CAREFULL ABOUT SHOOTIN FRIENDS RELOADS IN YOUR GUNS.

[h c ramrod]

THEY WERE GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT APARENTLY WAS DOUBLE CHARGED

[h c ramrod]

SORRY ABOUT THE DOUBLE PIC HERE'S ANOTHER ONE

[Long Knife Rich]

 Wow, that's rough! Hopefully there were no injuries.

[wildman1]

At the risk of being called an inveterate SA I would suggest that this thread probably belongs in the "Open Top" section WM

[Trailrider]

THEY WERE GOOD EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT APARENTLY WAS DOUBLE CHARGED

Ah! But WAS it a double charge?  There are a couple of other possibilities:  a) Two bullets loaded into the same case (documented instances when loading on progressive presses); (b) A REDUCED load that left a bullet stuck in the barrel just ahead of the forcing cone; (c) lack of good bullet pull, combined with a medium-burning rate powder, such as Unique, Unversal, or even Blue Dot, which allowed the bullet to jump out of the case before the powder was completely ignited.  The bullet sticks in the forcing cone and the pressure, which has dropped to instable burning of the powder, now increases, and the powder "takes off". The bullet can't get started fast enough to relieve the pressure, which then exceeds the strength of the case wall. When the case ruptures, the burning gases act like a torch to the chamber walls and the pressure lifts the top off the cylinder and the topstrap.  Be SURE the case is sized down sufficiently and not over-expanded so the bullet is tight in the case. Then CRIMP! CRIMP! CRIMP!  The crimp should be a roll crimp with the case mout visibly curving into the bullet's crimp groove, or over the forward driving band.

It would be helpful to know what the intended load was, cartridge, caliber, bullet weight, type of press used. Was the case mouth roll crimped or not, etc.

Looking at the photos, has similar earmarks to the example shown in my book, Trailrider's Guide to Cowboy Action Shooting(tm)". The phenomenon is known as delayed ignition overpressure. It IS NOT a "detonation", BTW.

[Grizzly Adams]

Ouch!   Hope that no one was hurt......and I hope that is not YOUR pistol, hc.

[h c ramrod]

YEP GRIZZ IT WAS ONE OF MY CIMARRON COMP'S ABOUT 9 YEARS OLD
HEY SEE YAH SOON WILL GET OUT THERE DURING THE 1ST WEEK IN NOV. TAKE CARE. ........ RAM

[Skyrider]

The only reloads I shoot are those that the wife and I put together~!
I learned a long time ago, it doesn't pay to take someones word about any AMMO period.........Big Boom BANG

[h c ramrod]

 SORRY I DIDNOT GET BACK HERE SOONER BUT TO ANSWER A QUESTION THE LOAD WAS SUPOSE TO BE 5.5.GRNS OF TITEGROUP 250GRN LEAD ...EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT DID THE DAMAGE........OH WELL SH..T HAPPENS.......