Hopefully most people will never experience a
gun blowing up! It does happen though - see the
examples below which might perhaps act as an incentive
to take extra care, particularly if reloading.
Two main causes are easily identified - one is the
''squib'' load where no powder went in to the case
and so just a primer was left to propel bullet into
the barrel part ways. This then being followed by
a full charge round without being cleared - the
pressure has to go somewhere! Of course a barrel
obstruction from other objects also will not be
useful!
The other cause is simply the over-hot load. Either
too much of the correct powder, typically a double
charge with fast, low volume powders - or simply
more powder than is safe for bullet weight and pressures
in the gun. If the original owners of these tragedies
see these and need to correct the info - please
contact us.
Glock 22 fitted with a KKM barrel so as to be
able to use lead bullets in reloads. A squib was
rapidly followed by a fresh normal load (it was
during IDPA). Pretty well destroyed the gun but
shooter was not badly injured.
This, like most of the pic's apart from the first
which belonged to a shooting buddy, was gleaned
from the web over time and so history is not known.
It is assumed this gun was being tested to destruction
- and apparently very successfully!
A Smith 329 PD 44 Mag' which appears to have had
perhaps a round double charged or worse, with Bullseye
or similar fast powder. Goodbye cylinder and top
strap!.
This is apparently a Vaquero cylinder and once
more it is imagined that an over hot round could
not be fully contained safely. Cylinder appears
ruptured but not shattered.
Supposedly a Bisley and seemingly another case
of too much powder! Or is a Uberti? Not sure right
now but almost certainly 45 LC caliber.
A Colt SA I believe - and rather obviously it
did not survive very excessive pressures.
Even the reputedly indestructible Linebaugh can
break! This was apparently a 500, and one can only
guess how much of an over load was impressed on
its structure.
A Colt Anaconda - well trashed. I half recall
reading the grisly details but now cannot remember!
I have a suspicion a kaboom in one cylinder fired
off another round perhaps but anyways - the end
result had to have been from something pretty excessive.
Messy!
The demise of a once lovely BFR! It could well
be, judging by its very long cylinder, a 45-70 like
mine. I am guessing here the aftermath of some
barrel obstruction, because I forget the details
I once read. The frame and cylinder took the pressure
peak but not the barrel, which is actually not over
thick. Great shame.
