Polymer Pistol Blowups

[@franzputsch254]

I am a retired mechanic, and I can say hot-rodding anything comes with risks. Folks are just finding this out for themselves the hard way.

[@jefferyboring4410]

They’re hot rodding the wrong pistol! If u gotta do a Glock atleast buy a aftermarket barrel with a target type chamber with more support.

[@turbo-bike3358]

Thank you!!!!!! I'm so glad someone with respectable credentials said this and it can be watched and re-watched at anytime.

[@44smithnut]

Good video Dick. I couldn't help but think about the 1970s and 1980s, heck even today, how many reloaders blew up perfectly good model 29s with thier "hot" loads. Once I remember being out at the range towards evening with the sun going down and small group showed up just to watch the "flames" out of thier buddies "hot" loads. One shot and his Smith model 29 was toast. Then the cats go buy a Ruger and continue these idiocy, well I'm here to tell you Rugers blow up too. I always maintained this, " if you want bigger badder & faster buy a bigger gun". Especially these days with the 500 S&W, 475 among others. No excuses. I blew a handgun up early on in my reloading career, probably about 1975 or 1976, literally scared the death out of me. All that was let in my hand was a piece of the frame and grips of a Italian made SAA. Have fun but don't be stupid.

[@kevinramsey3490]

I was one of those idiots that blew up a nice model 29. It didn't totally wreck it luckily it just sent the cylinder star flying in pieces. I was shooting Silhouette matches and my load was 1.2 grs over maximum with a 270gr bullet and 2400 powder. I set the load up in my Redhawk that I also used by carefully checking signs for over pressure in the brass. Back then reloading manuals were also a little spicer than they are now. I never thought about the difference in the guns themselves. I'm claiming being an idiot because I was young instead of just being a general idiot. I still prefer shooting the 29 series better than my Redhawk. If I lived in big mean bear country, I'd probably carry a 629 with a 3" or 44" barrel with some kind of hard cast bullet between 240 and 270 gr. I walked around a curve in the trail in Teton National Forrest and ended up looking at a 10 ft tall and 1500 lb Grizzly when he stood up and looked at me. My 10mm felt awful small in my hand. Luckily Mr. Bear went one way and I went the other way. After about 200 yards the bear shrunk to maybe 550-600 lbs and a lot shorter than 10 ft but the 10mm never grew any bigger in my hand. That's been my only kinda close encounter with a Grizzly. Our Black Bears here do good to get to 250-300 lbs and you don't run across one very often

[@hillbillyscholar8126]

Totally agree with you. I stopped lecturing others about hotrodding auto pistols and boutique ammunition offerings from companies that do not comply with SAAMI pressure specifications. Good to hear someone else speak on this.👍🙏

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

Paul Harrel (RIP) did a few videos about this, using the term “boutique ammo.” I’m sure you’re referring to his video terminology.

[@hillbillyscholar8126]

@@colt10mmsecurity68 He mentioned "hyper" ammunition often, I don't know what his definition of "boutique" was. So given that I would say you will have to make the decision.

[@benroybal3787]

The 10mm Auto cartridge is notorious for people and companies loading it WAY hotter than it needs to be.

[@ryanguldbrandsen7672]

200gr should be 1200fps/600lbs That's the way it was created. Thats not it being +p or anything.

[@tristantimothy1004]

Ben roybal, Get a life & pull your head out. Look up ". Bren 10s" The original 10mm . What you call hot is just a NORMAL 10MM LOAD. Glocks that are blowing out are just shit builds. XDs aren't blowing up. I wonder why. Maybe because they were built right from the factory because their designers heads aren't up their ass.

[@benroybal3787]

@ryanguldbrandsen7672 That's right, and there are a TON of people out there who think that 10 mm is some godsend nuclear power cartridge with unlimited capabilities. So they load that 200 gr. bullet to achieve 1300, 1400, even 1500 fps. This is where they get into trouble.

[@ryanguldbrandsen7672]

@@benroybal3787 I've mostly been seeing it get nerfed. 180gr maybe at 1200fps. There are some that load it hot. But the vast majority have been nerfing the round. Its hard to find 200gr at 1200fps from a normal manufacturer. I think federal makes 1 or 2 that do. Swift hard cast and i think their fusion. But their HST doesn't. Speer gold Dot is nerfed as well, below 1100. No fmj from major manufacturers are near 1200 on the 200gr. Sooo, even if you find a 200gr at 1200 you like, its hard/painful to the pocket to practice with it. Since there's no fmj equivalent at a much cheaper price.

[@benroybal3787]

@ryanguldbrandsen7672 Yes, most companies water down the 10 mm, like American eagle, Blazer brass, and most FMJs. But 10 mm has a massive colt following of individuals and even boutique ammo companies that super load the cartridge well beyond its capabilities. On top of that most 10 mm production handguns have poor chamber support. This is why you hear about so many gun blowouts in 10mm just like this video.

[@AntonXChigurh]

Dick constantly puts out high quality, top tier informational videos, without the BS and nonsense. Another great video. We are blessed to have access to this information.

[@GlockPerfectionDawg]

Calm down skippy. Any man must arm himself with knowledge, so do your own due diligence that way you aren’t impressionable or gullible. Dick is the man! The old guard is strong

[@tristantimothy1004]

Usually, but not this time. EVERYBODY blows it occasionally. Glocks are blowing out because they're shit builds. XDs aren't. Both plastics. Ever think maybe it's because the XDs are built right from the factory? Duh......

