Reloading mistake corrected

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  • ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    I'd like to take this opportunity to describe a reloading mistake I made in hopes that others may learn from my error.

    BLUF, i reloaded 12 cartridges without powder.

    How it happened:

    Usually at the end of a reloading session I will close the powder hopper, operate the powder drop into a case several times to empty the powder drop body, then carefully remove the powder hopper and bushing and funnel it back into the bottle. That leaves the powder hopper valve in the "closed" position

    On this occcasion I had decided to instead use the hopper valve to drop the powder directly into the bottle and eliminate the need to use a funnel. This left the hopper valve in the "open position.

    Next reloading session, working from muscle memory rather than watching what I was doing, I operated the valve thinking I was turning the powder drop on. (I was instead turning it off) I dropped several charges as usual, measuring them and then returning to the hopper. Then I loaded about a dozen cartridges' before I noticed they had no powder. Rather than risking a squib load, I pulled them and found all but 2 of the initial 12 were similarly empty.
     

    guzma393

    Active Member
    Jan 15, 2020
    736
    Severn, MD
    I'd like to take this opportunity to describe a reloading mistake I made in hopes that others may learn from my error.

    BLUF, i reloaded 12 cartridges without powder.

    How it happened:

    Usually at the end of a reloading session I will close the powder hopper, operate the powder drop into a case several times to empty the powder drop body, then carefully remove the powder hopper and bushing and funnel it back into the bottle. That leaves the powder hopper valve in the "closed" position

    On this occcasion I had decided to instead use the hopper valve to drop the powder directly into the bottle and eliminate the need to use a funnel. This left the hopper valve in the "open position.

    Next reloading session, working from muscle memory rather than watching what I was doing, I operated the valve thinking I was turning the powder drop on. (I was instead turning it off) I dropped several charges as usual, measuring them and then returning to the hopper. Then I loaded about a dozen cartridges' before I noticed they had no powder. Rather than risking a squib load, I pulled them and found all but 2 of the initial 12 were similarly empty.

    I had a similar experience when loading 300 blkout on a progressive. I simply weighed the cartridges, and marked and pulled the anomalies. The rest of the batch that weighed out fine was marked as "controlled fire" rounds and were the first to send knowing that such an incident occurred. All fired fine.

    I now gotten the habit to look at the powder measure at the down stroke (lee auto drum), periodically check for powder throws, and make sure the powder dispenser is always at a default open position, only closing it to transfer it to a jug, opening it again to pour it back into the jug, and placing it back on the power measure opened.
     

    JohnC

    Active Member
    May 29, 2019
    311
    Baltimore, MD
    I'd like to take this opportunity to describe a reloading mistake I made in hopes that others may learn from my error.

    BLUF, i reloaded 12 cartridges without powder.

    How it happened:

    Usually at the end of a reloading session I will close the powder hopper, operate the powder drop into a case several times to empty the powder drop body, then carefully remove the powder hopper and bushing and funnel it back into the bottle. That leaves the powder hopper valve in the "closed" position

    On this occcasion I had decided to instead use the hopper valve to drop the powder directly into the bottle and eliminate the need to use a funnel. This left the hopper valve in the "open position.

    Next reloading session, working from muscle memory rather than watching what I was doing, I operated the valve thinking I was turning the powder drop on. (I was instead turning it off) I dropped several charges as usual, measuring them and then returning to the hopper. Then I loaded about a dozen cartridges' before I noticed they had no powder. Rather than risking a squib load, I pulled them and found all but 2 of the initial 12 were similarly empty.


    Never had this problem with my lee anniversary single stage! Been reloading for a few years now and I still fill a reloading tray with charged cases then visually inspect before seating the projectile. Slow and tedious, but peace of mind is nice. I've had 1 squib in my life. A .30-06 case in my 03A3 did not completely ignite because a plug of Hornaday sizing wax was somehow left inside. Projectile was stuck in the throat of the barrel, popped right out with the cleaning rod. The misfire happened on the 2nd round fired that day. Quickly packed my bags, went home and pulled the rest of the lot. Scary stuff!
     

    brianns

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 29, 2015
    3,559
    Montgomery County
    I check the charge ahead of time to make sure the powder measure is putting out the correct charge for the load I am am about to do. That involves having to drop the charge a number of times and weighing it.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Never had this problem with my lee anniversary single stage! Been reloading for a few years now and I still fill a reloading tray with charged cases then visually inspect before seating the projectile. Slow and tedious, but peace of mind is nice. I've had 1 squib in my life. A .30-06 case in my 03A3 did not completely ignite because a plug of Hornaday sizing wax was somehow left inside. Projectile was stuck in the throat of the barrel, popped right out with the cleaning rod. The misfire happened on the 2nd round fired that day. Quickly packed my bags, went home and pulled the rest of the lot. Scary stuff!

    Been using a Lyman T-mag. Switched to a Lee classic turret. I've reloaded a few with no powder. Noticed it each time. When I was running the Lyman, I have a Lyman powder measure. I went to load the next cartridge and noticed, oh, the powder handle is in the up position.

    Opps. Pull apart the last round. Also why I didn't just dump rounds in the bin right away.

    On my lee classic, only did it once. It was before I had a lee 38spc powder through expander die. I have a hornady die set. So I was charging the cases off press and it was late at night and tired. I managed to do the same thing of ran the case through and when I went to do the next one, the powder measure handle was up (hadn't dropped the powder). Ended up having to pull apart 6 out of 18 rounds. I've since gotten a 38spc powder through expander die so I can run the entire die set on the lee classic (I am running a lee FCD as well as my Colt chamber is tight and the factory taper crimp on the Hornady doesn't reshape the cases properly. Makes it tight needing to push the cartridge in with a pound or two of force to get them to seat and a decent amount of force to eject loaded rounds. With the FCD they plunk right in the chambers and fall right back out).

    I did get a UFO light for my lee classic so I can look in each case as I load before I put a bullet on top just to make certain.
     

    ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    I check the charge ahead of time to make sure the powder measure is putting out the correct charge for the load I am am about to do. That involves having to drop the charge a number of times and weighing it.

    My process as well. Unfortunately, I filled the powder bin with the valve open, thus filling the bin and the body. Threw test charges correctly... from the body.
     

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