Blew up new Ruger 45Colt/45ACP

I think the biggest issue was you loaded Ruger only loads for a revolver that really isn't designed to shoot them.
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Nonsense. And ironically, the link you post even contradicts you.

The Ruger Blackhawk, regardless if they have varying frame sizes, is more than capable of handling the loads you point out in Table 2 and the 10.9gr of Unique he loaded with the Nosler 250gr, as Nosler lists 11.3gr as max. It is highly doubtful that any bullet or powder manufacturer is going to just generically say these loads are safe for the Ruger Blackhawk, if in fact there are varying frame sizes limiting certain loads, without so much as a warning or how to tell which frame is which.

In regards to the OP's gun, I'm willing to bet it was a double charge.
 
All I can do is express my deepest sympathy for your loss, and greatest happiness for your hanging on to what's truly important.

What your experience does for me, though, is to completely stop my complaining about propellants such as 4227 where a double charge is impossible. I was apt to whimper and whine about compressed loads below max, now I stop my whining. Mostly because I have NO experience with Unique, I've always mistakenly equated it to Bullseye--doesn't matter why and doesn't matter too much that this is wrong--the point being, I've generally assumed it to be a faster, small case powder. Thing is, for big loads in big cases, it looks like it may not be the best choice where mistakes can be made--and that's all of us, everywhere.

I'm really warming up to the expensive, inefficient 300-MP, 4227, No 9 type propellants where you do your best to jam 24 gr of them into a case that they barely fit into, hoping to score near-max performance. With a light on your press, there's no way a double load will get through the system--you'd have spillage all over the place.

Of course it's not certain if you even had a double--could have been any number of factors. I've blown out primers left and right with 800X, and just today I had a primer anvil stick to the bolt face of my Grizzly preventing the next round from going home. Not the first time I've had primers blown out of cases with Starline brass and 800X, with charges 15% lower than other folks are having great fun with. Mysteries of the handloader's art.
 
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Too many red flags here. Pretty sure it was Unique? Have no other rounds to chase down evidence? Not sure if the scale was set properly?
 
A double charge would overflow the case. First thing I did when I got home was to see if a double charge would fit. My first thought as to what happened. No way, spilled all over. I am leaning towards wrong setting on the scale. This is disheartening because I check and double check the published load data, scale setting and powder required. I can get about 13.5 grains or so of Unique in the case before it becomes real evident it is going to be nearly a compressed load. I kept telling myself it can't be but it looks like it could very well be.

Yes I was very fortunate the only thing injured was the revolver. It could have been so much worse. I thought I was careful before but that is going to be raised to a new level! Thanks for all the comments and help.
 
I just filled a 45 colt case to-the-top with unique powder. It weighed 24.0 grains. So 21.8 grains would fit with a little room to seat a bullet without compressing the powder. I believe the bullet could be seated, the loose nature of unique would allow a lot of compression without bulging the case.

A case charged like that would be real obvious to even casual observation if anyone looked at it.
 
i have been loading the .45 colt since 1958, a first generation colt and later a ruger, i loaded a 250gr cast bullet to 800fps in the colt and the same bullet in the ruger to 1100fps. tho i kept the shells for both revolvers seperate one of the ruger loads got in with the colt loads and i fired it, no harm done but it scared the s#it out of me. i had to pound the fired case out of the colt revolver. eastbank.
 
I suggest a set of check weights, and a loading block to compare case volumes. I use a beam scale and I do check it between every loading block full of brass. If you use, or ever consider upgrading to a progressive, a "powder cop" die is a nice tool as well.

'Glad you weren't hurt.
 
I don't understand why one round of a 250 grain bullet going 973 fps would blow the cylinder. The pressures should not be that high. Unless, this is a example of metal fatigue.
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Think of it this way. If all that pressure escapes in all directions when the chamber comes apart, but there is a still enough of it directed through the barrel to move it at 973 fps, imagine how fast that bullet would be traveling if the chamber had stayed together and directed 100% of it through the barrel like its supposed to.
 
MarkJD,

Between you and Snuffy, you seem to have identified the problem. Snuffy put in a double charge of 21.8 grains into a case and it fit. You put a double charge of the "same weight" in and it overflowed the case. I seriously doubt the two of you are weighing the same 10.9 grains of powder.

