2,000 Round Challenge

[1986s4]

I'm 350 rounds into my 3rd 2000 round challenge with my .38 super Colt. It seems once I realized I didn't need to clean my pistols that often these 2000 round counts just seem... Normal. So I had a pistol/carbine match this weekend and on the last shot of the last string of pistol fire on a stage the gun went poof rather than bang, I felt sharp impacts on my face [eyes protected by Smith Optics ballistic glasses]. There was smoke coming from the action and the slide partially out of battery. The pistol was frozen and had to be pounded open and stripped. Bits of brass fell out as it opened. Once the barrel was removed the blown case head was evident [trying to load picture]. It is a .38 super +P case. The case had to tapped out of the chamber. Not wanting to quit the competition I reassembled the pistol, checked it with different ammo and continued on.
I'll count this as a stoppage due to ammo. The pistol functioned 100% for the rest of the match so the test will continue as well. Some lube was lost during the clearing of the pistol which will not be replaced.

[TOTS]

Pistol: 2015 Colt Wiley Clapp
Caliber: .45 ACP
Ammunition: Vast majority of 230 gr Xtreme PRN over 4.2 gr Titegroup, 230gr Win Ranger T, (marginal number of unknown FMJ)
Dates of testing: Sept. 2015 to Nov 2017
Total rounds fired: 2,045+
Stoppages: 5 (2 counted against gun due to lubrication required)
Malfunctions: zero
Breakages: zero

Comments:
The pistol was purchased brand new in 2015. I had sold a Springfield Range Officer to fund it and had reloaded .45 to fit the RO. The Colt has a tighter chamber than the RO so ammo initially used for the test had too little crimp and caused (3) FT completely go into battery within the first 75 rnds. This was determined by chamber checking the offending rounds which wouldn’t fully seat. After the crimp was adjusted, all further ammo reliably fed and fired until 871. At this point, and almost a year later, all lube had evaporated and the slide action was noticably slowed. 871 caused a stoppage. I wasn’t shooting at the time, so, I cant stipulate what it was, but, after I added some oil, it functioned properly until approx 1500. At this point, the slide action was extremely slow and erratic, and again, competely dry and a round hit the feedramp on a reload from slidelock and wouldnt fully go into battery. As I had re-crimped all my .45 by this point, i lubed the rails and hood, reloaded the offending round and the gun fired until completion of the 2000+ rounds. Modifications included a Wilson Combat medium trigger, thumb safety, and thin LOK grips. Magazines are Colt (2), Kimber Kimpro (1), and Wilson 47 and 47Ds. Problems with this gun seem to happen when it gets dry. Not sure how the test would have gone if all 2000 were fired in a shorter period of time. This test happened over a period of two years as i dont shoot often. One FTRTB was not reported as ammo QC was unquestionably culpable, plating on bullet was shaved off and bunched up by brass, not allowing the round to chamber. No issues with any factory ammo or hollowpoints.

[03RN]

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2k rounds, 1 malfunction in the last 150. Done in the last month. Bought the gun used. Just added a wilson rear sight and g levers.

Mostly Winchester steel cased. 400 RDS zqi NATO, 50 HST, 50 gold dots.

Last 150 were shot in the dark

[MSparks909]

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2k rounds, 1 malfunction in the last 150. Done in the last month. Bought the gun used. Just added a wilson rear sight and g levers.

Mostly Winchester steel cased. 400 RDS zqi NATO, 50 HST, 50 gold dots.

Last 150 were shot in the dark

Winchester Forged? That stuff is notorious for causing malfunctions. If you only had one malfunction with that being the majority of ammo fired count yourself lucky. And that’s a damn good performance by your Beretta.

[03RN]

Winchester Forged? That stuff is notorious for causing malfunctions. If you only had one malfunction with that being the majority of ammo fired count yourself lucky. And that’s a damn good performance by your Beretta.

1 failure to extract after about 1k of it. 500 wolf/tula.

I like the stuff. I grab a few every time I'm in Walmart.

[MSparks909]

1 failure to extract after about 1k of it. 500 wolf/tula.

I like the stuff. I grab a few every time I'm in Walmart.

I don’t mind Wolf/Tula. I mostly shoot Wolf if I’m shooting steel cased though. I’ve had several malfunctions with the Winchester Forged ammo in my personal guns so I stopped buying it. Never had an issue with Wolf, even after not cleaning for several thousand rounds.

[Nephrology]

I don’t mind Wolf/Tula. I mostly shoot Wolf if I’m shooting steel cased though. I’ve had several malfunctions with the Winchester Forged ammo in my personal guns so I stopped buying it. Never had an issue with Wolf, even after not cleaning for several thousand rounds.

I find Tula to be of lower quality than wolf, which is about equal to brown bear. silver bear is a little nicer than either.

[1986s4]

Blown case head, .38 super auto. The case is marked .38 Super +P. Sure locked up the gun but fully functional after clearing.

[1986s4]

I should add to the above that the magazine follower was broken as a result of the blow out.

[Greg]

Have you heard the term "Super Face" before? 38 Supers blowing out and pelting the face isn't a new thing at all.

Glad you were OK! You can't reuse that brass very often.