[@AntonXChigurh]

@@tristantimothy1004 Looks like we got ourselves a genius here. There are many examples of XD's with blown frames from people shooting out of spec ammo. Go look it up before you keep running your diarrhea mouth

[@tristantimothy1004]

Anton, There's the KEY words. " Out of spec." Any fool can blow any gun up w overloads but the XDs handle SAMMI loads just fine. It's the GLOCKS that are blowing up all over the place. I know that really bunches up the panties of Glock girls so tight it cuts the blood flow off to their brain, but if your head wasn't up your ass you wouldn't have that problem. You really should listen to Lenny, Glocks top spokesman. An HONEST man. Even he says Glocks been dropping the ball for decades & it's time they started catching up w their competition. He figured it out, why don't you?

[@tristantimothy1004]

Sparky, Look up the history of the 10mm. ( Bren 10) All the specs are there. Norma loaded full.power. I think it was 36,500 psi & the Underwood's averaged around 35,000. Or something proportional like that. I only push my loads to Underwood velocities. 200 grain @ 1250 fps & the 220s @ 1200. I think Max was 1300 for the 200s & I don't load 220s the 200 gr actually hits harder. Also pushing the 185 gr Extream penetrators @1250.

[@robertretired2660]

As usual, a great presentation.....

[@bridgeburner265]

I had a local PD blow up some glock 22 pistols and i was able to acquire their stock of ammo once they decided to change to another brand. There were several hundred rounds of Liberty ammo in their civil defense line 60gr mchp advertised at 2000fps. I noticed immediately that it was loaded into 2 different casings, starline and RWS. The RWS cartridges i test fired experienced bulging from above the feed ramp, the starline did not. I cut the spent casings and found less cup height and web thickness in the RWS brass. Liberty is a saami member company. I believe brass sourcing was the cause of the kabooms in that particular incident. I suspect also that the RWS casings were likely designed around the lower powered euro 40s&w ammo market, as its almost strictly a competition caliber over there. Specs can be deceptive, i recall when saami lowered 357 mag specs after s&w released their j frame models in 357. As for buffalo bore i do not recall if tim sundles adheres strictly to saami specs but i do know that he lists warnings for his ammo items as to whether or not they should be used in certain makes and models of firearms. He also has specific loads for smaller 357 revolvers. I like his ammo. And i definitely agree with your points in this video. Chukes videos are quite enjoyable too.

[@jefferyboring4410]

That’s because of unsupported Glock chambers . Everything u said is correct but there is no forgiveness for hot loads in a Glock. Pull the frame and load the barrel and look see how much u can see of the case of course they bulge the case l. Glock does it for reliability. Glock is terrible for reloads because of this . We have a (bulge buster) cuz they bulge cases it’s just what they do.

[@brianjones1151]

Great video. Just one thing..... Most if not all rifle ammunition necks are annealed and then polished to remove the discoloration for the civilian market, however the Military requires the discoloration to remain in order to prove that the case was annealed correctly. Such is Military thinking. 😊

[@rexhinlo3398]

Blow ups, whether steel or polymer guns is mostly an ammo issue.

[@GLOCKCOPG23]

In any pistol, bullet set back from repeated re chambering of the same round over and over can raise pressure into dangerous territory. Keep an eye on your first couple of rounds and throw them away if you see a bullet pushed into the case, even if it’s slight.

[@lonegunmanx1824]

I am a metallurgist for my day job. You did well with the explanation. If you want the full metallurgical explanation regarding heat treating steels (complicated) or brass (easy) let me know. That heat tinting seen on rifle brass is from annealing, and I did not know that so thank you. Now that I know it should have been obvious.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Glad I was close enough to the facts.

[@samwhitaker0]

I had one of the early Ruger 380 LCPs blow out the case , destroy the magazine and shower me in powder. The case ruptured at the feed ramp. I was experiencing feeding issues before the kaboom. The LCP was recalled shortly after that happened. Even the underpowered 380 with a poorly angled feed ramp will suffer from poor case support.

[@kevindevine6221]

The gentleman in this video raises some good points however, earlier generation Glocks in 40 Smith & Wesson caliber (not just 10 mm) are also notorious for having cases blowout or bulge as well. Most of those issues seem to have been resolved in later generation Glocks with improved Chamber support. So, it would seem barrel design does play a role in this phenomenon.

[@highxj]

Another experience of mine. I was testing handloads in an FNS pistol with an aftermarket 357 Sig barrel. Early in the range session, the pistol exploded in my hand, absolutely wrecking the entire pistol. The top half of the slide was gone, and the barrel was split along it's full length with the top half finally recovered. Never did find the top half of the slide. My first thought was, bullet setback, which can be a problem with the 357 Sig. I had however taken great pains to eliminate this problem, and was also single loading each round into the chamber. I did find the brass, which was of course split out in the front half only. The case head and primer showed absolutely no sign of a high pressure event. Long story short, the barrel manufacturer requested I send them what was left of the barrel as well as the pistol. It was discovered that the barrel had an inclusion in the steel, causing it to rupture. They made good and reimbursed me for the pistol and barrel. But to this day, I'm soured on the 357 Sig and it's handloading peculiarities..it's just not worth the trouble. Give me a 38 Super or 9x23!

[@shanescatsandcannabisfarm2965]

Get a Springfield Armory XD40 and get a .357 barrel. Fully supported chamber... You can fire the hottest if loads. Within some sort of reason obviously...

[@mkshffr4936]

Excellent video. What you said about bullet design is very important and underappreciated. Heavy hard cast flat nose bullets will break bone and penetrate deeply even at relatively modest velocity. Honestly a 40 S&W with the right bullet is probably adequate for just about anything short of a Polar Bear. For high pressure stuff I prefer revolvers. I just am not a fan of hot rodding autos. BTW just a slight correction. For brass annealing involves a quick quench.

