Possible KABOOM avoided

[brotherdarrell]

I am going to the range in the morning to shoot my troubled 7x57 so I went to load some experiments. I got my brass primed, lined up the boolits and proceeded to dump the last of my 2400 in the Lee powder measure after making sure it was empty. I cycled the handle a couple of times, and dumping back into the hopper, to get powder flowing and then started checking weights. After about the 6th pull I noticed the powder flow slow down. My first thought was that I forgot to turn the hopper to open it up, so I turned the hopper and the flow immediately increased. I pulled the handle twice more and alarm bells starting going off in my head, but I was'nt sure why so I just stopped and had a HUH?? moment. As I started trying to wrap my pea brain around the alarm bells a 2 watt bulb started glowing above my head. I then asked my self

"Self, if the hopper was closed why was powder coming out?"

I answered - "because there was already powder in the rotor when I added the 2400"?

Self responded - " NO DUH"!!!!![smilie=b:

I then asked - "What powder was in the rotor"?

Self - "How am I supposed to know, I was in Albaquerque last week"?

Me - "HUH"?

After much thought I determined the last powder that was in the hopper was - GULP!!! - h380. Upon close inspection of the powder in the hopper I could just make out some little tiny balls of powder amongst my 2400. I consider myself a fairly curious sort, but I have no desire to find out what 16 gr. of 2400 with a little bit of h380 would do under a 150 gr boolit out of a 7x57 so it is now in the dirt out front.

The bad news - I am very much a creature of habit, and tend to do things exactly the same way, every time. Apparently something broke down the last time because I ALWAYS empty my hopper and clear any powder out of the rotor after loading. This time I did'nt.

The good news - I am very much a creature of habit, and when something went different my pea brain recognized it before I did and it shut me down until I could figure it out. Thank you Lord.

Be safe guys

brotherdarrell

[Gtek]

The one thing we cannot buy is experience, we usually pay for it! I am glad that (can we call him George?) said think man. Glad you caught it. Gtek

[williamwaco]

I am going to the range in the morning to shoot my troubled 7x57 so I went to load some experiments. I got my brass primed, lined up the boolits and proceeded to dump the last of my 2400 in the Lee powder measure after making sure it was empty. I cycled the handle a couple of times, and dumping back into the hopper, to get powder flowing and then started checking weights. After about the 6th pull I noticed the powder flow slow down. My first thought was that I forgot to turn the hopper to open it up, so I turned the hopper and the flow immediately increased. I pulled the handle twice more and alarm bells starting going off in my head, but I was'nt sure why so I just stopped and had a HUH?? moment. As I started trying to wrap my pea brain around the alarm bells a 2 watt bulb started glowing above my head. I then asked my self

"Self, if the hopper was closed why was powder coming out?"

I answered - "because there was already powder in the rotor when I added the 2400"?

Self responded - " NO DUH"!!!!![smilie=b:

I then asked - "What powder was in the rotor"?

Self - "How am I supposed to know, I was in Albaquerque last week"?

Me - "HUH"?

After much thought I determined the last powder that was in the hopper was - GULP!!! - h380. Upon close inspection of the powder in the hopper I could just make out some little tiny balls of powder amongst my 2400. I consider myself a fairly curious sort, but I have no desire to find out what 16 gr. of 2400 with a little bit of h380 would do under a 150 gr boolit out of a 7x57 so it is now in the dirt out front.

The bad news - I am very much a creature of habit, and tend to do things exactly the same way, every time. Apparently something broke down the last time because I ALWAYS empty my hopper and clear any powder out of the rotor after loading. This time I did'nt.

The good news - I am very much a creature of habit, and when something went different my pea brain recognized it before I did and it shut me down until I could figure it out. Thank you Lord.

Be safe guys

brotherdarrell

Darrell,

I always do that too. But occasionally I forget.

There is a good lesson here: ALWAYS check again.

NOBODY, ALWAYS, does anything. EVERYONE gets distracted or forgets something occasionally.

File that one away in long term memory. And pass it along to every newcomer you tutor.


.

[brotherdarrell]

The one thing we cannot buy is experience, we usually pay for it! I am glad that (can we call him George?) said think man. Glad you caught it. Gtek

So you are saying my father, George, reached out to me from the grave? Hmm?

brotherdarrell

[uscra112]

Good reason to pull those hopper plates right out. The one in my RCBS would never let me empty the whole hopper without a lot of hassle. I eventually made a new aluminum hopper for it with no plate. Controlling the "head" in the hopper means nothing to me, since I weigh every charge.

[runfiverun]

i have a label on all of my powder dumps with what's in them and how much it is dropping.
i started this when i had to leave during a reloading session and couldn't remember whether i had aa-1680 or aa-2230 in the hopper when i got back in there a week or so later.

[kir_kenix]

i have a label on all of my powder dumps with what's in them and how much it is dropping.
i started this when i had to leave during a reloading session and couldn't remember whether i had aa-1680 or aa-2230 in the hopper when i got back in there a week or so later.

I do the same thing. Piece of blue painter's tape and a sharpie....saved my rear several times I'm sure.

[captaint]

I always leave the powder being used - the can - on the bench. It's the only one on the bench. I often leave powder in my Uniflow hopper. As we know, variations in loading habits will bite ones butt. When I ask myself "what powder is that in the hopper ? " all I have to do is look over to the right to see what can is there. No variations in procedures is my goal. So far, so good. Mike

[jonk]

I blew up a gun with that very problem... a little of another batch of powder was still hidden down in the hopper. Good catch!

[Reloader06]

Good catch BD. I don't leave powder in any despenser. I want everything as spic and span as possible in my "lab". I clean out the dispenser with a small paint brush and sometimes a shot of canned air. Perfect, NO. Just my habit. Glad you caught it and are safe.

Matt

[ukrifleman]

I always write on a piece of masking tape what powder and charge weight my powder measure last used with the date and fix it to the hopper before I put it away.
ukrifleman.

[brotherdarrell]

Where I erred was in not emptying out the rotor after removing the hopper and dumping the powder back in the powder jar. This is one area that convenience is not always a good thing. Having emptied the hopper, the powder I was using previously was back on the shelf. Normal procedure is to set the powder being used on the bench next the powder measure so there is no doubt what is in the hopper. Next step is to rotate the hopper when done, empty the rotor and put back in hopper and then remove hopper and transfer powder back to original container. May have to rethink this procedure.

brotherdarrell

[zuke]

I take my LEE powder thrower down every time so I know it's cleaned out.

[303Guy]

I used to leave the powder in the hopper. Then I decided it wise to empty it. Anyway, after a break I still have trouble figuring out where I left off and go through a lot of trouble putting things back into order (in my mind as well as on my bench). Both my hoppers empty just fine. I have taken on the habit of possessing only one of each type/appearance powder. I have two ball powders, W748 and Lil'Gun but those do look different. I don't mind getting W748 into my hornet but not the other way round!

Having two powder measures is actually a safety problem because, being absent minded. I've caught myself dumping powder back into the wrong measure! I'm working on that problem. I now 'lock out' the measure not in use.

[hydraulic]

At 75 yrs. old, I quit using my powder measures altogether. Caught myself making too many mistakes. Now I weigh each charge, insert a case into an upside down funnel, turn it over and dump the charge and immedieately seat the bullet. Dont' want to leave a widow; there's too many good looking guys around just looking for a chance to get my guns.

[zuke]

I load in batch's of 20 or so, so I charge them all and then get a small LED flashlight and make sure their all about the same level.