SW 442 blew up in guys hand

[mk19]

So last night I was getting ready to close the shop and was checking the vault, when i hear people calling my name. I'm like hope no one shot themselves. One of my guys rushes and tells me in a panic a gun blew up in the shooters hand, I make sure it is not one of our rental guns, and it is not. I'm thinking the guy in laying in the range bleeding out, i see him walking towards me( such a relief) I ask him to show me his wound, there are 2 small holes in his chest, no muscle penetration, just skin and fat. So as i patch him up I find out what happened, he was shooting his uncles SW442, using their own reloads, when the back strap blew off and hit him in the chest.(that is what they claimed) . after looking at the pics one of the guys took from the revolver, seemed like they are shooting some double or more charged round, the clynder blew up breaking off the TOP strap and the fragments hitting him in the chest. Moral of the story, be careful when reloading.

[56FordGuy]

Sounds like the shooter's very fortunate. Glad there were no major injuries.

Did you by chance get any pictures of the damaged gun?

[krunchnik]

Very much the moral,always double check casings under a good light to see how full they are,I always did and never had a misshap.

[Magiccarpetrides]

wow...hes lucky he didnt lose a finger.

[Falcon1]

Very much the moral,always double check casings under a good light to see how full they are,I always did and never had a misshap.

Words to live by....

[wjh2657]

Couldn't be the reloader or shooter. Gotta be an S&W Airweight KB.. If you got one, all of them are gonna do it, everybody stop buying S&W J- Frames, they're dangerous.

This will be enough for hundreds of anti-J Frame threads on all the forums. We'll be hearing stories about how peoples' "friends" had their J Frames just KB for "no reason at all" and how we all have to start buying other brands.

Meanwhile, my 642 will still be in my pocket, loaded with inspected (by me) factory ammo and I am not losing sleep. (I don't with my 3rd Gen Glock 23 either, "Been there, done that!")

I reloaded for decades, and I know you can load a round that will blow up any make of handgun. A good friend tried a published ".45 Magnum" reload somebody dreamed up and blew his Ruger Super.45 Colt Blackhawk apart. I dare anybody to tell me the Ruger Super Blackhawk is a "weak" gun!

[dralarms]

A good friend tried a published ".45 Magnum" reload somebody dreamed up and blew his Ruger Super.45 Colt Blackhawk apart.

Dang, he must have triple loaded it.

[DaveTN]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

My guess is the frame cracked and the next round blew the gun apart.

[wjh2657]

Dang, he must have triple loaded it.

I don't know what the actual powder weight or type was but main point is: if you can blow a Ruger Super Blackhawk apart, you pretty much can blow any gun apart.

[56FordGuy]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

My guess is the frame cracked and the next round blew the gun apart.

Lots of folks shoot reloads in 642s and 442s. A properly reloaded round should not be outside the safe operating limits of any firearm. However, some folks push the envelope, and unfortunately, it can be easy to push them just a little too far. Or, maybe an ordinarily safe load was accidentally double charged.

Whatever happened, it's a reminder to everyone that reloads that you have to be careful, and pay attention to what you're doing.

[gregintenn]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

I do. Why would you make that statement?

[wjh2657]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

My guess is the frame cracked and the next round blew the gun apart.

I don't even shoot +Ps in my Airweights. I shoot Standard Pressure in them and +Ps in my SS magnum J Frames. I will be using my guns at <21 feet and I don't need all that extra velocity and/or wear and tear on my beloved guns.

I weigh, gauge (Go-No Go), and check primer height on all of my factory ammo before I use it. Anything out of the ordinary (within plus or minus 1 SD of Mean) doesn't get chambered in one of my guns. I shoot .38 Spl and .40 S&W and feel real comfortable with what I put in a cylinder or magazine. Any .40 S&W that has been chambered goes into a baggie if not fired and rechecked for set back. I do this with factory ammo! Partly because I did use to reload and know accidents can happen and yes, I do find rounds that fail inspection, even in the best of ammo.

[Okey]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

That would be me.

Okey

[mk19]

Nothing wrong with using reloads in any gun just make sure it is properly loaded. when i reload i usually put about 10% less power. but i shoot mainly at paper.

[Guest grimel]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

My guess is the frame cracked and the next round blew the gun apart.

Umm, me? It isn't the reloads that was the problem. It was the reloader. Sounds like a classic case of a double charge of Bullseye.

[Guest grimel]

Whatever happened, it's a reminder to everyone that reloads that you have to be careful, and pay attention to what you're doing.

I normally have 3-5 things going on at a time. BUT, when I'm charging powder and seating bullets I am doing nothing else and have nothing on. Anyone interupts me and I dump the case & start over.

I swear, light target loads are the most dangerous. I like loads that mostly fill the case, so, if I brain freeze and double charge powder over flows the case. One good thing about a progressive press, get the powder charge set and check it ever so often.

[Guest narco]

i bet it had a kick

[Guest Law of Thirds]

Yeah, I shoot lots of light target loads (148g wadcutter) out of a 642, never had a problem and it's alot easier on my wallet than factory.

I also load on a progressive and check 3 powder weights in a row every 50 rounds. I also don't use minimum or maximum listed loads but rather something near the lower end of the middle to ensure as little chance as possible of a squib.

[Smith]

Couldn't be the reloader or shooter. Gotta be an S&W Airweight KB.. If you got one, all of them are gonna do it, everybody stop buying S&W J- Frames, they're dangerous.

This will be enough for hundreds of anti-J Frame threads on all the forums. We'll be hearing stories about how peoples' "friends" had their J Frames just KB for "no reason at all" and how we all have to start buying other brands.

Meanwhile, my 642 will still be in my pocket, loaded with inspected (by me) factory ammo and I am not losing sleep. (I don't with my 3rd Gen Glock 23 either, "Been there, done that!")

I reloaded for decades, and I know you can load a round that will blow up any make of handgun. A good friend tried a published ".45 Magnum" reload somebody dreamed up and blew his Ruger Super.45 Colt Blackhawk apart. I dare anybody to tell me the Ruger Super Blackhawk is a "weak" gun!

A tight rear it sounds you must have. Much anger in you young padawan. Seriously though, the moral of the story is Kabooms can happen with reloads. Usually not becasue of the gun.

[cadillacdude1975]

well, let me be the first Glock owner to chime in. i told you so. any handgun will blow apart if the conditions are right. i guess that J frame was made by Glock. that explains why it blew up LMAO glad he wasnt seriously hurt though.

[I_Like_Pie]

What kind of an idiot shoots reloads in an alloy J-frame.

My guess is the frame cracked and the next round blew the gun apart.

I am assuming that this is a troll post...

Please say that it is. I can't honestly believe the fact that any seasoned shooter thinks this way.