First, Happy New Year!
Second, We need to keep things interesting around here Third, on to business:Last night, in anticipation of going to the gunclub today, I loaded up 5 rounds of 45 L. Colt with 40 grs. 3-F blackpowder behind a 255 gr. Lyman 454190 in very old Frankford Arsenal cases made in May of 1913. They looked OK and as I was using blackpowder with its low pressures...well, what the heck, lets have some fun with these old cases.
I only have close to 40 years of reloading experience and have read 3 million times NOT to use old cases.
So...after blasting off a hundred rounds of 45-90, 150 rounds of 38-40, some junk 9mm, and during shooting another 100 rounds out of this Colt New Service that was issued to the New York State Troopers (made in 1941--one of the last ones made) I decided to shoot this cylinder full of blackpowder loads
The first shot registered 875 fps. The second shot was 849 with some blowback. The case split a bit lengthwise and is the case pictured on the left. Then on the third shot, all heck broke loose, with smoke all over my face. The chronograph registered 581. I opened the cylinder and the case head fell out. My buddy Gunny said, "what the h#*l are you doing over there?" I laughed and said, "Hey, check this out!"
I always was a bit reckless---stupido---Italian for "stupid"
When the case head blew off, the forward portion of the body went into the cylinder throat. You can see the impression on the case to the right. The case body was near welded in the cylinder and had to wait until I got home to get it out, so I had a "5 shot" the rest of the day. Yea, I know--I'm "Retart of the Year"--------------Don't let it happen to you
-----------------------Sixgun
Whoa! You can see right through that baby!
(notice small pistol primer size)
