Why Magnum primers?

[LR1955]

Thanks for clearing this up. I have seen one KB due to Head spacing issues, and another due to improper hand loads. Both were ugly, and they resembled a couple of the pictures just posted.

While I have not personally experienced or witnessed a confirmed a slam fire event, it just seems to me that by the very nature of the mechanics involved, the bolt would just about have to be in lockup before the SF would occur.

David

Dave:

Yes, the bolt locks up in slam fire. In the early days of using AR-15's in High Power and when shooting off hand, you would see some shooters load by putting the barrel on their shooting stool muzzle pointed down (through the stool and at the ground). They would rotate the rifle around so the ejection port faces them and drop a round down the chamber -- then let the bolt slam shut. He, he, he.

You know it. Bang -- right through the stool and into the ground. This was in the early days when guys didn't realize that AR's were sensitive to how hard the bolt slams shut and or didn't know about hard or thin primer cups. It was convenient because of the design of the AR-15 and it caused slam fires. Today you will still see guys drop the bullet in with the barrel on the shooting stool but they won't let the bolt go until the barrel is pointed down range and in most cases, at the target itself.

I have never seen a slam fire with a military M-16 or M-4 series using military ammo. Or a issued 1911 or M-9 firing issued ammo. I have seen squib loads with service ammo but it was extremely rare. I have seen M-4's give up the ghost and even an old Haskins 50 cal that had just been hydrofluxed and deemed 'safe' blow the barrel apart on the first round fired out of it.

LR1955