[@TheGoldenBear79]

Thank you, sir! Your video was fantastic, as always! You covered everything well, but I wanted to point out that many high-speed steels (HSS) and high-alloy tool steels, such as chromium-molybdenum (CrMo) and chromium-molybdenum-vanadium (CrMoV) steels-like A2 tool steel-are air-hardening steels that can harden in room-temperature air. I mention this for anyone who might not be aware of the differences between water-hardening steels like W2, oil-hardening steels like O1, and air-hardening steels like A2. As a 45-year-old, long-time NRA life member and lifelong Republican raised in California, I appreciate your reminder to vote soon. You can count on my support! Good luck, and thanks again. Best wishes to you and your family. ✌️🇺🇸

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

I am definitely NOT an expert on heat treated metals, thanks for the info and thanks for the vote.

[@randyblackburn9765]

Sometimes a major manufacturer inadvertently loads cartridges too hot

[@rickoshea4546]

In my experience it's mostly an issue of either overcharged ammunition or the pistol unlocking and coming out of battery prematurely(before the chamber pressure drops enough to be safe) which comes down to a combination of, not enough seated spring pressure, slide inirtial mass and the friction between cycling/reciprocating components. As a hand loader who loads to max 10mm published load data (within Saami specs) I have dealt with this issue in multiple pistols; multiple 1911s, Glock 20s of generations 2, multiple 3s, 5, G29sf, XDME 4.5 & 3.8 ; all except the G20 gen5 have benefited from increased spring rates to slow the slide speed down and maintain dwell time in battery post ignition. I have had cases bulge without any other signs of overpressure which went away when the recoil spring rate was increased and slowed down the unlocking from battery and allowing a longer dwell time for the chamber pressure to decrease. I have run max published data loads in stock gen 3 Glock 20 barrels with a 22lb or 24lb recoil spring for years; and have mildly and cautiously ventured into wildcat territory without issues, to the tune of a 155 XTP @ 1650fps in a G20sf & 1775fps in a Ruger SR1911 10mm. So I would be inclined to conclude that it's a combination of factory pistols not spec'd for max Saami loads and ammunition that exceeds max Saami pressures.

[@callaseter4811]

I had a squib load (reloads) in a Glock 30 , .45acp. Fired another round before I could stop . The only damage was a bulged barrel . Replaced the barrel, and all was fine . I couldn’t help but be impressed at the time (30 some odd years ago) , of how tough it made me think the Glock was . Just my $0.02 cents. I want to thank you sir for having the backbone to call balls and strikes as you see them . I’d gladly support you if I were still an NRA member. And I’ll gladly support you until you start appearing in custom tailored suits everywhere you go as well 😂haha. Prayers for you and yours, and us all . 👍🙏✝️💕

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

One of my Sergeants in my last agency had a squib, then a too quick follow up shot like yours. It bulged the .40 Glock barrel at the very muzzle, cracking the ring at the bottom of the slide. It was Winchester white box training ammo and they promptly bought us a new Glock.

[@USP4Me]

Excellent presentation sir 👏 Love an educated breakdown! God Bless and Godspeed sir 🙏

[@Pmedic605]

Excellent!

[@arapahoetactical7749]

Great video as usual. I've seen a few of these blowouts over the years and nearly all were reloaded ammo. I've also seen several blowouts from squib loads and from poorly seated bullets that cause a failure to feed and when you rack the slide, it pulls the bullet out of the case and it sticks in the bore.

[@highxj]

Hello from SE Wyoming, keep up the great content. I am one who pushes the 10 quite hard, as well as the 38 Super and 9x23. I follow a couple rules however. When increasing charge weights during load development, I carefully record case expansion with a .00005" micrometer, and look for any imprint on the case of the feed ramp area under magnification. Also, I only use brand new Starline brass for these type loads, and thereafter that case is only used for somewhat reduced range loads. Incidentally, I have a pair of Nighthawk 10's, a converted Dan Wesson Pointman rechambered to 9x23, and a Guncrafter 9x23 Commander as well as a pair of Dan Wesson 38 Supers. A Guardian and an ECO with a Bar-Sto 38 Super barrel. Lots more to discuss here...this stuff is right up my alley.

[@dinoscungilli6390]

Awesome. Very good info. When the case blows and the pressure escapes, it's able to apply pressure to the feed ramps and barrel locking lug at the rear-end of the chamber. The pressure being applied to a larger surface area may be why the barrels split. When you increase the surface area the pressure is applied to, it increases force or push. Like a domed piston in a race car. I learned that in aviation hydraulic school. Great video

[@66rmw]

I’ve never found where there is a standard of how deep a bbl is ramped or where the web of a case starts or ends . When I went through gunsmithing school we made ramp gauges, the dimensions for the gauges were based on instructor and former student experiences. I think your point about ammo is spot on. If you section different brass it’s it’s sometimes significantly different by manufacturer

[@lonegunmanx1824]

From an engineering perspective, barrels should be able to handle 2 or 3 times the SAAMI spec pressure. They are heat treating for strength (4140 for example has a yield strength 60000 psi and a failure strength of 90000 psi (ultimate tensile strength UTS)). 4140 is on the low end and other steels that can be used for barrels have a yield strength of 130000 psi and 150000 UTS. Drawing a blank on the names at the moment. I say all this to get to a barrel failure should be rare. But, if some jackwagon hot rods a load they could blow up a barrel. This is a very real possibility. Look at what happened to Scott at Kentucky Ballistics. Please reload responsibly.

[@williamryan9195]

If anyone wants to take a look at velocity and power numbers on Bufalo Bore, they publish the ammo related info on their website.

[@neospiderbh]

I believe it's the ammo.

