Squibs................. on purpose?

[lkothe]

This sounds like a stupid question to me but it's making a nascar race (around and around) my head.

Has anybody ever intentionally shot a squib (primer only, no powder) to see what the effects were .................such as how it sounded, how the action (if applicable) worked or didn't work, how far, if any, the projectile would make it down the barrel?
If you did, on purpose or accident, what were the results?


I'm going to assume that ONE single round loaded and fired by only the primer would not hurt the firearm or action.


DNO

 

[uncle money bags]

Only anecdotal evidence here. One from an ar and one from a glock 17. Neither projectile cleared the barrel. The pistol was able to be cleared with a solid rod and judicial use of a mallet. The rifle round is still in the barrel as far as i know.

 

[Hump66]

9mm, made a "squib" sound like a wet fart, didn't cycle gun, projectile wasn't even far enough for the next round to chamber. Drove out with brass rod and hammer.

 

[Pulp]

In a single action. I had read somewhere that a .44-40 crimp needed to be tight enough to hold the bullet from a primer only fire. Tried it, bullet stuck 'twixt chamber and barrel. Still not sure if what I read was actually true or not, now I just crimp tight enough for the cartridges to chamber easily.

 

[GUN DOG]

had a squib in a 357 blackhawk bullet lodged in the forcingcone had to pound it back into the case to unlock the cylinder

 

[dennishoddy]

I won't say they are common, but squibs happen during USPSA matches I attend. There is no bang, and typically the round will only engage the rifling of the pistol, and not allow the next round to chamber. The slide can't come into battery.

That being said, most USPSA shooters reload, and in these trying times, some have resorted to using small pistol magnum, small rifle, and small rifle magnum primers in their pistol rounds.

Nothing unsafe about using them, but the more powerful primers require the reloader to back off their load, and work back up.

I could see where the more powerful primers could cause a projectile to move far enough into the barrel so the gun could come to battery. The consequences would not be pretty.

BTW, I use .223 cases, use a drill and reamer to allow them to accept a 209 shotgun primer.
Put a .22 pellet in the neck, and it makes your AR into a pellet gun that will send that pellet through a 2X4 just using the shotgun primer.

Do the same with .38 specials and shotgun primers. I have plastic bullets than you can get from Speer. They will penetrate 18 ga aluminum plate easily.

 

[aviator41]

Witnessed a 45 colt squib a few weekends ago. Locked the revolver up and ruined the the guys stage. That was the worst thing that I could see happening unless someone has done too much smithing on a gun or used an undersized bullet.

Plenty of videos of AR's getting disassembled by a squib that was not properly handled.

Nothing compares to the dude that left his laser bore sighter in his rifle and took it hunting.

 

[oneof79]

I have had a squib or two back when I had Lee equipment and was new to reloading. 1911 .45 acp. The gun went pffft, bullet was not quite halfway down the barrel. The ro standing behind me with the timer made more noise that the pistol did. He caught the squib and was trying to make sure I didn't try to shoot another round on top of the squib. The bullets always came out with a brass rod and hammer.

 

[ASP785]

Like Dennis, I have seen numerous pistol squibs in competition. None I have seen have fully worked the action of the pistol. If you wanted to try it, it wouldn't hurt, but it's very obvious when it happens. The biggest reloading 'error' I have had is getting a 380 case mixed up with 9mm. It chambers, shoots, and ejects, but the action is slower.

 

[WessonOil]

A squib sounds like a cap gun going off, and you get a trickle of smoke out the barrel that smells like a cap gun.

Bullet usually travels an inch or so down the barrel.

In a semi-auto, it's not usually a problem, as it tends to not travel far enough down the barrel for the next round to chamber, and the fact the slide doesn't cycle is another indication.

Can be scary in a revolver, as bullet will usually travel far enough into barrel for cyliner to turn, and next round fires.