For the Older Casters - When Do I Stop?

[mongo-az]

Recently, while loading a batch of .45ACP with my favorite 230gr cast boolits, I realized after loading a batch of about 85 of them that I had over-charged them - I used 8.0gr of Bullseye, rather than 5.3 as I intended - somewhere in my stupid mind I equated the numbers on my RCBS bar-scale as decimals, rather than whole numbers.

Thankfully, these boo-boos never made it off my bench - but it does raise a good point. I've always been fanatically careful on powder charges - but as the Grim Reaper gets closer, I've noticed a trend to make stupid mistakes, that when I was younger, I would not have made.

So, the question then presents itself in my mind - if I did something like this, what would have happened if I had not caught it and shot those? Is there an age where I should stop handloading for safety's sake, and just use factory - given that advancing years does tend to bring on these occasional little boo-boos? Or am I just being paranoid?

Anyone ever been faced with that thought? (No flames please)

[Ickisrulz]

I am not old, but...

Would some kind of a safety checklist help?

These are often used during critical tasks to remind the operator of the steps required to perform a task.

You could make one that has you double checking powder type, charge to published standard, making sure each case is properly charged, etc.

[popper]

Stop when you don't wait for a cease-fire at the range. Trying to out-fox the reaper will keep your mind in great shape. Personally, I've made stupid mistakes all my life. Seriously, if you think you may be in the early stages of the old-timers illness, you may want to consider stopping, but you probably will forget where the keys are.

[koehn,jim]

The fact that you did catch it means you are not that bad. There will come a time but no one can decide for you/ I have always been anal according to my friends and will check the powder several times but i did that when I was in my twenties now in my late sixtys I still do. We all make mistakes and is this the first one you have made. The problem might be the scale or powder measure, are you having problems driving.

[gray wolf]

I also would suggest a check list and no distractions.
The question you ask is a very personnel one
decided and answered by us, a loved one or close friend.
It's like giving up the driver license ( kind of ) If I thought I would hurt myself or another I would have everything in the swap and sell.
Again a check list with nothing else on the bench and no one distracting you.
Double check everything.
If the mind is together this should work.
If you forget how to find the check list ( it's back to swap and sell )

[ShooterAZ]

That is a scary thought to consider. I had one boo-boo too, but thankfully I still have all ten fingers and my face. After this one boo-boo (a double charge), trust me, I will be incredibly careful, diligent,etc. I double check everything, then check it again. If I get some kind of hang-up with my progressive presses, I stop and remove all cases etc, clear everything and start over. Having something like this happen will really get your attention, to say the least.

[Piedmont]

If this worries you it makes a lot of sense to use a slower burning powder so that a double charge will overflow the case. THAT will get your attention.

[Bwana]

Sometimes it's not old age that can present a problem. Eleven and a half years ago I had a wreck (not an accident, a wreck) on my bicycle. Twenty mph, no helmet, was knocked out and broke my left collar bone. I don't remember about 10 minutes of time even though I was walking and talking. Fast forward six months after what appeared to be a total recovery. I started not being able to remember why I went from one room in the house to another. At work I would lock a door and get about five steps away and have to go back and check it to make sure it was locked. This rocked on for around two months and then went away. Scary as all get out. As long as I was engaged in an activity there were no problems unless I did something else while doing the original task. I did not cook during that time as I didn't want to forget the stove was on. So it isn't always old age.

[462]

Mongo,
Mistakes happen to all of us, regardless of age, so don't feel alone. I agree that a well thought out and easy to read checklist may help.

I read of a member who calls the name of the powder out loud, as he removes it from storage. The same could be done with primers and scale adjustment.

[max it]

ditto on 462.
doing things is what keeps me young.

good on ya' Mongo.

Max

[Lead Fred]

I shall rest when Im dead

something, something, from my cold dead hands

[geargnasher]

That is a tough one to consider. I have a lot of family history of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and think about it a lot, now my mother is starting to describe "episodes" of, for example, being in Lowe's shopping and suddenly, briefly, having no idea where she was, scary stuff. I never thought of it in terms of when to stop reloading, though, but I'm glad you brought it up. I would think that as long as you are aware that slip-ups are going to get more likely the more miles you put on your brain, you can stay one step ahead with a battery of precautions.

