Squib Loads -- Shooters - Important subject!

CatCam · Oct 8, 2018

Hey fellow shooters --

This could happen if you are not careful -- learn your gun, listen to your gun, feel your gun! Squib loads are no joke -- squib loads could be a bad reload where not enough powder or the WRONG powder is used, a misaligned cylinder on a revolver, or any modification that may slow down the bullet.

Be safe shooters -- make sure that this is a topic to all shooters, especially newbies!!

Great video on the subject is here:

dougstump · Oct 8, 2018

So far, I've had two factory rounds that were squibs and witnessed a third, all three had NO powder (.45 ACP, .380, and .38 Spec)! Fortunately all three times we stopped and checked what was wrong. I weigh all my carry ammo on an electronic scale, I load the center of the bell curve and test fire the outliers.

A shooting associate bulged TWO 1911's during the same shooting session with the same batch of ammo. Gun no go boom so he just racked the slide and fired again. His reloads, water in the case from pin tumbling. He doesn't understand why I won't shoot his reloads. Hmm?

herohog · Oct 8, 2018

BT;DT with my 9mm Winchester Magnum (9x29) AMT Automag III

Knew the shot sounded and felt "off", stopped, checked, cleared the gun, popped out the barrel and used a cleaning rod to push the round the rest of the way out. My reloads, factory ammo isn't available and IF ya found some, you damned sure wouldn't want to shoot that pure gold! Had it happen to my 8mm FN-49 on milserp ammo too.

Magdump · Oct 8, 2018

dougstump said:
A shooting associate bulged TWO 1911's during the same shooting session with the same batch of ammo. Gun no go boom so he just racked the slide and fired again. His reloads, water in the case from pin tumbling. He doesn't understand why I won't shoot his reloads. Hmm?

Man, that’s a crying shame. The built in safety feature with sqibbs and autos is they generally won’t cycle the next round and that’s your prompt to check the weapon before continuing. Target shooting is not combat. No reason to not slow down and think. That could have been most unfortunate. With a bolt, pump or lever action or a revolver, you may have to use more spidey senses. Another plus to shooting steel is the feedback (unless you miss a lot! Lol). Anything that feels different warrants a weapon check. Little or no recoil when expected, no report, etc, check the weapon before you wreck the weapon...

CatCam · Oct 8, 2018

Magdump said:
check the weapon before you wreck the weapon...

I will use this quote when I'm talking about this to my shooters and newbies!

Also, not just wrecking the weapon but the personal injury as well, there are some real graphic vids out there showing shooters hands after a barrel explosion.....So many people just think it can't happen to them. Be safe shooters!

AZ2VET · Oct 9, 2018

I have to admit I have had a few squibs in the just over 3 years that I have been reloading that I can only attribute to bad primers or shorter 9mm case. I am very careful to check each case for powder levels before placing and seating the bullet. Caught and corrected several light charges when I was using the Lee Pro Disk and Adjustable charge bar which I no longer trust. My Pro 1000 is now only used to deprime dirty brass before cleaning until I decide to spend the money for the Lee Auto Drum but I now have a 650. But the main thing is to pay attention to each shot and if it does not sound right check the weapon before the next round does down the pipe.

John_ · Oct 9, 2018

I guess I have been lucky but in 35 years of shooting, I have never had a squib round factory new ammo and some commercial reloads. I recently had a couple short OAL S&B new 9mm rounds, but discarded those while loading my mags. Now I had some that failed to fire, hard primers low cost military ammo years ago, nothing recent. If they don't go bang on a second strike, into the recycle can they go.

Like Mag said above, common sense should tell you to check ur weapon closely if it fails to cycle the action, or the recoil/report seems unusually low.

herohog · Oct 9, 2018

My single stage Lee Challenger press was my best and most trusted. I used the hand primer too. I never liked any of the different adjustable charge throwers I ever tried. Used the Lee disk charger with no issues and ALWAYS weight checked several runs before trusting it for THAT session.

Metryshooter · Oct 9, 2018

dougstump said:
So far, I've had two factory rounds that were squibs and witnessed a third, all three had NO powder (.45 ACP, .380, and .38 Spec)! Fortunately all three times we stopped and checked what was wrong. I weigh all my carry ammo on an electronic scale, I load the center of the bell curve and test fire the outliers.

A shooting associate bulged TWO 1911's during the same shooting session with the same batch of ammo. Gun no go boom so he just racked the slide and fired again. His reloads, water in the case from pin tumbling. He doesn't understand why I won't shoot his reloads. Hmm?

Sorry I must be missing something, you say pin tumbling, as in using stainless pins as the media?
If so whybwould that cause squibs?

dougstump · Oct 10, 2018

Metryshooter said:
Sorry I must be missing something, you say pin tumbling, as in using stainless pins as the media?
If so why would that cause squibs?

Yeah, stainless steel pins but he didn't make sure the cases were dry. Aggravated by the fact that he doesn't deprime before he tumbles so even if the case is dry he can still have water trapped in the primer pockets.

Strange thing, My Dad and I started reloading just short of 50 years ago and I'm still learning. This guy has been reloading for a few years and he known everything! Just ask him, he'll tell you!

Abby Normal · Oct 10, 2018

Leave it to Hickok to make & shoot squibs. And more than once to get it right on camera. Great Ed. video. I never had a squib but I can see how ez it would be to miss & blow things up.
Gotta Love some Hickok45.

John_ · Oct 10, 2018

Abby Normal said:
Leave it to Hickok to make & shoot squibs. And more than once to get it right on camera. Great Ed. video. I never had a squib but I can see how ez it would be to miss & blow things up.
Gotta Love some Hickok45.

Hickok45 and Jerry Mikulec are two of my shooting video favorites. And the guy who trained Keanu Reeves for John Wick movie. Can't remember his name right off but the guy is incredible! He's from CA and competes nationally. The dude is like lightning with a pistol. Taran Butler. Taran Tactical.

JBP55 · Oct 10, 2018

Yes John, Taran is the real deal.

John_ · Oct 10, 2018

JBP55 said:
Yes John, Taran is the real deal.

For sure. I said pistol but pistol, rifle, and shotgun. And thats not a really good sample video of Taran's abilities. Go watch his videos on you tube, Taran is amazing. And he has some good looking babes training/working with him too. Or maybe because John Wick was there.

Roadkingclsc · Oct 21, 2018

A few years back I had two squibs with some factory ammo I bought at a gunshow, I chunked the rest of it and even though the problem may have been with the way the ammo was handled prior to my purchasing it, I will no longer shoot that brand.

Squib Loads -- Shooters - Important subject!

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