From the pages of glocktalk.com:
Squib load at the range today
Was shooting the Colt 1911 for a while but I think it needs some breaking in. Many times the slide would not go into battery. I suspect either rough edges on the feed ramp or (more likely) rough corners on the barrel lugs and slide lugs. I believe these rough corners are preventing the barrel from locking into the slide properly.
That is a side issue.
I was shooting the Springfield 1911 and instead of a bang, I got a "click".
What I SHOULD have done was stop shooting right away, remove the magazine, clear the round and inspect the barrel.
Instead, I thought it was a bad primer, so I racked the slide, saw "somethign" eject, let the next round go forward and prepared to fire*.
But the slide had not returned to battery. I frowned because this is what the Colt was doing. I started wondering WTF was up with my loads and I racked the slide, ejecting THAT round, and let the slide strip the next round into the chamber. I prepared to fire.
But the slide had not returned to battery.
Okay. What is going on here? I looked down into the ejection port as I racked that round OUT, and watched the next round try to chamber. It was not going all the way in. I tried to peer into the rear of the barrel looking for light ( this is an outdoor range, Markham Park FL ) and there was nothing in the barrel but darkneess.
I called the RO over and tole him what I thought: I think I have a squib in the barrel, I would like to disassemble this pistol. He gave me the go-ahead to go over to another bench (they are very strict at Markham, and you have to ask permission before you can do anything there).
I stripped the 1911 and sure enough, the barrel was plugged near the rear. I realized that if the round had travelled about a quarter inch further into the barrel, I would have been able to chamber the next round and would have shot it.
We got a rod and a hammer and easily pounded the jacketed round back out the back. There was no powder burn around the rear of that round, I strongly believe it was a primer-only round, not a low primer round. This batch was made with my Lee before I got my Dillon.
After that, the 1911 shot fine after being reassembled. But man, what a close call.
Reminder to all of us: if you hear ANYTHING out of the ordinary, don't assume you know what happened. STOP what you are doing, call someone over for help, and inspect the firearm before proceeding. Even if it's only a slightly different hiccup, stop. Think. Check.
Things could have been much much worse: my Springfield could have been ruined, or I could have injured my hand, eyes, or worse.
Now to work on that Colt...
Squib load at the range today
Was shooting the Colt 1911 for a while but I think it needs some breaking in. Many times the slide would not go into battery. I suspect either rough edges on the feed ramp or (more likely) rough corners on the barrel lugs and slide lugs. I believe these rough corners are preventing the barrel from locking into the slide properly.
That is a side issue.
I was shooting the Springfield 1911 and instead of a bang, I got a "click".
What I SHOULD have done was stop shooting right away, remove the magazine, clear the round and inspect the barrel.
Instead, I thought it was a bad primer, so I racked the slide, saw "somethign" eject, let the next round go forward and prepared to fire*.
But the slide had not returned to battery. I frowned because this is what the Colt was doing. I started wondering WTF was up with my loads and I racked the slide, ejecting THAT round, and let the slide strip the next round into the chamber. I prepared to fire.
But the slide had not returned to battery.
Okay. What is going on here? I looked down into the ejection port as I racked that round OUT, and watched the next round try to chamber. It was not going all the way in. I tried to peer into the rear of the barrel looking for light ( this is an outdoor range, Markham Park FL ) and there was nothing in the barrel but darkneess.
I called the RO over and tole him what I thought: I think I have a squib in the barrel, I would like to disassemble this pistol. He gave me the go-ahead to go over to another bench (they are very strict at Markham, and you have to ask permission before you can do anything there).
I stripped the 1911 and sure enough, the barrel was plugged near the rear. I realized that if the round had travelled about a quarter inch further into the barrel, I would have been able to chamber the next round and would have shot it.
We got a rod and a hammer and easily pounded the jacketed round back out the back. There was no powder burn around the rear of that round, I strongly believe it was a primer-only round, not a low primer round. This batch was made with my Lee before I got my Dillon.
After that, the 1911 shot fine after being reassembled. But man, what a close call.
Reminder to all of us: if you hear ANYTHING out of the ordinary, don't assume you know what happened. STOP what you are doing, call someone over for help, and inspect the firearm before proceeding. Even if it's only a slightly different hiccup, stop. Think. Check.
Things could have been much much worse: my Springfield could have been ruined, or I could have injured my hand, eyes, or worse.
Now to work on that Colt...
