the bad news...Squiob... the good news??

[s1120]

Well I got my first squib load this weekend. the good news is I caught it... the bad news is it happened.. Good... I stepped back, and looked over my procedures to see how it could have happened, and figured it out. I was trying a new bullet, and as I was setting it all up, I must of grabbed a case that I did not have filled.. Bad... it still happanded... Good... I got a chance to slug my barrel :) ...

[Wayne Smith]

Yup, if it hasn't happened you haven't been loading that long or you have a Dx of OCD!

[s1120]

Yup, if it hasn't happened you haven't been loading that long or you have a Dx of OCD!

Ive been loading for a number of years, but always in real small batches. I started loading 45acp, and have jumped up to loading big batches, so it has changed my way of doing things a bit. Any mistake you learn from, and no one gets hurt is not all that bad!!

[kidmma]

I spilled a charged case one time. 44spl using Unique at about 7 gr. I dumped it out and went back to the powder measure and threw another charge. I didn't look into the case but the measure must have bridged up and dumped only a partial charge. While firing them off we all heard a POP and watched the bullet fly to the target.

[runfiverun]

as part of some testing recently we have been loading ammo with no powder and popping the primers behind them.
I got a bunch of slugs for the first 1/4-1/2" of many of my barrels.

[OS OK]

My first and so far only squib load shook my confidence to the core. I did it on the LNL automatic not long after I got it and couldn't figure the exact scenario that caused it. Since then I installed the RCBS powder lockout die that actually stops the press and twice more it has alerted me to the fact that I had a no load or low load and it always followed the fact that I was fooling with something else that caused the problem.
Now I pay particular attention to detail, don't chat with anyone and can see down into the case with a strip light mounted under the die deck.
I've loaded since 1974 or so and didn't have this squib problem until I bought the LNL auto but this problem with 'Murphys law' extends to all presses.
Nobody's exempt as far as I know.

[w5pv]

I had a squib yesterday,it looked like all the powder didn't lite what was left looked like it may have been wet.I don't understand it beig wet and think I had a bad primer and it didn't fire like it should have.But anyhow it shoved the bullet about an inch or so in the barrel just a minor problem when you catch the misfire and don't shoot another on top of the first.

[Blackwater]

These are the reasons I early on started dumping my charges in trays of 50 ea. After charging, I look in the cases with good lighting to make sure all cases look to have the same level of powder in them. Just makes sense to me, and it's prevented my having a squib or misfire for about 30 years now. I'm no smarter than anyone else here, but I AM willing to admit my own fallibility. That's why I do it that way - becasue I KNOW I AM fallible. I just try to allow for it, and double check everything before corking cases with a bullet. So far, it's worked well, but that's NO REASON why I should stop now! I'm as fallible as ever, if not moreso.

[singleshot]

I've had a factory squib that stuck in the end of the barrel of a 1911 with just 1mm sticking out. I've had some light charges from bridging on my loads but never a true squib. I do things similar to blackwater...but instead of blocks of powder, I seat the boolit immediately after charging for each round.

[aspangler]

I must be OCD beacuse I have NEVER had a squib. I charge each case and it immediatly goes on the press a boolit put in the mouth and seated right then. No delay. I have seen first hand what happens when a cartridge goes off with an obtructed bore. IT AIN'T A PRETTY SIGHT!!!

[David2011]

Good... I got a chance to slug my barrel :) ...

Never occurred to me to start a slug that way. Glad it turned out OK for you!

David

[OS OK]

I must be OCD beacuse I have NEVER had a squib. I charge each case and it immediatly goes on the press a boolit put in the mouth and seated right then. No delay. I have seen first hand what happens when a cartridge goes off with an obtructed bore. IT AIN'T A PRETTY SIGHT!!!

"You didn't say…'Knock on wood!' ".

[skeettx]

A push rod from a Small Block Chevy is a great tool to remove a stuck bullet :)
Rounded, polished, strong, CHEAP !

Mike

[s1120]

I charge 50 at a time then check the powder level then seat. All single stage.

[hickfu]

Good thing you caught it... I am extremely OCD and luckily have not had one YET (knock on wood) I still wont let anyone else shoot my reloads. If someone wants to shoot one of my firearms, they need to buy ammo for it.

[w5pv]

I use two presses one for charging and the other to seat the bullet.My normal mo is to throw a charge and weigh it and then dump into a caseing,pull that casing check the charge visually and then put into the other press and seat the bullet and repeat until I have loaded all that I want to load for that sitting.I started doing this after what was probably a double charge made the gun recoil back into my forehead.Got a bump on the forehead and a bruised ego but no other injuries.This happened a few years ago.

[merlin101]

I've had a few squibs in my lifetime, the only one that scared me was an HE round from a 155mm howitzer. I think the whole gun crew set a new 100yd dash record! When the EOD guy's got there they just punched it from the muzzle and one guy was inside to "catch" it. No big deal, just another day for them.

[dondiego]

Punching out a 155 MM squib projectile would definitely elevate the pucker factor! Was the cause of the squib ever identified?

[sundog]

I had the distinct pleasure of dumping a live HE round from an 81mm mortar after going through all the misfire procedures. Only thing was, it DIDN'T dump (but I think I might have). Tube went out to the dud pit. EOD shows up about sunrise, and, yup, you guessed it - out she came slicker than greased owl snot. They blew the round in place, and we got our tube back. Combination of cool overnight temp and a little dewy moisture was all it needed. All in a day's work when yer schleppin' for Uncle Sam.

[Chris C]

I once had a squib load when loading for my .45-70. The bullet actually made it down the barrel and only buried itself 1/4" into the 3/4" plywood backstop 25 yds away. Guess I spilled some of the powder on the way to the case. Scared the begeebers outa me. Now, when I drop the powder, I immediately seat a bullet, and then crimp all the rounds in another step.................................and a squib will never happen again on my watch. Won't accidentally double charge, or spill a load or any of the other stupid stuff than can get one hurt. Reloading can be as safe or dangerous as we make it, I've learned.

[jimb16]

In 45 years of reloading, I've had 3 squibs. One was a no powder and the other 2 were partial powder ignition. Two charred lumps that just didn't burn! It really is an "interesting" way of slugging the barrel!

[Ken in Iowa]

I charge 50 at a time then check the powder level then seat. All single stage.

That's what I do when I'm in high production mode in pistol calibers. My pistol press is actually an early Hornady Projector with the priming and powder tooling removed. We almost always use a seating only die followed by a crimping only die, so the progressive action is great. Similarly, I will size and expand in the same fashion. Priming and powder are done off the press.

Dad and I do a lot of Cowboy shooting. I do all of his reloading. It seems that at every Cowboy match, someone on our posse has a squib or high primer. Most of these were loaded on progressive loaders. Progressive loaders with powder check dies would be recommended in my book.

Add me to the proud OCD crowd. Many years of target, varmint and just plain fun precision shooting has left something in my blood. For action shooting, 100% reliability is job #1.

Lucky for me, I really enjoy the reloading process. When it starts to become a chore, it's time to step back for a while.

[skeettx]

I also have Projectors and I have taken the factory powder stuff off and use a Lee Auto Disk Powder measures and Lee belling dies
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/348753/lee-pro-auto-disk-powder-measure
SWEET
Mike