[@tristantimothy1004]

It's NOT the ammo. The 10mm was designed to be a magnum powered load. Not like a pissy lil 9..It's the Klunks bud. Just not built for magnum loads unless rebuilt. The XDs ARE built right for magnum loads & they don't blowout.

[@DrawntoAdventure]

Thanks for a well thought out, highly informative video on ammunition manufacturing, bullet pressures, and their combined effects on semi-autos (particularly polymer framed pistols.) Watching till the end and learning about NRA 2.0 candidates was icing on the cake! I’ve been involved with the NRA since the 60s and remain whole-hearted committed to the education/training component. However, I (like so many others) have become so disgusted with the way the organization’s original goals have been distorted and perverted for personal enrichment over the past few years that I was all set to cut ties. Best of luck to NRA 2.0! 😁👍 (The shooting community needs you.)

[@robertrigbyjr5031]

the first thing i do replace the barrel with KKM nothing is prefect but it makes me feel better

[@sisleymichael]

True! Load your ammo or buy ammo to pressure specifications.

[@anraegodley-cooper6321]

Great video my brother in Arms, Blessings and love to you and your family.

[@Whiteghost-pv5zy]

Thank you for your help and videos. Great video.

[@marksanders8028]

Well thought out, well presented. Thank you.

[@revv45acp71]

You have extraordinary knowledge! Please keep sharing it! God bless you Dick.

[@3DLasers]

One of my best friends who used to own this Gun Store/Shooting Range in the San Francisco Bay area after buying my first Glock that they had just found out that if you're not shooting factory fresh ammunition that they tend to blow up in your face... 🇺🇸🌎

[@donaldwarren6542]

Thank you so much for this valuable material. I carry a 10mm in bear country when I hunt elk. This will help me very much.

[@bravo0105]

I noticed case bulging in a friend's .40S&W reloads he was putting through a Glock...it gave me pause regarding the higher-pressure cartridges through Glocks and reloading that brass.

[@roykiefer7713]

Dick, I GREATLY enjoyed this video and I appreciate your expertise, experiences and effort in putting it together. I spent decades as a Naval officer and as a Lockheed Martin director, deeply involved in systems engineering for advanced, tactical, carrier capable, fighter and attack aircraft. Obviously, what you have described with some “hot, boutique” 10mm loads is fundamentally a failure by some ammunition manufacturers to fully understand basic systems engineering principles (or, quite possibly, a willingness to ignore them for marketing and revenue purposes). ALL elements in system have interdependencies. Therefore, when any element - regardless of the reason(s) - exceeds (or for that matter, fails to meet minimum) defined specifications (in our American community, SAAMI clearly establishes such standard), then a failure within the complete system may be caused. I wonder why ammunition manufacturers are not required to specifically and boldly indicate on their packaging “This ammunition exceeds SAAMI approved pressure specification?” Finally, sir, it will be a privilege to vote for you.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for your great comments and the NRA vote!

[@MrPrairigh]

Great information, I do have some Underwood Ammo 10mm 200gr Hard Cast Flat Nose at 1250 fps and on the box they state that it is under SAAMI specification, Thanks.

[@tristantimothy1004]

MrPrair, That's true. SAMMI for the 200 gr. is 1300 fps. What a 10mm load should be. But i load mine down to Underwood's/ Buffalo Bore specs too. Not sure what Double tap is. My G20 gen 5 had to be completely rebuilt to function properly. Everything from magazine modifications to completely redesigning the feed ramp. My XDs, Never a problem with any of the hot loads. And living in the Alaska bush in bear central my guns GOTTA go boom or I'm dead. XD lines are Built right in the factory. And the XDM-Es meta trigger is amazing!

[@danielmacdonald8358]

Fantastic video and you have my vote

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for the vote.

[@louisstaiano4566]

Thank you sir you are a very smart man everything you said makes sense it's not the gun its the ammo

[@tristantimothy1004]

NO, it's not! It's the damned piss poor design of the guns. The ones blowing up were never designed for magnum powered rounds. Glock in particular don't have full case support at the retractors & that's where they blow out at. Or they blow when the following round is fired BEFORE the slide is fully forward & locked. Weak springs & shitty bbls. The gen 5 almost fixed the full case support problem but its chamber is still oversized causing excess stretching of the cases. ALL you folks need to look up the history of the original 10mm guns. The Bren 10 was the rightly built forerunner of all the 10s. And it was designed from a reinforced 1911 platform pattern. Just check out the history. Underwood is still just a tad under SAMMI & B.B. is closer & what a 10mm is SUPPOST to be. Not this watered down commercial crap. DAMN FOLKS! DO your research BEFORE commenting. So far the ONLY guns I've seen are the S.A.s XD series that aren't having some issues & the WHY is because they started from the ground up & designed the gun to the full power cartridge. NOT redesigning their patterns to fit the cartridge. I have 3, The TH10 which has a better bbl than the G20 , A G20 gen 5 that sucks & several XDM-Es which have never malfunctioned w the Underwood or B.B. loads. And I load to Underwood specs which is still just slightly under full SAMMI specs. Only had 1 jam on the 2nd shot of a brand new unit w Blazer Aluminum & tons of full power through em since w nary a single malfunction. Far as this Bushman is concerned, the ONLY plastic 10mm worth having are the XDMs. Especially the XDM-E, it's stock trigger is awesome.

[@louisstaiano4566]

@tristantimothy1004 if it wasn't for the Colt Delta Elite and the Glock 20 the 10mm wouldn't exist today I got the Glock 20 I've been firing a heavy loads for years never had a problem the Springfield is nowhere near the Glock they were cracking the steel frames I don't think you know much of what you're talking about I've been around these weapons my whole life I seen a Nighthawk blow apart it's an ammo problem the Glock was made for that rounds

[@AntonXChigurh]

The Underwood website has a FAQ section where the question is posed "Are your 10mm loans +P?". Their answer is "No, our 10mm loads are within pressure boundaries for SAAMI specs".

