Double charged 38 special wadcutters?

[Shrinkmd]

When I was loading some 38 special 148 wadcutters with bullseye (hopefully just 2.7 per case) at a friend's we had a lot of trouble with his old lee progressive. It is possible that a case became double charged. Is it safe to shoot this ammo up, or should I just dispose it? They are wadcutters seated flush, so I guess I can't pull the bullet, right? Or could I use a kinetic puller for that? I don't want a problem on the range.

Has anyone ever had this problem with this particular load? Did it damage the gun (or worse?)

I think I need to order that kinetic puller (the nicer Hornady collet is on order already)

Thanks

 

[kimbernut]

Kinetic puller

Hopefully you only have a few but a kinetic hammer puller will get the job done.
DO NOT EVEN THINK OF FIRING THEM!!! 5.4 grains of bullseye is just way too much to ask of any .38 Spl.revolver.
Especially considering the "problem on the range" may include disfigurment or worse to your body or someone else close by.

 

[MikeRz]

Definitely pull the bullet. Use a kinetic puller. DO NOT try to shoot it. You will most probably damage your gun but worse you could blow off a couple of fingers. Find the double charge!!!

Mike

 

[kimbernut]

Dbl. Chg.

I just checked Alliants sight for load data.
Max load for .357 magnum w/ 158 gr. LSWC ,which is probably going to sit about as deep as your WC, is 4.9 gr of Bullseye. So you are almost a fuul gr. of Bullseye over the max of a much stronger handgun.
Pull those bullets and reuse the components. With a kinetic puller put a foam earplug in the puller to cushion the WC bullet to prevent deforming when it slams to the nose of the puller.

 

[Shrinkmd]

I was going to shoot them in a 686, but either way...

I will put them aside for the kinetic puller and try to salvage the bullets and powder. I assume that the cases do not need to be resized and the primers can be reused, correct? Just smack out the bullet and powder?

Thanks again

 

[kimbernut]

Dbl Chgd

At the least they will have to be belled again to accept a new bullet next time around. Depending on the case dimensions they may also need to be resized. If they will hold a new bullet without the bullet sinking into the case with pressure on the nose they should not need resizing but check each newly loaded cartridge just to be sure if it is mixed brass.

 

[ReloaderFred]

When I was shooting PPC matches in the 1970's, a shooter next to me on the 50 yard line blew up a really nice S&W Model 19, with a Bomar Rib on it, with a double charge of Bullseye. The rib looked like a horseshoe when it finally landed, and the top strap was gone. The top three chambers of the cylinder were also gone.

The Model 19 is a .357 Magnum revolver, and it grenaded with that double charge under a hollowbase wadcutter bullet., so if you're loading solid wadcutters, there is even less volume in the case, which increases pressures dramatically.

Definately pull the bullets, but you will need to resize the cases to reuse them. Just take the decapping stem out of your sizing die and run them through again.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[IMtheNRA]

I can't imagine a more effective way to develop a flinch than shooting those rounds...

 

[FredT]

Ya gota love them Lee Progressives!

 

[SASS#23149]

when operateing ANY press,especially progressives,if you even THINK you messed up,PULL 'EM.
Progressives must be operated smoothely and smoothely....no hiccups or jiggleing the handle,etc.
I would remove the primer punch and resize the cases as a normal part of the reloading cycle,mainly because if you have to think too much about working around them,you're more liable to mess up the 'reloading rhythm'.

 

[fguffey]

If there were 'rules that guide' the first answer would go something like this, had you weighed a primer, bullet, powder AND if your cases weighed the same (sort cases by weight) the total weight of the components would match the total weight of a loaded round, If you had the total component weight and thought you made a mistake with no powder or too much powder weighing the loaded rounds would determine which case was suspect. All of this works if you trust your scales, the electronic scale, in my opinion, is best suited for checking loaded rounds, but, if for any of this to work, we must know the weight of the finish product.

Again, I was impressed with new Remington 30/06 loads that did not fire, bullet, case, powder and primers total when compared to each other varied .1 grain, we reinstalled the primers and fired all of the twice dented primers in one of my rifles that is not bashful about hitting primers, all fired.

F. Guffey

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Listen to the others and don't shoot those loads. Bullseye is a very fast powder and will spike extremely high pressures if you did throw a double charge. Fast powder spike higher pressures than slower powders upon ignition. (extremely high)

 

[RustyFN]

Ya gota love them Lee Progressives!

I don't own a Lee progressive so I'm not defending them. In my opinion a double charge or a squib is the fault of the person pulling the handle not the press. A double charge has been done on many different brand presses. I would pull them.
Rusty