martinb3152 wrote:
I am not new to reloading. I am very careful when I reload. Plus this many squibs leads me think it could be directed to the primers. Is this correct? Could bad primers be a cause of a squib?
While it we can't summarily rule anything out, primers are unlikely to be the source of your problem.
When you pulled the trigger, something was ignited (the primer) that had enough force to launch the bullet out of the case. Had there been any powder in the case, that much of a "spark" would have been enough to have ignited the powder.
The place to look is at your equipment to ensure:
- The powder measure actually had powder in it.
- The powder measure was dispensing powder uniformly each time it was activated.
- The Dillon 550 itself was functioning properly and nothing is broken.
- The "powder cop" (you surely use one?) was present and functioning correctly.
If all that checks out, then it's time to look at your reloading procedures:
- Are they documented?
- Do you use a checklist?
- Do you visually inspect each case before the bullet is seated to verify the presence of powder?
- Was it completed for this batch?
- Were you distracted while you were loading?
- Were you drinking or under the influence of mind-altering substances (including over-the-counter cough and cold remedies)?
Odds are that if you run through these (and any other logically consequent questions that are specific to how you reload) you will find the cause of your squibs.
A half-dozen squibs is a cause for concern. Rather than breaking down the remnant of the 1,000 rounds, what I would do (and this is something I do for every round I assemble) is to weigh the components you used; bullet, primer and case. Set you balance to this figure plus 1 grain.
One after the other, weigh each round. It seems tedious, but it does pretty fast; I can do 100 rounds in about 10 minutes; so a thousand would take a couple hours. Any loaded round will have an excess weight of around 4 grains; this will pull the pan down quite decidedly when you put a charged round in it. Any round with no powder will either not pull down the pan, or will just barely start it to move. Pull the bullet on such rounds and check for the presence of powder and the weight. Odds are you will find an empty case or one grossly undercharged.
In 40+ years reloading, I have never had a squib. I attribute that to a comprehensive set of reloading procedures that are checked off every time I reload and include no fewer than three checks that powder is present in the case before the bullet is seated - combined with the fact that after assembly every round is check-weighed. People endlessly tell me I'm a fool to check-weigh my rounds and that I'm wasting my time, but my reply is that every time I have had an anomaly, there has been a problem - and it has been corrected before it turned into a tragedy.
