Blew Up an XDM40 Today

[SemperFiGuy]

Appreciate the update, all too often these kinds of events pop up with no follow up and just leaves us all wondering,,,,

Kinda my thinking, too.  Which actually prompted the follow-up here on the Forum.

The XDM40 is still at the gunsmith until the scarce-extractor situation gets resolved in some manner.  Or until I go pick it up and put it on the shelf.   Either way, it won't shoot until it gets a new extractor.   (Hmmmm.... maybe convert it to blowback mode.  Or get a little 5-inch poky-rod for extraction purposes....)

However, I've got buckets of reloads in .40S&W caliber.   

So the next issue is what to do with them.  Like:

1)   Just scrap them; throw them away.  (Where?)
2)   Pull the bullets; check powder loads.  (Groan...............  Makes me weary to think of it.)
3)   Go ahead and shoot them, THWI.  (Kinda scary.  Certainly would develop a serious flinch.)
4)   Come up with rational plan to recover them incrementally.   (Professor-talk.)
5)   ?

I'm kinda at a sticking point right now.   I do have other handguns that will shoot or can be converted to shoot .40S&W cartridges.   

Currently pondering the next move.

sfg

[Gary]

As I said, I do not reload, so I am just asking a basic question.  If all the cases and primers and lead weigh the same, by weighing each round, can you tell how much powder is in each one? 



Please Join The NRA

[altheman2]

ok.....I cant sleep....its late at night....should be sleeping but I have an idea to share. Not sure of what type of scale your using but rather than pulling bullets, what would happen if you weighted them all, the fully loaded rounds, throw them on a scale and see what each one weights, I would think you would end up with a high, low and average. Pull the highest and get an exact powder measure, know what your dealing with. It seems my el cleapo Rcbs 505 scale is + - 2 grain before it pegs high or low. My thoughts are it would narrow down your ice cream buckets of ammo to "suspect rounds".  Its a thought, I don't reload much for pistol but a lot of rifle, big difference in powder charges. Just a thought based on many many variables.

Best thing I can think of is eat more ice cream.

[altheman2]

The 556 reloads I have seem to be within a grain or each other , sorted by headstamp trimed and full length sized.
But most importantly I am very  glald your ok

[SemperFiGuy]

It appears that some Good-Think is going on here:

......what would happen if you weighted them all, the fully loaded rounds, throw them on a scale and see what each one weights

If all the cases and primers and lead weigh the same, by weighing each round, can you tell how much powder is in each one? 

Following the above reasoning, here's what I'm doing:

1.  Sorting the reloads by headstamp.
2.  Segregating within headstamp by total cartridge grain weight.
3.  Bagging the weight-segregated results for shooting at the range.

For example, I've got Winchester White Box reloads in these weight ranges:

Grains
226.0 - 226.9
227.0 - 227.9
.....
.....
.....
233.0 - 233.9
234.0 - 234.9

As you can see, the result is a whopping 8 grain weight range.  [Very unlike altheman2's 1-grain M/L variation].   However, if you weigh the empty cartridge cases, bullets, and unfired primers independently, a significant weight variation also results due to the natural statistical distribution of stuff.   Even within the same headstamp.

I'm going to the range today and start with the lighter rounds [226.0 - 226.9gr.] being shot first.  And work my way up the scale, being very alert to any signs of increasing chamber pressure.   And will follow altheman2's suggestion to pull some of the higher rounds to measure powder charge weight.   First.

We'll see.

sfg

[DenmanShooter]

I admit I don't know you well enough to know if this is supposed to be tongue in cheek or not, but on the off chance you actually believe this statement, consider this, NO guns are designed to fire out of battery, that's the reason "firing out of battery" is a failure....and ANY mechanical device *can* fail even the beloved glock.

