I know it's been said before, but...

[selmerfan]

...when loading up cast loads with powder that permits a double charge - weight the powder, put it in the case, seat the bullet! I did that with the first 20 I loaded tonight and then thought I'd just run through with charging the next twenty. All of a sudden I realized I was putting powder back in the same row on the block!!! Thank goodness I realized and dumped them, but I would have had a serious problem on my hands at the range tomorrow. I was using Reloder 7 and 4227 in a .30-06 case.
Selmerfan

[geargnasher]

It's not a matter of if it will happen to us, it's a matter of when it happens and if we catch it before Kaboom or not. Just the law of averages. Glad you were paying attention and noticed it in time, that kiddo in your avatar needs a dad!

Gear

[PAT303]

Thats the one reason why all my reduced plinker loads are loaded with Trail Boss. Pat

[lwknight]

Thats scary because we all have brain fart days eventually.
I have doubled a charge before and luckily it was noticeable when looking into the case.
I have intentionally doubled a charge just to see what it looks like and how readily
noticeable it is so I will know what to look for in the final inspection.

[RobS]

When using reloading blocks I always use two of them and move from left to right. I chose left to right as that is how we see many things............I'm typing left to right etc, etc. Use two blocks with what ever station you are working in the middle of the setup.

Example here would be to have the primed cases block on the left, the powder dispenser in the middle and on the right the end stage or charged cases.

[XWrench3]

i have a couple of short wood dowels i keep on the bench. no markings, nothing fancy at all, just good square ends. i use them as a depth guage. i simply insert it into a case, put my thumbnail against the neck, and go to town checking the rest of the cases. if one is off, hi or low, i know it isnt right, and yank it from the block to figure out what is wrong when i am done checking the others. now, if you have one load that you stick to, you could simply run an ink pen around the dowel, and have a quick marking refference line for that load. me, i am always changing stuff, searching for THE one. it will probably push me over the edge of sanity someday. but for now, the search continues.

[qajaq59]

All my cases stay primer end up in the block until they have powder in them. That way I can't do what you did. But even when doing it that way I'm careful. Loading is a great place to get real finicky.

[selmerfan]

Good suggestions everyone, I haven't used Trail Boss, but I've heard it is THE powder for reduced charges in order to eliminate double charges. I like the two block idea, as well as the wood dowels. I ALWAYS visually check, and the two I suspected were double charged were obvious, as it looked like a standard charge of 4350 that I use for jacketed loads when I was only throwing around 30 grs of a finer grained powder into the case. I can honestly say I've NEVER done this, but like was stated, it's not if it happens, it's when!

[okksu]

I used the dowel method, too, after catching myself double charging some .30 cal rifle rounds with 2400. I asked for ways to avoid here and someone wiser than me suggested using the left to right sequence but with an inverted funnel in the middle...put the case to be charged into the inverted funnel and you know right away if you were about to double charge. Using a cake tin to place the funnel in helps corral the powder mess if you've messed up. I hink that Lee suggests this method to avoid double charging in his Modern Reloading 2nd Ed. also.

[1Shirt]

After one major error that cost me a good rifle, a lot of embarassment, and fortunately no injuries, I weigh all less than half full cases with cast loads. One of the little electronic scales (got mine off ebay for about $25.00) makes it fast and efficient.
You need to be sure to have the brass of at least the same mfg, and preferably of the same run. Mixed brass of different mfg will in some brands be as much as 10-15 grains different. Yes, I charge and put the blt on top before doing the next one, but I guess the term is that I am "snakebit" for the one mistake, and weighing all finished cases for consistancy makes me much more confidant. With cast in the ctgs of 243 or like size, I expect no more variance than 3-4 grains loaded. With large cases of say 06 size no more than 5 grain variance. With the little ones like 222/223, 3 grain variance is max. These are with same batch brass, and not weighed cast blts. Being a bit anal when it comes to trying for groups, I will weigh all brass to within .1 grain, and all cast blts to exact weights. Like the old Pa.Dutch sayin, "Ve get too soon old, and too late smart!".
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Rangefinder]

I use a couple different methods together. First, I charge each case individually rather than running the tray full of primed casings under the powder measure. U use two trays---green one for primed, red one for charged. When I charge a case, is goes over to the red tray. Then I keep a little LED flashlight on my bench also. Before seating bullets, I run a quick visual inspection over the charged cases. With a bright light, it's pretty easy to see the powder level in each case with just a quick pass, especially if one happens to be empty or double-charged.

[Shiloh]

It's scary.

I've done it, and caught it. I use the flashlight method to check and focus the bean in groups of four. Two in one row and the side-by-side in the next row. I powder ALL the cases at one time, check, and seat. Kepping the operations seperate.

