Never had a kaboom

I agree it's getting scary. I see more and more threads with new reloaders wanting the fastest thing they can get or asking how much powder to use because they don't have a manual. I have been reloading seven years. Started with a Lee classic turret and added a Dillon 550. Still use both presses. Also never had a kaboom.

Me neither

35 years, have not shot a factory round in probably 15 years. I had a partial case separation once in a .303 British, but they're known for generous headspace.
Had an accident once, where a 9mm went off out of battery- casing went into the hairline and skidded back along my skull to the rear. The Mauser C96 was perfectly fine, a sharp edge had caught the primer as the cartridge misfed. The bullet hit my breastbone and bounced off. (It had already ricocheted off the breechface.)
Have 5 Square Deals (I absolutely hate setup) and a 450, and a rockchucker...and have loaded everything from 25 ACP to 43 Mauser.....
Stick to the middle of the load range. Never loaded one to max and never will. Have seen some really bad accidents......usually preceded by "Gawd, look at the brass, it melted into the bolt." OR, of course, "Watch this, they said you couldn't use that much powder." Whatever you load, you're going to test it a few inches from your face.

I working on 41 yrs of reloading and have not had anything even close to a kaboom, I did some stupid things like shot into a steel plate with a 22 and caught the richochet in my leg.

I never experimented from thinking I knew more than the companies that write the manuals.

My father taught me the basics in 1972 and without forums of experts to ask or the internet to look things up on I managed to get through it with little to no problems.

I bought two boxes of factory rifle loads (not 22lr) in my life and still have both of them. I load for 7 rifle calibers and 4 pistol calibers and two muzzle loaders and have way to many people wanting me to load for them.

That's not going to happen.

At working 60+ hrs a week repairing machinery I don't have time (or the energy) to even try to help my friends learn to reload so I keep my mouth shut about it. Luckily the supervisor of our dept and I both have the same interests so we talk about the posts we see and shake our heads in dis-belief.

Collectively knock on wood, or rub the lamp, before posting " never, not ever"

Just sayin..........

No kaboom here. I've been at it for 15 years on single stage and my classic turret. I've loaded .223, .22-250, .243, .270, and .45 acp. Largest number of rounds loaded would have to go to .45 by FAR, and it is pretty low pressure. Hoping to have a reason to load for .308 win soon.

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I have been at it for only 4 yrs and a month. I started on a RL550b, and knock on wood I haven't had a KB. I did have one squib during my first 50 rnds to ever load. I caught the squib, and learned not to leave the bench to take care of a honey do til my press is cleared of all cases. If I walk away now I make sure I complete all rounds before stepping away! At only 46,000 rounds loaded thus far I'm still a noob.

30 plus years and no KABOOMS here. Had a squib or two, many years ago when I tried to download Win 296 powder. I didn’t know you can’t do that then, but I do now.

50 years, nope. Dry balled a muzzle loader a few times.

Only 2 years into it, but have loaded and shot about 4,000 hand loads rifle and handgun- 9mm, 40SW, 45ACP and .223. Haven't had a squib or KB so far.

I started with a Lee single stage, now use an RL550B.

I've only been doing this for a little less then 20 years(18 maybe). About 5 years ago I went from reloading to handloading. I work with cheap powders that have no map. I believe I have found a full proof way of testing for burn rate without blowing a fun up. These 19gn plastic projectiles are great.

I started with a single stage but was not happy doing it. I didn't have the time & or took a lot of it. I went to progressive & enjoy it much more. I do keep a close eye on primers, powder, & bullet. I don't pay much attention to the case feeder(if it runs out no big deal). Sometimes the wife or a kid feed cases or top off powder.

Rifle I still prefer to do on single stage.

While I was in Nam I developed this attraction to sniper rifles and accuracy. Came home and started reloading and hand loading in '72. Hand loading is just something I truly enjoy and put in the time and effort to work on getting it right. No Ka Boom and I would like to keep it that way.

So if I mix some Hodgdon TITEWAD powder and some Hodgdon H50BMG (Really fast and Really slow) in a 50/50 mix will I get Hodgdon H322 (about in the middle)?

Ron

No kaboom yet... which isn't saying much: I've been reloading for almost a year. I started doing this in order to make less-than-full-power loads for my .44 magnum. I spent last January, February and March reading, bought equipment in April, and got a few lessons from experienced loaders before trying it myself.

I learned care and caution from reading threads in this forum. I also have a couple of blown-up-gun photos pinned up over my reloading bench to remind me of what can happen if I get distracted, tired, or careless.

