I lost an HP-X years ago. A friend borrowed it and proceeded to air up his tires. He pumped furiously hard (i guess he was trying to impress us or something). He jerked the head around as he pumped, exerting significant force on the head and valve body. The pump was fatally damaged - the beer-can thick aluminum body was ripped at the rivets/swage (or whatever) where the head was attached. This sounds like the same thing. I have another & it's been fine but I am very careful.