I found mention of a .40 cal GLOCK KaBoom in another post, so at least some of us know of it.
Many of us are "gunny", in one way or another.
I'd like to share something I saw at a GLOCK match a few years ago...
An acquaintance was shooting a GLOCK21 in 45ACP, with 230gr cast lead RN bullets. While shooting a stage, this guy's gun sounded "funny" when he shot it, the magazine blew out of the bottom of the gun, and he squealed like a little girl.
The shooter said "I felt the gun hump-up in my hand" and that "it scared the sh1t out me".
He moved from the firing line and we examined (a bunch of us), the pistol. When the pistol was discharged, excessive pressure caused the cartridge case to fail, and shattered most of the polymer coating from the magazine liner, before it blew the magazine to the ground.
The gun was examined by 2 volunteer GLOCK armorer's that were present. They explained that GLOCK barrels are "hammer forged" around a precision mandrel that makes the bore surfaces mirror smooth. Uncoated lead bullets leave excess lead fouling and partially constrict bore diameter, and raise cartridge pressure to the extreme.
One of the armorer's said that this could happen with lead reloads, but would not be the case if jacketed ammo was used.
It made for an interesting day. I wonder if he had to change his shorts ? 8-)
I've heard of them popping before, never seen it at the range.
I would have to change not only my shorts, but my socks too.
That's why your supposed to use a Sig Sauer or Springfield.
One of the main reasons I quit using Glocks and started using Springfield XD handguns not to mention that XDs feel much better in my hand and I shoot them better.
KB’s are a fact of life in Glocks. I have two of them but I do know that it happens.
This is also why when I have a choice I use my 1911.
That's what happens when Glock sells 2.5 million handguns, it's the law of averages. I have thousands of rounds through my Glocks in 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP starting with a Gen 1 40S&W in 1991 with no kaboom. I still love my 1911, but I do trust my life to my Glocks.
I named one of my dogs (that has passed) Sig, so you can guess my brand preference.
Some of that opinion is based on hands on experience, but most of it is borrowed from an E8 at aberdeen proving ground, that was one of my instructors during ordnance corps officer basic course. He was part of the handgun testing when they decided to retire the 1911, and he told our class a few detailed stories.
That said, there's no reason you can't have the same kind of failure in any brand. It would happen in 22s a LOT if they had enough power to create a case failure. People seem to think the number of rounds fired between cleanings is decided by ammunition price lol
When I bought my favorite .22 rifle (used winchester from ~1932), the barrel was so leaded that you couldn't see the rifling. Once I cleaned that out (took forever), a pristine bore was revealed. It probably hadn't been cleaned properly in 50 years - if EVER.
The problem is Glocks are not ment to shoot lead bullets. If you reload and want to use lead bullets, don't buy a Glock. They work fine with jacketed bullets.
Blf is great. Put that same topic up on any gun board or outdoors board and see what happens.
well, in the interest of safety, I'll elaborate...
I believe the problem w/ using lead bullets is related to rifling geometry, not barrel inner diameter tolerance or degree of smoothness.
there are other manufacturers that offer polygonal rifling, so buying anything but a glock isn't a way to ensure you can fire unjacketed lead bullets.
Also, I don't think you'll find that other manufacturers say it is ok to use lead bullets - polygonal rifling or not.
Finally, if your barrel is cleaned frequently enough, you'll won't have this problem, with a glock or any other firearm.
And, if you don't, with ANY brand, you WILL, eventually, suffer some failure - if not case failure, then a squib.
whoops, sorry if I ruined it getting all technical :)
I just don't want people to go to the range and blast away 1k rounds w/ their sig and have it pop in their face
It is not always caused by lead bullets. I have seen it happen with factory jacketed rounds. Also it happens from time to time in the 10mm because there is a defect in the barrel not providing the proper support for the very high pressure round. And I agree with the law of averages comment is why you see “so many” but the design allows it to happen. I still trust both of my Glocks but I prefer my damn near perfect 1911.( 1 malfunction in god knows how many rounds due to me being lazy)
Good choice !
They are made by Croatian company HS Produkt http://www.hs-produkt.hr/ (unfortunately no eng...)
of anything can have a failure. glocks are among the most extensively tested, most durable and most reliable firearms in history. period.
I'm not a glock armorer, but I am a beretta and colt certified armorer. Both courses were taught be company representatives while I was attending the colorado school of trades for gunsmithing.
I've never fired cast through a 1911. I've owned two but don't have one anymore. Despite (still) owning more autos than wheels guns, I prefer the latter and haven't loaded for my autos in years.
I haven't worked on many handguns. Both shops I worked in (professionally) mostly catered to hunters, and my interests w/ respect to gunsmithing are mostly centered on bolt action rifles. That's where I've done most of my reloading...finding the best load for a particular rifle.
But, for recreation, I like hanguns, 22s and anything that can take a 30rd mag :)
As far as lead deposits - you can also get them from jacketed bullets when the jacket doesn't cover the bottom, but obviously that's not nearly as bad as an undersized un-jacketed cast bullet!
lead deposits will ruin accuracy before causing a failure so, imho, you'd have to be really negligent to end up in that situation...
Lots of possible reasons , leading ? I dont think so ...
If the gun fouled up badly , Ive seen some real bad stuff [ and the gun kept shooting ] , what may have happened [ reloads ] he may have had ..
1/ Soft Load - gun is fired , bullet gets tuck in barrel , next round = Boom , both rounds are cleared but bad ju-ju for the gun
2/ If he loads his own = Crimp may have failed [ especially with lead ] and as the gun loaded the bullet was driven into the case increasing pressure when the gun was fired
3/ ??? Hmmm , well the barrel would have just about had to have been plugged with lead to be caused by fouling [ which I guess could happen ] I mean really , how many rounds between cleaning ? , proper hard cast bullets should not foul that much esp at 45ACP speed
I have fired literally thousands of full power lead handloads through my 1911 and have never had a leading problem and I have never had to clean the barrel with anything but a plastic brush. I cast very hard bullets, 50-50 linotype and wheelweights and hardening them when casting (drop them in cold water out of the mold). Can't remember the hardness numbers off hand but you can't mark them with a thumbnail. I have shot through trees with my .45-70 contender and reused the bullets! I have recovered many .45ACP bullets and none of them were flame cut up the sides. I have put a couple thousand through a Ruger security six at full .357mag loads with no lead fouling. And the same for a couple .44mag's too. When I shot softer cast bullets I spent a lot of time with a bronze brush. A friend was shooting speer 148gr full wadcutters and they lead fouled his S&W 19 in just a few rounds unless they were very low power loads, 2.5 gr of AA #2. Anything hotter and they fouled like crazy but my hard cast bullets never fouled his barrel. I say "cast em hard" and leave the softball loads to the sissies.
My brother was shooting at a local range, and he said a shooter next to him had a Kimber hammer failure. It just broke! He couldn't believe it!
BTW, bro' absolutely loves his SA XD .45ACP.
Have been looking a lot at the .45ACP XDm. It talks to me...
Right on old! Plus the fact that brass is thinner on reloads. The problem with Glocks is that the feed ramp is relieved too much into the chamber to aid in feeding the rounds to make the weapon more reliable. You can clearly see a bulge on any spent case fired from a Glock where the case was left exposed over the feed ramp not supported buy the chamber of the weapon. I don't think the 9mm Glock has this issue but it is very bad on the 40. This usually isn't a problem until someone starts firing reloads. Personally I would not own the 40 and i don't know to what extent the 45 is affected buy this issue but one thing is for sure i would never ever fire a reload from a 40! That is the real scoop on this issue!!!