Every once in a while I catch myself in the middle of a mistake, and sometimes I have to just leave the room and go do something else for a few minutes to clear my head and "de-frag" the thoughts. Like I suspect many of us do, I reload in my "spare" time, which is often after supper on a tiring day, which is NOT the time I should be doing it. One reason I spend a lot of time here in the evenings is because I'm too wiped-out to be fooling with explosives.

One thing that might "fool proof" your loading practices is to start reworking as many of your loads as you can with IMR Trail Boss powder. While it's still possible to blow things up with Trail Boss, in a lot of calibers it isn't possible, and the case would be overflowing long before you got into dangerous territory. Developing a different routine, like asking someone else to verify the load out of your manual, compare it to boolit/bullet weight, cartridge designation, and verify that what's in the measure looks like it's supposed to look (maybe make a sample sheet of powders with a few grains of each under clear tape on a piece of paper?), and maybe even ask for assistance when returning powder to a container (one of my biggest fears of screwing up, using the right container but having previously dumped the wrong powder back into it) to prevent faux pas.

I think the real problem will come when it no longer occurs to us that it might be time to take up stamp collecting instead of shooting.

Gear

[mongo-az]

Thanks guys. I'll try the checklist to see if that helps. How I could intepret in my mind that the right side of the bar scale were decimals and not whole numbers is beyond me.

Thanks Bwana - I too about 20+ years ago got thrown from a horse at full gallop who then ran overtop of me - waking up in the hospital that night digging small stones out of the back of my head was something you don't forget - but I too became a linear thinker a few years after that - as long as I'm engaged in the task, I'm fine - anything that throws me off of it short-circuits my brain.

[kenyerian]

I'm 59 and have been handloading since I was 16 and I know what you mean about the lack of confidence now compared to when i was youger. I try to double check everything now and somtimes tripple check. My biggest concern would be making a mistake that would hurt some one else. Last night I caught myself starting to use 130 grain Boolits instead of the 100 grain ones. Good thing I double checked.

[462]

Another thing: Eliminate possible distractions.

I'm not a television watcher, so I don't have one in the casting/reloading area. Howver, there is a small stereo, but it's never on when I'm casting or reloading. Unless it's important, my wife leaves me alone. (Of course, there's a differing opinion of what is deemed to be important.) Thus, the only distraction I have is my wandering thoughts.

[jhrosier]

mongo-az,

It might help to get a digital scale to check your boolit weight and powder charge.
I would also take a minute to fill out a label for the cartridge box after setting the measure but before loading. Then, as a final check, look the load up in your manual and compare your label with the data in the manual.

It is not old age but carelessness bred of routine that we should all be concerned about.

Jack

[Beekeeper]

Mongo,
I also had a rude awakening such as you.
I changed my complete operation so that I complete one shell at a time.By that I mean powder and seat boolit one at a time
I use a powder measure and weigh every 5th charge to ensure it hasn't changed.
If there is any type of distraction, I stop, pour the powder charge I am working on back in the hopper and start again when the distraction is over.

Anal , maybe but I have not had a lookout moment since.

I think it is developing a system that lets you do what you love without any distractions and you will be OK.

Try to be as Anal as possible at it as you can until you develop a system and you will be OK.


The Best,
beekeeper

[mpmarty]

Well I'm 73 yrs old and am careful to only allow one powder on the bench at a time. I set and tripple check powder drops from my 550B and when they are all right on the mark I go ahead and load a bunch and then after thirty or forty rounds I again tripple check the powder measure for "drift" and have never had to adjust it. I load for numerous calibers and have about fifteen different powders I use and am comfortable with. I guess I'll quit when I die.

[runfiverun]

i started simplifying things long ago.
cutting down on powders.
using the same load in many cartridges with cast boolits and leaving the powder dump set up just for that one charge.
writing the load right on the tool heads for the dillon, so i can see them.
switching to an easy to read electronic scale.
i have a paper with my loads written down on it tacked to the wall right behind it.
and a note book with my loads in it on the shelf.

my primer tubes are all marked with the primer type in them, and they are only used for that primer.

the powder on the shelf has paper taped on the outward facing side with the powder written on it as well as the original label.

my powder dumps have the powder and the amount it's set for written on a tag right on the powder tube, even the one i don't change.

i am not overly old but i load and then don't for a while, or don't use some of the equipment for a while.
this way i don't have to remember what's- what. i can look and then verify.

[HighHook]

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