Blown up S&W Alloy Frame 1911

[Mason-Dixon Baseball]

Forgive me, but the filthy state of the gun might have something to do with the failure, not poor maintenance. I assume he was firing prior to the failure, so that would create some of the dirtiness, but with two rounds failing like that, I feel that the extreme filth of the gun is likely attributed to the explosions that seem to have taken place outside of the chamber. Just my opinions.

Might first reaction was the gun was filthy as well, but never seeing a failure like that I don't know what a gun would look like after such an out of chamber explosion....

Curious to hear because I'm using the Remington white box in my new AR and would hate to go through that... Anyone else find the Remington white box .223 to work well in their AR?

 

[clandestine]

Examination is complete. The gun is worn but not unsafe. Headspace still checks safe and the barrel Lugs and Slide Lug recesses are in good condition. The gun is dirty but not unsafe. It was dry.

The AMMO is the cause for the failure.

There was no squib, the barrel was clear.

The Round in the chamber blew out where there was no case support. This piereced the top round in the mag and caused that round to explode. TWO rounds blew up in this gun.

It held up AMAZINGLY well and the aluminum frame did NOT contribute to the damage. The alloy frame cracked on bith sides of the slide stop, at the back where the beaver tail is, and on the rear rails and safety hole.

There was definately a double charge. The clide was locked up and in battery when this happened.

 

[kohburn]

.
The Round in the chamber blew out where there was no case support. This piereced the top round in the mag and caused that round to explode. TWO rounds blew up in this gun.

that was my second guess. but I did get the order of round failure correct.

 

[Nothinghead]

Wow. What would have prevented this then? How could "Case support" have been applied? I am not 100% on how you mean that.

 

[erwos]

Huh, mystery solved... guess I'm surprised that the double-charged round was able to ignite the top round in the magazine, although this does provide a very neat explanation for the position and condition of that second round...

 

[BradMacc82]

Holy crap, I got part of it right, double-charge.

 

[Fishguy]

Wow. What would have prevented this then? How could "Case support" have been applied? I am not 100% on how you mean that.

A cartridge with the right amount of powder in it.

 

[Nothinghead]

Ahh, so overloaded. Missed that part. Thanks.

 

[Inigoes]

Huh, mystery solved... guess I'm surprised that the double-charged round was able to ignite the top round in the magazine, although this does provide a very neat explanation for the position and condition of that second round...

A cartridge with the right amount of powder in it.

The scary part, that was factory ammo.

What's the lot number on the box?

 

[BradMacc82]

Ok, I was wondering how well that frame took it. Kept frag out of his hand, but sounds like that piece is toasted.

 

[BradMacc82]

+1 - I'm with Inigoes, don't want that lot of ammo.

 

[mike_in_md]

This was very interesting! Explains it all. Great eval Chad!

 

[Hopalong]

Ok so 3 pages of alloy frame hate and then the pictures show no actual frame damage (that I can see in the pictures at least). But the stainless slide is blown to shit. So how would a steel frame made any difference in this case?

I don't know if you're aware, but the pics in the OP went up after all that discussion about alloy frames. We didn't have anything to go on aside from knowledge that an alloy-framed 1911 had failed in a very bad way. Regardless, your point is taken.

The AMMO is the cause for the failure.

...

The Round in the chamber blew out where there was no case support. This piereced the top round in the mag and caused that round to explode. TWO rounds blew up in this gun.

...

There was definately a double charge. The clide was locked up and in battery when this happened.

Wow. That's pretty much a Golden BB scenario; if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen and there's nothing you can do aside from pray you've got a well-built gun. Which is part of the reason why I like over-built Rugers.

 

[BradMacc82]

This is true.

Although my uncle's P-90 obliterated a recoil spring/rod in fantastic fashion at an IDPA shoot a few years back, but in Ruger's defense, he was going crazy with +P loads before that happened.

 

[Huckleberry]

Holy crap, I got part of it right, double-charge.

So that means you're only partly smart as Chad but for being partly wrong, you still have to drop yer britches and squeal like a pig when Chad slaps you on yer ass.

Thanks for playing, "Are you Smarter than a Gunsmith?"

 

[BradMacc82]

Haha, never proclaimed to be smarter than a 'smith. Hearing all I've heard about Chad, I think I'll keep my britches cinched up one notch tighter...

 

[clandestine]

The scary part, that was factory ammo.

What's the lot number on the box?

 

[clandestine]

Haha, never proclaimed to be smarter than a 'smith. Hearing all I've heard about Chad, I think I'll keep my britches cinched up one notch tighter...

Ill Kaboom my weener in your unsupported chamber.

 

[BradMacc82]

FMJ or JHP?

 

[BradMacc82]

Great, last thing I need is a AD and a Ruptured Chamber...