15 Sept 99
We are in the middle of a training program with a Midwest police department right now. Yesterday, and officer using a SIG P220 in 45ACP mistakenly mixed in a 40S&W round in one of his magazines. The 40S&W round “fired” (actually, it makes a “poof” sound), and the pistol immediately jammed up.
I had to pound out the stuck case with a range rod. It had ruptured, and the subsequent gas leak had actually bent the ejector assembly, taking the gun out of action. The pistol can be fixed, of course, but it was out of action for the rest of the day. The shooter was not injured.
Lesson: When there are a number of pistols of different calibers involved in the same range exercise, it is best to leave ammunition in the original boxes, rather than pour it all into a single container. In this case, several 40s got mixed in with a bowl of 45s.
/John
