...i do remember that i was told in no uncertain terms that using Buffalo Bore ammo OF ANY KIND can - and i do remember these words - "cause CATASTROPHIC FAILURE".
First of all, if you're sending them broken guns on a regular basis, they may just be trying to get you to stop doing whatever it is that's causing the problem. It's not clear that the guy at CA has any clue about the BB .32 S&W Long specs--he may just be assuming that's what broke the gun and is saying whatever he thinks is the most likely to get you to stop doing what you've been doing.
The way you describe the interaction, that seems a very likely explanation. I think that it's not too hard to understand how they might be getting a little frustrated with the situation at this point.
That aside, while an unsafe failure would automatically be a catastrophic failure, a catastrophic failure isn't necessarily unsafe.
The common usage of 'catastrophic failure' is when there's a failure that actually requires repair work to remedy--generally some kind of actual breakage.
So if the recoil breaks a part resulting in the cylinder failing to turn and the gun requires gunsmith attention to get it working again, that's a catastrophic failure--but it's not necessarily unsafe.
A jam in a semi-auto isn't a catastrophic failure if you can clear it and no parts are broken. If the frame cracks and ties up the gun, that's a catastrophic failure even if there was no point where the shooter was ever in any danger.
If the ejector rod unscrews in a S&W revolver, that's not a catastrophic failure because you can screw it back in and the gun will work. If the ejector rod breaks off, that's a catastrophic failure even though it's not dangerous at all.
Who to believe? I can't trust the Charter Arms revolver.
Here's what I'm getting out of your posts:
"I broke my gun 3x using BB .32H&RMag +P ammo. The last time I called CA and pressed them for details about what ammo from BB I could use, he told me not to use anything from BB. So now CA is telling me I have a worthless gun and I don't know what to do!"
You don't have a worthless gun and I think it's really very clear what you should do.
1. Stop doing whatever you've been doing that breaks your revolver. I think at this point you have a pretty good idea what might be the problem based on the fact that you've been through the cycle 3x, CA has given you some hints, and there's been some decent advice provided here.
2. Don't pretend that a CA customer rep's frustration at having to repeatedly fix your revolver is the same thing as a rigorous evaluation of a particular loading of ammunition from BB. I don't think that anyone here, INCLUDING YOU, really suspects that the hot .32S&W Long (which is still well below .32H&RMag performance) is what has been breaking your revolver.
And, by the way, just as a sort of FYI before anyone starts speculating, I don't own any CA products. I will never own any CA products. I don't hate them and I don't have any bad experience with them, they just don't interest me in the least. When I have had in the past, and when I will have in the future, money I want to spend on a revolver, CA hasn't ever and won't ever be on the list to consider. Not because I actively avoid them but rather because I have never and will never have enough money to spend on guns to buy all the revolvers I want that aren't made by CA.
