Of course I feel stupid, thanks for asking!

[Raoul Duke]

Honestly guys (and gals) I am so embarrassed by this that if I didn't want your collective opinion of the state of my firearm, I don't really think I would admit this.

I did a jackass thing.

I popped a 9mm (Sig 226) magazine into my .40 (Sig 229) and fired a round. The result was the round went bang and left the chamber, while the case stove-piped during ejection. I immediately realized what happened, cleared the gun and then field striped it. I saw no obvious damage (the barrel had only 300 rounds down it prior). I then cleaned it and put it away for the rest of the afternoon.

Basically, I had my 226 in 9 and my 229 in 40 next to each other on the bench (Dumb) and I had filled magazines next to each other (dumber) and because the mags fit and look identical when on their sides, I didn't notice until I fired the round and heard the anemic pop.

So now I am wondering what, if any, damage I did with that shot?

 

[magneton44]

Better than a .40 thru the 9mm barrel.. Should be fine...

 

[FPrice]

At our local gun store yesterday one of the older regulars brought in his S&W Model 1911. He did something similar: he fired a .40S&W in his .45ACP gun. We all checked it out and could see no obvious damage.

It happens.

 

[strangenh]

Better than a .40 thru the 9mm barrel.. Should be fine...

Yeah, Agreed. Also, a .40 shouldn't chamber in the 9. It's interesting that the 9x19 round was positioned such that it could be fired. Not surprising it went into the chamber. Surprising that it was seated such that the firing pin strike could fire it.

Anyhow, like magneton44 says, the pistol should be fine.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Thanks Guys. Of course, that's what I wanted to hear!

And yes, better a 9 in a 40 than the other way around.

I believe I have learned my lesson about keeping loaded mags separate from different cals/firearms.

 

[Rockrivr1]

You must of got that aweful, sinking feeling as soon as you realized it. Like everyone else, I highly doubt you did any damage to it. I would just double check the rifling to see if you see anything weird, but as I said, I would doubt it. If you don't notice any accuracy issues the next time out you should be good to go.

 

[highlander]

Bet the case looked like a pilsner glass. I would think that or the case ruptured in any case no harm should have been done.

 

[depicts]

Uncle Duke, (you do read Doonesbury don't you? Uncle Duke is based on our hero)... I find that a bold swatch of color like fingernail polish on my mags makes it easier to keep similar guns out of this situation.

Glad you are ok. I'm pretty sure the gun will be too.

You're a brave man admitting that on this forum with all the comedians here!!!

Bill

 

[Len-2A Training]

Should be no harm. .40 ammo is higher pressure than 9mm, so the gun is built to withstand the higher pressures.

Learn from the lesson, with no cost (damages). BTDT

 

[Raoul Duke]

You must of got that aweful sinking feeling.

Yes. I certainly did.

Depicts, Of course I do! And, as you know, both myself and Mr. Trudeau culled the name from the same source.

Len, thanks for confirming the consensus. Perhaps it may be a cheap lesson learned afterall. I will definitely be eagle eyeing the accuracy next time I shoot it.

 

[tele_mark]

Don't feel bad. I did the same thing at the indoor range at Harvard at about 2 in the morning last winter. I was shooting my 1911 and while reloading a mag I dropped a round and it rolled under the shooting station. I reached under, grabbed the round, put it in the mag, cycled the slide and fired. I was incredulous that I missed the fresh target -- so much so that I actually walked down to look at it. I walked back and picked the gun up and fired again, this time nothing. I assumed a dud and cycled the slide, but the next round hit a round thatr failed to eject. I pried it out and realized the round I'd chambered was a .40 S&W that had also rolled under. The front half of it was now perfectly formed to the chamber, and the back half was still a .40 S&W. No harm done fortunately, but a lesson learned.

 

[PaiN]

hmm...will this work?

 

[Palladin]

I think you totally ruined it !
I'll give you $50 for it

 

[m44]

I think you totally ruined it !
I'll give you $50 for it

I will give you 100.00.

