Now thats a squib load!

[ericire12]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/05/28/blackhawk-barrel-takes-a-beating/

There are at least five bullets stuck in that revolver barrel. RugerForum members seem to think is a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 Magnum. The squib loads could have been low powered .38 Special rounds or very badly loaded .357 rounds. That the shooter did not notice it after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round is crazy!

It is hard to see if there is a bulge in that barrel, a symptom of a round fired into a blocked barrel. I think if had been a semi-automatic pistol there would have been a disaster. A revolver can vent gas in the gap between the cylinder and the barrel but in a autoloader pistol for a brief period of time the gas has no where to go and the pressure build up would be considerable.

A few weeks ago I was shooting some old .22 Longs out of a rifle which I had not fired them out of before. I nearly crapped my pants after the second round when I realized to forget to check the spotting scope to ensure that the first round made it out of the barrel and hit the target. I was shooting iron sights and could not see the target. I learnt a good lesson. Always make sure you hit the target, especially when you are shooting low powered ammunition.

[PegLeg45]

Those remind me of some .38 spl rounds we shot into a bowling pin some years ago. They were so weak, they didn't penetrate the plastic cover by more than half the length of the bullet.

[twyacht]

Along the lines of the photo, the barrel does not seem bulged on the axis shown, would have to be "looking down the barrel" for the other axis.

With that type of result, didn't the rounds fired "sound" different? No hole in target, etc,..?

That's similar to how Brandon Lee was killed, .44 Magnum bullets with no powder, but still had primers,  gun fired. Primer manages to get the .44 Magnum bullet "squibbed" in the barrel.

End Scene,....

Next day, poor prop. mgt. and inspectors reload .44 Magnum with full power "blanks". Squib STILL in barrel.

Blank Fired, enough to hit Brandon Lee in abdomen at point blank range,..... actor killed.

This shooter is really lucky, AFTER SEVERAL SQUIBS, to not have the whole thing kaboom in his hand, face.

Although that is some quality cuts in the barrel for examination,..

[PegLeg45]

Along the lines of the photo, the barrel does not seem bulged on the axis shown, would have to be "looking down the barrel" for the other axis.

With that type of result, didn't the rounds fired "sound" different? No hole in target, etc,..?

That's similar to how Brandon Lee was killed, .44 Magnum bullets with no powder, but still had primers,  gun fired. Primer manages to get the .44 Magnum bullet "squibbed" in the barrel.

End Scene,....

Next day, poor prop. mgt. and inspectors reload .44 Magnum with full power "blanks". Squib STILL in barrel.

Blank Fired, enough to hit Brandon Lee in abdomen at point blank range,..... actor killed.

This shooter is really lucky, AFTER SEVERAL SQUIBS, to not have the whole thing kaboom in his hand, face.

Although that is some quality cuts in the barrel for examination,..

+1 on that.

One other thing it shows is the strength of Ruger revolvers.

[tombogan03884]

"Although that is some quality cuts in the barrel for examination,.."

I believe it was sanded after being cut

[Sponsor]

[dj454]

I saw the G&A torture team do this intentionally to a 686 followed by a hot factory load. It pushed some of the bullets out and bulged the barrel but no catastrophic failure. I agree if this had been an auto KABOOM if it was followed by a hot load. Of course in an auto this might have been caught earlier because the gun probably would not cycle. If you want a load that light you might want to stick to lead. I know in the reloading manuals they don't recomend reducing .38 special jacketed loads because the jacketed bullets are more likely to stick in the bore. Its a shame someone destroyed a nice firearm.

[Timothy]

"Although that is some quality cuts in the barrel for examination,.."
I believe it was sanded after being cut

I was thinking maybe an end mill on a Bridgeport...maybe not!

[1911 Junkie]

........ Its a shame someone destroyed a nice firearm.

Nahhhhhhhh........new barrel and it's good to go.

[blackwolfe]

One of the basic pistol  instrustuctors at my sportsman club saw this happen on a revolver.  All six shots fired and stuck in the barrel.  The last one was stuck in the forcing cone and the first clue the shooter had was that the cylinder wouldn't open.  The last stuck bullet didn't clear the cylinder.

[MikeBjerum]

I've seen several squibs at the range, and many times the shooter isn't sure what happened.  However, I have never seen any one shoot more than once after the squib.  Usually the light sound and recoil raises enough awareness of a possible issue that they either don't shoot a second shot or are doing double taps and squeeze the trigger while their brain is screaming NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'll go with "this is one lucky dude!"