Post-Build: Have a Plan to Test

Michele said:
Yes indeed. Defiantly worth posting in this category
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It seems this is often overlooked by new builders. I understand their eagerness to "get out there and shoot this sucker!" But, this is serious shit. Bad things can happen if a firearm has not been tested and verified safe... BEFORE the first live ammo is in the chamber.

Besides @GSW10's excellent essay (linked in the OP above), folks need to view and heed VIDEO #18, "Glock FTQ Function Test Safety Checks," on your list at:

 
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Before most shooters even touch a gun or enter a shooting range, they are taught the fundamental rules of gun use. Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot, and so on and so forth. However, those basic rules do not cover all scenarios, and some shooters find themselves woefully unprepared for rare occurrences such as the much dreaded squib round. Other events, such as out-of-battery detonations or improper handloading, could also have very dangerous consequences.
Most cases involve squib rounds—bullets that become lodged in the barrel due to an underloaded round—but all provide a valuable lesson. Educate yourself beforehand on identifying and solving malfunctions.
 

View: https://medium.com/@ddt282/catastrophic-gun-failure-7788b05d79f5
By David Tulipane

I am compelled to tell this story because the information could save you from serious injury or save, yes, save your life! I work for an indoor public gun range. The story is true. It tells how a handgun exploded in a shooters’ hand, the damage caused, and how to avoid it from happening to you.

In the spring of 2019, a young soldier and his friend entered the range ready to shoot the soldier’s new .45 caliber H&K handgun. He was in the military and recently returned home from a 14-month deployment. They both were excited to shoot the soldier’s new handgun. He was carrying two bulk packs of .45 caliber ammunition. We spoke for a short time about his deployment and reviewed the safety protocols for the range. With the proper safety equipment, they entered the shooting line and took lane number four.

I casually watched the soldier as he loaded his gun and prepared to fire. The first shot sounded too loud for a .45 caliber gun, even using more powerful “plus P” ammunition. It sparked my attention. The second shot sounded like an explosion. I rushed to their lane, and both were standing frozen in place. Their eyes were wide open, skin tone pale, and breathing rapidly.
The gun was lying on the shooting platform and had suffered a catastrophic failure. The magazine had blown out the bottom of the gun. Both chamber and barrel had split. The frame and grip panels split in several places blowing the gun’s working parts down range and around the shooting area. There was an unidentifiable odor present. The gun was destroyed.
I sat both young men on the bench behind the lane and noticed the soldier who fired the gun had cut marks on his face and his safety glasses were cracked. The cracks in his eye protection was evidence that shrapnel was deflected saving his eyes and his sight. His hands were beginning to tremble and swell. His friend had no visible injuries but appeared to be in shock.

I collected the remains of the gun, ammunition and guided the two young men to the range office. I asked for details about where he purchased the ammunition. He purchased the ammunition from an internet site before his deployment. The site claimed all ammunition was new manufactured, not reloaded. The company was developed by ex-military personnel. He said the price was inexpensive, and he wanted to help a fellow soldier and save a few dollars. The ammunition appeared to be new.
A closer examination of the ammunition revealed multiple extraction marks on the cases, which indicates this ammunition was not new and the shell cases had been reloaded numerous times. I was informed by the soldier he did not obtain verification on the company, and we did not find the website with a new internet search. The ammunition was the cause for the failure.
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six points about this incident. This firearm disaster could be avoided by following the steps outlined here.

1. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting a handgun, or any gun.

2. Do not buy ammunition from an unknown source or an unknown manufacturer. It can cause you injury or death, at the least the destruction of perhaps your favorite firearm.

3. Purchase quality ammunition. A plethora of internet sites are available that resell ammunition from known manufacturers for less than retail.

4. Reloading ammunition can be a source of savings for frequent shooters. If you decide to reload, find classes in your area to learn the science and skill you need for reloading ammunition.

5. Always inspect your ammunition to insure it is the correct caliber and power level for your firearm.

6. When buying ammunition from a retail store, open the box before leaving to ensure the contents match the description on the box.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight, Shoot Often.
 
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If you check the Reddit posts in the P80 group(s), it's flat-out frightening what is going on out there.
 
Racer88 said:
If you check the Reddit posts in the P80 group(s), it's flat-out frightening what is going on out there.
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i gave up on reddit, it definitely has a lot of Darwin award candidates out there.
 
Bcichlid said:
i gave up on reddit, it definitely has a lot of Darwin award candidates out there.
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I only lurk. I've interjected a couple of times on threads where there were egregiously dangerous practices being demonstrated.
 
A tall order to know everything about everything. I learned as a youth, and always taught back when I was an instructor, that if you don 't know how to properly clear and operate a firearm that you ask before accepting it.

And there's always some fine points to know about certain firearms. For instance, even long term shooters who've never handled an open-bolt gun need safety lessons. Doing things as you would with a closed-bolt gun can get you killed (like dropping the mag to clear a stoppage on your UZI w/o making damn sure there's not somehow a round hung up in the mag, or floating around in there). When the stick comes out, that bolt is going to drop, it's quite likely going to go BANG.
 
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