  I am neither a Glock lover or a Glock hater.  It just seems like that's all I hear is "Glocks never fail."   But, really, in my opinion it doesn't matter how many grains of powder or the bullet weight or even a brittle case.  If the gun is functioning properly, unless you use some wicked powerful powder, you can't put enough in to make the gun blow up (unless the barrel is plugged, which results in a different kind of catastrophe), the chamber should be built well enough to contain that overpressure.   Glocks did however have an issue with .40 chambers allowing the case to bulge.  So you have to check your .40 brass close when reloading if you are using range brass so you don't load some of that and try shooting it.  That could have caused the OOB situation.  In the case of .40 I would think that more likely than about any other scenario except maybe not seating the bullet correctly.   

[Lmbass14]

Or get a little 5-inch poky-rod for extraction purposes....)


Currently pondering the next move.

sfg

The little 5-inch poky-rod is a very technical term.  Everyone needs to keep one in the range bag.

As for you next move, if you need help, I just happen to have a G23 that would love to see some of you ammo.

Best thing I can think of is eat more ice cream.

+1

Also agree on to tedious job of weighing the ammo.

A friend of mine reloads off of a Dillion Press 650, and had a squib at the range.  He weighted all the ammo to find if there was any others.  Luckily, he had only 500 rounds, not ice cream buckets.

[OnTheFly]

As you can see, the result is a whopping 8 grain weight range.

This is exactly my experience when I was dealing with a reloading conundrum.  Thought I might be able to weigh each round and pull out the odd ones, but the variance was SO huge, it was futile.

I'm a reloading newb, and I didn't think that was going to work.  Though I wanted someone else to say what I was thinking.

Fly

[altheman2]

Yeah shoot I knew there was going to be some variances but didn't think it was going to add up to 8 grains if you sorted by headstamp

[66bigblock]

This thread is why I dont understand reloading.  I love working with my hands, building stuff, fixing stuff, BUT, none of them when used as designed have the ablilty to take a finger off or worse.


66bigblock

[SemperFiGuy]

Went to the Range Today

For reload testing, per previous discussion.   Took along some 385 reloaded rounds in the range of 226.0 grs to 234.9grs, total loaded weight.  All Winchester head stamps, 155gr HBRN plated BerrysBullets, 5.1gr Win231. WSP primers.

Started with the 226.0 - 226.9grs group in a Glock 23.  Decided to try some benchrest group accuracy shooting to combine w/the reload testing.  Sat down at the bench, shot from one of those red plastic triangular 3-steps/side devices.  With a little breath and trigger control, actually shot some decent groups (3" - 6") at 30 feet.  [Yes--I know--those aren't bragging groups; they are just baseline groups for comparison to when I shoot without any kind of bench rest.  That is, what can the gun do; what can I do.]

Anyhow, the first batch of reloads went very well, no jammies of any kind at all.  No especially loud reports nor heavy recoils of any kind.  Just plain old smooth target shooting.   So I went to the 227.0 - 227.9 batch and cranked those rounds out, as well.  Same story; nothing to cause particular alarm.

Making a long story shorter, just kept on working up through the heavier cartridges, banging along and having a good time.  Clanking on steel now.   Until all 385 cartridges were fully exhausted, along with the shooter.  Nice groups were history; my usual spray-and-pray handgunnery kicked in, but that's not germane to the actual testing process.

Nothing untoward at all during the whole shootaree.  As it happened, nothing happened except plain vanilla target shooting.   Can't ask for better results under the circumstances.  Certainly, no KA-BOOM!   But there was only one of those the last time.

Now.....what's lurking in all those other remaining rounds?

sfg
Addenda:

(a) The little 5-inch poky-rod is a very technical term.  Everyone needs to keep one in the range bag.

As for you next move, if you need help, I just happen to have a G23 that would love to see some of you ammo.

(a) 5" Poky-Rods:   $35 on eBay, plus shipping.
(b) Ya know, shooters are usually generous types, but it's folly to ever let someone else shoot your reloaded ammo.  We all can see why.

I love working with my hands, building stuff, fixing stuff, BUT, none of them when used as designed have the ablilty to take a finger off or worse.

Table saw?  Just askin'.

[newfalguy101]

Pick up a Hi-point Carbine in .40!! 

