Small charges / Big blow - ups.

[Ben]

I've always believed that a lot of photos of blown up rifles and handguns that we have seen in the past are due to double and / or triple charges.

Often times using a progressive machine ( especially if you're a beginner ) is an invitation for a double charge.

Today, I was loading some mild 30-30's for my Super 14, T/C pistol.

As I sat at my reloading bench today, I thought .........." Is there a fool proof way to guarantee you're not about to seat a bullet on a double charge of powder ? ? "

If you're willing to slow things down a bit and add an additional step to your reloading sequence, I say YES, there it.

Here is a pic of the 30-30's that I'm loading today.
The load is 5.5 grs. of Promo with a 127 gr. , plain base cast bullet.

By taking a clean , oil free wooden dowel that falls freely to the bottom of your cartridge case ( doesn't matter if it is a pistol or rifle case ). your 1st step is to measure, by weight, a known charge of propellant that you KNOW is a safe load.

Drop that amount of powder into an empty cartridge case.
Now drop the dowel down onto the powder charge.
With a piece of tape or pencil, make a mark that is appropriate for that amount of powder on your wooden dowel.

Every time you throw a charge, stop......drop in the dowel and check to see if the dowel sits on the powder and is raised to the appropriate height.

If you happen to mistakenly allow an empty case to get by you, this is what it will look like with this system.

It doesn't matter if the case is a 22 Hornet or a 45/70 or anything in between, this system works.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[KeithB]

Neat idea Ben. Anything to promote safety is a good idea.

 

[Rick]

I cringe every time I hear of a new reloader starting on a progressive with but one thing in mind, how many how fast. The outcome is about guaranteed.

 

[Ben]

The outcome is about guaranteed.

No truer words have been spoken !

Ben

 

[Paul Gauthier]

Excellent post Ben, I will be incorporating that method in my single stage reloading. It would even be possible to use it on my Dillon 650 if one did not have the powder checker that beeps. I think that because it slows things down and allows more concentration is the key to your method.

 

[Ben]

I think that because it slows things down and allows more concentration is the key to your method

It seems so very simple ...........a .02 cent wooden dowel. However, ...........it could help you avoid a MAJOR catastrophe.

Best,
Ben

 

[Brad]

I stopped using loading blocks at all. Primed cases sit in a plastic bin. I grab one, drop powder, then seat bullet. It is then placed into another bin.

I do use a Dillon 550 for handgun ammo. If I ever stop for any reason I check the cases for powder charge. I tend to load 100-200 rounds at a time with it. Max is 300 per session. That means no 2 hour marathon sessions.

 

[Ben]

I think everyone has different equipment and slightly different routines.
That's fine........we just all need to be certain that we've thought all this through and have made our favorite sport as safe as possible.

Safe and enjoyable shooting to all of you,

Ben

 

[Brad]

Safe is key.
My biggest don't is loading when fatigued.
Saw a single rifle destroyed by a loading mishap, don't care to see another.

 

[Ben]

Your exactly right Brad ! !

One phone call, one interruption, one lost moment of concentration and you've got a major problem on your hands. An ounce of prevention is well worth a pound of cure.

Ben

 

[Brother_Love]

I still use loading blocks but I keep a small LED flashlight handy and visually check each case before seating bullets.

 

[oscarflytyer]

much easier way (sorry Ben...) - Single Stage press/reloading! All I will ever do. I have seen too many blow ups from people using progressives. plus primer tube blow ups ( I have only ever hand primed - everything - for 35 years). My hands are ugly, and my eyes ain't so good anymore, but I still like them. More power (and more guts) to you guys going progressive. Not a word I like for politics or reloading for me!

PS: and going back to look at your original post - looks like you WERE single stage loading, but with VERY light charges. Haven't gone that light yet, but if/when - perfect idea. Slower and Safer is always better! Thanx!

 

[Pistolero]

I am very careful with this, did ONE double charge in .45 ACP in about 1981, and have not yet
done it again, thank goodness. With the short, wide .45 ACP case, I just look at the powder
charge closely as I put the bullet on each time, and can tell by the height. A lot harder with .38 Spl, and
esp with 357 Mag, unless you are loading top loads in .357 which fill it up pretty high.

With bottle neck cartridges, I normally only load on the progressive with full power loads, so
a double charge would spill a bunch of powder all over the place. When I load low loads like
this, it's neer on the Dillon. I either drop the powder and put a bullet on the case and seat it, or do a
tray full, and then inspect with a bright flashlight. I wonder if I could tell with that tiny dab of Promo
in a .30-30 case. I would probably use the dump, bullet, seat routine on that one.

I, too, cringe at newbies with a progressive. I have a good friend who is sorta, kinda
fooling around with reloading, scares me silly. Has the basic gear, Rock Chucker and all,
has had it for 25 yrs. I have helped him set it up, and he loaded a couple of boxes of
.45 ACP, then put it down for about two years. He wants to get a progressive press, I
keep telliing him he will blow up a gun or two because he can't really remember how to
do the single stage now. I have quit even trying to get him going. If he wants to, he will
and I will help, but he doesn't seem anywhere near interested enough to be safe at this
point. It is just cheaper ammo for him, and that is dangerous, too.

Bill

 

[Ben]

Bill,

Seems today that young reloaders don't want to go the route we did.
We read, we compared, we went slow , etc. It took us many years to develop a knowledge base.

We now have the micro-wave generation.
Push a couple of buttons and you have instant gratification.
On other forums, newbies won't even look up load data, they will ask you, much easier. Seems it is important to get exactly what you want quickly with no effort on your behalf.

My old grandaddy always told me...." You can lead a mule to water but you can't make him drink. "

We are ( along with many of the rest of us on this forum ) of a different generation.

Ben

 

[Brad]

I was an experienced reloaded and there was a distinct learning curve when I got my Dillon about 20 years ago.
On a single stage press you need to see what is going on in one operation, on a progressive it is many.
A progressive requires a higher level of concentration and is definitely not a beginner tool.

 

[Brother_Love]

Ben,
I know what you mean. I'm OCD about it, I don't look at one manual, I check several. When I'm reloading I tell my wife to hold her thoughts until I finish and no tv or not radio. In the rare instance I have to stop I leave the press handle down so I know what I was doing when I stopped.

I love all my guns and want to keep them in one piece! I double and triple check everything.

Malcolm

 

[Rick]

Big part of the problem with the younger generation is the way they are taught in school. Here's the answer we'll fit a question it, no thinking involved, sad.

 

[Ben]

Ben,
I know what you mean. I'm OCD about it, I don't look at one manual, I check several. When I'm reloading I tell my wife to hold her thoughts until I finish and no tv or not radio. In the rare instance I have to stop I leave the press handle down so I know what I was doing when I stopped.

I love all my guns and want to keep them in one piece! I double and triple check everything.

Malcolm

Super Smart Malcolm.
Don't change a thing............

Ben

 

[KHornet]

Good thread Ben, (as always)! I blew up one, don't
ever want to blow up another. I weigh every rifle
charge that is less than 1/2 a full charge to the mouth
of the case.

Paul

 

[Ben]

Hard to be too safe.............right Paul ?

Ben