[@xmrplayboy9753]

And it's unlikely they are lying.

[@sparky_-mf2cs]

I believe this to be true. If you notice buffalo bore is almost always faster( same grain weight loading) than underwood. I just think underwood pushes it to the max sammi specs.

[@AntonXChigurh]

@ I would agree. I carry a 10mm as an EDC and Underwood is my go-to round. Very consistent and reliable. What Dick says in this video rings true for me, all of these blown up guns are most likely because of handloaded ammo or improperly manufactured ammo.

[@tristantimothy1004]

​@@sparky_-mf2cs, Actually, No. Just a tad UNDER Norma SAMMI specs. 200 grain slug at 1250 fps as vs 1300 fps SAMMI. The 220s are also 50 fps slower than SAMMI.

[@tristantimothy1004]

​@@AntonXChigurh, Nope, the majority of blowouts ( not blow UPS) from Underwood & B.B. are from Glocks bbl design & they can fire BEFORE the slides fully forward & locked into place. And, they have weak recoil springs. The retractor pullout does NOT fully support the case & that's where they usually blowout. The gen 5 bbl IS a fully supported bbl but it's oversized chambers are causing premature case failures. Not usually on the initial shot but w any full power reload thereafter. Slides are getting cracked due to the weak springs too or prefiring before full lockup due to the weak recoil springs. Add, 10s ARE magnum level cartridges when properly loaded & using a non magnum design on that powerful a round just doesn't work. The XDs however were built exactly for that & NON of them have had issues. Just built right from the beginning.

[@michaelboss7321]

Nice video, thank you. Some very good information there.

[@dustinpribble1546]

"Metal frames will survive that..." It depends on the metal... I also believe a polymer frame with minimal use will survive too. The reason I bring up minimal use is bcuz aluminum alloy will get micro fractures over time, I think aluminum alloy Beretta 92 has a service life like 10k rounds or so. Aluminum alloy, well used, will blow up under the same conditions too

[@CB-68-westcreations]

the majority of the handguns are built on a delayed blowback system, while it works really good at moderate pressures, it can't completely seal that cartridge behind a locking bolt. So the case, heads have to be strong enough to handle the pressures and higher pressures need more structure in the brass. You pointed that out real clearly. And made it pretty easy for most people to understand. Light brass should be used with lighter pressure loads. Black Hills uses a really good quality grass for ammunition maybe just a little heavier than some of the other manufacturers. I haven't fired very much of their stuff, probably 1000 rounds or so, but I had yet to see any brass deformity in a single cartridge from them. I haven't seen very many Underwood cartridges with issues either, but there have been a couple that expanded more than they should have. So far, no blowouts, not in the 10 mm anyway. I've had a couple gloves with issues. But my Smith & Wesson, I have never had a problem. And we're only talking about a few thousands difference in case support, but it seems to matter.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

The only duty-size pistol I would call a "delayed blowback" was the H&K P7 series which used a gas piston to delay the slide until pressures dropped. Most others use a variation of the Browning drop-barrel action which is a locked breech until the slide/barrel have moved rearward a bit, allowing pressures to drop.

[@CB-68-westcreations]

@ same circumstances come to play when you're using a Browning action though. You don't have a locking bolt behind that cartridge to hold it in place fully supported. The Browning design does lessen the issue, but it does not remove it.

[@claytonmarchetti724]

Fantastic video! And you have my vote. I wish you the best at fixing the NRA

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for the vote!

[@claytonmarchetti724]

Just got the ballot in the mail today. Marked # 27 and only 27. Good luck!

[@firestorm8471]

Or a problem with pushing these polymer guns to higher and higher pressure rounds. The issue is macho ,bragging rights. Folks saying "My 10 mm +p+p+ BEAR STOPPER is better than yours" even though 99% of the people buying these sidearms will never enter bear country. Let alone see a wild Bear.

[@Roqjoru]

1.14 yes, I agree an ammo problem. Too much pressure... hot loads.

[@nicholasnissen1547]

Kid came into gunshop I worked at with a psa dagger. He shot some sketchy ammo he got from another shop. Had a squib load. It cracked frame and slide. The only thing that held the gun together from blowing further into pieces was the thread protector on the barrel. Lucky for that kid it only scared him and hurt is hand a little.

[@Razor-gx2dq]

Another recent polymer pistol blow ups was Scotts FN-510 (Kentucky Ballistics), he was using a can, not sure if that had anything to do with it.

[@johnherr3579]

Good video. I wonder if blowouts in polymer guns just get reported more. Like you said a case failure in a steel frame results in damaged magazine and grips. Replace them and you're good to go. But the same thing results in a damaged polymer frame and replacing the gun. Way back when I started reloading, a cratered primer was a sign of over pressure. The original Supervel ammo was the first commercial load that I remember that regularly had primer cratering. Now it's common especially with +P and +P+. Seems like companies are running higher pressures closer to the top end. Production running full out to meet demand and possible deteriorated QC may be part of the problem.

[@kfsrmn]

About 20 years ago I had a metal pistol blow up using a name brand standard pressure factory 45ACP. Luckily I wasn't injured. It took a while to find the culprit. We believe a bad crimp allowed the 5th round in the mag to set the bullet back on chambering causing a massive over pressure. On very close examination we found a couple more rounds in the box with poor crimps. I can't say if a polymer pistol might have been more catastrophic. I put a lot of rounds down range before and after the incident and never had another blow up.

