Quickload Curiousity

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curtmg

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Hey, Thank God that I caught this error on the bench, not by accidentally loading these grenades into my gun. But out of curiousity, could someone with a spare couple minutes run this through quickload, so I can see how exploded I'd have been. Was being lazy, not checking the powder thrower often enough. Thankfully my only penance will be the time it takes to disassemble these, I'm too embarrassed to say how many I actually made :redface:

45ACP
230 gr FMJ RN
8.0 Gr Universal Clays
1.245" Oal
4.6" Glock barrel
Win large pistol primer

Thank you.
 
44,000 psi

SAAMI working pressure for 45ACP is 21,000 psi
+P load is 23,000 psi
Max proof load is 33,000 psi


That you caught it in time => Priceless
 
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If the barrel has an unsupported chamber, then at 44,000 PSI in a .45ACP case, I would bet that the bottom back of the case would have let go & a lot of the burning gases would go down into the mag well.
Then it might get really interesting.

A few years ago, I found a 45 ACP case with the bottom blown out on the range .
I still have it to show to students what can happen. Someone else cleaned up the blood on the range floor but at least there were no body parts.
 
Wow, I knew it'd be bad, but wow! Thanks for that. I had set the powder measure to my normal 6.0 gr (6.6gr is max), and checked it at about 10 rounds, then about 20 rounds, then I kind of got in a groove, and before I knew it I had a pile of rounds. I checked it again, 8.0, ok that had to be a mistake, check again, 8.0, look at a pile of rounds, and realize there is no way to tell where things started to go wrong. Segregate all rounds from session, put away powder, go upstairs and have a few strong drinks. I guess I'll be looking for a collet puller, no way I'm using the bullet hammer for all those.
 
I checked it again, 8.0, ok that had to be a mistake, check again, 8.0
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Don't feel bad about it. I have made a few mistakes in my time. IMO what separates the careful reloaders from the not so careful is checking & catching mistakes before an accident happens.
 
(((Echo))) said:
C'mon, suck it up little girl. I hammered out 100+ rounds of 44 Mag with a heavy crimp when I found out I boned the charge weight :mad: .

(E) :cool:
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Good point, it is the middle of winter, what else am I gonna spend my time on. Probably shouldn't take more than 2 hours. Hell, I'll save my money, and use the hammer.
 
i have been reloading for 30 yrs. i have never had to pull bullets. what are the advantages of a collet puller over a hammer type puller? do you have to pound verey hard, and repeatedly to get the bullets out of the hammer type pullers?
 
Question about loading variations like yours...

You never stated what press you were using and I can only assume a progressive but my question is how does this variation occur and is there a way to ensure that it doesn't?

Greg
 
Yeah, I'm curious abut that as well. I've had loads get progressively lighter due to the shrinking powder column, but how could your powder measure up 2 grains by itself?

Are you sure your measure wasn't set on 8 gr. the whole time, and when you weighed the 6 grainers you accidentally threw lighter charges for whatever reason?
 
I'm just on a single stage RCBS. Using the RCBS Powder thrower. The only thing I can think of is that I must have brush against the adjustment knob screw, but even then, that'd take a lot to move it 2 grains. Unless like you say, I just messed up when I set it. I honestly don't know exactly what the cause was, wish I did, I'm just gonna have to be more careful in the future. My set up is down in the basement. Wife and baby in bed asleep, no tv, no radio, I do my very best to have no distractions whatsoever.
I use the loading block, set the charge with the 5-0-5 scale, charged 10 cases, checked the weight, charged 10 more, checked the weight. Got lazy, charged 140 more without checking, and pressed bullets into them all, before checking powder measure, just because I had the "Somethings not right" feeling.
My wife and I joke about my recently passed mother, still watching over us. I think she really saved me this time.
 
ruger 77 said:
i have been reloading for 30 yrs. i have never had to pull bullets. what are the advantages of a collet puller over a hammer type puller? do you have to pound verey hard, and repeatedly to get the bullets out of the hammer type pullers?
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Depends on the round, and if it is crimped or not how hard you have to pound. Usually 45acp can be done in 4-5 good whacks. 300wm usually 2-4 whacks. You don't hit it any harder than a medium hit with a hammer, the entire unit is made of plastic, so you're not gonna try to get it in one whack, or you risk breaking the hammer.

Collet pullers, I haven't used, and don't own any yet. From what I've read here, they are quicker, and easier to retrieve powder. Just like any other step in a single stage press, insert round into shell holder, run it into the puller, I'm not sure if you need to do anything to secure the bullet, but then you just lower the ram, and it comes out. Bullet in collet, powder sitting in case. Of course that's just how I think they work off the top of my head, having never used one. I could be completely wrong :redface:

Good job, on 30 years never having to pull bullets. I'm 1 year into this, and I've used the "Reloaders Eraser," enough that I'm sure I could do it with my eyes closed. Of course from now on, I'm going to keep my eyes open for everything.
 
SandRoad said:
44,000 psi
SAAMI working pressure for 45ACP is 21,000 psi
+P load is 23,000 psi
Max proof load is 33,000 psi.........
Click to expand...


I see guys quoting SAAMI specs fopr handloads all the time. I know some sites (Hodgon etc) list pressure values next to their recommended loads but not everyone does this. Is there a chart or guide on-line we can refer to to do a quick calculation?

Regards,
 
Boomer686 said:
I see guys quoting SAAMI specs fopr handloads all the time. I know some sites (Hodgon etc) list pressure values next to their recommended loads but not everyone does this. Is there a chart or guide on-line we can refer to to do a quick calculation?

Regards,
Click to expand...

I just start a thread and ask someone who uses Quickload ;)

It's a really cool program, I'm gonna have to pay for a copy of it someday, unless I can find it free somewhere.
 
It's good to hear that you caught the mistake and that we didn't hear about another ka-boom.

In the early '80's I loaded .38 Special's for our small club. I was making 1000 rounds a week on a single stage press, after a few months this was getting sickening. Anyway, I was using a second hand Lyman powder measure, and I didn't notice that the adjustment changed. Fortunately it only increased the charges by a grain, and I was able to shoot them in my .357, but I had 500 loaded and didn't feel like weighing them all, so I just bought 1000 .38's and I shot the stuff I loaded.

With regard to pullers, collet pullers and kinetic puller don't work particularly well with rounds crimped with heavy roll crimps. Neither do they work particularly well will military rifle ammo that have a sealant around the shank of the bullet. I use plier style wire strippers. The serrations hold the bullet firmly and allow you to pull a jacketed bullet with little damage to it. Cast bullets, especially cast pistol bullets, are going to be damaged and should just be discarded.
 
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