Ammunition

[Dead Eye Dave]

So my Dad got me a gun belt and holster for Christmas along with some ammo.  I used the ammo today and it blew out the barrel of my favorite pistol.  Obviously the load was too strong.  I had a Uberti Colt clone in .45 LC with a 5.5 inch barrel.  Whats the strongest load one can use for these pistols?  I didn't know these were too strong.  My Dad had put them in the cartridge loops. 

Thanks

David

[Singing Bear]

Most commercial loads state on the box that they are specifically for use in Colts and replicas or for Cowboy Action Shooting.   Others are meant for self defense or hunting and should only be used in most Ruger single action revolvers, S&W's or other "modern" guns. 

What kind of box did these come in?  If they were commercial, there should have been somekind of disclaimer printed on the box.   If they were handloads, most reloading manuals have a reloading section specifically for Colts and replicas and these specs should have been used.   He may have used the specs from the "Rugers only" section?

[St. George]

Double-check your ammunition's headstamp on the base of the cartridge, but if it's simple .45 Long Colt, .45 Colt or .45 S&W - there shouldn't've been a problem.

If what you describe is accurate - it sounds a lot like there was an obstruction in the barrel - perhaps a forgotten cleaning patch, or snow, or something similar.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Deadeye Don]

I agree with St. George.  The Ubertis are even strong enough to shoot Winchester silvertip hollow points as I have done it.  I dont recommend doing so routinely, but unless you put a couple hundred rounds of self defense ammo  through that gun, it certainly should not have had a catastrophic failure like you describe.  If you have any of the ammo left take a picture of it with the head stamp as clear as possible and post it here.  I would also check out St Georges theory as it seems very plausible to me.

[Dead Eye Dave]

Thanks for the replies.  It does say .45 Colt on the headstamp.  And the obstruction idea is making sense.  A sheriff's deputy and gunsmith I know has said the same thing.  He thought that if it was pressure failure that it should occur at the cylinder and not the barrel.  The bullets are only 255 grain and I have shot Cowboy Action loads that were stronger than that.  He also thought that maybe a squib load didn't clear the barrel.

DB

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Double-check your ammunition's headstamp on the base of the cartridge, but if it's simple .45 Long Colt, .45 Colt or .45 S&W - there shouldn't've been a problem.

If what you describe is accurate - it sounds a lot like there was an obstruction in the barrel - perhaps a forgotten cleaning patch, or snow, or something similar.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!



I agree here, because usually the cylinder blows when you have too hot of load, long before the barrel would be damaged. I really sounds like there was some obstruction in the barrel. WBR

[Deadeye Don]

Tough break and lesson learned.  I am glad you werent injured in the process.  I have seen squibs occur in matches and but for the vigilance of posse members one shooter came very close to cranking off another round before he was stopped.  Regards.  Deadeye.

[Delmonico]

The cylinder would have been what would have went with an overload.

However I have a rule on any ammo, if it don't come out of a factory box, I break it down.  If it is a box or part of a box and I was not the one to buy it from the store, I look it over very carefully and make 110% sure it is factory ammo.  If I can't tell, I break it down.  I shoot only reloads that I have made. 

Nephew learned a lesson along this lines about a year and a half ago, bought some reloaded 308 at a gun show and not from and establish comerial reloader. (I consider this factory ammo)  30th or so of 50 took a Ruger M77 apart.  I disected every left over round, looks like 231 in varied amounts per round mixed in with what looks like 748.

[Dead Eye Dave]

I am thinking it was a squib since I had fired two rounds with no problem.  And thanks again for all the comments ya'll have made.  I won't use that ammo again just in case. 

Later

DB