S&W .44 magnum accident.

[Dino]

I received this as an email from a co-worker. I don't know anydetails other than what is below but I thought you guys might find this interesting.


A guy came into our department the other day to ask a favor. He had a S&W 629 (44 Mag.) that he wanted to dispose of after a mishap at the range. He said there was a loud bang when he tested his new hot load and the gun smacked him in the forehead, leaving a nice gash. When the tweety birds cleared, this is what he saw.....

I wonder what kind of "Hot Load" he tried!?!

 

[RYC1966]

The details would be interesting, even if they are hard to understand. I'd take it that the powder charge didn't get the projectile out of the barel fast enough...pressure built before it left the muzzle and it blew apart the casing in the cyl...along with the other bullets in the cyl. That would scare me for a bit. Pictures like that helps prevent others from doing pushing the envelope on reloading.

 

[det45]

He's lucky to be alive! Don't re-load if you don't know what you are doing.

 

[Vonderbach]

I'm not physics major, but how does a top side misfire explosion cause the gun to go vertical into his head? I would expect the gun to travel down, not up.

Just a weird thought I had.

 

[F=MA]

Safety first.

 

[ibified]

Vonderbach: I'm betting that the only part of the weapon that went up was the top part of the cylinder that hit him in the head.

 

[F=MA]

I'm not physics major, but how does a top side misfire explosion cause the gun to go vertical into his head? I would expect the gun to travel down, not up.

Just a weird thought I had.

It's a "weird thought" I had also. Then I realized I hadn't ruled out the possibility he was holding the gun upside down when he fired it and the puzzle became much clearer.

 

[ibified]

Well, when you fire a weapon, it comes up when fired....my guess is that the gun kicked up like normal, then the top of the cylinder blew off and flew BACKWARD (as you would expect) and made cranial contact...while the rest of the weapon travelled forward (and possibly down) in the opposite direction of the departed cylinder piece.

 

[Dino]

I'm not physics major, but how does a top side misfire explosion cause the gun to go vertical into his head? I would expect the gun to travel down, not up.

Just a weird thought I had.

I was thinking that part of the weapon blew off and hit him.

 

[BlueHaya]

he reloaded too hot

 

[cbat2210]

That is crazy, definately lucky!???

 

[notright]

For that kind of damage hot load is an understatement. without a muzzel break a 44 mag kicks hard. With a load like that it would likely kick hard enough to counter the exploding chamber.

 

[outlawbusa]

Be interesting to see if they were +P rounds...I shoot em out of my S&W though, they say the brand of gun is key to shooting hot rounds~!~

Did he have the gun sitting in a -40 freezer first~?~

 

[twotonevert]

He is lucky he still has a hand......

 

[B@DA$$08BUS@]

All I can say is holy cow. He is definitely lucky to be alive. I don't get how it would kick up either.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Acehole]

I know the 629. Its built like a brick Poop house. Biggest mistake in reloading .44 mag is a double charge. Magnums should use a slow burning powder so it will take up more cartridge volume and develope magnum pressures under a heavy crimp. I suspect he used a faster burning powder and threw a double charge. With a heavy crimp too much pressure built up and exploded that case and the ones around it.

 

[dadofthree]

Nice hot load

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

Holy Chit.
I've been witness to millions of rounds from working on the range and I've even seen a tired old model 36 .38 let its top strap go simply due to age and lack of proper inspection.
But I have never seen a blow up like that. The two outer cartridges blew as well ? Many factors but it seems he built a bomb and not a cartridge ?
Whoever fired that thing wound up in the hospital. No way they walked away with just a lump.
I have seen Casuls and other big bore handguns bury their front sight in folks forehead.
I have seen many more 'scope eyes' though !

 

[notright]

I know the 629. Its built like a brick Poop house. Biggest mistake in reloading .44 mag is a double charge. Magnums should use a slow burning powder so it will take up more cartridge volume and develope magnum pressures under a heavy crimp. I suspect he used a faster burning powder and threw a double charge. With a heavy crimp too much pressure built up and exploded that case and the ones around it.

+1 For that reason I like to use powders that use up most of the case It makes a double charge easy to see . I don't know if that can be done with a 44 but it works with 45acp. I also like to check my powder weight about every 100 rounds.

 

[skydivr]

I used to have one of these, but I got rid of it (basically, unshootable except for showing off because it kicked too hard). That guy's name must be "Lucky"...