Springfield Armory XDM explodes at the range

[Omar B]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/12/18/springfield-xdm-kaboom/
http://www.carolinashootersforum.com/showthread.php?t=64234

Now I'm scared. My bud James just recently convinced me of the quality of this company ... I gotta say this scares the hell out of me for polymers.

 

[Carol]

Yeeesh. Glad the shooter is OK.

Treat your gun and ammo (and the decisions associated with them) as if your life depended upon it, and you stand the best chance of not having any unwanted issues.

Personally I wouldn't decide against a poly strictly because of this, but that's just me. If you make a decision, its you're sidearm and your needs.

 

[J Ellis]

I've had the original HS2000 version of this handgun since before Springfield bought it. I've never had a problem with it. In fact, it's my favorite handgun.

Good thing it happened at the range and not under fire.

Joel

 

[Deaf Smith]

Looks like it was .40 S&W ammo. Now that's real high pressure ammo and it has given problems with most makes of guns when the brass is a bit weak or the chamber area not well supported.

That includes Glocks, Smiths, Sigs, Colts, Rugers, etc...

If the bullet is pushed back for any reason into the case (like a steep feeding ramp) it can send pressures up through the roof and Kabooms happen.

And that is why with my .40s I stay with 165 or less weight of bullets, so the slugs can backset a bit and still not raise the pressures much. Most of the kabooms happen with 180s. Hint hint...

Deaf

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Springfield Armory's 1911's are at least still American made.

The XD pistol was and still is Croatian( Take a look, it even says so on the grip in the photo)

I'll let you do the math.

You want a poly, go with either Glock or a S&W M&P. The Glock is Austrian, true, but it's design has held up quite well over 25 years.

The Smith, Well it's only been out on the market for 4-odd years, but it's at least American made, has had a few years to work the bugs out, I have no concerns with it's polymer frame ( as of this year there's a .357 Sig model out--if it can handle .357 sig , it's plenty sturdy enough for .40) it has an ambidextrous slide stop, it's mag release can be swapped out by the user to be either right or left handed, it can be had with or without a thumb safety, it can be had with or without a mag disconnect, in all free states the mag capacity for each caliber in the fullsize models is the same as Glock, it's hands down far away better than Smith's early Sigma series, and as far as all the "vs. Glock" comparisons, as far as handling and ergonomics it doesn't "compare" with the Glock--it kicks its *** hands down for me. YMMV

 

[sgtmac_46]

Springfield Armory's 1911's are at least still American made.

The XD pistol was and still is Croatian( Take a look, it even says so on the grip in the photo)

I'll let you do the math.

You want a poly, go with either Glock or a S&W M&P. The Glock is Austrian, true, but it's design has held up quite well over 25 years.

The Smith, Well it's only been out on the market for 4-odd years, but it's at least American made, has had a few years to work the bugs out, I have no concerns with it's polymer frame ( as of this year there's a .357 Sig model out--if it can handle .357 sig , it's plenty sturdy enough for .40) it has an ambidextrous slide stop, it's mag release can be swapped out by the user to be either right or left handed, it can be had with or without a thumb safety, it can be had with or without a mag disconnect, in all free states the mag capacity for each caliber in the fullsize models is the same as Glock, it's hands down far away better than Smith's early Sigma series, and as far as all the "vs. Glock" comparisons, as far as handling and ergonomics it doesn't "compare" with the Glock--it kicks its *** hands down for me. YMMV

Austrian, German or Swiss is a good thing.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Austrian, German or Swiss is a good thing.

But apparently not Croatian.

 

[KenpoTex]

But apparently not Croatian.

What do you expect from the same part of the world that gave us the Yugo?

 

[Grenadier]

Bad ammo can do this to any gun, regardless of whether the frame were made of polymer or steel. A double charge of powder will ruin anyone's day.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Looks like it was .40 S&W ammo. Now that's real high pressure ammo and it has given problems with most makes of guns when the brass is a bit weak or the chamber area not well supported.

That includes Glocks, Smiths, Sigs, Colts, Rugers, etc...

If the bullet is pushed back for any reason into the case (like a steep feeding ramp) it can send pressures up through the roof and Kabooms happen.

And that is why with my .40s I stay with 165 or less weight of bullets, so the slugs can backset a bit and still not raise the pressures much. Most of the kabooms happen with 180s. Hint hint...

Deaf

Deaf,

I would have to agree as the KB I had in my hands was a 0.40 High Pressure load.

Thanks for the extra data point(s).

 

[sgtmac_46]

But apparently not Croatian.

Apparently not so much........of course, in fairness as has been pointed out, this can happen to all kinds of guns, even top-end quality guns, where high-pressure ammunition is involved.

Back in the 1980's the first batches of Beretta M9's had microscopic barrel fractures that made them prone to catastrophic failure......they've since been fixed, but problems can drift in to even the highest quality manufacturing process, especially on new models being put in to mass production.

A few years back I heard about a pair of GLOCK 21's (.45 ACP's) catastrophically malfunctioning......which is kind of strange, considering that the .45 is a relatively low-pressure round, and if one were going to see such a malfunction, one would expect it in a GLOCK chambered for .40........but crap happens, sometimes.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Bottomline: What did we all learn from this? That's right.

BACKUPS.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Bottomline: What did we all learn from this? That's right.

BACKUPS.

I learned I could have a KB in my hand, and place it back on the surface in front of me calmly and then beginthe inspection process even while in shock.

Back up is always a good thing.

 

[Grenadier]

A few years back I heard about a pair of GLOCK 21's (.45 ACP's) catastrophically malfunctioning......which is kind of strange, considering that the .45 is a relatively low-pressure round

Are you referring to the Thunder Ranch incident? That was the ammunition's fault, where the "American Ammunition" with the awful A-MERC headstamp was used.

I really, really despise that brass, since they use an inferior alloy that develops bulges during the seating and crimping process. The only way I've ever been able to get a cartridge loaded with A-MERC brass to fit into my case gauge, is to run it through a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die, after the cartridge had already been completed.

 

[sgtmac_46]

Are you referring to the Thunder Ranch incident? That was the ammunition's fault, where the "American Ammunition" with the awful A-MERC headstamp was used.

I really, really despise that brass, since they use an inferior alloy that develops bulges during the seating and crimping process. The only way I've ever been able to get a cartridge loaded with A-MERC brass to fit into my case gauge, is to run it through a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die, after the cartridge had already been completed.

Yeah, it may have been Thunder Ranch.....i've been raking my brain trying to remember where, and you may be right.

It's good to know that the problem was traced to the ammunition.

 

[Skpotamus]

Springfield Armory 1911's have always been made by IMBEL in Brazil (south america). The only thing US made with SA's name on it is the M1A's. They are allowed to take an 80% finished frame and slide from IMBEL and finish it in the US and call it an american manufacture, but it's still all coming from south america.

Don't let one kaboom freak you out. They happen in EVERY type and manufacturer of gun from time to time. I'd have to say that I've yet to see one that wasn't caused by bad ammo (almost all of which were reloaders not paying attention to their presses) or one or two HORRIBLE companies.

Here are a bunch of revolvers and a lever action that blew.
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/blowups.htm

I personally saw a Kimber blow at a USPSA match. Guy tries to blame the powder company for him messing up, squibbing one cartridge and double charging another.

Stick to good factory ammo (google search for crappy ammo companies is your friend), adhere to good reloading practices and if you feel a round was kind of weak, empty the gun manually and check your barrel for squibs. Stick to those rules, you'll be fine.