I went out to the range on Saturday with a couple of friends to test some loads for their respective rifles. I brought out my S&W M&P 9mm for some fun. They shot and I read the chrony and documented the results and we all shot the pistol between strings. As luck would have it, I was firing and heard a pop. I stopped shooting and asked the guys if they heard that sound. Neither of them did. I cycled the slide to the rear, the empty casing ejected, and I could see an obstuction in the barrel. I locked the slide to the rear, dropped the magazine and showed my friends the obstruction. Somehow, either I didn't charge the case properly or the powder was contaminated and didn't burn completely. I am still puzzled as the back of the bullet and the inside of the casing was VERY dirty and not like any of the other casings. The bullet managed to make it just into the rifling to cut a faint witness mark into the bullet. I took a dowel and knocked the bullet out, inspected the barrel and continued shooting. The funny thing is that this is the second time in my life that I have had a bad round. The last one was four years ago and it was 147gr HP Winchester Ranger Law Enforcement Duty ammunition. That bullet made it to within 3/8" of muzzle. I knocked that one out with a cleaning rod.

Good call on that inthedark: I too have messed up. With mine was handgun with primer and no powder. Again good call.

Squib load: primer but no powder. Leaves the bullet base dirty.
The reason I know this is because a couple of years back I was distracted whilst reloading.45ACP with 230gr Berrys & had the exact same thing happen. In my case there was enough energy to eject the casing but luckily the slide didn't go back far enough to pick up & load another round.

Ahhhh.... another *Blooompfth*er
Welcome to the club brother

You should STOP as soon as you hear/feel/experience anything that is out of ordinary while shooting.
That will save your limb/nose/jaw/life etc..

That said, you also got to be FULLY alert when you have a gun in your hand.
As soon as you touch one, you are responsible for any mishaps happened from it.

good spotting, a close call good to hear you got away with it THIS TIME.

Lord Mike of Pomgolia wrote:

...Squib load: primer but no powder. Leaves the bullet base dirty.

Exactly Mike...was gonna say the same...from experience. More often than not, these squib loads occur when using a progressive press because of short stroking the handle and also not being able to check the case for powder. Been there, done that.

Gelan the Master BLOOMPHer wrote:

...Ahhhh.... another *Blooompfth*er Welcome to the club brother

Yer not alone now Gelan...maybe we should have a register of those that suffer silly mistakes...like leavin' yer bolts at home when going on a hunting trip, or makin' a big BLOOMPH noise.

Cheers, Vince

Progresive press? Just askin'....

That is why I bought a "powder cop" for mine when I had it all set up.

Bushmaster wrote:

Progresive press? Just askin'....

Not in my case - RCBS Junior.

It was a straight up case of letting my mind wander from the task, possibly brought on by loading 2,700 rounds of .45ACP on a single stage press over a couple of days.

Mike of Pomgolia wrote:

...2,700 rounds of .45ACP on a single stage press over a couple of days.

WOW...that's a massive loading session mate...and on a single stage press.

Cheers, Vince