Same here.
I keep only the powder that I am using on the table.
It is way to easy to make a mistake if you keep several powders on the bench while reloading.
So far I was lucky, but I had to dump several pounds, because I mixed them by mistake.
Dangerous Brain Fart
- Thread starter Banished
- Start date
Same here.
I keep only the powder that I am using on the table.
It is way to easy to make a mistake if you keep several powders on the bench while reloading.
So far I was lucky, but I had to dump several pounds, because I mixed them by mistake.
mississaugagunnut
Regular
- Location
- mississauga
Glad you are okay. I have been reloading pistol calibers for only two years. Stories like this one are one reason why I'm reluctant to try reloading rifle.
There are equal dangers in re-loading for pistols and especially more if you use a progressive press and not pay attention.
I use H4198 for my 45-70, and I remember grabbing that powder accidentally while looking for Retumbo. I didn't even open the lid, noticing it wasn't right.
Made me wonder how hot 76.5 grains of H4198 (instead of Retumbo) would have cooked in a 300 Win Mag. Fridge horror moments are good for safety...
Made me wonder how hot 76.5 grains of H4198 (instead of Retumbo) would have cooked in a 300 Win Mag. Fridge horror moments are good for safety...
wolf300H&H
CGN Regular
- Location
- Cabin in central Alberta
Thanks for reminding us not to get complacent. A few years back the ole lady thought it would be a good idea to clean up my reloading bench ..... U know how it can get cluttered, anyhow she also cleaned up the powder cans next to the dispenser and trickler. Think I had two different types out and about. But ya just every thoroughly investigated which powder it was and what I last loaded etc. nothing came of it. Whew. But told her the reloading room is off limits to her. Playing with fire. Haha
Holy crap. This is at least the second post I have read about people loading the wrong powder (I think the other one is a sticky?)
So Im going to buy a new roll of colored duct tape for each powder I buy, and color-code my stuff...
The manufacturers should really do a better job of making the different powders more easily distinguishable - way too many black bottles with white writing out there...
To everyone suggesting only have 1 powder on the bench at a time - that seems like standard practice. I think the OP noticed after the fact that one powder on his desk was the wrong one...
So Im going to buy a new roll of colored duct tape for each powder I buy, and color-code my stuff...
The manufacturers should really do a better job of making the different powders more easily distinguishable - way too many black bottles with white writing out there...
To everyone suggesting only have 1 powder on the bench at a time - that seems like standard practice. I think the OP noticed after the fact that one powder on his desk was the wrong one...
yup, because it's the manufacturers fault for people not reading what the bottle says.... maybe you want to pay extra for idiot labels but i don't need fancy colours to tell me what powder is what. besides they already have different designs for each powder.
Glad that you weren't injured Aubrey. As for the people suggesting that Aubrey consult a gunsmith to have the rifle examined, having known Aubrey for well over 20 years, and knowing his involvement in developing the Imperial Magnum line of cartridges, I am quite sure that he will deal with the situation properly, before firing the rifle again. I had Aubrey build me a few rifles back in the 90s, including a couple of 7mm stws, and a 7mm Imperial Magnum.
IMR powders are nicely colored. The Hodgson powders look too similar for my liking.
TheHowitzer
Member
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta
A bit of a delayed reply to this thread, but I'm glad you are okay! That could have been a hell of a lot worse!! I am a big fan of IMR powder, and it helps that it's colour coded, but a brain fart could happen to anyone at any time! The occasional time I reload with my Dad, as kind've a father/son bonding activity after many years not speaking, and he always gets frustrated that I am super anal about everything; in my log book I write down humidity, temperature, even what I had to eat that day. Heck, I even used to weigh every 9mm round I reloaded. Now I can show him this thread, and we can revise our shop in order to prevent this in the future! Stay safe everyone
Wow, first time reading this thread for me. I know I am anal about "doing it right" but this makes me think I should build a new powder storage unit with a main door and then smaller labelled doors for each shelf. I double and triple check everything but even then this entire thread rings a note of alarm. Brain farts happen. One more layer of safety really can't hurt. It only needs to happen once . . .
"One more layer of safety" certainly CAN hurt if it doesn't contribute anything positive and just gives you more ways to mess up. The cans already have labels, labelling shelves doesn't add anything. Keeping it simple usually works better.
ALL your powder should be stored away from your loading bench. Check your load reference to identify which powder you need. Take the powder out of your storage area and set it on the bench. Read the load recipe again to confirm that the powder on the bench is the same powder called for in your loading reference. Don't go by memory. Double check. Done.
Most of these mistakes are made when people rely on memory to identify which powder they are using in a particular cartridge, or they have more than one powder on the bench.
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I have left powder in the thrower, then later had trouble remembering if it was 4831 or 4350. They look similar.
And a lot of ball powders (both rifle and pistol) look similar.
Pouring the thrower powder back into the wrong can can cause huge problems, later.
When i worked for IMR I suggested putting some coloured kernels in each powder, matching the colour of the can. They didn't get it. They are chemists, not shooters.
And a lot of ball powders (both rifle and pistol) look similar.
Pouring the thrower powder back into the wrong can can cause huge problems, later.
When i worked for IMR I suggested putting some coloured kernels in each powder, matching the colour of the can. They didn't get it. They are chemists, not shooters.
yesterday i encountered the same thing, kinda sorta. I was doing a swap over of 100 300 Savage rounds 150 gr over to fresh resized and necked trimmed cases as i didnt have the neck trimmer when i made them up. 1 (ONE) cartridge out of the entire lot had a mystery powder in that out of all my powders could only be TITEGROUP my only pistol powder 35 grains of it. jeez I hate to think of my old 1954 savage trying to restrain that charge. ...... musta loaded that round really early in my reloading lessons. now its one powder on the table at any time.