[@Cruiser777]

To me is the ammo is doing all this. Like I said, I got a Hot Load Factory load, and it made a big bulge in my barrel. found out when I went home and cleaned the gun Hornady just came out with a new round for Bear defense it's 168 grain I got some Liberty rounds 50 grain + P it goes 2200 ft per second what do you think about that?

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

I'm not sold on the super light/fast Liberty ammo theory.

[@adamshaw8214]

​@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jbi shot some of it in a new 9mm years ago and it destroyed the gun. It was a s&w 9mm. The gun that replaced the sigma pistol. Sd 9 or whatever.

[@Cruiser777]

@adamshaw8214 I just got one of those in the flea market. I don't know. Smith & Wesson is pretty good. I have an MP 9 gen1 for years, and it works flawlessly. I kind of like the sd9ve for the money you can't beat it really

[@ultrafuel2559]

Very good video. I'm a fan of hot concealable DA/SA or DAO semi-auto pistols. If they made a tiny 30 shot pistol with the power of a 50bmg that didn't kick that I could carry in my front pocket it would be what I would carry. Right now, the closest I can get is my Sig P224 in 357 Sig. I just resprung my compact Sig P250 to shoot 45 SMC (iffy). I also have a FN FNX 45 modified to shoot 460 Rowland. To some of the points you made: Glock barrels are more under supported than Sig or Springfield barrels. It seems to me that you can have a fully supported chamber with a bottlenecked cartridge like 357 Sig, 40 Super, or 9x25 Dillon without compromising feed reliability. That being said, your point about case weakness is very valid. Any hot semi-auto pistol cartridge should be thicker near the rim to handle not fully supported chambers. Buffalo Bore says that in their descriptions of hot semi-auto cartridges, so I'm fairly certain they don't follow SAAMI. I'm guessing Underwood doesn't either, mainly because their QC isn't that good. I see a lot of velocity inconsistency based on the many KZbin chronograph tests I've seen. That being said, I do carry Underwood Extreme Penetrators and Defenders in my daily carry, and I have split a 357 Sig case. I suspect that may have been due to the bullets moving in the case because of the smaller gun. Another big issue, is too-weak bullets. Based on the many gel tests I've watched, jacketed pistol bullets start coming apart beyond 1400 fps. You need to stick to solid copper or hardcast for any penetration.

[@edw4568]

Happened to me years ago. Don’t remember the details since its been long ago. My Glock 22 had a kaboom. Glock refinished the pew pew. The slide still has the scar from the kaboon. A souvenir from the kaboon.

[@puma51921]

Agree completely.

[@PIPEBITE]

I remember George Nonte and read a couple of his books, including the unfinished (by him) that was published posthumously after he died in 1976. He had an interesting life.

[@sparky_-mf2cs]

I agree with you 100% ...if you need more power move up in caliber...every cartridge has its limitations...you got 41 mag if you need more power

[@tristantimothy1004]

Actually, Full power 10mm loads are very close to the low end of a 41 mag. Only w the advantage of a semi autos vastly superior firepower.

[@mauserwaffen982]

I can't find your website or your ebay store to purchase a copy of your book. Did you take them down?

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Website was hacked recently and not back up. Print copies of book are gone, but available as a Kindle Ebook on Amazon.

[@mauserwaffen982]

@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb that's too bad. Sorry your site got hacked. I would have liked to have bought your book. I am building a library to hand down one day of firearm and defensive related books. As such, I prefer an actual copy instead of kindle. Thanks anyway!

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

@@mauserwaffen982 I will be setting up the Amazon account to allow one-off softcover books to be printed. Should be available soon.

[@mauserwaffen982]

@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb I'm sorry, I never said thank you. Thank you for your reply! I look forward to purchasing it when it becomes available! As a NRA Benefactor member, I look forward to voting for you in the upcoming elections! Good luck sir!

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

@@mauserwaffen982 Thanks for the vote!

[@onpsxmember]

Imo not cleaning sufficiently can be a contributing factor. Lots of people never use a chamber brush while it gets tighter and tighter until the ammo no longer seats as intended. Some are proud to never clean their polymer striker fired pistols. Some clean the barrel and the chamber looks fine. Using a bronze chamber brush can loosen quite some crud one wasn't aware of. When it is cold it takes even less to not close fully.

[@patrickbrophy5310]

Dick, how safe is federal 9BPLE? I got a hold of a couple boxes. It’s +p+ rated. I know Illinois state police issued this ammo and it had a good street record. My question is, just how hot (pressure wise) is this load? Thanks for your videos they are all highly informative!👍🏻

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

SAAMI does not have a +P+ standard, so each manufacturer decides how hot that ammo will be loaded. ISP used a Winchester +P+ load, not a Federal Load. Street performance was variable, it was essentially the same bullet as the Silvertip JHP without the nickel plating, starting at 1300-1350fps. It wore out their S&W pistol more rapidly than normal.

[@craigbenz4835]

Like other rifle cases commercial 223 and 308 brass is also annealed. The cases are washed to remove the annealing color changes.

[@bbhrdzaz]

If you reload with fast powders that occupy a small volume, then identifying a double charge is difficult. I reload with a very slow powder that fills the case. That said, if you primarily shoot full power loads, then you should change the recoil spring to a heavier weight. this keeps the barrel and slide locked up longer so the the bullet has a chance to exit the muzzle before the gun unlocks. a characteristic of a weak spring with full power loads is inconsistent velocities. Again due to premature unlocking of the barrel and slide. In my Glock 20, which is geared for hunting, has a 6in Wolf barrel along with a heavier aftermarket spring. The spent cases from this gun will easily drop into a case gauge.

[@TerryDactyl-r8n]

You got my vote Dick! Thank you for your outstanding videos! I haven't seen them all, but I WILL! And I will look for you in the NRA rackup of candidates. Again, thank you for the excellent material you have so generously provided here!

