Project355
Member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2020
- Messages
- 672
Been loading since before 1978. First time I've ever seen this "gotcha", so I thought I'd pass it along.
Was loading up some 165g cast bullets for my .44 Boomer. Brand new, package of 500 from a big name bullet casting company. I'm not here to trash the company, because mistakes happen. I'm here to tell ya what could have been a really bad thing.
About half way thru the first block of 50 loads, I noticed that one of the bullets has a deformed cannelure section. So I look... and the first thing I think of is, crap, I got one of my 45 bullets mixed in with the .44's. Well that didn't happen, but I wasn't thinking at the moment, because I didn't even consider it was a fresh opened box. So I looked at the finished round... decided to measure the OD of each one, since I was using the same JAG brass if there was a caliber mix, it would show. Was .453 to about .4545 on random rounds, including the oddball.
There was just a little bit of exposed full diameter of each bullet exposed above the crimp groove. Both were .430 inches. I gave up on the 45 mixup at that point. Had some coffee. Came back, looked in the box of 44 bullets to see if I could see anything, and remembered, hey... that was a new box I just opened (duh). At that point... I knew something else was different but what.
So I weighed 'em. Rounds with the "regular" bullets - from the box - were damn near 100g less than that oddball (I didn't balance the scale, didn't have to, as it was pretty damn obvious as to the weight difference). So far, I've not been able to find another odd bullet in the box, its tedious going, but... they crimped the same, just one was taller, or deeper rather, "inside" the case.
If I hadn't noticed the slight "ring" from the seater stem on the edge of the exposed bullet... and fired that in my little Boomer, it would have become a KA-Boomer I'm sure.
Lesson for the seasoned loaders and especially the newbies - keep your wits about you. If something is a little different, a bit odd, just "not right".... stop and investigate! The life you save may be your handguns!
As far as the casting company goes... I think its a fluke. You just NEVER hear of issues with their product, they're well known here, and have a stellar reputation - which is why I don't wanna mention 'em. I'm sure they have measures in place to prevent such cross pollinization, but... we still can't take things for granted.
Was loading up some 165g cast bullets for my .44 Boomer. Brand new, package of 500 from a big name bullet casting company. I'm not here to trash the company, because mistakes happen. I'm here to tell ya what could have been a really bad thing.
About half way thru the first block of 50 loads, I noticed that one of the bullets has a deformed cannelure section. So I look... and the first thing I think of is, crap, I got one of my 45 bullets mixed in with the .44's. Well that didn't happen, but I wasn't thinking at the moment, because I didn't even consider it was a fresh opened box. So I looked at the finished round... decided to measure the OD of each one, since I was using the same JAG brass if there was a caliber mix, it would show. Was .453 to about .4545 on random rounds, including the oddball.
There was just a little bit of exposed full diameter of each bullet exposed above the crimp groove. Both were .430 inches. I gave up on the 45 mixup at that point. Had some coffee. Came back, looked in the box of 44 bullets to see if I could see anything, and remembered, hey... that was a new box I just opened (duh). At that point... I knew something else was different but what.
So I weighed 'em. Rounds with the "regular" bullets - from the box - were damn near 100g less than that oddball (I didn't balance the scale, didn't have to, as it was pretty damn obvious as to the weight difference). So far, I've not been able to find another odd bullet in the box, its tedious going, but... they crimped the same, just one was taller, or deeper rather, "inside" the case.
If I hadn't noticed the slight "ring" from the seater stem on the edge of the exposed bullet... and fired that in my little Boomer, it would have become a KA-Boomer I'm sure.
Lesson for the seasoned loaders and especially the newbies - keep your wits about you. If something is a little different, a bit odd, just "not right".... stop and investigate! The life you save may be your handguns!
As far as the casting company goes... I think its a fluke. You just NEVER hear of issues with their product, they're well known here, and have a stellar reputation - which is why I don't wanna mention 'em. I'm sure they have measures in place to prevent such cross pollinization, but... we still can't take things for granted.