Lotsa squibs

Rockrivr1 said:

I've had a squib in my reloads and I used a wooden dowel to bang it out. There are several posts above that said not to use wooden dowels. For my own knowledge, why is that? Thanks

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Good question

That’s what I used the day I had my two squibs.

Then I bought my brass rod and have never had to use it thank goodness.

I know the wood dowel could break/split but couldn’t hurt the barrel right?

CQB45ACP said:

Good question

That’s what I used the day I had my two squibs.

Then I bought my brass rod and have never had to use it thank goodness.

I know the wood dowel could break/split but couldn’t hurt the barrel right?

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I think the concern is a piece of wood splitting inside the barrel and getting jammed up in the rifling. I guess there's reasons how that can happen and it would be an unwanted delay to clearing your barrel.

LiveLife said:

What brand?

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CCI SV. They get worse in the winter so I switch to Blazers or Mini Mags.

Rockrivr1 said:

I've had a squib in my reloads and I used a wooden dowel to bang it out. There are several posts above that said not to use wooden dowels. For my own knowledge, why is that? Thanks

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Wood dowels have a tendency of breaking. They leave deposits in the rifling and if worse, in your hand.

AJC1 said:

Any solid soft material is good for a driver. Aluminum, brass, copper all would be fine. Wood dowels would be a way to get in trouble in a hurry. In a pinch I might even try a well fitting nylon rod. The bullet should not be stuck.

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Unscrewed the antennae on the truck once....

Not really a squib though. A buddy and I were working up a load and that one was on the light side. We tapped it out and went on with the shooting.

GeoDudeFlorida said:

I think the concern is a piece of wood splitting inside the barrel and getting jammed up in the rifling. I guess there's reasons how that can happen and it would be an unwanted delay to clearing your barrel.

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Yes I can see that happening and I guess if once you got it unjammed you’d have to brush it out pretty good v. Just swabbing. Brass is good and no squibs is even better.

bullseye308 said:

Definitely referring to removing a stuck bullet in the barrel, not checking powder levels.

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Sorry, my first thought was avoiding a squib in the first place and my mind just sort of fastened on that. If I'd read your post more carefully I would've realized what you meant.

CQB45ACP said:

...I know the wood dowel could break/split but couldn’t hurt the barrel right?

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The real problem arises because all wood isn't cut perfectly with the grain.

Imagine that you're trying to drive out a squib and the dowel splits at an angle, essentially forming two wedges that you're now driving into one another inside the bore. It doesn't matter which end you try to push it from, all that happens is that you drive the wedges more tightly into each other, nothing actually moves.

The only way I know to get it loose is a long drill bit slightly smaller than the bore that's kept centered by tape wrapped around it at intervals.

It's really easy to screw this operation up and permanently trash your bore, thus the references to having a gunsmith remove a wooden dowel when it's stuck in your bore.

I have been reloading for 40+ years with zero squibs. I attribute this to the fact my father, early on, demanded that I develop - and follow - a standardized set of reloading procedures that required no less than three checks for powder in the case before the bullet was seated.

I successfully removed a jammed wood dowel a friend got stuck by using a propane torch and heating the rifle barrel enough to char the wood and knock it out. Then I drove out the bullet with a brass rod. Just don't heat the barrel excessively or in just a narrow spot.

I had a squib when I was first learning my turret press. Luckily I train alot, and noticed something didn't feel right on the 2nd of a 2 shot burst. The recoil and sound were less, but close enough to pull the trigger again if not paying attention. I thank god my trigger finger just froze instantly;I wasn't even sure why at the time. Anyway, after that incident, my primary focus is on that powder level in the case, after the drop. I now use Unique powder only, because the flakes are huge, and fill a 9mm case alot. After 1000s of loads, I can now literally eye the drop to 1/10 of a grain. I also bought LED lightning for the turret. I can see the inside of the case completely.