9mm shotshell misfire

harley rider mak

I was using 9mm shot shells in my S&W s/auto and when I pulled the trigger the seated shell in the chamber fired correctly BUT-the next shell in the magazine fired as well (2 shells fired in 1 trigger pull); has anyone else heard of this? My neigbor asked why I was shooting a shotgun in the backyard, it was so loud. Could this have happened due to the very light metal/composite make-up of the ammo casing? I'm taking the pistol to a gunsmith to have it completely checked for stress fractures or other damage I can't easily see. The retailer was indifferent when I asked about this --referring me to the manufacturer and/or S&W.

Buford

Did the second round go off in the magazine or the chamber

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SirGeorgeKillian

Welcome aboard.

I can't think of anything that could happen inside the mag that would make the round go off. Maybe a high primer that was set off? Any way you can post pics of the spent brass?

harley rider mak

2nd was in the magazine--2nd fired within a millesecond of the 1st.

30-30shooter

possibly a dirty firing pin or a worn sear. also a chance of an overly light primer. also how was your grip on the gun, iv seen people accidentally bump fire before.

Buford

It went off in the magazine?

NN

How about a pic of the magazine, too.

Welcome aboard.

30-30shooter

Buford wrote: »

It went off in the magazine?

wait it went off in thee mag, then disregard my previous post.

bullsi1911

Buford wrote: »

It went off in the magazine?

If it detonated in the magazine, then the first shell you fired probably had a case head failure and set off the one below it. Was there any obvious damage to the gun? Like blown off grips or a mag baseplate flying off?

harley rider mak

Thank you to all-there was no blow out or broken edges etc, visible it was marked up and pitted in areas viewed thru the ejector opening; clip was bent a bit at the lip --my concern is what I can't see. When it happened it kicked to the side vs. up/back and was way loud. If I try to get the ammo maker to pay for a replacement the old how much is the time/effort to wrangle $$ from a company that would admit their product may have caused damage circus would be up and running. I won't publicly name the mfr unless they formally give me the corporate "go away" response. I have seen a few warnings about using this type of ammo in certain semi-auto, so I guess you should check the posts and reviews if you attempt to use this ammo in your semi-auto handgun. I will keep you posted about the reponse.

ThatMattGuy

These shotshells are pretty weak. I can't imagine what would cause this. There is nothing in a S&W auto that is going to cause a round to go off in the magazine. Were these brand new bullets or had you cycled them through the action previously?

bullsi1911

So, the shell FIRED in the magazine, and did not damage the casing?
Were you able to find both casings? Both the one you wanted to fire, and the one that went off in the mag?

BTW, I'm pretty sure that the only MFG of 9mm shotshells is CCI. So you are not hiding anything by not mentioning their name.

NN

Good luck.

We all know where handgun shotshells are made.

First thing they will ask is how the ammo was stored and had it been exposed to water, esp salt water.

I've never seen warnings for pistols, I have seen and experienced them not cycling the pistol
and some had them cycle other pistols.

I have seen a warning not to use the .45acp type in revolvers and found out why.......
a jam that was a PIA to clear.

bullsi1911

NN wrote: »

I have seen a warning not to use the .45acp type in revolvers and found out why.......
a jam that was a PIA to clear.

Glad I'm not the only one that made that mistake.

NN

30-30shooter wrote: »

possibly a dirty firing pin or a worn sear. also a chance of an overly light primer. also how was your grip on the gun, iv seen people accidentally bump fire before.

I have been thinking about this post.

When does the firing pin cover the primer when the slide moves fwd and when does the extractor
grip the rim? Is it possible you were right and the second rnd jammed into the feed ramp with a protruding
pin or the jolt dropped the hammer?

Even if this idea is off base, can anyone answer the two questions.

ThatMattGuy

The round slides up and the extractor moves into the groove as the round feeds up across the bolt face. The firing pin will not protrude due to the way the S&W auto's are designed. The hammer is the only thing that is going to slam the firing pin foward as long as the safety is in the fire position. There is a spring putting pressure on the firing pin keeping rearward. There are parts in place to keep the pin in the rear position until the trigger is pulled. There is NOTHING mechanically in a S&W auto that is going to interfere with rounds being fed from the mag into the chamber. If there was then there would be feed failures all the time. I just do not see how this could possibly happen. I have had these guns completely apart lots of times and there is just no way this could be the firearms fault. The next round is still pushed down in the magazine and out of the way until the slide is almost completely closed.

bullsi1911

Possibility- The plastic capsule broke open while feeding, and a piece of the lead shot worked it's way between the primer and the back of the magazine. That could cause a detonation in the magazine.

olesniper

Since the report was very loud and the gun recoiled to the side, I'm betting right to left, it sounds like the second round fired before the slide closed. handgun shotshells are so anemic, there are few unaltered pistols that will cycle them. I'd vote for a piece of primer stuck in the firing pin hole.

sarg1c

sounds like to me the second shell is going off out of battery, not in the magazine. sometime this happes with a rim fire as the slide picks up the next round it hits the primer hard, but with your situation I'd say the fireing pin is protrudind enough to strike the primer out of battery... Thus the slide is not seated and the gas is excaping through the barrel and port at the same time ,thus the side movement... Did the case eject, from the gun, if so it could not have been in the mag... Another thought is there was not enough pressure to actually seal the chamber and the hot gas set the other one off...

Olesniper,sounds like you are onto something..Good post.