I was out shooting my .22LR pistols on my lunch hour as I usually do.  Today, I was shooting 25 yard slow fire.  On my 19th round as I pulled the trigger I noticed a puff of gas around the breach about the size of a volleyball and two things being ejected.  The pistol loaded the last round into the chamber, but there was something sticking out the side of the pistol.  Closer inspection revealed the extractor and extractor plunger was missing and the extractor spring was captured between the slide and the breach face (partly sticking out).  No injury to me.  I just have a line on my trigger finger where the oil from the slide "rails" was blown onto it.

I spend about 10 minutes looking for the case and extractor with no success.  I would have liked some suporting evidence.  The only other evidence I found was the chambered round was covered on its top surface with soot (covered while still in the magazine).

I suspect the case head let go in the vicinity of the extractor and blew it away.

I have had this happen once before with a .22 rifle but since it was a lever action it was contained much better.  There was no mechanical damage in this incident.

Always wear those safety glasses!!!

Kent

What make and model of handgun, and what brand and type of ammo?

Quoted: What make and model of handgun, and what brand and type of ammo?

Whoops!!!  The ESP conection is down today .

Browning Buckmark, standard, blued 5.5" barrel. W/ somewhere in the neighborhood of 25K rounds through it.

Remington Golden Bullet bulk pack.  I've shot about 5000 rounds of this in the last two years w/o any troubles other than about 2%-3% failing to light on the first strike and maybe 0.5%-1% not lighting after 3-4 stikes.

Kent