible with factory loads, think again. As fast as new ammunition is manufactured, boxed, and shipped, if and when a loading error occurs in the factory, AND IT DOES HAPPEN, there's little chance it would ever be caught before a consumer discovers the mis-loaded ammo. The same thing can happen with high-volume commercial reloading. So in my mind, the best and most trustworthy ammo is the ammo I assemble myself on a single-stage press. There are so many checks and double checks when I'm reloading.

I don't expect to convince anybody, but I hope folks will stop and think...Although fortunately rare, a blown up gun can happen anytime.

WAYNO.

About 2 years ago I had a factory squibb in my Colt 1903, .32 ACP. Heard something not quite right when I fired. Dropped the magazine and ejected the fresh round, found a bullet lodged about half way down the barrel. Disassembled the pistol and pressed the bullet out with a vice padded with leather and a wooden dowel. To be fair to Remington, the cartridges I was firing had a price tag on them from a store that went out of business in about 1970.

My experience with reloads was with a .243 Win rifle. Bought hand loads from a reputable gun smith. Fired two rounds and quit, as the primers were falling out and recoil was amazing. Analysis showed the cartridges had somehow gotten loaded with pistol powder.

 

[cowboygraphics]

Well, that was certainly a valuable thread.
I am guilty of purchasing reloads, but never again.

GREAT news that TVF reloader did the right thing and a replacement was worked out for you bigezfosheez. More importantly that you weren't injured or maimed and we ... ok, I learned from your experience. Thanks for sharing it and rich comments everyone.

 

[DizzyJ]

I've bought factory reloads from two different manufacturers. Both had issues with their reloads.

I decided then and there, I'll only shoot my own reloads (which I do by the thousands in competitions), or factory.

The small amount of savings in factory reloads vs new Ammo on sale is not worth it IMO.

 

[zeppelin]

I bought a .22 semi auto rifle from Taurus a few years back. Got it home and fired it twice (two rounds) before the feed mechanism was destroyed, with parts falling out all over the place. Took it back to Ace hardware, got a refund, and bought a Ruger 10/22. I would never even consider another of their products.

 

[Brooks1975]

Did you check the chamber after the mis-feed. I have seen reloads separate at the base during ejection leaving the brass cylinder of the case still in the chamber. The next round tries to feed, jams and goes off outside the chamber. You don't really notice until you look for this failure. Reloads are always a question. How many times has the case been used, expanding and contracting in different size chambers. The only reloads I use are my own. I keep track of the number of times a case has been reloaded and keep the ammo sorted to same weapon. Not just the type weapon (Glock-S&W-1911A1) but the actual weapon. If a barrel wears out, all the casings and cleared reloads go in the trash. Sorry to hear about the injury. I recently had a friend push the safety up (two handed grip) on his Springfield 1911A1. The slide caught the top edge blowing the external safety into the web of his hand and releasing the back strap safety. I did not know you could move the safety as the round discharged, but the marks in the lower slide notch showed where it caught. Just for information on 1911 style external safeties. Putting your thumb under the safety can also cause an injury. For what it is worth.

 

[edwardo55]

Thanks all for the heads-up, research, experiences and pics. Definitely learned a thing or two!! You can't learn too much regarding safety.

 

[jbett98]

I was given a S&W 386PD AirLite .357 Magnum and every time I've shot full magnum loads in it, my hand feels like it was holding an M-80 firecracker when it goes off.

 

[KayDee7]

bottom line... these devices are made by 'man'. items made by 'man' fail. So, what can we learn from this Logic thread... ? plan for items failing, and be safe. so we all need to be careful with these guns of ours, because we also depend on them to protect us from evil doers... so the appropriate amount of self defense ammo being used through them before we rely on them is also required... its a jungle out there, Lets Be Safe.!

 

[AMT]

Take that round, ammo box that you purchased, reciept and gun to Tualatin valley and see what they have to say?

 

[DizzyJ]

Take that round, ammo box that you purchased, reciept and gun to Tualatin valley and see what they have to say?

He already did from what I read.

 

[bigezfosheez]

I dug through my safe and found another box of TV in .40s&w. I went through each round and ended finding about 12 rounds out of 200 with either a bulged case, blackened case, concaved case, or case with the aforementioned "glock smile". I'll probably still shoot the others though

 

[orygun]

I was given a S&W 386PD AirLite .357 Magnum and every time I've shot full magnum loads in it, my hand feels like it was holding an M-80 firecracker when it goes off.

Wanna sell it?

 

[orygun]

I dug through my safe and found another box of TV in .40s&w. I went through each round and ended finding about 12 rounds out of 200 with either a bulged case, blackened case, concaved case, or case with the aforementioned "glock smile". I'll probably still shoot the others though

Really? You "blow up" a gun that is likely an ammo failure and yet you want to try more of their, admittedly by you, suspect ammo? I'm thinkin you should contact them and just get your money back...

 

[bigezfosheez]

Haha I'm most likely going to dump them in water, or save them to barter with an a$$hol3 when shtf.

 

[bigezfosheez]

Really? You "blow up" a gun that is likely an ammo failure and yet you want to try more of their, admittedly by you, suspect ammo? I'm thinkin you should contact them and just get your money back...

I also ride around on motorcycles/dirtbikes/atvs after I got my leg blown off in motorcycle accident from a drunk driver hitting me head-on in his truck. Haha what's the odds it's going to happen twice right? ;p

 

[bbbass]

Without a brain bucket apparently.

 

[bigezfosheez]

Without a brain bucket apparently.

Had one of those. It sits mangled on my mantle to remind me how good God is.

 

[bbbass]

In a revolver they should be safe enough, right? Right? Uh, no.



How bout a rifle then:

 

[bbbass]

Had one of those. It sits mangled on my mantle to remind me how good God is.

No, I meant that's how you go riding now. Just kidding.

Guys I know in some pretty bad accidents are still riding... blows me away. I went down twice in my life and ran away from the habit like Michael was after me.

I also know people that were flown on Lifeflight service and had to pay full freight cuz they had no insurance. Then didn't buy a $50 membership cuz it couldn't happen twice... it did.

 

[eldbillbo]

Edit: Saw the mention of "factory" reloads. I had HSM ammo blow up two of my guns, a .44 Marlin, and an AR. The casings were cracked, and FORCED my guns out of battery.

I had a HSM squib . I didn't catch it as I was mag dumping and thats exactly what it did (dumped the mag) with the next round. Fortunately the squib was far enough down the barrel to be push out . I remembered the shot just before it did not seem as loud as the others (undercharged) but that was my first encounter with a squib.