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for the vote and the kind words.

[@nelsondoan8271]

👍👍👍Great video!

[@frankf2485]

Great information.

[@cparkerz2968]

Using new starline brass loading the .357 sig just below max caused my aftermarket lonewolf barrel to split ruining the slide but the frame was undamaged. It may have been a reloading mistake but I suspect the barrel may have had a manufacturing flaw.

[@jtee9548]

Reloaded (too many times and/or too hot) ammunition can be a large factor in this also (IMO). I wonder if some 9mm+P brass loaded to standard 9mm max or just under would help with 9mm semi autos?

[@craigbenz4835]

If I were still a voting member, I would vote for you.

[@ironmikehallowween]

I think it’s people wanting calibers and pistols so chambered, to be something they are not, and manufacturers attempting to meet that desire. It’s nothing new. People’s desire for more power. Apparently, people are worried about grizzly attacks even where there are no grizzlies. Also, thinking 700 ftlbs which is what my 22 hornet delivers, is entirely adequate for such an endeavor.

[@mikeroberts4242]

Wise advice.Thanks

[@tristantimothy1004]

Yep! Once one goes into magnum categories everything changes. Tighter chambers are mandatory. That's why I load my stuff to Underwood specs. They're just slightly below Norma SAMMI specs but good enough to still be " magnums" . Far as I know there are no +P or +P+ ratings on the 10mm. Buffalo Bores kinda scary. Right up to the max limit & one really doesn't gain that much. On my REBUILT G20 gen 5 the chambers are WAY oversized in my opinion. Once my KKM 6 inch bbl arrives I can get higher velocities w/o the risks of case blowouts. I'm figuring MAYBE 100 FPS faster w the 200 grain slugs. They cut their chambers tight. So far the only gun I've found that operates flawlessly is the XDMs. Still not going hotter on them either. Any gun can be blown up if you put a freikin bomb into them.

[@traildusttv8178]

A few years ago I came by some 10mm Blazer aluminum case ammo. After a few shots in my Colt Delta Elite and topping of the magazine I had a case blow out. After getting over the PTSD I gathered up the ruind magazine, the blown case and several unfired rounds. I notice 2 of the unfired rounds had the bullets pushed back. I wondered if the bullets were set back from recoil from previous firing which would cause higher pressure. I sent photos, cases, and the unfired ammo to Speer, also whined about the ruied magazine and sore hand. Speer replied the ammo met spec my gun must have fired out of battery. Thats BS and thats the only satisfaction I got from Speer, Oh well. I think Aluminum case 10mm no bueno. If you find some Dont use it.

[@tristantimothy1004]

Actually, the Colt Delta Elites ARE having consistent problems w full.power 10mm. Them & Glocks. I know what Glocks problems are but can't say w the Elites. Possibly weak recoil or timing issues. Personally I think both have the same issues because both are mods of weaker designs. Colts were designed for 45 ACP, And the Klunks after their 9s. Neither was designed from the ground up for magnum power. Get an XDM-E. They can/do handle everything and are 99.9% goof proof.

[@davehartman4350]

Great video and knowledge as always and thank you.

[@ghostshadow9046]

I disagree about 10 mm for a defense firearm in bear areas it just isn't enough to be properly effective.

[@danielreid3476]

There's nothing inherently dangerous in reloading for Glock 10mm pistols, *provided* you know what you're doing. I have been shooting my own reloads in 10mm Glocks for thirty years and have never had a mishap. You just need to thoroughly inspect your brass before you reload it and keep your loads below book max.

[@TerryDactyl-r8n]

I forgot to mention, after watching this I went to examine my 10mm p/n 21B/20 180 Gr, JHP 1,350 FPS Delta Elite nightstand ammo for the dangerous brass. None there. It all reads "Buffalo Bore" on the brass headstamp 👍

[@BrianJohnson-bb2vi]

Thank You.

[@NorthwoodsShooter]

You have my vote. I encourage all to also vote for Todd Vandermyde from Yorkville, IL. He’s a true supporter 2A rights, and is President of the Aurora Sportsman’s Club in Waterman, IL.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for the vote and I agree y'all should vote for Todd Vandermyde as well.

[@44hawk28]

Will agree to this point only partially it is an ammo problem. The early 40 Smith ammo did not have a very well made base on the webbing at the bottom area around the primer pocket, it was squared off quite a bit at the base but yes polymer frame pistols have been blowing up a lot. If you even look at the condition of a 9 mm case after it exits a Glock you will see that the chamber itself is rather large compared to the cartridge. Sometimes it's hard to get them to resize. For quite a while this was a Glock problem. It rarely occurs even to Browning Hi Powers which do not have a fully supported chamber on the bottom portion of the chamber. But it never reared its head kill some of the Winchester armor with blowing up everything that specifically was an ammo problem the pain that makes the.070 hole for the primer in the ammo Factory was sometimes being redressed so that it would properly punch the hole what they didn't realize is that that pain was not exactly straight. It got thicker as you went down. When I started finding that some of the ammo had a .090 primer flash hole they realize that they were no longer igniting the charge in the 9mm but they were detonating it that's why you were getting slide fractures that would actually cause the rear half of the slide to exit the firearm. It doesn't help that they only have half a slide on the firearm in the first place. Which is great for getting junk off of the gun but it's also really conducive to getting garbage into the gun in the first place. Kind of like the rule of unintended consequences. But yes this is both a ammo problem and a firearm problem in the Glock concept. In order to make the firearm. It seems strange to me that they found that by tightening the chamber a bit you can get a much more accurate rifle. Without any degradation of reliability. The best way to make an accurate rifle is to make sure that the ammo is best centered in the center of the chamber. The cartridges that all did that exceedingly well for most of time was actually a belted Magnum which had spaces on the Belt. That causes the cartridge to be held in the very center of the chamber whether it fully Seated on the shoulder or not. Not all metal frame pistols are immune to this. From about 2008 to about 2010 there were no less than four DEA agents that were disabled on the gun range just trying to load their Sig Sauer pistols because it had a very short ramp on it. One of several engineering issues. The next was the fact that the magazine would remain in the firearm even if it was not fully seated. When you drop the slide the hollow point would catch on the short ramp, and the rail that picks up the round out of the top of the magazine was narrower than the primer and could detonate it. That's why they got rid of Sig sauer's at the DEA in 2010. The other issue that that same firearm had is the tiny little spring that indexes the hammer so that the firearm will function had a irritatingly short life in some pistols. I know of a local police agency that used to change those every two years so that they would not have that issue because that's something that when that spring fails the gun becomes a hammer.

