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

[Pfmann]

: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:

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

Close Up

The two rounds fired before the failure

Close up of fused round in damaged cylinder

: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

Here is a closer look see

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

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]

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]

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

 

[actionflies]

I would also call Ruger and have the gun sent back to them.

 

[writwing]

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]

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]

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_]

I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.

 

[wixedmords]

Pffffffff....................

 

[BlkHawk73]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Glupy]

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.

Dave

 

[REP1954]

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.

 

[Bucks Owin]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[boomer92266]

i had a charter 357 explode a while back, the cylider cracked and part of the ejecter star hit me in the forhead the rest of the gun was ok. i sent off to charter and they sent me a new gun two weeks later and even called me. they said that from their testing that it looked like overloaded ammo because they use strong 357 ammo to test and i was using cci alluminum 357 which isn't supposed to be too hot. i have fired my new gun with several rounds of american eagle jsp without any trouble, i'm just afraid of the cci alluminum now.

 

[MMichaelAK]

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

Pete, I was thinking something similar. Good thing it was a Ruger or you might have broken a nail.

Just glad no one was hurt and yep, pad and pen handy when you call to get names and dates and times and answers written down.

 

[Lost Sheep]

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.

Definitely take names, have a pen and paper when you are on the phone and take the BEST NOTES YOU CAN and re-write them in complete sentences immediately after. If Sellier and Bellot start to drag their feet, or Ruger, who you talked to, what you said and what they said and when they said it is very important.

Keep both the contemporaneous record and the recalled notes, both.

Recording the phone conversation is usually not a good idea, tempting as it is, don't do it.. Sometimes illegal, inadmissable and often has a chilling effect on the conversation.

Recording only YOUR SIDE of the conversation is always OK, though. (My legal advice, however, is NOT always ok.)

Preserve the remaining rounds from the box containing the round that broke your revolver. Note the lot number.

If you feel like doing some investigating on your own, buy another box of S&B, same lot if you can find it. Weight a few of the loaded cartridges and see what the variation is. Compare their weights with the weights of the cartridges from your original (offending) box. If your original box has a few rounds that are heavier than the others, that might be normal variation in bullet weight, but it might indicate overcharged cartridges. Shake'em to see if you think they might be fuller than the others. Whether you open them up and weight the powder inside is up to you.

However, the new box of cartridges you bought are much more available for investigation. If you see a similar variation in cartridge weight, pull the bullets and weight the powder to see what kind of variation they have. If you find a double charge, you really have evidence of S&B responsibility for the damage.

Thanks for asking our advice. Sorry about your gun. Glad you are uninjured. Good luck.

Lost Sheep.

 

[resident]

I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.

I'm glad he DID... It demonstrates responsible behaviour and safety-consciousness! (He should post it everywhere shooters congregate.)

 

[powder smoke]

I'm a little curious as to why you joined two forums, just in the last few days, just to post this, though.

I'm glad he DID... It demonstrates responsible behaviour and safety-consciousness! (He should post it everywhere shooters congregate.)

I am also welcome aboard!! Things could have been a lot worst glad your OK. As flategate mentioned I haven't shot any factory stuff in a long time. Benefits of reloading is not only saving money YOU are in control of the safety of your ammo, not that Czech Repudblic.!! ps

 

[robertkirksey]

The general consensus seems to be bad ammo. Not necessarily so. I was cleaning my ACP cylinder from my Acusport convertable and noticed longitudinal "scratches" in a couple of cylinders and sent the gun to be checked. It was determined the cylinder was cracked. All I had fired was about a box of factory USA loaded 230grain ball. Anything made by human hands can be defective. Robert

 

[Pal Val]

Welcome to the forum!

Please, don't mind the message questioning your motivations. You have received good advice, and since many of us here own GP100 revolvers, it would be good if you kept the information coming. These failures are extremely rare, so each one should be looked at with a critical eye.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Yes, please keep us abreast of developments. I'm thinking defective case with a flaw in the web area... :?

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Stuff happens to everything, eventually. Glad you're OK.

Please follow up as advised above, and let us know how it goes.

To me, it looks like an ammo problem that was contained pretty well by your strong Ruger GP. Hate to think what would have happened to a light-frame Rossi or similar gun.

:shock:

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I'm no expert but the way that primer pocket and case head is BLOWN OUT it sure looks like an overcharge. I'm sure Ruger would love to get that gun back to check it out. Be sure to ask for a mailer sent to you so you don't have to pay shipping. I doubt the ammo maker will do much for you, but I could be wrong. In any event I would go with Ruger first as they will make it right. Might need a whole new gun I would imagine.

Now I'm a little worried as I have several boxes of that ammo. :? :?

...Jimbo