A buddy of mine has a carbine in 9mm, and a heavy hand on the powder measure ( really like the guy, but, don't shoot his loads in MY guns ).

He has told me some of the numbers he is getting on his chrony..............makes me wonder just how overpressure they actually are!!!

[SemperFiGuy]

Next Step in this Saga:

Needed to track down an XDM40 extractor, as previously described.  Went on the web looking for a Springfield parts supplier or an aftermarket parts distributor.   Whereupon I ran across numerous postings where shooters said that they had tried to buy an extractor from Springfield, but SA would not sell to them.

So I called Springfield Arms customer service in Geneseo, IL to check up on their replacement extractor policy.
   
Very Nice Lady said that they would NOT ship an extractor to me, my gunsmith, or anyone else.  The only way I could get the XDM extractor repaired was to ship the handgun back to them and their factory service mechanics would do the installation. 

Which is perfectly fine by me, because the mechanics could also check out the rest of the handgun and render a second opinion upon its condition and prospects as a shootable handgun.  I'm frankly a little astounded that this particular handgun might live to shoot again.  It took one heckuva beating.  Slide rails sticking out, big bulge in the middle, etc.   So let's give it a really, really good going over before shooting it again.

The Springfield Lady sent a FEDEX shipping label by email which I printed out and then put on the handgun package.   Preprinted, barcoded, all that.  Gave the package to the FEDEX Lady.  It's on the way to Illinois (that's one way to get a handgun into Illinois).

Springfield mechanics will call me at home, describe handgun condition, and costs of repair.  When they get to it.  (They are closed all next week for annual shutdown.)

I never asked why Springfield will not sell extractors.  Figgered the Lady didn't make the policy; she only follows it.   Maybe some Forum member will know or have an idea.  I don't.

So.... When I hear anything from SA, I'll post that info here on the Forum.

That's it for now.

sfg 

[Lmbass14]

Thanks for the update.  It will be interesting to see there opinion.  Hopefully, you included a printout of this post so they would have a history of what happened.  Good Luck sfg.

[SemperFiGuy]

Hopefully, you included a printout of this post so they would have a history of what happened

Actually, I gave them the shortened version:  "Pulled trigger, cartridge (not gun) went KA-BOOM!"

Letting them take it from there.

sfg

[SemperFiGuy]

So.... When I hear anything from SA, I'll post that info here on the Forum.

Interim Report:

XDM40 arrived OK at Springfield Armory in Geneseo, IL.   

I promptly received a call from Rob Dominque of the SA repair shop.   He said handgun was now repaired and OK to shoot.  Would cost $18 for the extractor and general examination of condition; $30 for round-trip shipping.

SA is closed to shipping this week (Labor Day shutdown); handgun will ship day after Labor Day, be at my house on Thursday next.

Costs so far:   $40 to local gunsmith for initial assessment and removing mag full of live rounds and other debris.
                       $48 to Springfield Arms, per above.

Big Duh on Me:   Forgot during conversation to ask Rob if someone had shot the gun after repair.   I'll have to call him back to ask.

Now:
After the gun arrives, we'll have to get some of the feistier Forum members (Fly, gsd, FeralCatKiller, Bullit.........[can't risk unfy]) to pre-shoot the gun before I take it to the range.

More to Come.

sfg

[OnTheFly]

Now:
After the gun arrives, we'll have to get some of the feistier Forum members (Fly, gsd, FeralCatKiller, Bullit.........[can't risk unfy]) to pre-shoot the gun before I take it to the range.

LOL.  Glad I made the "expendable" list...I think.  I guess I'm in good company. 

Fly

[tstuart34]

I second for gsd.  He like fireballs!

[SemperFiGuy]

LOL.  Glad I made the "expendable" list..

It's not that Anyone's actually expendable....

But according to an analysis of past Forum postings, you are up high on the Master List of Those Who Like to See Sparks Fly...

(I'm down lower, more toward the bottom.)

sfg

[Lorimor]