Honestly though glad you didn't get hurt and I'm also glad you didn't damage your gun.

 

[hminsky]

I went to the range with a friend, he was shooting a Browning 9mm, and I had box of .380 open on the bench, and he didn't realize I had a .380 with me, so he thought they were 9mm, and loaded some of them into his BDA. He fired one and it jammed on ejection, he tried again, before I realized he had put .380 into a 9mm.

Luckily nothing seemed damaged, but it was a wake-up moment

 

[Coyote33]

Makarov in a 9mm is not as good. The diameter of the bullet is a little bigger though the case is shorter. This could possibly result in a squib with potential safety issues. Also, 12 gauge and 20 gauge are a VERY dangerous combination, as you could drop in a 20 and then a 12 on top of it. MUST be mindful.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I will give you 100.00.

Honestly though glad you didn't get hurt and I'm also glad you didn't damage your gun.

$100? Sure, I'll put in the mail right away. You should head down to the mailbox and wait cause it will be there soon. Whatever you do, don't leave because you wouldn't want it to be "rreturned to sender."

 

[KilgoreTrout]

...I find that a bold swatch of color like fingernail polish on my mags makes it easier to keep similar guns out of this situation.
...

Good advice. I'm stealing this idea and adopting it as my own.

I invite friends to the range from time to time and get a case of the worries over this very issue. I tend to expect my novice friends to not pay attention and to not have a high regard for safety. So I watch them like a hawk, but it sure could be easy for the uninitiated to put the square peg in the round hole, so to say.

Plus I'd like to see my wife's face when I ask to borrow some fingernail paint.

 

[Mike-Mike]

I did it .40 in .45. not as bad as I thought it would be.

It happens

 

[paracarry]

I have never done that, but I don't have time to list some of the mistakes i made. live and learn. I only have one caliber on the bench at a time. makes it easier and less embarrassing if there are a lot of people around. It's always nice when you don't have any wounds to bandage after.

 

[FunYun]

I've done that before. Rented a 9mm 92FS but was given a .40 with a 9mm mag. Closed the slide, pulled the trigger and WTF? There was almost no recoil and it did not load the second round. When I looked at the case, it was blown out to the diameter of the barrel, no damage to the gun.

It would be hard to damage a .40 gun with a 9mm. There isn't enough barrel contact with the bullet to cause excessive pressure.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Don't feel stupid, but do learn to be more careful in the future.

I was shooting with Jim Conway one day up at Tyngsboro and talking while reloading 1911 mags. I grabbed .40S&W ammo (2 WWBs beside each other, one .40 and one .45 on the bench). It fired, belled/cracked the cases, and didn't eject quite right before I realized my mistake. Now I fully appreciate BR&P's range rule about only 1 gun and only one caliber ammo on the bench at a time.

 

[clinotus]

I find that a bold swatch of color like fingernail polish on my mags makes it easier to keep similar guns out of this situation.

I do the same. One color is for 40 only, another for 45 and so on. The wife has been generous with (though I secretly believe I have actually paid for) her nail polish.

I even do it for magazines of differing guns, those repetitive habits you build up over the years can save your life one day.

Glad to hear you are ok. I witnessed a .40 go off in a .45 HK once...full magazine. Interesting day to say the least.

 

[curlymaple42]

On my AR's, I mask off all the mag but the deep channel on the side and spray that channel with desert tan for all my 6.5Grendel mags. The .50Beowulf works just fine in the .223 mags, and trying to shoot a .223 in a .50B or vice versa is not really an issue! A .223 will slide out the barrel before you get to pull the trigger, and a .50B won't even come close to chambering in a .223 chambered gun! The 6.5G mags are different though, so I like to know where those are at a glance.

 

[Jake L]

Happens all the time at S&W Shooting Sport Center, 40's in 45's, 9's in 40's. People are always doing this.
This never is a problem the gun goes bang the fired case bulges sometimes will eject sometimes not. The guns are firing in battery so no real danger and the gun will be alright, something like this should not harm a gun.
It's a lot more dangerous when a Glock fires out of battery.