Learn from my mistake! Damaged SP101

[Dave Baird]

I am VERY happy you are alright. That is always number ONE. Thanks to Ruger for making an extremely safe revolver design.

Your mistake is unfortuantely common. We all have brain farts in one way or another, whether it is reloading, miscounting shots while shooting, handing someone a loaded weapon thought to be empty, not locking a gun in the safe, and walking around gun shows with our finger on the trigger. I was even at a show years ago when a fella was shot in the leg with his own gun. He handed it to a customer, thinking it was unloaded. The customer, for whatever goofy reason, pulled the trigger without checking to make sure it wasn't loaded.

So, we all do it, most of the time getting away with it. Sometimes, it catches up to us. You are not alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FullEffect1911]

Wow! that Ruger help up like a champ for what was asked of it there. I'm impressed.

I'm very glad to hear you are okay. I would bet that you'll never put powder into a case without weighing it first. I don't care for volume weighing like that and would prefer to get the real result with a scale, and this thread further enforces my dubiousness of volume measuring. Compared to what it could have been... this was a inexpensive lesson.

I hope Ruger is good to you. And thank you for sharing, we all need to be shaken from our comfort zones sometimes.

 

[Lazuris]

One reason i like to use unique and 2400. The powder is "fluffy" so double throws cause case overflows.

 

[Cougfan2]

WOW!!! Very glad that you are OK. It could have turned out much worse. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure you were a little red faced while posting it, but your candor is a good reminder to us all.

 

[19-3Ben]

Well, now it's just easier to clean after your range trip!!!

But seriously, thank you for posting this. We can all learn from this mistake and you may have kept many of us safe.

 

[HOME DEPOT GEORGE]

Wow I'm glad you are alright, This is the only reason I never started reloading. I'm so afraid I would get distracted. On a lighter note this should end the cast versus forged debate once and for all.

 

[SaxonPig]

Jim- Seems to me I once saw a Model 36 (5 shot) with a cylinder blown in two pieces by a double charge. This is the first I have ever seen one in three pieces.

 

[MiddleAgedKen]

I'm glad you weren't hurt, though I'm sorry about your Ruger.

This is one reason I am in no hurry to start reloading, though I expect I will at some point. For important work or legal documents one usually has a second pair of eyes proofread the thing, but many reloaders by circumstance or preference work alone, increasing the need to be meticulous in habit and maybe to develop procedures to compensate.

 

[guntotinguy]

God...I am glad you are alright,yes I do have a SP101 and yes,from this posting I HAVE learned 'to stick with store bought ammo'.

 

[made2cut]

The cylinder was in 3 pieces 3 directions about 50 yards apart.

Thanks goodness no one was standing near you when it went kaboom!

+1 on using factory ammo. I've thought about reloading but just the thought of me screwing up (which is likely) has kept me from doing it.

 

[Matt-J2]

Sad that the gun is so damaged.

Happy that you are not damaged.

If you don't mind, I'm saving a pic as a reminder to myself to pay careful attention while reloading.

 

[jad0110]

This is a 1996 Hodgdon manual and it is the same info in the Lee book that came with my press of the same era.

WOW! Your right, their website shows a lot LOWER charges than my books! WHY? Did the powder change?

Usually when a powder formulation is changed/modified, it is renamed in order to avoid problems. I'm not familiar with cases of a powder formulation being altered and the name of the powder staying the same, however. I would think this would be highly inadvisable from a moral and legal perspective for the powder company to keep the same name.

Above all, I'm glad you (and any bystanders) are okay. Bet your hand hurt and was bruised up though.

Welcome to THR by the way ... wish it could have been under happier circumstances .

It was my 3rd shot, 1st was a 38 SPL Winchester primer, 2nd 38 SPL CCI primer, and 3rd was supposed to be 38 +p.

I see you loaded your gun with a mix of ammo configurations, I certainly hope you did not re-load them this way. When I reload, I do so with one batch of components at a time to manufacture one specific type of ammunition at a time, so as not to mix anything up. A magnum small pistol primer in a load that calls for a standard small pistol primer can potentially ruin your day as well. So, I keep everything else clear of the reloading area. Also, this does sound like a double charge. Double charges can happen to anyone, especially if you are manually adding powder to once case at a time and not using a turret or progressive press. Loading blocks are your friend, if you aren't already acquainted with them.

But seriously, thank you for posting this. We can all learn from this mistake and you may have kept many of us safe.

Yes, I thank you as well. It is always preferrable to learn from someone elses F ups instead of your own . Again though, glad you're alright.

That, and this incident also proves that Rugers are not indestructible. Doubtless, an SP101 is stronger than a J-Frame. But it is not so much stronger that you see "Ruger Only" loads developed specifically for the SP101. So although a Ruger (like an SP101) may offer a tad more wiggle room for error over a J-Frame or Taurus equivalent, one should never develop a cavalier attitude towards safety when loading your own because "the gun is built like a tank, it'll take it".

And I am not directing the above at the OP or anyone else on THR. Just a friendly statement for any reloading commandos that may be lurking .

 

[jad0110]

This is one reason I am in no hurry to start reloading, though I expect I will at some point. For important work or legal documents one usually has a second pair of eyes proofread the thing, but many reloaders by circumstance or preference work alone, increasing the need to be meticulous in habit and maybe to develop procedures to compensate.

A very sound observation. And it is never a good idea to be in a hurry to get into reloading, or to be in a hurry while you are doing it.

