Taurus wheelgun explodes. Possible drone attack.

Bongo Lewi

Bongo Lewi

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... because I want to launch another debate about what a squib is and merge that topic with drone hysteria. Even though after almost 30 years and a round count in the six figures with every kind of gun imaginable I have never once witnessed a squib. That's why they call me lucky.


View: https://x.com/GunloverClub1/status/1868756485263835456

I have seen many drones. Civilian and military. Just none lately.
 
I believe its caused by the drones exciting the powder with a electric magnetic pulse resulting in lower powder pressure at ignition.

Had 1 squib during training. Still.made me do like 500 pushups- said I was just too lucky as it was my last round.
 
I saw that photo on X. I've never sectioned a revolver cylinder, so I don't know... but that one looks quite thin to me.
 
My guess on the Taurus is that the timing got f-ed up and the cylinder was not aligned with the barrel when the trigger was pulled. Or... wrong caliber loaded into the gun. Maybe a botched reload that was way too hot.

Then there's the drone theory.
 
That was a double-powder load...

taurusfedup.jpg
 
That's a double charge of fast burning pistol powder that did that deed.
Ya get too far out of time and the primer won't be struck.
 
meistermash said:
That's a double charge of fast burning pistol powder that did that deed.
Ya get too far out of time and the primer won't be struck.
Click to expand...
I have always wondered who buys a press, dies, bullets, primers, and scale and powder. Plus all the hand tools like reamers , primer puller, etc. Then doubles the amount of powder in a round because they think it isn't that important.

Answer: The same number of gun owners who have actually seen a squib. Pretty much nobody.

I'd concede there may be some chawbacons who do this. Like the type who picks one of the derelict refrigerators rusting in the front yard of his swamp abode and blows it up with Tannerite. Like Ricky Bob (a.k.a. Skeeter) who lacks basic math skills and don't read so good.

Screenshot 2024-12-21 at 5.33.37 PM.png
 
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Bongo Lewi said:
I have always wondered who buys a press, dies, bullets, primers, and scale and powder. Plus all the hand tools like reamers , primer puller, etc. Then doubles the amount of powder in a round because they think it isn't that important.
Click to expand...
The double charge is typically not intentional.
Either the powder bridges in the powder measure and shorts the previous case and over charges the next case, or the reloader is distracted and charges the same case twice. Revolver cartridges and Bullseye powder are the combination that traditionally causes this. This is why Hodgdon came out with Trail Boss powder for light loads with large cartridges. The powder is so "fluffy" that a case full will not result in an overload condition.

Either way, it is a case of lack of QA. The reloader is responsible for visually inspecting the cases for this very thing.
 
no4mk1t said:
The double charge is typically not intentional.
Either the powder bridges in the powder measure and shorts the previous case and over charges the next case, or the reloader is distracted and charges the same case twice. Revolver cartridges and Bullseye powder are the combination that traditionally causes this. This is why Hodgdon came out with Trail Boss powder for light loads with large cartridges. The powder is so "fluffy" that a case full will not result in an overload condition.

Either way, it is a case of lack of QA. The reloader is responsible for visually inspecting the cases for this very thing.
Click to expand...
Take a look at that doofus in the video. If he's a hand loader I'm a monkey's uncle. His form suggests he's an amateur. I'm sticking with the cylinder/barrel alignment was skewed. It doesn't take much. If the cylinder is off by even a millimeter, this can happen. The primer is 3-4mm wide and could still be struck. If any part of a magnum projectile catches the rearward edge of the barrel on a revolver on it's way out, the gun is going to come apart. See pic.

Screenshot 2024-12-21 at 7.25.03 PM.png



I think @bkbrno detailed the likely cause. This was my assessment as well. I agree that timidly cocking the hammer and his purchase on the gun interfering with the rotation the cylinder.
 
I'm not buying cylinder misalignment.
The factory magnaport type vents indicate that this is a Taurus Tracker. So this is either 357 or 44 mag.
Both of those cartridges are right at 35-36K psi working pressure. 357 proof pressure is 56K psi.
So for this revolver to peel open like that, it had to be way more than 56K psi.
 
Hard to know for sure without examining the parts. Seems to me the cylinder world have violently shattered and injured his hand if this were caused by significant over pressure. The video and another posted separately suggests to me the frame failed because it was struck by the bullet.

Tauri and Colts are well known for having timing issues. But any revolver can. If the operator isn’t skilled it wouldn’t be noticed until something goes wrong. This seems far more likely than a badly made reload.

Dipshits who buy big bore wheelguns are far more common than careless hand loaders.
 
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