Something didnt feel right...

[trania_000]

So im reloading some 115gr plated 9mm on my Lock and Load progressive press this evening and I pull the handle and something doesnt feel right???

Not enough pressure on the handle.
Did I miss something?
Time to take inventory.... everything seems correct. Hmmmmm

So I look at the round on the last station. Its the bullet seat station on my press the way I have it set up. And instead of a 9mm there is a .380acp in there. Ive run across them before when im sorting my brass, but ive never let one get this far....

My question is, if somehow that round got mixed in with the 9mm and I ended up loading and firing it, what might have happend? Kaboom? Squib? It is possible that there would be a powder charge for a 9mm in that tiny little .380 acp case and a 115gr bullet on top.

Make sure to pay attention when sorting and loading is what I learned today.

 

[rcmodel]

It probably would headspace on the extractor, fire, expand to seal the chamber and you would never know it happened.

That is, unless your magazine spit it out three times while you were trying to keep it loaded.

You probably would have noticed it then!

On the other hand, that is why sorting and inspecting brass several times is so critical to safe reloading.

If you set them all mouth up on a table while looking at each case for split necks & such?

The .380's are real noticeable in a sea of 9mm brass standing up on the table!

rc

 

[9mmepiphany]

A more accurate designation for the .380 ACP is 9x17mm. As such the case would be 2mm shorter than the 9x19mm (which is what I believe you are referring to)

If you are feeding the cases into your LNL AP by hand, learn to detect the 2mm difference as you pick it up and place it into the shell plate

 

[JamieC]

After you've had a couple make it to the press, ya figure it out pretty quick. If you don't/can't notice the difference, and the round gets ALL the way through the process, I'd say maybe more attention should be paid! I can't speak for all presses, I have a Lee turret, when sizing and de-priming, it's VERY obvious to me when I get a .380 case. I usually see them when I pick them out of the box, not always, (sometimes the glasses are on top of my head)

 

[Jesse Heywood]

First, welcome to THR.

There have been many .380 ACP rounds mistakenly fired in 9mm guns without hazardous effects.

+1 to the above posts. I will add that I place all cases in loading blocks (100 round, hand made) for inspection. I not only get a good look for neck cracks, it gives me a clear shot for shorter or taller cases.

 

[ATLDave]

Sorting brass by headstamp virtually eliminates this possibility. Just sayin'...

 

[SSN Vet]

I've had it happen with my Loadmaster feed tubes...

I now sort by head stamp (for other reasons) and haven't had the problem since.

 

[wally]

My question is, if somehow that round got mixed in with the 9mm and I ended up loading and firing it, what might have happend? Kaboom? Squib?

Over the years more than a few have squeaked through in my high volume 9mm reloading. Basically unless it misfires because the fails to headspace off the extractor (which I've never observed) you won't notice it.

A steady diet of them would give the same potential issues as using lots of .38Special in .357Mag cylinders -- roughness developing in an area normally covered by brass being exposed to the hot gasses of firing.

I generally notice the reduced resizing force and cull them, but should I miss one, I stopped worrying about it years ago. With the volume I shoot, sorting by headstamp is just not gonna happen.

 

[g.willikers]

It's kind of like a 9mm case sneaking in among .38 super brass.
A smaller case with the same amount of powder would have higher pressures.
But the bullet won't be seated as deep, so things kind of cancel one another.
If you notice it before chambering and shooting, it would be best not to, though.

 

[Walkalong]

I size before loading, even though I am doing it on an LNL, and the rare .380 that makes it past my eye is felt when resizing.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

They squeak through on my LNL-AP also, I catch them in the resizing die.
To answer your question what will happen is the case will not be resized and the bullet will be very loose in the case.

It will have no neck tension and even if they make it past the resizing die you'll should catch it when you push the bullet into the case and it goes clear to the bottom at the bullet seating station.

I go to great pains to make sure the .380s are our of my 9mms. I have a couple sitting on my shelf over my loading bench with the bullet pushed to the bottom to keep me on my toes.

Could something bad happen? I suppose it could if the bullet went to the bottom of the case on it's way into the chamber and vacuum held it there.

But with no neck tension and all that bullet leade it shouldn't be able to build pressure? who knows. But I have no intension to find out.

A properly loaded .380 with good neck tension shouldn't be a problem, the lack of neck tension because it didn't get resized could be.

Just my opinion.

 

[maxxhavoc]

Well, with a progressive, if you don't notice it on the sizing die, you will notice it on the seating station.

Depending on your setup, the round may not get powder, and should not get flared fully for bullet seating. This is because the press will top out with the other 2 9mm rounds in the press BEFORE the .380 tops out. Most likely, the bullet will just sit on top of the 380 case. You will notice it then.

On the Lee Pro 1000, the round simply gets ejected on the downstroke, since the smaller rim will not hold it enough to seat the primer in a 9mm shellholder.

 

[orionengnr]

They are not hard to tell apart, even to my 58-year old eyes. On their sides ...pretty easy. Standing up...a blind man can tell the difference.

If you load both, you will learn to discern the difference pretty quickly...if not, pay someone with better (younger) eyes to separate the two.

If you load a 9mm load into a .380 case (I have seen it done) the COAL is done to 9mm length...no real harm to the pistol, as long as your extractor holds the cartridge securely enough to fire that round.

But yeah, in the mean time, review your case sorting practices.

 

[gahunter12]

I have loaded a few .380 by mistake over the years. I usually catch them when inspecting them after loading. Here's a pretty neat way to sort brass that will catch those few pesky .380 cases that slip in. I have started doing this my self. It's pretty easy. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpkUnUqMo8U

 

[noylj]

It should have been VERY loose in the shell plate.
The head is the size of a .223, which is much smaller than a 9x19.
The case head and web could not expand enough to fill the chamber and the case might let go.
You should notice the very funny looking COL with so much bullet exposed.
If you can feel 2 mm, you are doing well. I notice the smaller case diameter before I notice the shorted case (though spending time standing them all and inspecting would do the job, if you have nothing else to do).

 

[Lj1941]

I always catch them when decapping and sizing on my single station press. The easiness is the key. I save them for the day when I get a .380 for my wife.

 

[entropy]

Sorting brass by headstamp virtually eliminates this possibility. Just sayin'...

+1.

 

[kerreckt]

I shot a .380 out of a SIG 228. No problem.... not quite as loud and a bit less recoil. Scared the sh*t out of me when I realized what I had done. I knew something was different right away. It was either me or one of my sons who loaded the magazine containing the .380. That time we got a pass on complacency. Maybe not so lucky next time. That was a number of years ago and we have been extra diligent and have had no other stupid oversights......that I know of, anyway.

 

[Baryngyl]

(snipped) Here's a pretty neat way to sort brass that will catch those few pesky .380 cases that slip in. I have started doing this my self. It's pretty easy. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpkUnUqMo8U

I have been doing that for 3 years now to sort and count brass when I have sold a bit over the last 3 years.


Michael Grace