When I first got started, other THR members suggested I ready The ABC's of Reloading, by Bill Chavelier. A great book, that I highly recommend to anyone consider reloading. It doesn't contain any specifics in regards to load data, but it does present a great overview in an easy to understand way.

Reloading isn't rocket science, but you do have to focus your attention on the task at hand. Distractions are what get people into trouble.

 

[Dienekes]

Pretty tough little gun...

Always liked using Unique powder as it pretty well fills the case and a double charge is not really possible. I also now load my cases and put them in a block, checking them all in good light for proper powder levels before seating and crimping.

A few years ago I also went to using a RCBS Little Dandy fixed rotor powder measure which CANNOT get out of adjustment. If necessary I drill out the cavity a bit more to get the exact charge I want and mark the modified rotor accordingly. It's a pistol powder measure, But I can also use it for .223 rifle.

Have never blown up a gun but had one let go nearby once. Also had a friend total a .357 with ammo loaded on a progressive loader. In both cases we never figured out the exact event, but both were careful people. The first case involved ammo from an unknown source, and the second we think was a case of kids fooling with the loader when no one was around.

Never say never.

 

[Bacchus]

Glad to hear that you're OK. Definitely keep us posted if you hear from Ruger.

 

[Confederate]

I'm curious as to what happened when you touched off the round? Was there a loud blast or excessive flame? Did you feel any parts or powder spitting against you? Did anyone else on the range know what had happened, or did they know from the sound?

When I reload, I do a final inspect of the cases with a flashlight. I don't have one of those fancy gizmos that chucks the rounds out.

You might be able to sell the remains of the gun. One of our local gun stores bought one for display.

 

[Jim March]

Doubtless, an SP101 is stronger than a J-Frame. But it is not so much stronger that you see "Ruger Only" loads developed specifically for the SP101.

Absolutely correct: the SP101 isn't immortal. "Resistance to blowup" strength is probably somewhere a bit above most S&W K-Frames but below the L-Frame S&W or Ruger GP100, by a bit.

It isn't until you get past GP100 strength levels that a REALLY GOOD handloader can start to explore beyond-SAAMI monster loads, and then only with incredible care. The New Vaquero 357 has a beefier cylinder than the GP100, while the rare Redhawk 357s are much stronger than that.

N-frame 357s fall just above the GP100 in terms of "blowup resistance" although their action strength (in rapid fire with lighter loads) isn't as good as the GP100.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Question:

Let us assume the OP put a double charge in. Does that merely double the pressure, or does it increase exponentially, e.g., by the square (four times) or cube (eight times)?

Some day, you will get to see what happened to a Super Blackhawk (my brother's) with a seriously overpressure load.

 

[Wildfire]

Wow !

Hey There:
Wow again. freind of mine fired a .357 mag with what we believe was way too much win. 231. His gun looked much worse then your does. We never found all the parts. the top strap stood straight up. Glad you were not hurt.
Double charges can really mess things up.

 

[RidgwayCO]

QuickLOAD predicts that your load of 14.2gr of HS-6 in a .38 Special with the Hornady 158gr LSWC bullet generated a pressure of over 99,000 psi...

That this load shattered the cylinder but only bent the topstrap IS impressive. QuickLOAD also predicts a velocity of almost 1700 fps, had the Ruger held together (energy of over 1000 ft-lbs, i.e. .44 Magnum territory). Additional trivia note: QuickLOAD also says that 100% of the powder was burned before the bullet exited the barrel...

By the way, glad you weren't hurt!

 

[feets]

Actual velocity would have been greatly diminished. It probably was below that of normal loads.
The energy was released in the kaboom instead of pushing the bullet. Inertia would have carried it down the barrel while the overpressure was released by the failed cylinder.

It does make me think twice about exploring the capability of the 45 Colt in my (now old model) Vaquero.
I guess I can shove the hot loads into my 460 and let it shrug 'em off.

 

[sixgunner455]

I started handloading with muzzleloaders. After I bought my own and hunted with it for a good while, I decided that I wanted to get into reloading. Waited a couple of years. Bought a Lee Loader -- just like loading my muzzleloader, I loaded each cartridge separately.

I have now moved to a single-stage press. Each cartridge gets powder individually, put into a loading block, and checked three times before the bullet is seated and crimped.

It's slow. It's safer this way.

Glad you're okay.

 

[Catherine]

Wow!

I am glad that you are not hurt or dead.

I hope that you can get a NEW Ruger too.

My husband has an SP101 and loves it.

Catherine

 

[MCgunner]

Ijo de...... I guess you CAN break a Ruger, after all! OUCH!

I've been reloading most of my life and take NOTHING for granted. Powder charge is my most worried step and this right here is the reason. Uh, that's a sickening picture of a once very nice little revolver.

 

[MCgunner]

One reason i like to use unique and 2400. The powder is "fluffy" so double throws cause case overflows.

You can double charge Unique easily in a .38 case and 2400 sux at low pressures. Trail boss is what a lot of people are switching to for light loads and for this very reason. I like Bullseye in light loads, very cost effective, but one double charge can cost you a lot. I double check steps when reloading, will compared cases in the tray for level after the powder charge step. On the progressives, I use a mirror to check the powder charge after each throw. Sure, it slows me down. But, what's the big rush? I'd rather get it right. On the progressive, double charges aren't the problem, though, but NO charge. So, I am a little safer from double charges, actually, using the progressives. If I get a case with nothing in it, I can get the bullet out of the barrel no problem. At least the gun doesn't blow up and I have all my fingers. LOL!