I was just on another sight looking around and come across a thread about things that happened to guys in the reloading process, or when they tried to fire there rounds and the gun would jam. most ive done is put a primer in wrong or too much powder and it was a double charge . id like to here your experiences of stuff that has happened to you guys over the years !!!!!!. so mayby we can all learn something out of this , thanks for the input !!!!!!
in reloading whats is the worst thats happened to you ????
- Thread starter hound2013
- Start date
I've gotten off lucky I guess. About the worst that has happened to me has been,
1. Squib load - This occured in probably the first 50 rounds I ever loaded. The .303 just went "click" rather than "bang". I strongly suspect it was due to contaminated powder from using wet-lubed cases. The primer went off, and the bullet was stuck in the first little bit of the rifling. Just enough to require a wooden dowel down the barrel to hammer back out.
2. Over pressure loads - Not totally over pressue, but I have perhaps 20 .308 rounds that need to be disassembled as the lowest powder charge of the series is causing the bolt to lock up. Not sure why, since I am a stickler for keeping within published guidelines, but I guess anything can happen.
1. Squib load - This occured in probably the first 50 rounds I ever loaded. The .303 just went "click" rather than "bang". I strongly suspect it was due to contaminated powder from using wet-lubed cases. The primer went off, and the bullet was stuck in the first little bit of the rifling. Just enough to require a wooden dowel down the barrel to hammer back out.
2. Over pressure loads - Not totally over pressue, but I have perhaps 20 .308 rounds that need to be disassembled as the lowest powder charge of the series is causing the bolt to lock up. Not sure why, since I am a stickler for keeping within published guidelines, but I guess anything can happen.
BrotherRockeye
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Saskatchewan
I put too many together of what turned out to be a poor load and had to pull a bunch of bullets once...
I was lucky to survive and have all my fingers!
I was lucky to survive and have all my fingers!
- Location
- West Quebec
Not putting enough powder in my 223 loads..needless to say the bullets did not go far
I overlubed some cases being sized once when using Lee paste lube. The excess lube shot out of the vent hole in the die under hydraulic pressure and got me right in the face. Tasted terrible.
I loaded over 200rnds of 308 for a rifle I then sold. They were neck sized and didn't fit in any of my other 308's. I ended up pulling them all.
I loaded 100rnds (2 boxes) of .44 mag late at night before going to the range with friends the next morning. They where all loaded above max somehow and the first round stuck terribly in the chamber. I had to pull the other 99.
I fumbled a piece of brass I had just annealed and it sizzled and stuck to my forearm. I waved my arm around like an idiot before it finally flew off. Had a scar for a couple years.
I loaded over 200rnds of 308 for a rifle I then sold. They were neck sized and didn't fit in any of my other 308's. I ended up pulling them all.
I loaded 100rnds (2 boxes) of .44 mag late at night before going to the range with friends the next morning. They where all loaded above max somehow and the first round stuck terribly in the chamber. I had to pull the other 99.
I fumbled a piece of brass I had just annealed and it sizzled and stuck to my forearm. I waved my arm around like an idiot before it finally flew off. Had a scar for a couple years.
Reloading 7.62 NATO for a friends BLR.
All went well until the removal of the primer crimp, which also went well.
Then the re-loading! Primers did not want to go in and after all the pissing around this is the only time i have had duds.
I will not load Military brass again.
All went well until the removal of the primer crimp, which also went well.
Then the re-loading! Primers did not want to go in and after all the pissing around this is the only time i have had duds.
I will not load Military brass again.
We're they crimped primers? If they were and you didn't swage them, that right there is your problem.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
I found a 20% off coupon once... Cost me an arm and a leg in components...
I had a squib, some warm load's, some spilled powder... The spilled powder hurts pretty bad.
I had a squib, some warm load's, some spilled powder... The spilled powder hurts pretty bad.
One's bad, the other one's annoying......
A squib load .38sp that ended up bulging the barrel on a .357.....
A bunch (250+) of .45ACP loads that were too hot. Several evenings in the garage with the bullet puller later, life is good.
