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Blew Up an XDM40 Today

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ILoveCats:

--- Quote from: SemperFiGuy on August 01, 2014, 08:42:45 AM ---Good Point.   Could be just another Forum attention-seeker milking the tender sensitivities of the crowd.  If I can figger out (a) my cell phone camera, (b) transmission to computer, and (c) Photobucket, I'll post some pics.

--- End quote ---

Some of us just want to see some gore and destruction to go with all that verbosity.  It's like being stuck on the interstate for a half an hour because of a wreck. Might as well rubberneck like the rest of 'em when it's your turn.

OnTheFly:

--- Quote from: Mudinyeri on August 01, 2014, 07:39:19 AM ---Single stage ancient Pacific press w/stand-alone single stage powder dropper.  (Because.......I've always intuited that the S-S device is "more controllable" and less likely to mischarge, overcharge, double-charge, whatever.  Maybe; maybe not.   I do check powder charge weights about every 10 rounds or so and continually watch the vernier scale to ensure that it hasn't moved.  Trying to be meticulous, which is why this KA-BOOM! has me somewhat confounded.)
--- End quote ---

No system is perfect.  Personally I am completely sold on the auto indexing progressive.  I have only had 4 rounds with issues (all squibs) and that was on a 550 which was having issues and causing distractions.  ASSUMING all the automatic operations of the press are working correctly, you are much safer iMHO when the operator has less to do.  All I have to do is...

1) Verify that the case has powder and that it looks correct (mine fills the case about half way)

2) Set a bullet on the case

3) Pull the handle down

4) Push the handle up

5) Go to step one and repeat

I have all the buzzers that tell me if the powder or primers are low.  I have never understood the "You should start on a single stage to be safer" attitude.  On my progressive, I can run each station and see what it does, just as if I was running a single stage.  It doesn't hurt that the Dillon is a fantastic machine that does it's job correctly and accurately over, and over, and over again.

What is the most significant error that can cause a dangerous reload?  Powder charge? That's not a rhetorical question.  I am too new to think of all the possibilities, but I would guess that is the most likely.  No primer? I will see that when I put the round (bullet down) in the ammo box, or it just won't fire.  Worst part is the powder that dribbles everywhere.  If a primer doesn't get seated all the way?  Again, I should see this when I put the rounds in the ammo box.  I caught it before.  Worst case scenario, it will fire when it goes into battery.  Hopefully my practicing the motor skills of safe gun handling will pay off and the gun will be pointed in a safe direction. Bullet not seated correctly and/or it is not crimped enough? It probably won't feed.  Bullet seated too deep or not far enough?  I measure the first couple of rounds from each reloading session and then measure intermittently.  Any single round that is WAY off will be obvious in the ammo box.  Again, I've caught it before, but that was on the 550.  I'm sure there are many more possible issues, but these are the most common, with too low/high of a powder charge being the most egregious.  So far I've loaded between 6 and 7K with my XL650, and I haven't had any major problems <Insert Fingers Crossed Emoticon Here>.

My personal opinion, but one that is reinforced by historical observation of the chain of errors leading to an accident, is that the less steps a person is given to complete, the less likely an error will occur.  There are caveats, but that is a pretty solid rule.

Fly

SemperFiGuy:


For Those Who Wished to See a Pic:

Here's the blown XDM40.   You can see that the frame is bulged out. 

The rails are sprung out to the sides.  And the light line across the flat top of the chamber was part of the event.   Wasn't there before.

And the next (top) cartridge in the magazine has been completely flipped over and is pointing the wrong way.   The bullet in that cartridge had a deep crease down the middle.

On the left side, the slide release is sprung out away from the frame.   Rear sight was jarred loose.

Not as much fun as seeing a train wreck.  But when the gun blew, it was an adrenaline popper.

sfg

NE Bull:
Wellhell, there's yer problem.  You's puttin the bullets in backards!

SemperFiGuy:

--- Quote ---Wellhell, there's yer problem.  You's puttin the bullets in backards!

--- End quote ---
Well, here's a follow-up:
It has always been astonishing to me in the case of concealed carry classes, how often students actually DO put them in backwards.

Mostly 22s, but not always.

sfg

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