Regarding your .45 ACP sizing die, you are operating on the assumption the brass has the same wall thickness. It may not. But this is not going to produce a pressure issue.


Magnum Wheel Man said:
I certainly wouldn't recommend it, but would have guessed a Ruger could take as much Unique as you could fit in a case???
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QuickLOAD estimates 60,000 psi if you do that. Definitely NOT a safe idea.
 
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The Starline cases are all brand new. I had to resize the cases because the bullets almost slid down inside the case with with no effort. Even after resizing the cases I didn't like how the bullets were so loose. I could finger push them into the case.
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I've had this happen with 45/70 cases but have not had the time to investigate. Why would the case be so large after resizing?? More importantly, how do we correct the problem??
 
I've had this happen with 45/70 cases but have not had the time to investigate. Why would the case be so large after resizing?? More importantly, how do we correct the problem??
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My suggestion would be to use 45LC dies to resize 45LC cases, and save the 45 ACP dies for resizing 45 ACP cases.
 
"It 'must-a' been a double charge".

If I did not have time to do it correctly I would not do 'it'. I am surrounded with the most talented smiths, reloaders and builders. When something goes horribly wrong they do not make excuses.

Not funny, one of them walked up the range 'more than a few feet' to recover his barrel. As soon as he had the failure he immediately knew what went wrong. When reloading I match cases and have a spread for case weight. When finished I only have one variable, the case weight. I know the weight of the case, powder and bullet with the primer. There is nothing exciting about pulling the trigger with no clue as to what is about to happen.

F. Guffey
 
Good thinking on unclenick. Way to put pieces together.

Op says a double charge is overflowing, others say a double charge fits with some room. Assuming the powders are the same, your scale is measuring light.

Guffey, I don't understand what you want us to take away from your post.
 
I'm nearly 100% certain I used the Unique powder I intended. I'm real careful about that since I caught my self using the wrong canister of powder once early on in my reloading. Can never be 100% certain though.
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I see this as the main issue. The next one is the scale accuracy /actual setting.

Assuming your charge weight was 10.9gr if you used Bullseye /231 or other fast powder, thinking you were using Unique, this would essentially be a double charge, and very likely result in what you had happen, KABOOM!
 
I have been following this tread and agree there is a scale issue.
Seems to be the only logical explanation.
I have punished more than my fair share of Rugers and for this type of damage a double charge is the cause of failure.
 
Is there anything else that could have prevented this from happening?
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If you learned to reloade in a dead run you did not learn that bad habit from me.

Guffey, I don't understand what you want us to take away from your post.
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skizzums has no clue about what I am talking about, and that is OK. You said you were tired of turning an electronic scale on and off, when I get tired, or bored I quit, I just do not do it anymore. My electronic Pro RCBS scale developed a problem, I parked it and started on another.

You loaded three rounds, I loaded 150 30/06, I matched the case head stamps by weight. When finished I weighed all of the loaded rounds, if there was a difference it had to be with the powder. I loaded 300 257 Wheatherby Mag. and 7MM Remington Mag. rounds, no surprises.

If a reloader loads mixed cases forget verifying.

I have 5 progressive presses, I do not load on a progressive without a lock out die for straight wall cases nor do I load bottle neck cases without a powder die. I know, a reloader should not crimp and seat on the same station. 2 of my progressive presses have 4 position tool heads.

F. Guffey
 
From Nosler's website, 45 lc load information

"TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

Our load data is intended for “Strong Action” handguns. For Single Action Army and replica revolvers, please refer to “45 Colt (SAA and replicas)”.

"Note: This data should NOT be used in the Ruger New Model Vaquero (Manufactured in 2005 or newer). When loading for the New Model Vaquero, only the data listed for the Colt SAA and replicas should be used."

The old vaquero was a Blackhawk frame, and could withstand the various "ruger only" loads in older manuals The new vaquero is indeed factually a smaller frame, not built to withstand the same pressures, but to be more similar in "feel" to older colt single actions.

However that picture does not look like the smaller frame, but the older style humpback. The newer style Blackhawk "flat tops", should stand up to same pressures as humpbacks.

Using a 45 acp die on a 45 LC case is a common solution for using smaller dia jacketed bullets, or 45 acp bullets in the 45 LC case.

Unless there was a defect in that particular pistol, likely a different powder or over charge. The Nosler 250 grain bullets do suck up some case volume.
 
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