A squib load .38sp that ended up bulging the barrel on a .357.....
A bunch (250+) of .45ACP loads that were too hot. Several evenings in the garage with the bullet puller later, life is good.
Was loading for a Ruger #1 rifle in 7x57. I had developed a great load with the 160 grain Partition, using Norma MRP.
Accidentally got a R-P case mixed up in my Winchester brass, and failed to notice the powder level in that R-P case.
I was chronographing the load to verify previous results, and was getting low 2700 fps readings until I fired that R-P case.
Chronograph read mid 2900's, and some smoke curled out of that #1 action. Lever drop was a bit sticky, and the primer immediately fell out
of the badly expanded case.
Checking case capacities later told the story. The R-P cases were about 30 grains heavier than the WW-Super cases.
No harm to anything but my ego, lol. Lesson learned -----watch those cases, and avoid mixing brands.
Another boo-boo on my part was thinking that I could successfully use Hornady 50 grain SX bullets at full speed in my 220 Swift.
No harm, of course, but only about 2-3 out of 5 shots reached the 100 yard target, the others disappeared in a grey mist out 50 ft in front of the muzzle.
Regards, Dave.
Accidentally got a R-P case mixed up in my Winchester brass, and failed to notice the powder level in that R-P case.
I was chronographing the load to verify previous results, and was getting low 2700 fps readings until I fired that R-P case.
Chronograph read mid 2900's, and some smoke curled out of that #1 action. Lever drop was a bit sticky, and the primer immediately fell out
of the badly expanded case.
Checking case capacities later told the story. The R-P cases were about 30 grains heavier than the WW-Super cases.
No harm to anything but my ego, lol. Lesson learned -----watch those cases, and avoid mixing brands.
Another boo-boo on my part was thinking that I could successfully use Hornady 50 grain SX bullets at full speed in my 220 Swift.
No harm, of course, but only about 2-3 out of 5 shots reached the 100 yard target, the others disappeared in a grey mist out 50 ft in front of the muzzle.
Regards, Dave.
I didn't put a pin through my finger but I really turned my thumb black and blue for a week or so. I was guiding the case up with a bullet that wanted to tip and I didn't quite get the thumb out in time. Momentum is a BEOTCH!
I was under the mistaken impression that smokeless powder doesn't go bad with age. I know better now. It started out Ok but the last few batches were getting more and more loads that didn't ignite. I was really thinking it was time to give up due to the number of squibs I was getting. Then I found out that two of them had powder which just wasn't set off by the primer. I finished the batch of ammo as practice and plinking ammo only with more squibs that also had powder in the cases. So if someone tries to sell you powder that is well over 20 years old don't buy it.
Aside from that the only other issue is having to build a new storage cabinet to hold all the ammo I've been able to afford to load thanks to the lower price compared to buying factory ammo.....
I was under the mistaken impression that smokeless powder doesn't go bad with age. I know better now. It started out Ok but the last few batches were getting more and more loads that didn't ignite. I was really thinking it was time to give up due to the number of squibs I was getting. Then I found out that two of them had powder which just wasn't set off by the primer. I finished the batch of ammo as practice and plinking ammo only with more squibs that also had powder in the cases. So if someone tries to sell you powder that is well over 20 years old don't buy it.
Aside from that the only other issue is having to build a new storage cabinet to hold all the ammo I've been able to afford to load thanks to the lower price compared to buying factory ammo.....
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
Spilled some powder a couple of times... blown up a couple of vacuum cleaners by sucking up a live primer I didn't see. Nothing too catastrophic.
Missed a nice whitetail buck and a cow elk last fall because I was too cheap to buy a chrony. Turns out that even though I was dead on at 150 yards, the bullets were dropping off pretty quick after that.
Biggunners
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- MOSTLY LOSTED
Light charges in 9mm and new Baretta is not cycling proplery.
Loaded some 400 rounds and can't take apart - Lesson to self
Loaded some 400 rounds and can't take apart - Lesson to self