I was using a .30-06 as a trickler to top off the powder charges on a scale. That cartridge got powdered, NOT CHECKED, loaded and fired. Fortunately there was only four or five grains extra, and not a KaBoom. The case ruptured and I got brass in my cheek. Lesson learned.

Shiloh

[Rocky Raab]

Loading blocks will eventually bite you. Even if you THINK you look into every case, your eyes will skip some and double on others. That's fact.

I threw my trays away 35 years ago. I keep cases in plastic baskets for ALL operations. Take one from the left, size it, bell it, prime it or charge it - and then drop it into the right-hand basket.

For powder charging, I pick up one case, funnel in the powder, look into the neck and immediately seat a bullet. Unless powder finds a way in past that lead cork, double-charging is impossible.

[Echo]

I was having problems, getting out of posture, with my Dillon, while loading some popcorn 38's. I had loaded about 300 when I noticed (shortly after another Dillon hiccup) something wrong. Checked, and had a double charge. I paid special attention after that, and then weighed EVERY loaded round - and found 2 more double charges!

Otherwise, when loading rifle rounds, I go directly from the powder measure to seating - NO chance of a double charge. Pistol rounds not done on the Dillon are charged in my loading block with my Hornady/Pacific Pistol Measure, and visually inspected before seating.

[AZ-Stew]

I do essentially what Rocky does, except that I use plastic cartridge boxes rather than baskets.

I've never owned a loading block. Being innately clumsy, I recognized the potential for a mass powder spill caused by bumping or dropping a loading block full of charged cartridges. No blocks, no spills, no regrets.

Regards,

Stew

[LeadThrower]

I think we do ourselves and our visitors a good thing when we revisit such important details in new threads.

I've caught double charges before, and changed my methods to avoid it. I, too, use 2 loading blocks (left to right) and will never charge a case unless I was looking at it's primer as I picked it up with my left hand. I also inspect the charged cases w/ a flashlight and generally do my best to avoid powders that will permit a double charge. I also plan purchasing an inexpensive electronic balance to check each loaded round.

[closey]

For powder charging, I pick up one case, funnel in the powder, look into the neck and immediately seat a bullet. Unless powder finds a way in past that lead cork, double-charging is impossible.

Plus one on that system Rocky. Its been my routine method since i started loading 25 years ago.

Closey

[ghh3rd]

I got to try a muzzle loader on Sunday for the first time, and it dawned on me that all I was doing was reloading, into a rifle instead of a case.

There was a lot of activity and distractions, and I found myself doubting whether I was about to drop in the first charge, or was it a second charge?! I inconspiciously unscrewed the plug from the back end and looked the barrel, just to be sure.

I always block my cases when I'm reloading, and although I've always felt very comfortable that I didn't double any cases, I have found two cases (.38) in the last year and a half that were double charged, found them by examining with a flashlight... no make that three cases -- I recently double charged a .44 mag with 296 and it poured all over the place. That's why I don't mind spending more $ on powder that fills a case, as you can't double charge it without it being very obvious.

[waksupi]

I got to try a muzzle loader on Sunday for the first time, and it dawned on me that all I was doing was reloading, into a rifle instead of a case.

There was a lot of activity and distractions, and I found myself doubting whether I was about to drop in the first charge, or was it a second charge?! I inconspiciously unscrewed the plug from the back end and looked the barrel, just to be sure.



Another good point against inlines shooting smokeless powders. Double charging is nearly common as dry balling.

[Von Gruff]

I have always used a loading block but my method is to use small containers for all the pre liminary sizing, priming etc then put them in the loading block.
I throw a charge, check it on my scale, put the funnel on the caseand pour the powder in. Never put the powder in a case with the funnel on it so when the next charge is thrown and checked on the scale I move the funnel to the next case and pour the powder in. I also have a led torch on the bench and check every case in the block before seating a bullet. Do it this way whether I am loading plinking loads at 20% of case volume or full house loads at 98%, and have done so for a very long time. For me it works, but what ever method is used a check of every case in one way or another is essential as is stopping and re checking if there has been a distraction. It is the discipline we develope in this that carries over into all our shooting habbits.

Von Gruff.

[MT Gianni]

I got to try a muzzle loader on Sunday for the first time, and it dawned on me that all I was doing was reloading, into a rifle instead of a case.

There was a lot of activity and distractions, and I found myself doubting whether I was about to drop in the first charge, or was it a second charge?! I inconspiciously unscrewed the plug from the back end and looked the barrel, just to be sure.

I

One old trick is to mark your ramrod where it fits on a seated load. It's an easy way to tell you have powder and ball in if the load of powder + ball height equals your mark it's single loaded.

[Fixxah]

Use the powder that fills the case whenever possible. Doubling will be nearly impossible. Waiting for a lockout die from RCBS right now for pistol. Given the choice, I'll take a squib over a kaboom any day.