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Thread: bummer! ...captured a bad mistake!

  1. #21
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    ^^^^ This...

    In the oddest way, the angst of this thread will creep and haunt and make one BE SURE to double and TRIPLE check loads and therein is the silver lining...
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master buckshotshoey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maven View Post
    mozeppa, I did almost exactly what you did the other day, but with a double charge of IMR 4198! Your description of an "itching" in your "think tank" is a good one as I had an uneasy feeling that something wasn't right too. I then weighed the 15 or so fully loaded cases until I came to the one which was at least 20 gr. too heavy, pulled it, dumped the powder, and recharged the case with the correct amount of powder, i.e., 24gr. 4198. As I still had that itching the next day, I weighed all 60 loaded rounds and found all was well. Glad you (and I!) caught our mistakes and are here to write about them!
    I did that once. But caught it before I seated a bullet on it. I look at all of them in the tray before moving to the next step.

    Avoid that mistake forever. Choose a powder that can't be double charged.... even with starting loads.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post
    You might consider giving up handloading and finding a activity that does not require paying attention or conscious thought.
    You don't usually get any do overs.
    This seems a little harsh and uncalled for. The man made a mistake, caught it, and passed on the experience in the hopes that others could learn from it. Glad you have never made a mistake!

    Mozeppa, Glad you caught this before you were injured or damaged a firearm. Thanks for posting this so that the rest of us can review or refine our procedures. So, step back and take a deep breath and figure out the best way to pull 500 bullets. Maybe review and revise your records. I keep a loose leaf note book in a spread sheet style copied form with my loading data in it. It was kind of a copy of the MTM sheets from years ago.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    Thanks to the OP for this post. No roasting need tho. Just glad you caught it and took the time to remind ALL of us that we need to keep thinking as we enjoy our hobby! Carry on with care.
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  5. #25
    Boolit Master



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    I bet he never gets flat tire either.

    I have had that itching in my brain housing group before and found things wrong. Always trust your itch

  6. #26
    Boolit Bub Uncle Dave's Avatar
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    Thanks OP
    Everyone needs a safety reminder of how mistakes happen(common and uncommon ones) and I appreciate your shared experience. OSHA says all accidents are preventable but I have never meet that perfect human yet and never will. Probably why I hurt so bad lol.

  7. #27
    Boolit Buddy Driver man's Avatar
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    If that load was for 9mm it would be a hot load but not that hot surely. Same burning rate as WST
    The Bird of Time has but a little way
    To fly-and Lo! the bird is on the wing

  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy
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    All the detail-oriented stone-throwers don't even know what caliber was involved.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master Forrest r's Avatar
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    There's a silver lining in every cloud. At least the op is going to get good at playing wack-a-mole.

    Myself I swage my own bullets, have for 3 decades. A lot of the bullets I've made there's no data for so I compare the seating depth of the bullet to known bullets that weigh more than the bullet I made and use that data for test loads. Then I make up 10 rounds and take them to the range and test them on paper over a chronograph.

    I'm glad the op caught the overload. Perhaps loading 5/6/10 test rounds to begin with might be better. It my be the slower path but it's also the safer path.

    I also have my data written down in front of me when I reload. I also never leave powder in the powder throws and keep the bottle of powder I'm using/reloading with next to the written down reloading data. When I'm done with the powder/test load I empty the powder throw into the correct container, put the container away or out of the area and grab another powder to test. It's nothing to do test loads with 8/10 different powders this way along with ladder tests for each powder.

    I also put the test loads in boxes and use painters tape to mark/label the different loads. I stick the painters tape to the test rounds and write what they are. When I store the reloads they either all go into ammo cans and get labeled on the outside along with a big piece of paper stating what the reload is on the inside. Of smaller lots of reloads go into bags with paper labels stating what they are along with paper on the inside with the reload data.

    Sorry for all the I/I/I/ME/ME/ME. But just putting out there what works for me. Hopefully someone can find something useful in this post/this thread and incorporate it in their reloads endeavors.

    Been reloading a long time, learned what I posted above from a couple of mentors that started reloading in the 60's/70's and taught me to do those things from day 1.

    I'm just glad the op caught what was going on and no one got hurt.

    Thank you for starting this thread.

  10. #30
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    Mozeppa thanks for posting your error to again remind us to Always recheck your data.
    It only takes a minute or so to do so but may be a lifetime to live with the results of NOT doing so
    I get asked many many times what my load data is for a certain caliber. My answer is always let me check my ammo boxes or target
    OCD makes me label the boxes on the outside, a slip of paper with data inside and on every target I keep.
    Never do I quote a load from memory to anyone
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  11. #31
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Mozeppa - thanks for your post. Glad you caught the error. A bunch of work to break 'em down but you'll get it done.

    I don't know how many times I've looked at loads in a number of different manuals that I have and there is a "variance". Mostly due to the different ages of the manuals. BUT . . . it is certainly easy to make an error and the important things that your inner voice warned you and you listened.

    Fort those that want to "crucify" and "condemn" - all I have to say is that perhaps you had ought to start a thread on "perfection" as you obviously have so much to offer others. And . . . I wonder if when you do make a mistake, regardless of if it is in hand loading or any other thing that you do, if you are man enough to admit it?

