Heard a funny sound today...

[Tom W.]

I was at the range emptying some of my reloads when I heard a very weak sound from my pistol. I dropped the magazine and opened the slide, and there was an empty case in the chamber. I always take a few things with me in the range bag, one being a plastic mallet and the other a three piece cleaning rod. Evidently one of my handloads didn't get any powder. I took the handgun apart and using the mallet and the cleaning rod knocked the bullet out of the barrel. Everything was well, so I reassembled the pistol and continued on my merry way. It didn't take more than three minutes from the time I heard the squib until I was back shooting again. I don't know for the life of me how it happened, but it did, the first one in over 40 years of handloading.....

[bedbugbilly]

I'm old enough to have been reloading that long but I haven't been doing it that long. LOL I don't think a person's life is complete until they've had a squib. I sometimes hear . . "it will never happen to me" but that's what I said about getting married and that was 43 years ago. In my case . . I know I was the culprit - I got interrupted while reloading and I should have cleared the turret press and started anew. On mine, the primer pushed the WC in just past the forcing cone of my Smith 36 sub.

Glad you caught it and it was an easy fix. Like you, I now carry a brass hammer and a brass rod in my range bag . . just in case! :-)

[smokeywolf]

I have not yet made a mistake that I didn't catch before the round saw the inside of the firearm. That doesn't mean it could not happen tomorrow. Apathy can be as dangerous as ignorance.

Good catch on your squib. You'll operate with a renewed sense of caution. And, thanks for sharing.

smokeywolf

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Glad you caught it and it was an easy fix. Like you, I now carry a brass hammer and a brass rod in my range bag . . just in case! :smile:

i do the same glad you caught it too

[7br]

During a silhouette match, I had 5 misfires in a row. Evidently, I missed a row in the loading block. It was in an xp100 and the bullets never left the case. It was not conducive to a good score.

[paralaska]

I'm not overly worried about double loads because of the powders I use, but I'm kinda paranoid about loading a squib. One time I was distracted by BS'ing with a neighbor, while reloading and could not convince myself that I hadn't messed something up . . . I ended up pulling all the bullets in the block to see if any were undercharged . . . as it turned out . . . they weren't . . . That's when I started my policy of always checking all the cases in the block before seating bullets. Another policy I set, was to stop all operations when someone comes over to chat.

[CastingFool]

that's a good safety reminder for everyone who reloads. I strive to check every round I charge before seating the bullet. With pistol rounds, I check for double charges, and with rifle rounds I check for squib loads. I wonder if it would be a good idea to purposely load one squib load and fire it, just so you would get an idea how it feels.

[GP100man]

The most important 3 steps in my reloading steps are check the powder in the cases before seating a boolit !

I to have exp. a squib from no powder, I was interrupted while charging (batch loading) I left the case on the ram of the press & hadn't raised it to flare/charge (Lee Auto Disc) & when I returned I placed the uncharged/unflared case into DONE tray , missed yet again when I expanded the case on the M die !

This incident caused me to examine the steps I used to reach this point (did not reload until I conveinced myself of what took place)& what to do to prevent it from happenin again, so in the following few months I trained myself to LOOK INTO THE CASE

This is my only misfire with no powder , I`ve had low power squibs from intensionally testing lubes in the sunshine & it leaching into the powder & just plain under loading .

Been loading 32yrs , when it was called "handloading" back then!

My advise is to slow down & inspect every aspect of your operation ,what ever you use

Don`t let an incident as we`re discussing deter you from loading weither new or an ole hand at the addiction, but turn it into an eye opening/learning experience & may we all remain alert at the firing line & the bench!!

GP100man :cbpour:

[375supermag]

Hi...

I've been reloading for well over 30 years and haven't had a squib load since I put my Lee 1000 back in the box and returned to loading on a single-stage press.

I always check each case before placing it in the shell holder for powder level and then seat and crimp the bullet.

I don't allow anybody in my reloading room when I am reloading...no distractions...no phone calls, no tv, no radio, nothing.

I am seriously considering upgrading to a progressive press, but it will not be a Lee...too many problems when I used the Lee 1000. Inverted primers, too much powder dumped, not enough powder dumped.

If I upgrade, it will be either be Dillon presses dedicated to a single caliber or possibly a Hornady, although the new RCBS unit is intriguing.
Not sure if the investment in new equipment is worth it.

[44man]

Imagine fast double action shooting for speed and getting a squib!!!

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I had the same thing happen to me when I was getting rid of some factory ammo at the range. I called the manufacture and they sent me a case of ammo.

[Groo]

Imagine fast double action shooting for speed and getting a squib!!!

Groo here
Did that at a school with my 3in 41 mag [ case was loose or bullet undersized]
It went "thunk"
Lucky me , I was able to stop in time. Changed guns and continued with class.
Had a "few" , one of those "Oh S***" moments.

[Tom W.]

It was my first, and hopefully last, squib. It won't deter me from casting or loading. I thought I was doing everything just.so.. The only thing I can think of is that I've moved, and have a different place for a reloading room, and it's not 100% set up to my satisfaction yet...

[Loudenboomer]

Squibs are always a source of friendly ridicule at the skeet range. Pop. What the ???? as a charge of #8's go rolling out the barrel. All fun and games as long as you push out the wad.

[odfairfaxsub]

Lol kinda funny w shotguns. I was shooting my benelli and all of a sudden I her pooooof.....( shhhoooooommmmmm) and then fump! The wad finally leaped out of the barrel. Felt like the whole thing took 3 seconds lol but me and my buddy Russell couldn't stop laughing bc I actually hit my target on a dead on aim at 15 yards. And the noise was kinda funny

[Beerd]

During a silhouette match, I had 5 misfires in a row. Evidently, I missed a row in the loading block. It was in an xp100 and the bullets never left the case. It was not conducive to a good score.

Then it wasn't you shooting next to me at the Internationals in Idaho.
That ***** stuck a bullet just ahead of the chamber. No matter how hard he pounded he couldn't close the bolt on the next round. Good thing.
..

[Fatdaddy]

I had the same issue when I first got my adjustable charge bar loading some 38's.
When loading 3grain'ish loads of Tight Group the powder tends to bridge sometimes.