Do you ever double check and reweigh every bullet?

[Oic0]

I'm 99.9% sure I didn't double powder any bullets, but I am one of those people that checks to make sure the alarm clock is on 5 times, the coffee machine is off at least twice, etc...
I'm loading 6.4 grains of Unique in .357 magnum behind 125 grain cast bullets. 12.8 might not blow my face off out of my rifle but I never want to find out.
Do you paranoid guys pick up a good digital scale and double check everything before firing?

 

[Zak Smith]

I don't. I always look into every case before I seat the bullet on either a single-stage or progressive press. Dillon's "powder check" device also helps. It's also not a bad idea to use a powder that will not even fit a double charge.

 

[rcmodel]

No.

There is no way to weigh loaded ammo and find mistakes.

Your double-charge of 6.4 Unique?
Probably could find it.
A double charge of any faster powder like Bullseye?
Nope!

Too much variation in cases, and cast bullets to find it.

Besides that, I charge 50 or 100 cases at a time in loading blocks, and look at all 50 or 100 & compare them before setting bullets on top of them to be seated.

I'd have to be brain dead to let a double charge, or serious over & under-charge setting side by side in a loading block get by me.

rc

 

[rg1]

I do on most all loaded rounds. Doesn't take long to check every loaded weight on an electronic scale. I do all safety checks "while" charging powder but the final weighing is just another safety check. I have pulled a few pistol rounds that were underweight only to find the correct powder charge. I haven't caught a mistake of not charging a round yet, but I feel better double checking. Some of my very large rifle cases get the shake test to feel for powder. I'm checking for lack of powder and not for a double charge. I try to use powders in pistol and rifle that more than half fills the case so a double charge would be evident.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't. I always look into every case before I seat the bullet on either a single-stage or progressive press.

Same here. My eye on the powder while seating is my safety.

As rcmodel posted, there are too many variables to test by weighing.

 

[Oic0]

Hard to see down in those little .357 cartridges. Guess I should get better lighting in my work room. I did the charging to dropping a slug in all in one step so I'm pretty sure I didn't double charge any. I would have had to of charged one had a brain fart and immediately charged it again. I did forget to put powder in one but I realized it as soon as I did it and set it aside. I should be safe, I'm just a worrier. Moreso for the gun I don't have the $$$ to replace than my health.

 

[rcmodel]

Loading blocks and a fluorescent shop light above your bench is your friend my friend.

rc

 

[edSky]

I primarily load for pistols - .45 and 9mm. I find that it takes a while before my powder drop "settles in" and even then it moves over time, and I will only load 100-150 bullets. It might be the temperature and expansion of the drop chamber, who knows. So I end up weighing just about every round.

One time, after reading about people weighing this and that I tried weighing my assembled rounds. Hoo chee mama, it was all over the place. Since I weighed the powder it had to be everything else, like rcmodel said. It's not worth it and it'll drive you batty.

 

[Scrapperz]

rcmodel; There is no way to weigh loaded ammo and find mistakes.

Your double-charge of 6.4 Unique?
Probably could find it.
A double charge of any faster powder like Bullseye?
Nope!

Too much variation in cases, and cast bullets to find it.

I don't as I have a regimented way and do not vary my production ever, nor does anything distract me. I do frequently check scales and powder charges. Always work with one powder at a time so as to not mix powders. Keep it simple and reap the rewards.

I do measure lead bullet weights in a batch just to make sure there isn't too big a variations so far I have never found a problem with lead bullets I use. For Example 360gn cast lead from "Cast Performance bullets" many weighed 355gn none weighed more than 360gn.

Cast Performance Bullet Co.

 

[Joe_556]

Loading blocks and a fluorescent shop light above your bench is your friend my friend

Fluorescent lights are not friendly around electronic scales.

 

[rcmodel]

Doesn't seem to bother mine in the slightest.

I think you would have to get a scale very close to a light ballest to have any effect at all.

rc

 

[qajaq59]

I use a loading block and a flashlight on mine before I seat the bullets.

 

[jcwit]

Listen to what rcmodel & walkalong say. They know whereof they speak.

You got the advice from two of the best!!!!!

 

[kanook]

I inspect every case before I seat a bullet.

I check my charge weight every third as well as my COL for plinking rounds.

My hunting ammo is a different story (very strict on every step)

 

[Motownfire]

This looks like the same scale from Midway doesn't it ???

http://cgi.ebay.com/500-x-0-1-Gram-...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a570cac21

 

[jcwit]

This looks like the same scale from Midway doesn't it ???

http://cgi.ebay.com/500-x-0-1-Gram-D...item3a570cac21

Believe me I'm all for valvue for dollars spent, but $2.50 for a scale to measure powder leaves a bog question in my mind. I realize prices for electronics are coming way down, case in point, remember what a hand help calculator cost back in the '70's. My first one cost over $200 and just did the basics.

Powder scale I use cost $50.00 IIRC and floats not at all and repeats consistantly every time which I believe is more important than being dead on to the 100th of a grain. If a scale is off very slightly and always off the same I see no problem. Of courst I see no reason to load to the max in charges.


Back to the issue of reloading, load in batches, and visually check the cases as already been stated.

 

[Walkalong]

That is a mighty fine looking bullet Scrapperz (LBT design?), but for $42 per 100, I'd have to buy a mold and cast my own.

Anyway.

Five Grs here and there on a bullet (we don't know which ones), a few more grains here and there on brass, and it is impossible to tell with certainty what weight powder you have in the case.

The absolute best and safest way to check your powder is to see every charge you seat a bullet over. After that it is guesswork.

I wonder.......is that is a heavy bullet, or heavy brass, or a light bullet, light brass, and too much powder...hmmmm.....

I'll just stick with eyeballing every charge I seat a bullet over and call it good. AC

 

[LiveLife]

Do you ever double check and reweigh every bullet? I'm 99.9% sure I didn't double powder any bullets, but I am one of those people that checks to make sure the alarm clock is on 5 times, the coffee machine is off at least twice, etc. ... Do you paranoid guys pick up a good digital scale and double check everything before firing?

Not unless you already weighed your bullets and empty cases with primer before powder charge. I found there is too much weight difference between pistol cases to accurately identify 5-6 grain extra charge. Case weights often vary by more than several grains. I found some pistol bullets vary more than 2+ grains.

If you pre-sorted your primed cases and bullets by weight, then you should be able to tell if you got a double-charge - That's awful lot of work.

It's one of many reason why I load pistol loads on a progressive press with auto index using sized/primed cases. Hard to double charge unless I intentionally do it.