Catastrophic failure Ruger GP-100 and S&B ammunition. He

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Pfmann

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
2
Location
Phoenix Arizona
:cry: This is my first posting to this group and I'm sorry it has to be a sad one. On March 12th, 2011 I was at my local indoor shooting range firing my Ruger GP-100 Serial number 175-13XXX Model 01705 (Catalog KGP-141) using Sellier and Bellot factory ammo (see images below) when on round number 39 my weapon suffer a catastrophic failure. The range gunsmith was needed to open the cylinder and extract the 3 unfired rounds as well as the two fired rounds (see images) as well as show me the cracked cylinder with the failed round still fused inside.
Please help me. What do I do now?

Photos Below:
RugerGP100withDamage.jpg

Image of the Damaged Ruger. A testament to Ruger toughness as nobody was injured.Thank You Ruger.
Cracked Cylinder
CrackedCylinder001.jpg

Close Up
CrackedCylinderopenwithroundstillin.jpg

TwoRoundsFiredBeforefailedround.jpg

The two rounds fired before the failure
CrackedCylinderopenwithroundstillinCLOSEUPLARGEFILE.jpg

Close up of fused round in damaged cylinder
CrackedCylinderopenwithroundstillin002.jpg

SandBBoxFRONT.jpg

SandBBoxBACK-1.jpg
:cry:

Here is an update for all the questions you have been asking with photos:
I do not reload
The person with the french manicure is NOT ME! :D :D
(Its my wife actually)
I have instructed my son, whose dirty nails have caught everyones attention, to CLEAN them (in a nice way of course)

Here is a shot, side by side, of a brand new box of S&B next to the rest of what was left after the incident
SideBYSide.jpg


Here is a closer look see
NewBoxonleftUsedBoxonRight.jpg


Here is the open barrel area, whatever you call it. Somebody wanted to see it

Open2.jpg

OpenBarrelThingy.jpg

Inside.jpg

UPDATE: As of 03.23.11 only Ruger has responded to my call for help and the GP-100 should be on its way to Ruger as you read this. Many thanks to a gentleman by the name of Gil at Ruger for facilitating this. More to follow.
 

Bucks Owin

Hunter
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
3,196
Location
51st state of Jefferson
Dang! Glad you're hand's OK!
Looks like possibly a defective case to me.... :?
I suppose that somewhere on the box there is a "CYA" though...(eg "We take no responsibility...."

Welcome BTW, wish it was under different circumstance! :shock:
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
I'd certainly contact S&B with the Ammo info. My guess, and it's only a guess, is that an error was made at the S&B factory.

The small "S" that appears on the rear face of the Ruger cylinder is their "Proof Mark", which signifies that Ruger "proof tested" the cylinder prior to shipping. That's S.O.P with ALL Ruger centerfire revolvers.

I'm glad no injuries occured :shock: !!!!

JMHO,

flatgate
 

writwing

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
429
Location
Connecticut
Bucks Owin said:
Dang! Glad you're hand's OK!
Looks like possibly a defective case to me.... :?
I suppose that somewhere on the box there is a "CYA" though...(eg "We take no responsibility...."


If the ammo was being used as it was designed, the " cya" won't hold water IMHO.
 

protoolman

Service-Sixer
Joined
Oct 15, 2001
Messages
2,553
Location
MN and MT
I'm assuming that the bullet in that round exited the barrel? I think that was definitely the fault of an overpressure round of ammo. I would think S&B would reimburse you for the gun. Otherwise what will it take to repair the gun- a new cylinder? Is the forcing cone ok?
 

5of7

Hunter
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
2,296
Location
SW. LOWER MICHIGAN
It is obviously a defective round, since the gun had been fired many times before without a problem.

If it was mine, I would send pictures to S&B and also to RGR for analysis instructions regarding the repair to the gun.

Ruger will fix the gun all right, the question is who will pay the bill?
 

chris_

Blackhawk
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
792
Location
Los Angeles
I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.
 

BlkHawk73

Hunter
Joined
Dec 30, 1999
Messages
4,459
Location
Maine
chris_ said:
I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.

Hmmmm, probably to gather ideas regarding what action to take. Issue arises so one turns to the internet for solutions/ideas. A search turns up the 2 Ruger forums, seems like a perfect place to ask so one registers and asks their question. Guess we're all supposed to join and have our initial reasons to be 100% positive.

