.44 magnum went off at the gun show

[Hkindiana]

I was at a gun show today, and a .44 magnum went off a few feet away. However, it was not a handgun, but instead JUST a loaded round. A guy dropped a small bag of .44 magnum reloaded ammo, and one of the rounds detonated. Has anyone else ever seen this happen? I would think it would be more likely to happen with rifle rounds where one of the “pointy” projectiles might strike a primer, but not with round nose handgun ammo

 

[Gabriel]

I've never seen it happen myself, but all it takes is just the right hit on the primer to ignite it. I could see it happeneing if the rim of another case hit it just right when the bag was dropped. Luckily rounds don't act like they do when they're chambered and just kind of come apart with a small explosion.

 

[Hkindiana]

I've never seen it happen myself, but all it takes is just the right hit on the primer to ignite it. I could see it happeneing if the rim of another case hit it just right when the bag was dropped. Luckily rounds don't act like they do when they're chambered and just kind of come apart with a small explosion.

In the confines of the gun show, and the close proximity to me, it sounded like a LARGE explosion. A big hunk of brass lodged itself in a table cover. I was at the Tulsa gun show last weekend and an AR15 discharged. That show is so big, and I was so far away, that it sounded like a cap gun to me. Apparently the dealer who placed the loaded rifle on his table was taken away in handcuffs.

 

[Cameramonkey]

In the confines of the gun show, and the close proximity to me, it sounded like a LARGE explosion. A big hunk of brass lodged itself in a table cover. I was at the Tulsa gun show last weekend and an AR15 discharged. That show is so big, and I was so far away, that it sounded like a cap gun to me. Apparently the dealer who placed the loaded rifle on his table was taken away in handcuffs.

First Good.

Second, remind me never to go to a gun show with you. Two shows and two NDs? Yikes, chaos follows you, my friend.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

First Good.

Second, remind me never to go to a gun show with you. Two shows and two NDs? Yikes, chaos follows you, my friend.

I've witnessed DOZENS of them over the years. Two in one day at the 1500 once.

 

[nonobaddog]

I've never seen it happen myself, but all it takes is just the right hit on the primer to ignite it. I could see it happeneing if the rim of another case hit it just right when the bag was dropped. Luckily rounds don't act like they do when they're chambered and just kind of come apart with a small explosion.

I've never seen it happen with centerfire cartridges but when I was a kid my Dad had a bunch of 32 rimfire rounds and no gun to shoot them in. So I would take some down to a paved area down by the lake and throw a round up in the air so it landed on the pavement and I would duck behind a stone wall. About one out of four times it would go off. Sometimes you could hear the brass whistling as it went flying off.

I would also drill a hole in a piece of oak in the wood pile and stick a round in the hole and peek out from around a tree and shoot at it from about 15 feet with a BB gun. Once in a while I would hit it right and make it fire - that brass came back very fast and would hit the side of an outbuilding about 20 feet behind me. Fortunately I never managed to get hit by it myself.

 

[2tonic]

Reloaded ammo?
Perhaps a protruding primer hit square on the floor, or hit another case rim.

 

[snapping turtle]

My reloading friend with a Dillon 650 had federal primers go off in the primer tube.

I have seen a few ND ‘s at gun shows also.

 

[Trapper Jim]

I've witnessed DOZENS of them over the years. Two in one day at the 1500 once.

Recipe for Danger

Take one enclosed room, fill with casual gun owners and wait.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I would immediately suspect a primer that was above flush. Buying someone else's reloads is like buying reverse lottery tickets.

 

[ditcherman]

How many people bidened themselves?
How many people are discovered to have actually carried in a loaded gun when they all draw?

 

[NHT3]

When working for PSS at the 1500 I witnessed a couple, both vendor induced NDs... Fortunately no serious injuries. That experience coupled with working RSO at SPB has made me VERY sensitive to having any firearm pointed in my direction.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

First Good.

Second, remind me never to go to a gun show with you. Two shows and two NDs? Yikes, chaos follows you, my friend.

 

[jerrob]

At least a gun show ND would offer enough entertainment to take some of the sting out of the wallet rape encountered upon entrance.

 

[BugI02]

Not so much. A couple of years ago at an OGCA show, a vendor took out his personal weapon (which show rules required be unloaded and chamber tied, but was never presented) to show an interested customer, dropped the mag but did not clear the weapon, and for whatever reason had the muzzle against his weak hand when he pulled the trigger. It was just a 380, but it blew his thumb up into the rafters

Entertainment value, zero

 

[jerrob]

Not so much. A couple of years ago at an OGCA show, a vendor took out his personal weapon (which show rules required be unloaded and chamber tied, but was never presented) to show an interested customer, dropped the mag but did not clear the weapon, and for whatever reason had the muzzle against his weak hand when he pulled the trigger. It was just a 380, but it blew his thumb up into the rafters

Entertainment value, zero

I respectfully disagree with your last sentence.
An irresponsible gun owner is now one step closer to knowing what many others now know......................he's too irresponsible to have a firearm, and he has 9 digits to prove it.

 

[sharpetop]

This thread reminds me of why I'm hesitant about going to gun shows. Too many irresponsible people handling **** that could kill you!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I respectfully disagree with your last sentence.
An irresponsible gun owner is now one step closer to knowing what many others now know......................he's too irresponsible to have a firearm, and he has 9 digits to prove it.

"I can give you 10 good reasons not to point a gun at your hand! *bang* Okay, I can give you NINE good reasons not to point your gun at your hand!"

 

[Michigan Slim]

I've seen what the OP describes. Factory ammo in a Ziploc bag. Dropped on grass, actually. A rim set off another round. They were .38's.

 

[nonobaddog]

There used to be a video of a guy at a range that had a round go off in his pocket or bag on his side. I didn't find it right away so stopped looking.