first squib load...

sirsloop

Moderator
Shooting sporting clays with my 870 today... had a federal gold medal clay 7.5 1-1/8 squib on me. The shot literally fell out of the barrel and the wad stuck in there. Luckily I noticed it and didn't shoot it out! Lol... of course we were out in the boonies without a cleaning rod so I took off the barrel and used a stick to push all the crap outta the barrel. :cool: IDK if its worth a post, but I've shot thousands of factory ammo rounds and never had a squib.
 
I had a Remington #6 click on me today. Punched the primer enough to dent it but it never went off. Kicked the shell out and then loaded another and shot 3 of with no issues. Definately wasn't the gun.
 
yeh... I think federal didn't put any powder in that shell. The primer went off, but it only had enough energy to open the hull, push the shot out the front, and lodge the wad like 4" up the tube.
 
Never had a shotgun squib before. I wonder if the next shot would push the plastic wad right out and not damage the barrel or if you'd have a mess on your hands?

Has anyone shot through a squib in a shotty?
 
I pushed the wad out the back of the barrel with puny stick, so it certainly would not have been super dangerous if I shot it out. Obviously you never want to consciously shoot through an obstruction which is why I stopped, pulled the barrel, and cleared the wad.
 
Squibs are common enough, especially with reloads, that many clubs keep a 3/8-inch diameter wooden dowel at each field for clearing stuck wads. Some shooters keep a brass rod sinker in their shell pouch. Drop the sinker down the barrel, and it will remove the wad. I watched one guy (a tuba player?) blow a wad out of the barrel.

Has anyone shot through a squib in a shotty? (sic)
Most folks have the sense not to shoot after squib without clearing the barrel; but, yes, it does happen. Years ago, one of the club members had just taken delivery on a Browning Superposed in .410-bore. During its first time to the club, he had a squib and didn't realize the wad was stuck in the barrel. The subsequent shot put a bulge in the barrel just before the choke. He continued to use the gun with the bulge as a reminder to pay attention. The bulge happened in a .410-bore with target loads, who knows what would have happened in a 12-ga with a boomer load.
 
Never had a shotgun squib before. I wonder if the next shot would push the plastic wad right out and not damage the barrel or if you'd have a mess on your hands?

Has anyone shot through a squib in a shotty?

ANY obstruction in the barrel can cause the barrels to rupture when you fire a load afterward and it is obstructed

On short - DON'T do it

Now and again, a load gets through - these folks load millions of rounds per week. Clear the barrel and go on shooting.

If you have a light strike and you have a two barrel gun, try it in the other barrel - many times it will go off
 
I had a bunch of squibs with some shells I loaded with the incorrect plastic wads. The box of shells rode all summer behind the pickup seat and the powder actually jiggled around the wad into the shotcup. Had about 10 of 25 that went pop instead of boom. No big deal with a double barrel. I didn't use AA wads to load paper hulls anymore.
 
Hate to dig here but,

I had a squib load in a Mossberg 500 during a breach drill. The follow up was mechanical, and in the heat of the moment, nobody noticed the shot was kinda weak. It blew my face open and I bled out alot. Barrel was fragmented. I got like 21 stitches or something.
 
You can carry one of these in your shooting vest....

http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1130

or make your own from a brass rod...

I like this type too - because you can clip it on your vest...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WAD-KNOCKER-TRAP-SKEET-12-GAUGE-/130554523499

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Most reloaders will have one once in a while ...sometimes its a bad wad that lets the powder migrate up into the shot area of the shell ...or a no powder drop ...or any number of things. I reload - and I can't say I've never had one...but its been rare. Its also rare in factory ammo - but it does happen.

and no, its not ever safe to fire a 2nd shell in a blocked barrel ...( blocked by a wad or anything else )....
 
I had a buddy that constantly had squib loads. I made up a 416 Rigby with a deactivated primer, poured full of shot, and a Barnes 350X crimped in. Only problem was you needed a good belt.
 
Sorry guy's, oldage moment there. Thats one I gave to a buddy. Heres mine.
P1050441.jpg

465 Weatherby.
 
I've had failures with every major brand including Winchester AA, Federal Gold Medal and Kent Premium. I've witnessed a couple failures with Remington STS.

The worst was a lot of Winchester AA with either underpowered primers or contaimined powder that caused the wads to jam in the barrels so solidly they had to be pounded out. I followed up with Winchester who weren't very interested in hearing about their faulty ammo. :mad:
 
I had problems with W209 primers and called Winchester's ammo division. They passed the call off to someone and I went to their voicemail. No one ever returned my call.
 
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