Did I almost blow my gun up?

Post by **dfunk** » November 21st, 2005, 10:07 pm

Don't apologize - that's what is so great about this and other forums - people share what they know. I appreciate the info and I completely understand that you're just looking out for my best interest. I do thank you!

amd6547 · Post by **amd6547** » November 23rd, 2005, 12:29 am

Well, you guys can do what you like, and of course your firearms may vary, but I have had no problems shooting the 115's in my P64, or cz82, or even the german Mak I used to own.
While I have no problem relying upon the standard ball 95gn load for self defence, I would (and do) load my Mak-chambered guns with Silver Bear 115's without a second thought.
I carry sometimes in a retail store situation, and have had to actually grip my pistol covertly due to an erratic customer when I was alone. While bozo had no idea that I was holding my P64 during his threatening rant ("I'm gonna come over that counter and kick your m-r f-n a**"), I was glad to know that I had 7 rounds of the most potent ammo available in my P64, and I can assure you that thoughts of excessive wear on my P64 never entered my mind. While that event ended peacefully without the individual ever being aware that I was armed, The P64 and the 50 rounds of familiarization rounds fired of silver bear paid for themselves.

b52stan · Post by **b52stan** » November 23rd, 2005, 2:04 am

AMD, I wouldn't discourage the 115's as a carry load, but wouldn't recommend frequent use, without a stronger recoil spring in this little gun.
Much the same as 38+P loads in ultra-lite snubbies that aren't +p rated. Wouldn't hesitate to carry, but using as a frequent practice round would be asking for a problem.
Stan

saands · Post by **saands** » November 27th, 2005, 2:23 pm

I'm using Silver Bear, but the 92gr FMJ's and they are fine and don't produce any of the bulge you see there. That being said, when I refer to the hotter loads that have caused my mag to eject after the last round, that is what the cases look like. If you had installed the 16# PP mainspring before using those 115's, I'd bet that you would have experienced the mag popping out on its own. This continues for me even with a stiffer recoil spring and I am of the opinion that these rounds are just too hot for the pistol. I know that the Glocks routinely do this to their brass, but I think that in the case of the blowback pistols, it will cause a lot of wear, even if it doesn't blow the gun up and why risk it.

Be safe out there!
Saands

jwvette42 · Post by **jwvette42** » November 28th, 2005, 9:47 am

When I was at the Range last time I made a special effort to look at my casings. Both the Hornaday XTP's and the Wolf ammo had this little indention on mine as well. Talking to the guy at the gun range he said it could be just hitting the slide as the casing ejects.

Post by **dfunk** » November 28th, 2005, 12:44 pm

Definitely not just hitting the slide - these are bulges, not nicks. I think that the pressure is just too high and honestly, I'm not really worried about it.

Post by **normsutton** » March 5th, 2006, 10:46 am

Looks to me that the bulged is on one side from pix you might have a bad chamber what do the primer's look like

Post by **dfunk** » March 5th, 2006, 11:32 am

The primers are fine and typical. This is the only ammo that produces the bulge.

Post by **normsutton** » March 5th, 2006, 12:33 pm

I don't what to think then , I use the same amo in my FEG BR61 in 9x18 which is about the same size a P-64 and i don't get any bulges as soon I get my P-64's i well do some testings and see what I come with.I do get a target shaped primer . like someone else said it could be the recoil spring.

NORM

mongo · Post by **mongo** » March 5th, 2006, 11:45 pm

swap the recoil spring out. I am not having this problem.

probably you are unlocking just a tad early due to the soft original spring.

xelloss · Post by **xelloss** » March 6th, 2006, 10:42 am

dickfunk,

I agree completely with b52stan, I definately WOULD NOT be shooting any more of those rounds... Those look like the ones we recovered from an overcharge incident here... A buddy of mine had handloaded some .45 rounds for his Ballister-Molina, but screwed up his scale and ended up putting 4-5 extra grains of powder in each round... It kicked abnormally hard, but he didn't think anything about it until the third round, which detonated, blowing the magazine (and the remaining rounds luckily) out of the bottom of the gun... It BENT the slide outwards, destroying the firearm for all intents and purposes... My friend was lucky and (even though he wasn't wearing eye protection) got off with only a few pieces of brass sticking out of his nose... Checking the two previous rounds before showed bulged cases similar to yours... Granted, the rear of 1911-based barrels are unsupported, but I wouldn't risk it even with a supported barrel...

This is a lesson to EVERYONE... I thought for sure it took my friend's face off when it happened (scared the **** out of me!!!)... Learn from my buddy's mistake: ALWAYS be careful when handloading (DOUBLECHECK if in doubt), never keep using ammo that causes abnormal recoil or strange sounds, and ALWAYS were eye protection (still not sure how he got away with both eyes intact)...

-Mark

kempin · Post by **kempin** » March 6th, 2006, 8:07 pm

Very good advice, xelloss.

Physics are not affected by testosterone. I love my p-64, but if you need more power, then get something more powerful. Don't try to make your pistol do what it was not designed to do. You may not be as fortunate as Mark's friend.

-Kempin

abwehr · Post by **abwehr** » March 7th, 2006, 7:58 am

You guys keep getting the word out about SAFETY with firearms and reloading! I don't reload much anymore, but when I was reloading a lot, I still checked every 10th rd. for powder weight before proceeding. Before seating the bullet, I visually inspected each round for any signs of difference in powder volumn. I may not have been the fastest reloader, but I had SAFE ammo.

SAFETY is #1

Post by **dfunk** » March 8th, 2006, 1:23 pm

Saftey is number 1, this is very true.
About my case bulges...
I took the old girl out Monday afternoon and put about 75 rounds (started getting a little sore...my hands were cold) through it and didn't have a single bulge. I put a mix of CCI Blazer and Wolf through it. Neither ammo produced a malfunction and the Blazer was definitely the more accurate of the two. Still, even with the Wolf, I was consistently knocking off a Diet Coke can at 20 yards. Once again, surgical.

steve98664 · Post by **steve98664** » March 17th, 2006, 3:26 pm

I have seen these bulges on another 9x18 pistol. After I changed to a new recoil spring. Unfortunately, I used new ammo at the same time.

Are we saying that the bulge is caused by the force of the shell casing being forced backwards prematurely during the ignition of the powder in the casing? The powder is still igniting/expanding when the shell is being forced backwards of the barrel seating position? Wholly mackeral!

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