[miguel_p99]

Does anyone have experience explosive event (KB) in a P99, as is documented on the Glock:

http://www.thegunzone.com/glock/glock-kb-faq.html

In this article they mention other pistols, but anything about P99.

I'm curious abouts if this issue in P99 !!!

 

[Soybomb]

Any gun can kaboom. So far I've not seen any pictures of a KB'ed P99 but theres a whole lot more glocks out there than p99's. I don't think its really an issue for any gun. Thats clearly a hotly debated point though

Revolvers always look the coolest after a KB I think.

 

[toeball]

Any gun can KB as soybomb said, but the P99 has a significant advantage in not doing so over the Glock in that it has a fully supported chamber. As long as you stick with standard factory ammo you're safe. If you reload (I can't imagine why for a 9mm since ammo is under $0.11/round but could for a .40) be carefull of you charge and to avoid accidentally double charging a round.

 

[ShipWreck]

Yes, any guns can caboom - so far, ALMOST everyone I have ever seen or heard of was from the 40 cal bullet. I have seen a pic of one 45 ACP kaboom. Never seen a 9mm kaboom before.

 

[Hal8000]

Never heard of a P99 KB'ing... Nope, never!

 

[holycrikey]

I might be a bit biased myself, but I don't trust a single word that the guy from thegunzone.com says. I'm not even a Glock-fanatic, nor do I even own one, but his opinions and reports just seem absolutely off-base to show the minority of ka-booms. Not to mention, most KB's happen due to user error or to awful reloaded cartriges. Ask any knowledgable gun owner or gun store owner. They'll all agree that a KB is possible in ANY gun, given the right (or rather, wrong) circumstances.

Just feed your gun healthy, reliable ammo, and be careful if you reload. Your gun should probably outlive YOU.

 

[bwolff]

I have had a KB in my P99 in 40. Shooting at an IDPA match, using once reloaded brass, had a case head seperation. Was immediately aware as there was a flash from the ejection port and my hand stung a little. Case head seperation caused minor damage including: extractor and magazine.

I now only use factory 40 ammo that I visibly inspect and run through a case gauge.

The forty does not shoot IDPA any more that is reserved for my Interams P99 in 9mm.

Bob
Houston TX

 

[InfernoMDM]

Quote[/b] (holycrikey @ June 15 2006,6:44)]I might be a bit biased myself, but I don't trust a single word that the guy from thegunzone.com says. I'm not even a Glock-fanatic, nor do I even own one, but his opinions and reports just seem absolutely off-base to show the minority of ka-booms.

Just feed your gun healthy, reliable ammo, and be careful if you reload. Your gun should probably outlive YOU.

The problem with your comments are, they arent opinion, the guy documents every KB and makes the express points you did, about being careful when reloading.

However his documentation and points about the 40 cal and its dificencies are not based on opinion but scientific facts about the round itself. The reason I say scientific is because the issues seen can be repeated over and over. The big reason you probably wont see much talk is due to the large amount of money sunk into the caliber.

You can't fight evidence of factory ammo loaded properly blowing guns up, while he compares them to less frequent KB issues, not only in Glock but other guns.

You really should read his webist and all his foot notes in detail.

By the way it has been my experince gun shop owners experince vary greatly, along with intelligence. Ask people that say there "in the know" some gun myths and you will see how little education they really have.

 

[BreakerDave]

Quote[/b] (InfernoMDM @ June 19 2006,12:39)]The reason I say scientific is because the issues seen can be repeated over and over.

That's a bit of an over-statement. There are thousands of handguns chambered in .40 S&W with high round counts and you cannot reliably predict if or when a kB is going to happen (prematurely ending the gun's service life) if the gun is well-maintained and being fed regular jacketed factory ammo. The issues may be seen to occur with greater frequency when the users depart from what is recommended, but again there is no guarantee as to if or when the kB will occur unless someone is trying to cause a kB.

Quote[/b] (InfernoMDM @ June 19 2006,12:39)]The big reason you probably wont see much talk is due to the large amount of money sunk into the caliber.

While I'd definitely concede that the .40 S&W round runs at pressures very close to its design limitations, if the caliber was unable to perform reliably and safely it would be pulled from the market. A round that regularly blows up guns and injures users would be a legal liability that the gun and ammo makers could not afford. Litigation is costly (even if you win). Most large companies want to avoid legal entanglements that is why you see things that are clearly aimed at avoiding legal liability. Beretta, Ruger, and Walther have safety / warning stampings on the frames of their current production firearms advising users to read the manual. S&W, Taurus, and Springfield have begun to make use of integrated locks.

Dean Speir's stuff is interesting. He has some good information to share. In the case of kB's, Dean Speir has cited multiple factors. While a kB can occur with factory ammo, his own piece claims it mostly occurs with reloads (both home brew and commercially remanufactured). Where Glocks are concerned, his reports reveal tendencies, i.e. how Glocks (with their unsupported chambers) are more susceptible to damage when shooters use reloaded ammo with brass of an undetermined generation (where the metal has been fatigued so it cannot handle the charge). Again, he cites multiple factors so it is difficult to say that X is the definitive cause of kB's or that the design of the Glock and the .40 S&W round are defective. A fair read of his piece is that when several elements are combined there is an increased possibility of a kB. This does not mean a kB must happen, simply that it can.

 

[toeball]

I actually dug up my reloading manual and looked it up, both 9mm and .40 have a maximum working preasure of 35,000 psi. 9mm has lister +P loadings while .40 cannot safely be loaded in a +P configuration. The case volume is only marginally larger and the powder loads are pretty close (in fact most of the loading data overlaps).

 

[freddyboomboom]

Any gun can and will kaboom if treated incorrectly.

Here is a link to a KB of a Colt Anaconda, which is a very strongly and well made .44 Magnum revolver. Which has a fully supported chamber.

The issue as I see it, stems mainly from reloaded ammunition and unsupported chambers.

With reloaded ammunition, you should ALWAYS examine EVERY case for signs of stress.

You also need to be VERY carefull when reloading to not overcharge a cartridge, or seat a bullet too far, or crimp a cartridge that is not supposed to be crimped, or undercharge a cartridge so it causes a squib, or...

I don't use (or recommend) reloaded ammunition, even commercially reloaded ammunition, in any firearm with an unsupported chamber. Doing so is asking for a KB in my opinion.

I personally won't use reloaded ammunition that I wasn't involved in the reloading of. Your eyes and hands may be worth saving a few dollars on ammunition, but mine are more important to me.