Previous Post
Next Post

This video shows the aftermath of some faulty Wolf ammunition. A Mossberg 930 SPX was running Wolf slugs when one of the rounds squibbed. A “squib” is when the primer goes off but not the full charge and propels the projectile into the barrel but not out the muzzle, meaning the barrel is obstructed. The shooter did the usual malfunction drill and racked a new slug into the chamber, then fired. The pressure caused by the two projectiles in the barrel made the barrel rupture and split open. Wolf ammunition has since offered to refund the shooter for the ammo as well as pay for the repairs to the shotgun, but I don’t think I would ever trust a gun that has been fixed after an accident like that.

Moral of the story: If your gun goes “click,” check the cartridge to ensure it’s not a squib.

[h/t: TermsOfContradiction]

Previous Post
Next Post

19 COMMENTS

  1. I think the “Wolf Ammo to Blame” portion of the title is misleading – Wolf ammo is well-made and the fact that they’re replacing/repairing the Mossy for free is a testament to their excellent customer service and business model. I’ve had squibs, misfires, blown-out casings, and COL issues with almost EVERY major brand of ammo, including domestic, brass-cased, factory-fresh boxes. Shooters need to recognize a misfire/squib just as much as they need to recognize when a gun goes to slide-lock.

  2. Considering any repair to that shotgun would involve a new barrel, I’d have no problem using it afterward.

    While one could argue that Wolf had a QA failure and should do something to address it (and they are, in this case), the ultimate responsibility is with the shooter. If you can’t tell the difference between a properly charged round going off and something so light as to leave lead in the barrel, it doesn’t matter who loads your rounds, something like this will happen sooner or later.

    • I would. The entire gun is ripped apart. The tube underneath has to be affected as well just by looking at the tear in the foregrip. I would want a brand new gun.

        • No, I agree. But the tube in this gun is right under the barrel and the damage appears to go right on through the grip. That leads me to believe the tube is damaged as well. I would want it replaced completely. It looks pretty bad. 😉

  3. The shooter did the usual malfunction drill and racked a new slug into the chamber, then fired.

    The usual malfunction drill involves checking for obstructions, no?

    • I would also think that most squib malfunctions would be accompanied by some level of ‘bang’, not ‘click’.

      Other than lack of hole on paper or non-exploding citrus… might be hard to tell it’s time to check for obstructions.

      I could be mistaken. Happened before.

      • Sometimes there is a pop too. It is hard to tell. But the barrel is always easy to check. Taking apart this shotgun is a joke and can be done in the field in a matter of minutes. There was no reason not to check the barrel.

    • Absolutely. Anytime you hear or feel anything other than a normal round, you stop, empty the magazine, clear the chamber and check the bore.

  4. I had a squib at my last match. Thank god the RO called cease-fire. I had just started the malfunction drill. I’d like to think I would have stopped. But maybe not.

    • Squibs are scary because they’re sneaky, but it takes a second round to do the damage. Hangfires are deadly because they’re even sneakier, and only one round is required.

  5. Moral of the story: If your gun goes “click,” check the cartridge to ensure it’s not a squib.

    Well, be very careful there. If there’s just a click, you may have had an FTF (a dud round or a light strike may have occurred). But, it could also be a hangfire — a delayed fire. If it’s a hangfire, checking the cartridge right away can get you shot.

    Rule of thumb — if anything other than the accustomed BOOM happens when the trigger is pulled, keep the gun pointed downrange in a safe direction for a while BEFORE checking anything. Squibs are uncommon with factory loads, but they do happen. Hangfires are more uncommon but anyone who gets in the way of one will be in a world of hurt.

  6. “The shooter did the usual malfunction drill and racked a new slug into the chamber, then fired..”

    There is no “usual malfunction drill” for a squib…. other than transitioning to your sidearm. Otherwise, you are just out of commission until you can visually see daylight through the barrel. That almost always involves disassembling the weapon. I’ve seen three guns get totalled this way

  7. I’ve had three squibs, all with handguns, and by a combination of caution and (once) pure luck nothing was damaged and nobody was hurt. They’re scary shit though, especially when they go bang and give you some recoil.

  8. I haven’t used wolf ammo before….but all of my ammo is Russian (had Yugo for a while too). Haven’t had any problems before. Fired my friend’s K31 with Serbian ammo too without a single problem

    • I shoot a ton of Russky ammo — Wolf, Tula, Brown and Silver Bear, corrosive milsurp Cold War sh!t — with nary a problem. It’s cheap, accurate, dirty stuff that goes bang.

  9. I had a squib with a commercial reload in a Vaquero 44 Magnum-being a single action,it was not hard to realize what happened,plus it jammed the cylinder and I couldn’t have fired another round anyway.
    It was fixed by a gunsmith with no problem.
    I still use the same reloads and never another problem.
    +1 on NEVER “looking down the barrel”in a misfire incident.
    I saw a WEIRD occurence at a range once-the round(Fiocchi 38 Special) was stuck partway out the muzzle.I have no idea what happened there.The shooter couldn’t remove it himself.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here