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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Firethorn on August 31, 2009, 10:55:10 AM

Title: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Firethorn on August 31, 2009, 10:55:10 AM
A coworker of mine got a Taurus Judge - the .410/.45 handgun.

The problem is that he's CONVINCED that it's rated for  .44 Remington Magnum rounds.  I haven't found ANY Judge models that specify that(and I'm not suprised).  The casings he's fired have a nice vertical crack down one side.   :O

He's still convinced, but I'm like you need to read the documentation some more.

edit - I think he was talking about .44 Remington Magnum, I was getting the .44 and the .45 Long Colt mixed up.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Balog on August 31, 2009, 10:56:55 AM
.44 Colt? I'm not familiar with that round.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: lupinus on August 31, 2009, 11:03:48 AM
When he blows himself up please send my regards.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Balog on August 31, 2009, 11:05:12 AM
Oh, .44 mag? That young gentleman is a flaming idiot, and he's liable to git hisself hurt. Email Taurus, they'll back you up.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: GigaBuist on August 31, 2009, 11:12:36 AM
Sounds like this problem will eventually solve itself.  Hope he doesn't lose any important parts when the lesson comes down though.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: GigaBuist on August 31, 2009, 11:15:55 AM
I just went and grabbed my copy of Speer #13 to see what the operating pressures of the two cartridges are.

.45 Colt: 14,000psi
.44 Mag: 36,000psi

You could try sharing that information with him but it sounds like he doesn't much care for things like them complicated number dohickeys.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Firethorn on August 31, 2009, 11:18:56 AM
Oh, .44 mag? That young gentleman is a flaming idiot, and he's liable to git hisself hurt. Email Taurus, they'll back you up.

Not exactly a 'young' gentleman, he's got a few years on me.

GigaBuist - wouldn't the extra 'room' to expand help keep the pressure down?

Still, I think we should thank Taurus for making such a tough gun.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: HankB on August 31, 2009, 11:32:23 AM
Firing a .44 Mag in a .45 Colt / .410 chamber is going to lower pressures substantially, but send a 0.429" diameter bullet rattling down a bore that's 0.454" or so and accuracy may suffer.

I would not do this.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: vaskidmark on August 31, 2009, 11:53:05 AM
I call dibs on all theunfired .410 he leaves behind.  I can always wash off the gooey stuff. :O

stay safe.

skidmark
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Hawkmoon on August 31, 2009, 11:53:55 AM
The .44 Magnum (both the case and the bullet) is smaller in diameter than .45 Colt. The case is a loose fit in the chamber, so it's almost guaranteed to split when fired. How your friend thinks a .45 caliber weapon is "rated" to fire any .44 caliber ammunition is beyond comprehension.

The .44 Magnum case has an outside diameter of .456" at the case mouth.

The .45 Colt has an outside diameter of .480" at the case mouth.

Does he need any futher explanation for split cases?
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Gewehr98 on August 31, 2009, 11:54:43 AM
This thread is useless without pictures.

Including the ambulance photos...   =|
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: griz on August 31, 2009, 11:58:19 AM
My first thought was the same as Hawkmoon's, does he think split cases are normal?  How about the bullets hitting all over the place, is that his average accuracy anyway?
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: El Tejon on August 31, 2009, 12:08:19 PM
.44 Colt is an older round found in a lot of conversions.  SASS brought it back somewhat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Colt
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on August 31, 2009, 12:13:45 PM
Had a guy doing something similar at a range I volunteer at.

Couldn't find .45Colt to go plinking, so he just bought .44 magnum instead.  Hey, it's smaller, right?  And it fits... :O

Hits were all over the place downrange, and recoil was beating the guy up something fierce.  RSO goes over 'cuz he notices something is just "wrong," and sees the situation.  Removes the guy from the line with instructions to get his gun checked out by a smith and never shoot wrong ammo in his gun again.

It blew my mind when I heard this story.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: RoadKingLarry on August 31, 2009, 12:24:45 PM
Y'all know what the difference between genius and stupidity is?