I like what Plain Old Bill said above: "Whatever you load, you're going to test it a few inches from your face."

I just posted my first (and hopefully only) Kaboom in over 6 years of reloading. That being said, I have still had a better track record with my reloads than with factory ammo. I was an Army small arms instructor, and now work in law enforcement, and have seen all sorts of screwy things happen with high quality factory ammunition.

For those of you that have never had a mishap, congratulations, I envy your attention to detail. Just keep in mind, what got me was overconfidence in my reloading experience and complacency.

And wear your eye protection!

I've been at it for over 30 yrs. and have never had a KB. I've encountered some excessive pressures on a few loads, but those were in fact expected while working up to maximum. In short any excessive pressures I've ever encountered have been the purpose and not a mishap.


GS

I shave with a chainsaw. no problems

Been reloading on and off for 21 years. I started out with a Lee single stage. I did back when I first started out have a close call when the bolt head retaining pin on my Savage 110 30.06 broke and I won't lie, I think it had to do with me loading my rounds a bit too hot.

I noticed the bolt issue when it happened (Prairie Dog shooting) and no "Kaboom" but, a lesson learned. I replaced the pin and loaded ammo to book specs from then on out.

Not having any test equipment like a crony I can only look for pressure signs and I like to get as many firings out of my brass as I can for the most part so most loads I shoot are mid level. I will load a few warmer loads from time to time.

I now have a Lee single stage, Lee 4 hole Classic Turret, Hornady LNL AP and a Lee Load-All for 12g.

Been loading for 50 years, and 30 calibers, plus shotgun. Never had a gun blow up, and finally had my first squib load on June 23rd of last year, in the biggest match in the world in my sport. And that was after loading over 750,000+ rounds. I finally bought an RCBS Lock Out die for my progressive, and it's caught what would have been 3 more squib loads since then. You never stop learning in this game.

My equipment is two Hollywood Senior presses, an RCBS Rockchucker, a Hornady LNL and a Magma Case Master Jr.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Reloadron said:

So if I mix some Hodgdon TITEWAD powder and some Hodgdon H50BMG (Really fast and Really slow) in a 50/50 mix will I get Hodgdon H322 (about in the middle)?

Click to expand...

Only if you use aluminum cases and lube the bullets with Ivory soap. Don't forget to wear your tin foil helmet. :banghead:

42 years and knocking on wood. No primer tubes blown up and no toes shot off either. Thank goodness. I attribute this to more than a little to bringing up a mental picture every time I reload and shoot, of destroyed guns, mangled hands, and one really mangled foot I've personally witnessed at the local range. Those mental pictures, wake me up and help me to focus. These things are not toys to play with like cap guns, NEVER take them for granted.

Equipment: 1 month with a Lee Target Loader
38 years with a Rock Chucker
4 years with a Pro 2000 & Rock Chucker
reloading pistols: .40, 9mm, .38, .357, .45
reloading rifles: .270, 30/30, .308, .243, .223, 7mm Mag

I've been Hand loading for 5 years now with no Kbooms. I started with a 4 hole clasic turet to load every thing with and now I'm useing a rock chucker for all my rifle and SP toys. Last year I started to cast my own Boolts for my pistols and now I'm moving towards casting for my rifle calibers. Started with a 7 TCU shot a few with great results then we moved and I'm now setting up my bench again.

It may be just me but in 40+ years reloading I have never yet had a squib or overload unless doing load development and then I was trying to see how low I could load that revolver before the bullet stuck. I feel that if you pay attention to details and never reload unless you are in top notch awareness mode there will be few problems. I like the comment about testing it 6 inches from your head also. In my life I found hurrying never actually saved any time or effort. I use reloading to relax and zone out of my days problems I may have. If I feel that I am too tired and can't pay proper attention I will not attempt to reload at all. IMHO fatigue contributes to more reloading mistakes than any other so be aware of this please. YMMV

I kinda hate this kind of statement because murphys law seems to strike shortly after but all has been quiet here for 30 years of hand loading.

Had two primers pop because of the seating tool used at the time. Needless to say that tool is no longer on the reloading bench. That's been it since about 1973.

I had forgot but I did kinda have a kaboom. it wasn't from a over charge but was reloading related. I had a bullet stick in the lande & there bolt wouldn't open so I used a cleaning rod down the barrel to tap it lose. One tap & the bolt fell open cartridge held in place by the rod the cam on the firing pin jumped it's notch. The mag blow to pieces & the case tired inside out. powder hitting the side of leg had a little sting to it.

The company picked up the gun. I never asked if they did anything to it or just gave me a new mag.