Had a squib load today

Ten2six · December 02 2018 04:29:18 PM MST

Just a friendly reminder that it can happen to anyone. I've been Handloading for 30 years and experienced my first squib today. When I cleared my weapon I immediately noticed that the casing was blackened from the primer only, so I then checked the bore and sure enough it was blocked. I didn't have the right tools to unblock so I put it away until I could get it back to the work bench. Not that it matters but it was in my GP40.

The_Shadow · December 02 2018 05:16:52 PM MST

Yes it can happen. I have also seen causes such as blocked flash holes, debris inside the casing and wetness from wet tumbling can be culprit to stop powder from igniting fully.
Have even seen where water can be locked inside a bubble that is created as chemicals or surfactants seal the water inside not allowing it to fully dry out. Then when the powder is added it breaks that bubble to contaminate the powder charge.
Things found inside range brass were spider webs, other bugs, rocks and sand, other casing small enough to enter inside, etc.

The only squib I had was in a 38 Special where I was using H-110 with a CCI 500 primer that failed to ignite the powder. The powder melted and turned yellow from the heat of the primer but didn't ignite but the bullet entered into the forcing cone of the barrel. It locked up the cylinder so it couldn't turn, I had to take a wooden dowel o tap the bullet back inside the casing so I could open the cylinder to remove all of the spent and unfired cartridges.

Graybeard · December 03 2018 10:45:10 AM MST

Yep, it can happen. I've had two in 40 plus years of shooting. One was one of my own that did exit the barrel and bounced off a paper target 25' in front of me and the other was a factory load with no powder in it. That one had to be pounded out.

Scariest thing for me was a hang fire that happened about 30 years ago. Some friends and I were shooting clay pigeons with 12gauges, using up some older shells that we found in my grandparents garage. One of them didn't go off and I lowered the gun and was just about to pump the action and BOOM. It went off with full force 3-4 seconds after I pulled the trigger. Being left handed, if I had pumped the gun quickly it would have gone off in front of my face. Ever since that day, any time a gun goes click instead of bang, I keep it pointed in a safe direction and slowly count to 10.

Ten2six · December 03 2018 10:51:52 AM MST

Hang fires are definitely the worst. I had a 22lr do that once, luckily I kept it semi on target for the 3 to 4 seconds it took until it fired. Still came as quite a shock.

Graybeard · December 03 2018 12:46:22 PM MST

Lessons that stick with you for life!!

About 3 yrs ago a friend of mine was running a JRC .40 in the pistol caliber carbine class at a steel shoot. He had a squib but was too focused on competing and racked out the empty without thinking and fired again. We were all pretty happy the barrel didn't burst, but it did bulge badly.

I always try to impress on new shooters, if something doesn't sound or feel right, JUST STOP! $:-\$ Don't continue until you figure out why.

Ten2six · December 03 2018 01:03:22 PM MST

I will always remember that hang fire but can't remember why I walked into the next room. Lol

Graybeard · December 04 2018 08:58:18 AM MST

HAH ${$default_smiley_smiley}$ For me it's names, which I usually remember 5-10 minutes after the person walks away.

will965 · December 12 2018 05:08:04 PM MST

never seen a 10mm thank goodness but ran into a couple Federal HST squibs in 45acp, got a bad batch

will965 · December 28 2018 09:41:29 PM MST

make sure ya check the barrel really well, last one we had that lodged in the barrel bulged it just ever so slightly. hard to see but you could feel it if you ran the barrel through your fingers. and it was from factory ammo, one bad batch of believe it or not Federal HST. ..