Double Charge of Unique

[John Taylor]

While overloads can be a problem, underloads can also be a problem. My brother was trying to make some light loads for a 45-70 trapdoor and the gun came apart. He was using RX7 with a load under the recommended starting loads and a light bullet. It took about 4" out of the middle of the stock, the chamber end of the barrel looked like a banana peal and the top of the action was gone. The breach block was still in place. Luck was with him as he was OK. The gun had a new barrel and had been shot many times with factory ammo. Only case of detonation that I have ever seen personally. He had the barrel pointing down when he loaded it and raised it then shot so all the powder was near the base of the bullet.

[ih772]

While overloads can be a problem, underloads can also be a problem. My brother was trying to make some light loads for a 45-70 trapdoor and the gun came apart. He was using RX7 with a load under the recommended starting loads and a light bullet. It took about 4" out of the middle of the stock, the chamber end of the barrel looked like a banana peal and the top of the action was gone. The breach block was still in place. Luck was with him as he was OK. The gun had a new barrel and had been shot many times with factory ammo. Only case of detonation that I have ever seen personally. He had the barrel pointing down when he loaded it and raised it then shot so all the powder was near the base of the bullet.

He had a barrel obstruction.

[Grayone]

I batch charge cases and shine a strong light it the cases to verifie that each case shows the correct level before seating a boolit. I have reloaded since ~1970 and still have both eyes and all my fingers.

[cpaspr]

I see a strong argument for charging and seating one at a time, but I have also had occasions (distractions etc) when I have questioned "did I really put powder in that case" - and it is too late to check with the bullet already seated, other than by weighing the cartridge or pulling the bullet. I have also had occasions when I have realized the poise on the balance has moved. When did that happen? How many of those loaded cartridges are off weight? Hence my general preference for powdering a group, checking, then seating.

And that right there is why I generally batch load. Usually 25-30 at a time. Except for hunting rounds. For those, I have the powder measure drop slightly light, then trickle granule by granule into the pan, till the powder charge is exact. Then the powder goes into the shell, the bullet gets added and then round gets completed.

[762 shooter]

One needs to use a procedure that works for them.

But I will make a comment. If you can't maintain enough focus to load a 50 round tray, you may have issues loading one at a time.

Not hatin', just saying.

762

[elk hunter]

I use a slightly different method to prevent a no charge or double charge. I check the cases inside and out and then prime. When I put the primed cases in the loading block I place them upside-down, i.e. mouth down with the primer up. I weigh the powder charge, take a case from the block, put the powder in the case and set the case in the loading block with the neck/mouth up. When I finish placing the powder in the cases I check the level of the powder in the cases visually. If I see something that looks like an under or over charge I investigate. So far this has prevented any problems for me.

[john.k]

I ,and many others was caught out by erratic deliveries from a powder measure.....I suppose more correct to say ,caught out by relying on a powder measure to be accurate.

[Baltimoreed]

In case others are doing this in order to get by or extend their supply of lpp be warned. I’ve recently started using small [using both rifle and pistol] primer .45acp brass loaded on a Dillon 550] and have had dead primers stick on my decap pin and then get pulled back into the pocket and reseated by the new primer. Of course when I advance the shell plate I see the new primer in the cup which alerts me to the reseated dead primer. If I back up the plate and lever it again the primer will cooperate and fall out BUT I’ve just double loaded the case that was under the measure. When I have a sticky primer i remove the case, advance the plate and redo the odd case again. Be safe out there.

[Seeker]

And that right there is why I generally batch load. Usually 25-30 at a time. Except for hunting rounds. For those, I have the powder measure drop slightly light, then trickle granule by granule into the pan, till the powder charge is exact. Then the powder goes into the shell, the bullet gets added and then round gets completed.

That's exactly my procedure. All ready to charge cases are primer end up. They get turned over 1 at a time to charge and then it immediately gets a bullet seated.

[rockrat]

I charge cases first, before seating boolits/bullets. All charged cases are in the loading block and I take a flashlight and check each and every case for any discrepancies in the level of powder in the case. Any question, I pull that case out, inspect, and re-charge and re-inspect.

[wallacem]

I cannot see any reason to charge all your cases at one time. There are reasons not to do it. I always charge a case and move it to the press to seat the bullet. Charging is part of the bullet seating for me and makes it impossible to double charge. Think about it and change your process. Wallacem in Ga

[AviatorTroy]

Brass lays on its side. It gets picked up and charged and goes into the loading block. Once the block is full a flashlight is flashed over the cases to make sure all the powder level is at the same height. Been reloading for 54 years and have never double charged a case.
Glad your friend endured his error with no loss of limb or rifle.

That is my exact method as well, and what I taught my son to do.

[Walks]

I place fully prepped case upside down in a loading block. Charge a case and seat a bullet, then place loaded round in another loading block.

[HighUintas]

I was thinking the same thing about stretching, with the 94 not being that strong of an action. While the rifle may shoot just fine and seems unchanged, it's possible that it is just a mite longer.
An assessment to check for excess headspace with a no-go and a field gauge might be in order.
Perhaps the event resulted in little or no change, or perhaps the headspace is now a bit excessive.
If it is excessive, it might be hard to pin on the event, not knowing what it was before, but at least you would know.
There is also the field expedient of seating a fired primer partly into the pocket of a sized and trimmed case and then chambering and carefully closing the action to seat the primer as far in as it will go.
A measurement of the case with an accurate dial caliper before the primer was inserted and after the action was closed on it will give you the difference between the two, and the headspace.

That's a beautiful idea for checking headspace. I will start using that method