[@CSMSteel7]

Tell us more of this “rail” (that was narrower than the primer) that stripped off fresh cartridges from the magazine.

[@Trad-Am]

My gen 2 G20 went kaboom, around 1999-2000 ish. But, it was a buddies dad, that made him dinner m some hand loads, and it got his too! Sent to glock, came back with a new frame, everything else was fine.

[@cecilnewman666]

When it comes to 10mm I only use starline brass and have had zero issues in my glocks.

[@ElbertDavis-e9e]

great video

[@aaronwilcox6417]

How about the various feed issue common with the 10mm. Theres hot heavy 10mm ammo which has heavier than 200gr bullets. I really wonder if those heavier bullets and bullet profiles are problematic in feeding issues. I believe your correct about this ka boom 10mm issue and also about theres too much performance seeking. How much velocity and energy is actually needed. Up at close distance its well known that 1000fps is really a do-all performance threshold. Its known that 45Colt running a 255gr at 1000-1100 will do about any task thats needed in the lower 48. Im not certain but what is the pressures like with 45Super? What about running it in that 1000fps level?

[@bobgunner3086]

Dick, you mentioned Chuke. Have you seen Chuke's videos about the 460 Rowland? The builds he has done for the 460 look really cool. The 460 gets you close to the lower end of 44 Mag power. And I can see why someone would be interested in pursuing 44 Mag power in a semi-auto .. especially for grizzly country. But do you think there is, realistically speaking, a limit to how much the pressure/weight/velocity can be pushed in a semi-auto?

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Then you may not like my next video ... I see little use for the big boomers like the Rowland. Not saying you shouldn't have one or use one, just that they don't fit into any gun "niche" I need.

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb

[@tristantimothy1004]

​@@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jbNot wanting to sound like a smart ass but have you ever actually faced a charging grizzly? I have, 5 times in the last 40 years of living out here in remote Alaska bush. 3 up close w 1-3 seconds to respond. That's some scary crap bud. I stopped 2 w a 44 Redhawk point blank & the last grizzly ( a really small one) w my wife's 243 rifle. SHTF so fast all I could do was ram the muzzle into the bears chest & fire. Personally, I think the Rowland is too much also. From experience I'd take the smaller caliber I KNOW I can hit a charging bear in the face ( where it's brains at) w the lower recoiling 10 than the Rowland. We had a F&G officer up here who did his entire career w only a 40 S&W w standard old style FMJ rounds & he had lots of attacks. Stopped every one w a single shot in the face when they were too close to miss. He retired unscathed. Called all us big bore guys pussies & laughed at us. I never did see the wheelbarrow he carried his balls around in but I'm sure he had 1 somewhere. 😁 That aside, I'd have rather had my 10 in all 3 of the up close attacks than what I did at the time. One thing I am sure of thou was that ALL of the blast gasses going INTO the bear certainly couldn't have hurt the knockdown power. Found burn marks right into the heart of all 3. Biggest surprise was the 243. It's tiny 80 grain blitz round went through a front rib & exploded IN the bears heart. NOT a method I would recommend but had nothing else & it was one of those " Do or die" situations. No other options at the time.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

@@tristantimothy1004 Hard to argue with that kind of experience.

[@quanfa88]

Very educational.

[@kc0lif]

i agree about the ammo.

[@ObservingObservatory]

Well done 👍👍

[@rickgigliotti4070]

Good information

[@davehartman4350]

Great video and knowledge thank you and you have my vote

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for voting

[@Gieszkanne]

I think you are right with most of your points. But Glock is/was famous for a very lose chamber and this has also something to do with it. Also its mostly Glock's when I hear about blow ups. The 40S&W Glocks are also blow up and even 9mm Glocks. Up to the 3. Gen there was a bulge at empty cases that was called the Glock smiley because the feed ramp went very far into the chamber. But they changed this with gen 4. The brass cases stretches when fired and the more lose the chamber is the more it can stretch and more likely they will rupture. So I think a to lose chamber can also be a problem.

[@jameskrajnik8976]

Not Catastrophic? There are other options better supported that's a design like the early Delta they fix that problem?

[@loymedic]

Well done sir.

[@jetpilot-jp3kh]

I just sent my ballot in and I voted for you.

[@lockloadwithdickfairburn-cr1jb]

Thanks for the vote!

[@thatsthewayitgoes9]

You’re very knowledgeable in my own experience. I’m professional in the firearm business. Certainly not big deal expert. Thank you.

[@MrEperson390]

Sir, you are 100% correct

[@gurugoguzhanson]

Which semi auto calibers are the most reliable and durable to get something like a 150gr to go around 1500fps.

[@MrDpb119]

I had a blowout in a Glock. I agree that it’s an ammo problem. Not that there aren’t faulty barrels, but I think that would be rare.