How did this dud happen?

[armyrat1970]

I have a rather old RCBS loading block that holds 80 cases. When charging, I never put more than 40 in the bottom half of the block. When I charge the case I start from the top left had portion at the middle of the block, and move the charged case to the top left hand corner of the top of the block. Always keeping an empty space between my charged and uncharged cases, When I have all 40 charged, I visually inspect them, one at a time, before seating the boolit. Never seated a boolit in an empty case, or a double charged case this way.
Sometimes it's all routine.

[JSAND]

I am of the slow, methodical train of thought, I have been doing one round at a time; charge and then seat the boolit. No way to load a double charge or fail to load a charge that way. With that said, I really like the way theperfessor explained his process in post #17 and can see how that could work as well, as I become more proficient and gain a little more trust in my abilities something along his technique maybe something I adopt.

[Matt_G]

What bothered me is the inability to see a small charge in a long case like a 357 or 44 mag. Was loading Unique, and the angles were such that I could not see in the case. Planning on getting a small dental mirror and mounting it so I can see down any case clear to the bottom.

Darn good idea. I have the same problem with my RCBS AmmoMaster Progressive. For those not familiar with that press it has five stations.
Station 1 - Size
Station 2 - M-Die and seat primer
Station 3 - Charge powder
Station 4 - Seat
Station 5 - Crimp (I won't seat and crimp at the same time)

I wish it had six stations, that way a guy could put a powder check die in station 4, seat at 5 and crimp at 6. Oh well. Mirror is the next best thing and will work just fine.

[HangFireW8]

I think ,but am not positive, these were loader on a LNL AP. I have used it a lot without problems. Maybe in small cals Unique sometimes clogs the tube? What was most puzzling was no pop with the primer, and not moving the bullet forward at all. Also, if the powder bridged for a cycle, it seems an over charge would have been next. That didn't seem to happen.

I would say from your picture that the soot is from the primer. Having fired off more than a few empty primed brass, I can tell you that primers make a surprising amount of soot, enough to justify a full-blown cleaning of the barrel after setting off just a few.

I use Hornady's predecessor progressive press, the Pro-Jector. I realize the powder activation mechanism has changed, but the powder measure is the same, and the press nearly so. Anyway, I have to visually verify every single charge thrown, because even when the powder measure activation is working perfectly, it occasionally throws a light charge or none.

It may sound funny, but the Hornady press is so solid feeling, and my bench so substantial, I think it is working against me. A little more rock-n-roll like a Lee progressive press would be better for shaking the powder down into the measure cavity.

-HF

[Fixxah]

Lockout die perhaps?

[armyrat1970]

I think ,but am not positive, these were loader on a LNL AP.

That, in it's self, is a problem.

[Fugowii]

Has anybody ever had a totally silent primer only load that didn't move the bullet at all?

Yes. A 240gr .44 Mag w/heavy crimp.

[HangFireW8]

That, in it's self, is a problem.

I am not promoting the Hornady progressives as the greatest, but properly operated, by someone understanding reloading, they will produce as good as ammo as any.

Mine has produced thousands of rounds with zero duds.

The primer feed is a pain to adjust, the powder actuator works out of adjustment every once in a while, but I'll take it over a Loadmaster any day, and I'll take the price over a 650 any day as well. And the service is second to none.

-HF

[armyrat1970]

I am not promoting the Hornady progressives as the greatest, but properly operated, by someone understanding reloading, they will produce as good as ammo as any.

Mine has produced thousands of rounds with zero duds.

The primer feed is a pain to adjust, the powder actuator works out of adjustment every once in a while, but I'll take it over a Loadmaster any day, and I'll take the price over a 650 any day as well. And the service is second to none.

-HF

HF. That was not my point. The point was, he thinks, but was not sure, these were loaded on an LNL AP. That, in itself is a problem.
Only point I was making.
I have nothing against progressives, except I can't really afford one. And don't shoot enough to talk my better half into letting me get one.

[HangFireW8]

HF. That was not my point. The point was, he thinks, but was not sure, these were loaded on an LNL AP. That, in itself is a problem.

Gotcha. I missed that... and you are right, that is a problem.

As much as I keep good notes on reloading, I never seem to keep enough. However I never lost track of what die was used and what press it was used in.

-HF

[Lloyd Smale]

one thing to watch with the lnl is the lock and load bushing that holds the measue to the press. When im loading alot of ammo on mine im constantly giving the powder measure a turn to tighten it. Ive had it come loose when not paying attention and have loaded 2o or 30 rounds with the measure going up and down rather then the operating linkage. I load alot of ammo and dont look at every charge. Only time i visually inspect case charges is if im loading hunting ammo. If you cant trust your progressive machine fix it or replace it or at least learn its flaws and work with them. Ive loaded everything from bullseye to 7828 with the hornady measures and have never had them bridge and i have 5 hornady measures.

[HangFireW8]

If you cant trust your progressive machine fix it or replace it or at least learn its flaws and work with them.

These are words of wisdom. The same apply to guns.

-HF

[wallenba]

If you are using a progressive loader you might want to invest in a powder cop die. It 'rats' out the empty cases to you before you seat the boolit. I still visually inspect each case in my loading block when batch loading, even when I use the Chargemaster, which keeps count itself.