My suggestion...call (don't e-mail) the ammo manufacturer and see what they say. Follow that up with a call to Ruger. Have pen/paper handy to get names and what they say.
 

paul105

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 6, 2005
Messages
143
Location
Montana
Are you sure these are factory cartridges?

The factory S&B ammo I have has non plated primers (brass colored). I only have samples in .223 and 9mm so it could be that they do use, or have used plated (silver colored) primers in their .357 ammo. In addition to the brass color, the 9mm primers have had a splash of red coloring applied to the primer/case head.

I've always had this nagging feeling that it would be very hard prove that it was "factory ammo" that caused a failure, particularly if you are a hand loader.

Consider where you purchased the ammo. Is it possible the ammo could be reloads -- maybe a mix up of some kind?

Not trying to cause trouble, just thinking about the questions you might get from the fatory(s).

Paul
 

JNewell

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 12, 2001
Messages
250
chris_ said:
I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.

His post is a totally legitimate post on a forum.

What you (the original poster) should do is telephone both the ammo manufacturer and Ruger and make sure you've got responses from both before you send the gun anywhere.

I have had this happen once, and the ammo manufacturer arranged to replace the gun. One way or the other, someone will take care of it for you for free. They will be glad, as we are, that you weren't hurt, and they will be happy to make you happy enough to keep lawyers away from this.
 

captainjack

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 15, 2010
Messages
63
Location
Vancouver Washington
Welcome to the forum. Please post the information you receive when you contact Ruger and Sellier & Bellot. It might take some time and repeat contacts with both companies. I would like to know how this gets resolved. Glad no one was hurt.
 

REP1954

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
959
paul105 said:
Are you sure these are factory cartridges?

The factory S&B ammo I have has non plated primers (brass colored). I only have samples in .223 and 9mm so it could be that they do use, or have used plated (silver colored) primers in their .357 ammo. In addition to the brass color, the 9mm primers have had a splash of red coloring applied to the primer/case head.

I've always had this nagging feeling that it would be very hard prove that it was "factory ammo" that caused a failure, particularly if you are a hand loader.

Consider where you purchased the ammo. Is it possible the ammo could be reloads -- maybe a mix up of some kind?

Not trying to cause trouble, just thinking about the questions you might get from the fatory(s).

Paul

Whenever I shoot at a indoor range that I use during bad weather I have to shoot factory ammo and I happen to shoot this load alot bacause it's accurate and cheap well that is the cheaper of the choices. I usally throw the empties away because I only reload certain brands of brass but I had these laying around. Once fired factory loads.
IMG_0750sandb.jpg
 

Bucks Owin

Hunter
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
3,196
Location
51st state of Jefferson
Glupy said:
Life no longer has meaning. I never thought that a Ruger could fail like that. And I've been shooting them for 50 years.

Next thing you're gonna say is that Clark Kent is really Superman.

superman.jpg


Dave

Gee, I thought that stout Ruger handled the catastrophic case failure in fine style! :wink:

(I would not have wanted to fire that round in my S&W M19)
 

Three50seven

Buckeye
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
1,131
Location
Indiana
My guess would be that the cartridge received a double charge of powder at the factory. The GP was built to handle a steady diet of .357s, so I HIGHLY doubt the gun gave out for no good reason. If I recall correctly, S&B ammo is foreign-made, and often times that means lower safety standards and less thorough testing than here in the U.S. Either way, I think its safe to say the ammo is at fault, not the gun.
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
Three50seven said:
If I recall correctly, S&B ammo is foreign-made....

Close inspection of the OP's images shows the cartridges original box. The Czech Republic is the source.

Me? I ain't shot no Factory Loaded Cartridge since the mid/late 1980's......and they were Freedom Arms loads.... :D

OK, I admit, my Rimfire shooting centers around "cheap-o" junk run through Paco's Accurizer.

flatgate
 

Sugar River

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
1,084
Location
S Florida
Man, I hope that's your wife holding the GP!

If not, paint your nails a different color!

But seriously, I'll put money on an over pressure round. Hard tp prove though, it was likely the only one in the box.

Pete
 

Glupy

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
563
Location
Kuna, Idaho - a sparkling jewel in a park-like set
Bucks Owin said:
Gee, I thought that stout Ruger handled the catastrophic case failure in fine style! :wink:

(I would not have wanted to fire that round in my S&W M19)

Excellent point! Someone could have been in a serious hurt if that round had found it's way into a "lesser" revolver.

Just more proof of a Ruger's strength?

Dave
 
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