Had my first slam fire today

[mdmoseley]

Well I blew a hole in my garage floor today. Thank fully not anything else or anyone was hurt. Okey came over and we were putting some .223s together. My cutter needed adjusted so I was checking the two rounds we just completed. I loaded two in the mag and chambered the first round. As soon as the chamber closed, the round fired. Upon inspecting the round we found the primer had not been struck and the primer was protruding out. The protrusion out was the primer expanding through the firing pin hole. It was scary stuff but this is why you always practice good safety. If I hadn't had the gun pointed down it would have gone a good distance before stopping. Incase anyone is wondering we were using Federal #200 primers and after talking to a couple of people this was believed to be the cause due to the softness of the primer. Anyway moral of this story always point your gun in a safe direction even when loading it.

[Guest bkelm18]

What rifle were you using?

[ftncityfatboy]

these things are very scarey. My first hang fire happened last weekend. Shooting reloads, pulled trigger, nothing happened, muzzle still pointed in safe direction but down at bench, and BANG, bounced one off the concrete table. Scared the chit out of me. I know how you feel!!!

Edited June 27, 2009 by ftncityfatboy

[Jasongar8]

If you are around guns/re-loading long enough chances are an accident will happen. Like you say, safe gun handling will prevent an accident from turning into a tragedy. Glad you are all ok.

-Jason G

[56FordGuy]

Scary stuff, glad nobody got hurt. I have a thing of those exact primers that I got from Okey, that I was going to load into some .223 for an AR. Now, I'll use them for .30 Carbine and find something else for the .223.

[Rightwinger]

Get those CCI 5.56 specific primers everyone!! And no, don't use the Federal, they are well documented for having a softer cup and are susceptible to slam fire.

Glad you guys are okay!!!

[Guest Mugster]

Use a discharge bucket when your loading in the house. Especially something with a floating firing pin.

Fill a 5 gallon paint bucket with sand or just dirt. Its cheap, and it'll stop most anything.

[Garufa]

Scary stuff, glad nobody got hurt. I have a thing of those exact primers that I got from Okey, that I was going to load into some .223 for an AR. Now, I'll use them for .30 Carbine and find something else for the .223.

Just an FYI, but the M1 Carbine has a free-floating firing pin just like the AR and M1 Garand. The Carbine bolt doesn't slam home with the authority of the other two, so probably no worries.

[Okey]

Sorry for the hole in your floor. My fault, I brought the primers. Besides that I had a great time. Thanks Matt.

Okey

[mdmoseley]

no worries. think i will get a buck of sand though.

[gsbell]

FYI

A 5 gallon bucket of sand will not stop a .40 round so it sure as hell won't stop a 5.56. I added several inches of pea gravel to the bottom then sand on top of that, that took care of it for .40

[hkusp40cal]

You could buy one of the Safe Direction Ballistic containment pads. They are made for handguns and rifles.

Safe Direction, LLC

[Guest Mugster]

FYI

A 5 gallon bucket of sand will not stop a .40 round so it sure as hell won't stop a 5.56. I added several inches of pea gravel to the bottom then sand on top of that, that took care of it for .40

Hmmm. I've never actually tested my bucket. It's 14" deep, more or less. I can't see a handgun round, even a .44 mag, going through that. I'll see about shooting it with the rifles and see what happens.

I do know the military standard for stopping repeated small arms hits is 18" of dirt in a fighting position.

I had read something someplace that 10" of dirt would generally stop a .308 round, but, I have no idea where I read it.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Mugster

[Okey]

I do know 4" of concrete will stop a .223.

[Guest Mugster]

I do know 4" of concrete will stop a .223.

Ha!

[mdmoseley]

Hey Okey. I've been thinking about you disassembling those rounds. I don't know if that is such a good idea. If they are that sensative your bullet puller may set off a round. You may see if there is an alternative type puller than doesn't use kinetic energy to remove the slug.

[Okey]

Hey Okey. I've been thinking about you disassembling those rounds. I don't know if that is such a good idea. If they are that sensative your bullet puller may set off a round. You may see if there is an alternative type puller than doesn't use kinetic energy to remove the slug.

Didn't think about that. I might just point the AR in a safe direction and load it.

I wonder if it counts as a machine gun if you never pull the trigger?

Okey

[Rightwinger]

As long as your not striking the primers you'll be okay pulling the bullets with a standard hammer style puller.

[mdmoseley]

I would have agreed previously but the round that fired yesterday was not struck by the primer. i will post pictures but the primer was protruding out where it expanded through the firing pin hold on the bolt.

[Rightwinger]

It had to have "flat fired". The whole primer was sitting up to high and the bolt face hit it. There isn't any way a round is going to go off unless a primer triggers the charge.

Most definitely post a pic. This should be informative for all the AR shooters whether they reload or not.

[Okey]

I would have agreed previously but the round that fired yesterday was not struck by the primer. i will post pictures but the primer was protruding out where it expanded through the firing pin hold on the bolt.

My guess was that the firing pin hit the soft primer and ignited it. The pressure from from the load then pushed the surface of the primer back into the firing pin hole. Possible?

Okey

[mdmoseley]

[mdmoseley]

Flat fire is possible. Looks to be clearance between the top of the primer and casing but hard to say for certain.

[Rightwinger]

That is weird looking. Did the rifle cycle funny? I ask as I'm thinking the thing was not locked in battery and when it fired the bolt started back and the primer didn't have the pin or the bolt face to "push" against and pressure just back filled the primer hole.

[mdmoseley]

no. it actually cycled the 2nd round in the mag fine. It's possible the primer could have been a little high but if it was there is no way to know for sure now.