Any armorers or gunsmiths around?

[DMacLeod]

Went to the range today wanting to shoot a Beretta 96 that I traded my glock 27 for. Everything was going fine and then this.....I felt the blow out on my finger and some splatter on my forehead. (I was wearing safety glasses and muffs).

Next I ejected the magazine, made sure weapon was empty and stripped the slide. The lever on the right side (not sure what it is called) that connects the trigger to the hammer action was pushed out the side. I tapped it on the bench and it went back into its 2 holes on the trigger and seems to work fine.

When I got home I got a better liio at the weapon and noticed 2 holes in the slide. You can see them in the picture. (brown spots in slide rail area) Is this normal?

 

[DMacLeod]

Here's the case, or rather what is left of it. Slid right out easy as can be.

 

[DMacLeod]

I just reassembled the beretta and the DA doesn't work. SA works though....

 

[Superhouse 15]

Overpressure

Over pressure due to an overcharge or a bullet compressed into the case. Looks like it blew out at the weakest point, the feed ramp. Was it a reload? Has the barrel been excessively throated at the feed ramp?

I'd send it back to Beretta, right now. You know what shooting reloads and unaproved modifications do to the warranty, right?

 

[DMacLeod]

This was a used weapon I picked up locally (dealer) last weekend. Ammo was factory ammo. I wanted to try reloading but won't now. If this can happen with factory ammo......

 

[wjkuleck]

factory ammo

Contact the ammunition manufacturer tout suite. As often as not, a manufacturer will consider replacing a firearm damaged with their ammo.

Worth a try!

Regards,

Walt

 

[Superhouse 15]

Wow

I would not have guessed it was factory ammo. Send those pic to the company (and who was it, if I may ask?) along with the ammo lot number if available. If it is a double charge that got out of the factory, you may get a recall started and save someone else. I've come across a blowup with factory ammo twice, and loads with signs of high pressure once, and the ammo company replaced the blown up guns and dealt favoably with the customer who had the high-pressure ammo. (Federal: a blowup and the high pressure stuff, Remington: the other blowup)

 

[DMacLeod]

Ammo was American Eagle (federal) I've had the boxes for probably 8 years or so.

 

[krs]

Berettas break sometimes, it's not news. I'm not up on the various problems they've come up with but someone shouldn't be too far away who knows more. I do know that over the years I've seen several reports of Beretta guns having severe problems related to their metallurgy.

I'd doubt that it's an ammo problem.

can you take the gun back?

 

[Slopemeno]

I kinda doubt it was a double charge- that seems like a weak-brass issue to me. A double charge (stood right next to a guy and watched one happen, btw) can be quite energetic. I'd expect to see grips blown out, the top round in the mag dented, etc. if it was a double charge.

Send the ammo back. They'll probably send you a couple of boxes to replace it, but replace your gun? I doubt it.

The feed ramp/case support looks stock and unmodified to me. I'd have a local smith who knows what he's doing look at the gun.

 

[DMacLeod]

Actually it was the ammo. Federal had problems with some of these lot#s. I repositioned the trigger spring and everything seems to work fine now.

I examined the slide and frame with a jewelers loupe and found no cracks. I'm going to fire it again this week.

 

[JohnKSa]

As a public service, could you please post the affected lot numbers?

Which trigger spring did you reposition?

 

[115scott]

Was your ammo Federal or FC? FC was on a recall do to soft brass. I recently found out that you should not reload any of this brass. First I have heard of factory FC blowing up.

 

[Tamara]

Let's just say that I was unsurprised to see that it was the unjacketed 180gr American Eagle stuff.