    I have often heard some say things like "I've never had a squibb", etc. Well, I had a "squibb: and ffortunately, I caught it or I would have bulged the barrel on my Smith 36. And, I know exactly what caused it - my wife interrupted me while I was reloading and I didn't drop the powder charge. It taught me that, whenever I get interrupted while reloading, to go back, dump everything on the press and start over. So get your nails out boys and meet me at the cross . . but you'd better go buy a good supply of "em as thee are a lot of us out there who do make mistakes.

    Mozeppa -you post serves as a good reminder to all of us to double check everything and if we have a doubt, checkout again. Sometimes we do read things wrong and other times, we get "laid back" and don't stay as alert as we should - or don't walk away from the bench if we ae tired or struggling with other problems. Too bad some choose to criticize - but ignore them. I thank you for your post as it will serve as a reminder to all who are open minded enough to realize that "things" happen and they can happen to anybody so it pays to double check and then check again.

    Good luck to you!

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy Certaindeaf's Avatar
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    I wonder what cartridge you are talking about? Maybe you should trade in that SIG for a Hi-Point.. you pretty much have to drive a bolt down the barrel, weld the action solid and fire a blue pill out of it to hurt it in any appreciable way.
    Sent from my computer using my fingers.

  13. #33
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    Squib? Me? Hey, meet me in the harbor in New York. My uncle just bequeathed me this huge statue that I really have no need for....sell it to you cheeeeep!

    Those that spout uncalled for remarks will, sooner or later get bit. Crow doesn't taste good.
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  14. #34
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    Mozeppa glad you caught that we all have had those moments,that back of the neck feeling I here you.There are all ways those guys who know better then every body I don't go to my range on Tuesday any more because thats when all the guys that think they have to tell you HOW TO DO IT RIGHT are there for there Tuesday morning shoot they take one look at what your doing and they know and tell you 20 differnt ways YOU should be doing it!!! They are just PITA'S you know what I mean.

  15. #35
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    I had a mistake and it cost me a nice set of 1911 grips, a perfectly good magazine, and a barrel bushing. Double charge in my Kimber 1911 after I first got my Dillon 550 some 25 years ago. Hell yes I learned from it, and it has never happened again. I'm still shooting that 1911.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master buckshotshoey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bedbugbilly View Post
    Mozeppa - thanks for your post. Glad you caught the error. A bunch of work to break 'em down but you'll get it done.

    I don't know how many times I've looked at loads in a number of different manuals that I have and there is a "variance". Mostly due to the different ages of the manuals. BUT . . . it is certainly easy to make an error and the important things that your inner voice warned you and you listened.

    Fort those that want to "crucify" and "condemn" - all I have to say is that perhaps you had ought to start a thread on "perfection" as you obviously have so much to offer others. And . . . I wonder if when you do make a mistake, regardless of if it is in hand loading or any other thing that you do, if you are man enough to admit it?

    I have often heard some say things like "I've never had a squibb", etc. Well, I had a "squibb: and ffortunately, I caught it or I would have bulged the barrel on my Smith 36. And, I know exactly what caused it - my wife interrupted me while I was reloading and I didn't drop the powder charge. It taught me that, whenever I get interrupted while reloading, to go back, dump everything on the press and start over. So get your nails out boys and meet me at the cross . . but you'd better go buy a good supply of "em as thee are a lot of us out there who do make mistakes.

    Mozeppa -you post serves as a good reminder to all of us to double check everything and if we have a doubt, checkout again. Sometimes we do read things wrong and other times, we get "laid back" and don't stay as alert as we should - or don't walk away from the bench if we ae tired or struggling with other problems. Too bad some choose to criticize - but ignore them. I thank you for your post as it will serve as a reminder to all who are open minded enough to realize that "things" happen and they can happen to anybody so it pays to double check and then check again.

    Good luck to you!
    I can honestly say I have never had a squib. But I hand weigh every charge. Don't load enough of a volume to warrant a progressive. But I will never say I have never made a mistake. Most recent was a 9mm that showed a light primer strike. Upon investigating, I found the case was too short. I must have over trimmed it. And as mentioned above, I double charged a case but found it before seating a bullet on top of it. I solved that by changing my charging routine, and using a powder that fills the case more then half. It will spill over if it is accidentally double charged.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master

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    I know this is getting redundant, but thanks again for posting this, it's certainly a good reminder for me to double check and listen to that little voice in the back of my head!

  18. #38
    Boolit Buddy
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    I appreciate the post also. Yes I've made mistakes and thankfully caught them too. Not many for sure out of some 90,000 reloads. When I start loading after changing out the dies for the new rounds I always check my little book of load data even though I have the load data on the boxes I store them in. Then I set my scale to zero and set the weight I want on it. Then I double check it from the book. Then I set my powder drop and tune the powder drop to my load, and check the book again and the scale setting. Only then do I start loading. Also, only ONE can of powder on the bench. Complacency is a bad thing. Do every load as you're starting out cold and assume nothing. Yes it's all common sense but that is why there are SOP's for everything today.

  19. #39
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    Good catch - prior to shooting.

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Virginia John View Post
    Good catch - prior to shooting.
    ^^^^^^this. What caliber and boolit? Some are easier to pull down than others.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check