One mistake I hope never to do again.

A

AzShooter

New member
While loading up some practice ammo I had a small jam on my press. I thought I took the bad bullet off the press but then I got a little distracted and finished reloading it and the other bullets on the shell plate.

Ooops. Got scared that one bullet may have been a double charge. I'm sure I took that one off the press before I continued but then I wasn't so sure.

I had just loaded up 300 rounds into the bin.

I didn't want to throw away all those rounds. Weighing them was no help. I've often seen a variance of 2 - 3 grains in bullet weight as well as the weight of the cases. So unfortunately it was time to pull 300 bullets.

I have a kinetic bullet puller but what a pain it is to do even a small bunch.

I invested in an RCBS Collet Puller. What a great product. I took two sessions over two days to pull them all and didn't find the overcharged round. I knew I took it off the press when it happened, but better safe than sorry.

I mounted the pullet on an old single stage Lee press that I've had for 40 years. Glad I didn't throw it away.

Now I have 300 cases and bullets to put back together.
 
Yes, better safe than sorry.

I'm sure I took that one off the press before I continued but then I wasn't so sure.
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I know it sounds a bit ethereal, but if I were that close to being "sure," I would have locked myself into a quiet, dark room for a meditation session. You'd be amazed what your memory has stored if you just give it a chance to come forward. The session could have brought out a "distinct recollection" of having removed the offending round. No, I'm not into meditation per se,' but the technique has worked for me in the past. Would have been at least worth a try - given the consequences (having to pull 300 rounds).


Weighing them was no help. I've often seen a variance of 2 - 3 grains in bullet weight as well as the weight of the cases.
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Exactly. Weighing a loaded round to check for propellent (no charge, or double) is futile - and for the reasons you mentioned.
 
I once loaded 500 rounds of brand new .44 Spl on my Dillon and discovered that the decapping pin was missing on the sizing die. What to do? I was sure it was inside one of the rounds. I didn't know if I should pull all those bullets but I didn't want something unexpected to happen while shooting them.

Fortunately an idea popped into my head. I scattered the 500 bullets on the floor and ran a magnet over them. The one that stuck to the magnet had the decapping pin in it.

Sometimes you get lucky.
 
When loading on a press I always try to pick a powder that pretty much fills the case. The reason for this is I don't want to be pulling bullets looking for an overcharge. I'd rather see powder overflow a case then take a chance on a double charge.
 
I select voluminous powders for this reason. A double - or 1.5x - charge just will not fit (and the velocities seem to be more even).


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I select voluminous powders for this reason.
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I select powders based on the application for the ammo - and nothing else. To ensure a proper charge level, I hand charge with my primed brass in a loading block. I then conduct a thorough inspection of the fill levels under strong light (I load under strong light in general. And yes, I load on a progressive; but I won't prime or charge on the press.).

Besides, the kind of ammo I most frequently load - 38/44 Spl target - will easily hold a double charge no matter fluffy the propellant is - so powder selection based on fill level is moot for me. Some loadings - target 38's using TiteGroup, for instance - could literally fit five charges inside the case.
 
>Got scared that one bullet may have been a double charge

OK, I'm pedantic, but that is a CARTRIDGE that may have a double charge.

Whenever something "odd" happens, clear the press and start over. Go over everything and find the problem. Any cases with powder in them, throw the powder back in the powder measure hopper. If in any doubt, pull bullets and throw that powder back in the hopper.
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but a powder checker with a probe that fits the case size helps a bunch.
Mine have found old primers, cleaning pins, ect in the case with the powder charge.
I have ZERO idea how a spent primer wound up in a case that was throughly prepped & polished, but there it was when the powder checker went off...
Steel pins are a PAIN, one size does NOT fit all applications, and they get mixed together no matter what you do.

When I built my loader, I specifically built in a station to probe for FOD (Forign Object Debris) just prior to capping, the FOD probe checks the flash hole for stray pins and cleans out polishing media, while lower probe looks for 'Ringers' and checks primer pocket for size.
Took some doing, but seems to work.
 
I have ZERO idea how a spent primer wound up in a case that was throughly prepped & polished, but there it was when the powder checker went off...
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Same reason why there is an FDA "approved" tolerance for non food products in food products (some would frighten you).

Stuff happens.
 
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