Hey folks,
I have to politely take exception to 45lcshooter's comments above:
"Made a few boo boos. Boo boos will be made, but as long as you can learn from your mistakes your good. The one radio station was having a "hair band" weekend, didn't realize what I was doing and double charged 125 cases. Was rocking out to Ozzy, Pantera, Skynard a little to hard!!!! Haha."
Yes, mistakes will be made, but there are some mistakes you simply cannot afford to make because you may not have the opportunity to learn from that particular mistake. Some mistakes can be rather benign and we learn to avoid them: making a case lube dent and getting a case stuck in a sizer die are the type of mistakes from which we can afford to learn. Double charging cases or just over charging cases are mistakes we cannot afford to tolerate. Absolutely no tolerance allowed when it comes to making mistakes charging cases.
I have absolutely no idea what a "hair band" weekend is, but 45lcshooter seems to have allowed it to distract his work and result in 125 double charged cases. Sorry, 45lcshooter, but when you say you were "rocking out to Ozzy, Pantera, Skynard a little to hard!!!! Haha", I think you are not taking your "mistake" seriously enough. It really is not a Haha thing when it comes to charging cases.
Over 50 years ago, I stopped choosing any powder charge that did not fill the case at least over the half way level. That way, you cannot possible double charge a case. This has not been a bad SOP, and it has worked very well for a long time.
When loading single stage, I charge all cases in a wood block, and before I seat a bullet in these charged cases, I visually inspect each case in the block to see all powder levels look like they were properly charged and that none is empty. It is a very simple thing to do, but really necessary to keep from making that kind of mistake that may have disastrous results.
When loading on my L&L progressive press, I do not rely on any powder cop die. Instead, I rely on my long practice of visually inspecting each case after it is charged and before seating the bullet. With pistol cases, this is real easy. With bottleneck cases, it is a bit more demanding, but I use a small goose neck light mounted to the press and aimed down the case to see the powder level in each case. This can even be done easily with little .223 cases.
Make a lube dent. Get a case stuck. Make other benign mistakes, but do not ever allow yourself to make a mistake charging a case, and never take making such mistakes lightly.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile