Just a reminder that even the most reliable gun can fail

[.38special]

I had a few friends over Sunday for a range day, neighbor loaned me a dueling tree and we wanted to compete with each other. After firing 2 shots( which one hit and the other clearly impacted the dirt behind the target) my 1911 locked open! Now I've never had any issues with this gun in the many years I've own it so it was very odd to have any malfunction, after getting the gun apart I found a bulge in the barrel about 1.5in past the chamber. Very fortunate that nothing else happened, but I can't help but think what if that happened at the wrong time......

For reference sake, it was a GI edition ria 1911 full size 45acp with a compensator, factory barrel 5in

[GreaseMonkeySRT]

Sorry, you lost me at RIA and reliable in the same story.

Your point is still valid though. Keeping round counts to know when to inspect a firearm or replace certain items.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

It doesn’t matter the make or model, eventually a mechanical device will fail. My entire life I’ve heard the mantra of “revolvers never jam”. But, I’ve been lucky enough in my experience to have more revolvers fail on me in more ways than any other malfunction in a semi-auto. From cylinders binding solid, to them spinning like the wheel of fortune in DA, to shaving enough jacket off to make my cheek bleed as if I dragged a razor across it. I guess the next thing on the list for me is a squib or a kaboom....I haven’t had either of those yet, lol.

[Samurai Jack]

It doesn’t matter the make or model, eventually a mechanical device will fail. My entire life I’ve heard the mantra of “revolvers never jam”. But, I’ve been lucky enough in my experience to have more revolvers fail on me in more ways than any other malfunction in a semi-auto. From cylinders binding solid, to them spinning like the wheel of fortune in DA, to shaving enough jacket off to make my cheek bleed as if I dragged a razor across it. I guess the next thing on the list for me is a squib or a kaboom....I haven’t had either of those yet, lol.

I have to ask with your experience with the revolver fails. Were these high volume pistols? New/Used? Competition guns?

[castrotikon]

It doesn’t matter the make or model, eventually a mechanical device will fail. My entire life I’ve heard the mantra of “revolvers never jam”. But, I’ve been lucky enough in my experience to have more revolvers fail on me in more ways than any other malfunction in a semi-auto. From cylinders binding solid, to them spinning like the wheel of fortune in DA, to shaving enough jacket off to make my cheek bleed as if I dragged a razor across it. I guess the next thing on the list for me is a squib or a kaboom....I haven’t had either of those yet, lol.

I had a family member (just relaying the story, wasn't actually there to witness this) that was recently shooting a .44 magnum that belonged to a friend of his, with reloads that the same friend had also manufactured. First 2 rounds sounded kind of off but he kept going and on the 3rd shot, the frame above the grip exploded and shot the cylinder off at a 45 degree angle to his top right, went clear through 2 of the thin wooden partitions between shootings stalls and disappeared. Not sure if it went through the roof or ended up in the grass somewhere, never found it.

[.38special]

Sorry, you lost me at RIA and reliable in the same story.

Your point is still valid though. Keeping round counts to know when to inspect a firearm or replace certain items.

Believe it or not that 1911 out performs expectations

[GreaseMonkeySRT]

Believe it or not that 1911 out performs expectations

Oh I know they do for the price. I stand by that certain brands that carry a higher price with the reputation to bat will pump out guns that have a much lower failure rate than others.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

I have to ask with your experience with the revolver fails. Were these high volume pistols? New/Used? Competition guns?

The free wheeling cylinder was a brand new Taurus (not surprising). Problems with stuck cylinders were from S&W’s. One was from primers backing out of their pocket and binding on the recoil shield. Multiple factory loads did this, hotter defensive loads, and it would stop the cylinder and trigger dead, it was very difficult to open the cylinder. While carrying a P&R Smith, I must have bumped the very edge of the recoil shield to create a bur that bound the cylinder on a passing case head. Stopped the cylinder dead. I have had a Smith K frame and a Taurus 66 shave jackets quite badly, the smith being older, and the Taurus being new. Both threw debris into my face and actually cut me (eye protection...always). I’ve also had bullets jump crimp, but that’s not necessarily a gun problem, even though it put the revolver out of service. I’ve had more light primer strikes with revolvers, from both fixed pin and floating pin guns.....but I think that’s more luck-of-the draw bad ammo than having to do with the fact they happen to me with revolvers over autos (Ruger, S&W, Taurus, and NAA guns). And of course cap jams with 1847’s and 1851’s......but those are antiques, and is an expected issue.

For some reason, revolvers have screwed with me more than any other type of firearm. And I’ve found when they do fail, they fail hard. It’s never as simple as a tap-rack-bang. Revolvers still have a very special place in my hobby though (as seen by my avatar), and one is in my select few group of guns I chose to carry. That said, I have less than 1/4 of my lifetime round count put through revolvers than I have with semi-autos.

[gjgalligan]

Sorry, you lost me at RIA and reliable in the same story.

Your point is still valid though. Keeping round counts to know when to inspect a firearm or replace certain items.

I have reread the OP at least 4 times, I still cannot see any reference to RIA.

Do you have ESP or something?

[.38special]

I have reread the OP at least 4 times, I still cannot see any reference to RIA.

Do you have ESP or something?

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