Help identifying this problem

[krink85]

!Disclaimer!

!This was not shot out of any gun I own nor was I there when it was shot!

So a buddy of mine went shooting and I asked for his brass (he nor anyone he shot with reloads). He gave me a gallon sized bag with 45 colt, 357, 38spc, 9mm, 40, 45gap and 45acp brass. The first thing I noticed was the 45 GAP brass. I asked him what they were shooting the 45 gap out of and what I came to was it was a 1911 (he doesn't know a whole lot about guns). I don't know pistols all that well but a 1911 chambered in 45 gap seemed odd but not out of the question. I researched to see if you could shoot 45 gap out of an ACP gun and no was the answer. Fast forward to tonight and I am decapping all the brass and noticed this.

First off it was puncturing primers and the ones that didn't get punctured had rather deep holes. So with my limited knowledge of reading pressure signs I ask all of you. Also if you can see it it looks to be a bulge in the hole the firing pin created. Here is a paint pic I made. Sorry its small.

My guess is over pressure caused by shooting 45 GAP in an 45 ACP chambered gun. Please help me get a solid answer so i can hopefully help someone to not blow themselves or their gun up.

 

[sawgunner2001]

Re: Help identifying this problem

The GAP is loaded to much higher pressures than the ACP is, however I don't have any numbers in front of me to quote.

What you are seeing in the primers is the result of the higher pressure. The pierced primer is obvious. The others are what a primer looks like just prior to piercing. Meaning they 'almost' pierced, but not quite. The higher pressure pushes the dimple made by the firing pin back outward...sometimes so much that it blows a hole in it.

I wouldn't do that again....

 

[former naval person]

Re: Help identifying this problem

The GAP case is being held forward against the force of the firing pin by means of the extractor. There is some slop there...the generous amount of travel of the firing pin of the 1911 allows the pin to fire the cartridge even tho it is way forward of the slide face. The firing of the cartridge builds up pressure driving the cartridge case back and reseats the primer. If the chamber is clean and dry the case may not be driven back fast enough to prevent the blow out of the primer you see. If he keeps doing that the slide face will erode badly. The case wall of the GAP is enclosed by the full ACP chamber so that likely won't fail. The primer failure is the key issue. (What was that song Bret Favre was singing? "Gas in your face, gas in your face...looking like a fool with that gas in your face". Or something like that.)JMHO