[Shattered]

I don't intend to interfere with Copes ad, hence the separate post, but be advised that my buddy blew up his LWRC rifle with Independence 223/556 ammo and after investigation LWRC confirmed the ammo was at fault and fully warrantied the gun. I don't know the particulars of who paid what (LWRC or Independence), only that in the end my buddies gun was restored in full and was advised to not use that brand again.

 

[GWR1]

Youch! :firedevil: Hope everybody's Okay? Independence, huh? I know it wasn't the firearm!

Carry On!
Gary
><>

 

[SlugCatcher]

never attempted their 5.56 after the fouls up i had with their handgun ammo.

 

[avman]

Good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[brassmagnet]

Hmmm....that's interesting. I've put hundreds of rounds through my XDM40 using Independence ammo. So have my sons. Never heard anything bad about the stuff from any of them......

 

[barrelxchange]

Bought 1500 rds from Cabela's over the holidays, haven't tried it yet.

 

[GSG's_RedHeaded_StepChild]

What was wrong with the ammo? You obviously can't double charge 5.56. You can make them too hot but I don't think you can blow up a gun without another issue. Setback, squib, what?

 

[L999here]

....always possible...

Then there is the issue of an 'out-of-battery' situation. May not happen very often...but not unheard of. Almost any 'out-of-battery' fire....handgun,but especially rifle....will cause havoc. Most likely this occurs in a fouled weapon or a double feed in the action. Local guy here had an A4/M4 blow up with one of his own rounds. Did not get hurt...but blew the barrel up in the chamber area and destroyed the upper. He had fired several dozen rounds without indication of any problems and was not an over-loaded situation. Earlier statement is absolutely correct...you cannot double-load almost any rifle....especially a .223/5.56 round with a rifle powder. Now....it can happen if an incorrect powder...say,handgun powder...is used by accident. Have seen my share of problems with firing line accidents...usually by novice shooters.

 

[brassmagnet]

Hmmm....as I understand it this was current production commercial Independence ammo and not reloads. Am I missing something??

 

[rugman59]

I'll just bet it was a round fired over a squib. My first AR's upper got poofed out when my buddies GF was shooting it. I was well back from the line loading another mag with my back turned. When I heard a very slight 'pop', and didn't get spun around before she'd jacked another on top and ,,, BOOM! The 'pop' didn't register in my head quick enough what it was in time to do anything.
No personal injury, Thank GOD.
If my buddy had been the shooter, the palm of his hand would have been lunch meat. He always had a habit of holding the bottom of the mag instead of the fore end.
The bolt shattered, the remaining cartridges in the mag were FLATTENED, the ammo, follower and floor plate spewed out the bottom of the (now) puffed out mag walls.
The entire mating surface of the upper was then an easy 1/8" wider than the lower at the edge almost all the way around.
The only salvageable parts were little things like the sights, etc.
Not a good day.:jedicrying:

 

[Shattered]

I wasn't there, however the AR kaboomed. Upper and lower spread out and trashed. Mag gone, remaining rounds spewed around with many damaged, bent, flattened rounds. Could've gotten a golf ball wedged in the well.
I figured it was a squib round and he wasn't paying attention and just chambered up another round. Certainly caught his attention and alerted his "Spidey" sense. No damage to the kid, but after the gun came back he had a cleaning rod ready if it didn't sound right.

Could have become an expensive lesson. Kudos to LWRC for the warranty. Independence as well despite apparently being ultimately responsible.