chaos theory and the stupid things I did today..

[JLDickmon]

I was loading .444 Marlin for the son-in-law..
using a bullet I bought for that gun, but had only used on loads for my Super Blackhawk..

Screw Up #1.
I never checked OAL
Never ONCE did I crack a manual and make sure the bullet was suitable for the application.

Screw Up #2
Internet data.
And on top of that, I extrapolated it to a different powder.
Luckily, I was smart enough to reduce the load.

Screw Up #3
I never made a dummy round.
I loaded 20 rounds of live ammo without checking to see if they would chamber.

Screw Up #4
Live round that wouldn't eject.
So I'm digging at it with a pocket screwdriver trying to pry it back out of the extractor.
I finally got smart and pulled the lever and the bolt.

Screw Up #5
Forgot to lube the case when I put it back in the sizing die.
Two hours digging the case out of the die.

Screw Up #6
Never thanked God for not blowing me up.
Until now.

I've been reloading on & off for 30 years.
BRAINS.
They're wonderful things to have.
USE YOURS

 

[splattergun]

I can't speak of brains JL, but I think you're both blessed AND lucky to survive a chain of 6 screwups without getting hurt. Sounds like you were having a rough day and your heart wasn't into it. Glad you're OK.

Thanks for the heads up.

Note to self;
Remember to pay attention to the details and scrap the loading session if I'm not focused.

 

[JLDickmon]

my heart was in if just fine.. my head was somewhere else, though..

I put everything away and watched college football all afternoon..

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks for the reminder to always pay attention the the little things.
Glad things only went wrong the the loads and nothing went "really" wrong!

 

[Ky Larry]

We all have days when we get stuck on stupid and can't seem to get right. Thankfully all body parts are still attached and functioning.

 

[45lcshooter]

Glad everything workout in the end above ground. We all get moments of screw ups durning reloading process. Once I double charged a few rows in my small rifle cases(in my loading trays) and thought to myself, why am I going through so much powder. Then dumped one on the scale and said ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh great!!!! I had the radio on and was into a couple songs and didn't realize what I was doing.

 

[beatledog7]

Things like this are why we double check our work. It's good to get reminders once in a while. So I'll share...

I got mine a few nights ago while loading a small lot of .223 to try a different powder over four charge weights. I had already completed three sets of ten and was wrapping up the fourth. I got to the last round: dipped the powder onto the scale pan, trickled it up to the number.

Ok, I remember thinking, that was the last one. Close up the powder, seat these bullets, fill out the log, get to bed.

And that's what I did. Seated all ten, measuring a couple along the way to make sure all was as it should be. Took the die out of the press, filled out the label, went to the Mac and completed the log.

Back at the bench, I reached for the power button on the scale. And there in the pan was that last charge of powder. The 40th round was a squib waiting to happen. That was the one time in who knows how long that I didn't shine a light into the case necks to reaffirm the powder was there. Lucky for me, the completed rounds were still in the block, so it was easy to tell which was last. I shook it by my ear and it sure sounded empty, and a quick weigh of it compared to its neighbor proved it. Pulled the bullet, neck-sized the case, funneled in the powder (which was still in the pan), and reseated the bullet.

Lessons learned:

- Don't get in a hurry
- Don't load when you're thinking you should be in bed
- Develop a routine that includes second checks, and don't skip any of them, ever.
- A digital scale can save you a squib.

 

[788Ham]

JL,

The 1st screwup, "never cracking a manual", thats always the first thing I do, I never trust my memory. No matter how many times I've loaded that same recipe, even looking at the tag on the MTM box! If I've had a lot of stress that day, I never go near the bench.

 

[41 Mag]

Geeze brother, that sounds like the way my whole weekend went

Glad everything worked out and you didn't mess up anything but your pride.

I can certainly agree that there are times when I simply stay away form the bench. There are never times when my loads simply have to be loaded. If I'm out and I have had a rough week or am going to be in a rush, I simply grab up something else that I have loaded rounds for and head on out.

Thanks for the reminder, we all need it and it can never be said to often. My pop used to tell me, "If you don't use your head, you might as well have to bottom ends." (to put it politely).