This got my attention yesterday

I have been reloading since I was a young boy and now I am almost 52. This is the Second case that has ever ruptured on me and I have the other case somewhere. The split it where it is not supported at the bottom of the barrel. The energy blew down and out the grip each time. Both magazines needed rebuilt but the mag frames are good to go. The 1st time this happened I did get cuts on my face but this time I didn’t!

Caliber? Gun?

My 1911 45acp Wad Gun the one in my avatar

Were you running a powder check gauge or was there a chance of a double charge? Seems like it would either have to be a double/triple charge or some seriously suspect brass.

Oh no chance of a double charge because this was my long line match loads. I use a tray of 50 and my Rcbs trickle charge. Just a wore out case it happens. The primer is still in place and doesn’t ever look bad. This was my 5 shot of the string. 
1st shot x at 8 o’clock 
2nd shot 10 at 12
3rd shot was 10 at 12
4th shot was a 9 at 12 
I reload my mags after the 4th shot so I have a full mag when it went boom and it’s not really a boom kinda just sounds odd

Does the case look like it was stretched by sizing to the point of being paper thin?

REConley wrote:Does the case look like it was stretched by sizing to the point of being paper thin?

I say that’s what happened. It is right on the bend where it blew out! Like I said it happens. Not very often but it will look the same every time it happens! 2 times in probably in excess of a couple of million rounds of various calibers

James Hensler wrote:

REConley wrote:Does the case look like it was stretched by sizing to the point of being paper thin?

I say that’s what happened. It is right on the bend where it blew out! Like I said it happens. Not very often but it will look the same every time it happens! 2 times in probably in excess of a couple of million rounds of various calibers

308 cases I have retired after being reloaded 7-8 times and cut along the long axis have shown a material thinning in that same area just ahead of the head. Hence my old practice of discarding rifle brass after being fired the 5th time.

I get rid of my rifle brass after 5 times also. With my 45 and 32 brass I reuse it until it cracks down the side. Come to think of I have never had a 32 case crack. 

I could not begin to tell you ( because I don’t know) how many times this case was reloaded but it was probably 3-5 times more than you can believe

dug out the other case! These case look exactly the same and came from 2 different 1911’s 25 or so years apart

This is where god forbid the rupture will happen
Before anyone questions this pic I had to go back and look at this again. It’s a shadow not a gap and the round and chamber are perfect

I shot 45 ACP and 38 super in USPSA competition from about 1978 - 1986 or 87. Like you if the case did not have a split at the mouth I reloaded it. 38 Super major loads where shown in the Speer reloading manuals of the day with pressure tests showing 30,000 CUP +. 38 Super nickel cases head stamped R-P were the most durable in my experience with a neck split being very rare and every loading was match major. I never shot any reduce power loads in the Super.  If I had done that with my 308 match loads I would have been buying a new stock every year.

Interesting, I had not seen something like that before.

Thankfully no one was hurt, and the gun was okay.  How hard/long do you push/reload your rounds before you replace the batch??
Do you track # of loads per case (or at least lot)?  Might be a good time to start?

Retfed

retfed wrote:Thankfully no one was hurt, and the gun was okay.  How hard/long do you push/reload your rounds before you replace the batch??
Do you track # of loads per case (or at least lot)?  Might be a good time to start?

Retfed

2 times in 25 plus years. I shoot them until they crack down the side. I am getting 500 Starline to use just for the long line for my matches for 2021
The rest will just be for the short line
My load is only 3.4 so this should not happen again. I have 3000 Winchesters that I use to reload and they might be 3 years old

I'm anxious for some of our gunsmiths to chime in.  Does the ramp look overly done?
Phil

It’s OEM original so I don’t know what you mean?

Only that where it blew out appears to be unsupported.  Maybe thats the way it supposed to be, I don't know. I could tear some of mine down and see what I've got, but I'm too lazy.  I just shoot 'em, I don't work on 'em.
Phil

It’s seamless when installed

PMcfall wrote:Only that where it blew out appears to be unsupported.  Maybe thats the way it supposed to be, I don't know. I could tear some of mine down and see what I've got, but I'm too lazy.  I just shoot 'em, I don't work on 'em.
Phil

The barrels are unsupported on the bottom

I have a gauge to prevent that....

bruce martindale wrote:I have a gauge to prevent that....

What kind of gauge can do a pressure test

Strain gage on a pressure test setup?

I hope he wasn't thinking this was from a bulging case like from a Glock. I have 2 7 hole check gauges and I check 100% of all the rounds that goes in my Pardini and my 45’s. This case looked like brand new before the rupture.

James
Well, I overcame my laziness and broke down one of mine.  Mine looks the same with a round dropped into the barrel.  But out of the thousands of rounds thru it, I've never exerienced a blowout.  I might blame it on the brass, what brand was it?  Mine is 99% Federal.  My practice brass has at least 30 loadings on it I would guess.
Phil