Genius has limits.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: charby on August 31, 2009, 12:32:14 PM
Sounds like someone is celebrating the 150 year anniversary of "On the Origin of Species" (http://darwin-online.org.uk/2009.html)
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: lee n. field on August 31, 2009, 12:59:31 PM
Quote
GigaBuist - wouldn't the extra 'room' to expand help keep the pressure down

Don't count on it.  Non-intuitive things (tending to the catastrophic) happen when you push the envelope in reloading.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: AJ Dual on August 31, 2009, 01:01:25 PM
He really just ought to stuff two .22's in there instead. Much cheaper...
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: MicroBalrog on August 31, 2009, 01:43:09 PM
He really just ought to stuff two .22's in there instead. Much cheaper...

I am sure someone, somewhere, had already tried this.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Firethorn on August 31, 2009, 02:10:42 PM
My first thought was the same as Hawkmoon's, does he think split cases are normal?  How about the bullets hitting all over the place, is that his average accuracy anyway?

1.  He thought he had a bad lot of ammo.  Came over asking me if Hornady was a good ammo company...
2.  Didn't see him shooting; don't know how the accuracy was.
It's a brand new gun - I was initially thinking maybe the gun was drilled wrong(Not having a judge myself, it took a bit of research to remember that it takes .45LC, not .44).  Guy's normally pretty smart, I took him at his word at first.  Did I mention that I think Taurus should be thanked for building such a tough gun?

On the injury aspect - no injuries yet.  He did mention that it kicks good.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Viking on August 31, 2009, 03:58:11 PM
I am sure someone, somewhere, had already tried this.
I read a story on THR IIRC, about a guy who had a wee problem with his Glock. The rounds were FALLING out of the barrel. Turns out he had a Glock 22, and had stuffed the mag full of - you guessed it: .22 LR...

Read another story years ago about some guy who managed to blow up a revolver pretty bad. Must've been something like perhaps a .45LC or somesuch, he'd loaded it with .44 Magnum rounds, putting a layer of TAPE around them to make them rattle less in the chamber. Top strap blew clean off the gun :O.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: MechAg94 on August 31, 2009, 04:23:11 PM
How can you even get .22 L.R. ammo to fit in a Glock 22 mag?  That surprises me.  I guess it didn't occur to them that the rounds are suppose to fit in the barrel.

I guess we should never underestimate the power of shop talk and rumors and how much people can believe them. 
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: Viking on August 31, 2009, 04:28:59 PM
How can you even get .22 L.R. ammo to fit in a Glock 22 mag?  That surprises me.  I guess it didn't occur to them that the rounds are suppose to fit in the barrel.

I guess we should never underestimate the power of shop talk and rumors and how much people can believe them. 
I have absolutely no idea. Then, I guess that stupid people will find a way.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: CNYCacher on August 31, 2009, 04:31:33 PM
Is it not true that the pressure inside the casing causes the casing to stick to the chamber walls until the pressure is released?
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: seeker_two on August 31, 2009, 05:00:33 PM
How can you even get .22 L.R. ammo to fit in a Glock 22 mag?  That surprises me.  I guess it didn't occur to them that the rounds are suppose to fit in the barrel.

I guess we should never underestimate the power of shop talk and rumors and how much people can believe them. 

Sounds like he owned a Glock .22lr conversion unit and used the .22lr mag without the conversion slide on top....

I can just imagine the look on  his face when he pulled the trigger and a whole .22lr cartridge shot out of that .40 barrel....  :laugh:
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: brimic on August 31, 2009, 10:38:14 PM
Quote
The problem is that he's CONVINCED that it's rated for  .44 Remington Magnum rounds.

An education is never free, it will always cost a person something.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: seeker_two on August 31, 2009, 11:03:17 PM
An education is never free, it will always cost a person something.

...but if he dies, he won't learn anything....  =|
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: RaspberrySurprise on August 31, 2009, 11:42:03 PM
...but if he dies, he won't learn anything....  =|

No but other people will.
Title: Re: Coworker got a Judge - split casings...
Post by: TMM on September 01, 2009, 09:12:40 AM
No but other people will.

for however many people that have blown up thier guns for being an idiot, there'll still be people that think they're the exception. or just those that haven't seen the result (or cause) of a kaboom...

tmm