Reloading Mistake

[red rick]

Just want to remind the new people getting into reloading like me . Check your work after each step . When I was loading Saturday I caught a double charged case and a high primer . That was the first time that I have caught or made any mistakes .

I am editing this post to say that it wasn’t a double charge . This thread got me to thinking if a 9mm case could hold 6.0 grains of HS-6 . It could but it was almost overflowing . My case was not near that full . I must of had something going on with my powder measurer , powder , or my technique . Double checking caught the out of spec cases .

 

[CQB45ACP]

Just want to remind the new people getting into reloading like me . Check your work after each step . When I was loading Saturday I caught a double charged case and a high primer . That was the first time that I have caught or made any mistakes .

My dad would now ask—And you have done what to prevent recurrence?

 

[lordpaxman]

CBLFs are going to make mistakes. What QC checks you put in place can make all the difference in the world wrt to how well it goes at the range or match.

 

[red rick]

My dad would now ask—And you have done what to prevent recurrence?

I don’t know what I could do to prevent it , I think the key is that you check and double check your work . Maybe slow down some or weigh every charge , but that would be way to slow and no fun at all .

 

[Jim Watson]

I double charged one yesterday in the process of dealing with a case having a flash hole so small as to not pass the decapping pin. It was immediately obvious, 9.4 gr HP38 is starting to overflow a 9mm.

 

[KY DAN]

How did you double charge the case?

The only double charge I have had on a progressive are the ones I purposely did in order to recognize its physical appearance and test my powder checker die

 

[Atavar]

I keep a small led flashlight on the bench specifically for doing a visual check of the charged cartridges in the loading block before seating bullets. This is an easy check with straight wall cartridges, a bit trickier with bottleneck cartridges but still doable. Double charged or empty cartridges show up readily. Using a flashlight is a lot better than relying on room lights. The shadows from a room light could hide a problem.

 

[Mostly Lead]

Just want to remind the new people getting into reloading like me . Check your work after each step . When I was loading Saturday I caught a double charged case and a high primer . That was the first time that I have caught or made any mistakes .

A good reminder. Would you share a bit more about your setup and process? Might help others to know when/how to check too.

 

[Jonny2guns]

In order to prevent a double charge while loading on a single stage, my powder charge is mounted on a separate stand beside my press and each round gets a bullet seated before the round goes back into the loading block.
It's what works for me.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I don’t know what I could do to prevent it , I think the key is that you check and double check your work . Maybe slow down some or weigh every charge , but that would be way to slow and no fun at all .

Well that’s not comforting then is it?

If loading quickly is your goal, you’ll likely have more mistakes not less. Guess you could load with your fingers crossed but then that may slow you down

 

[red rick]

I batch load on a turret press . I also use a bench mounted powder measurer . I also double check with a flashlight , but I didn’t need a light to see it . I was loading 9mm using HS-6 powder . I load them with all the cases in a loading tray and move the loading tray to the next case . I then visually inspect them , first with just my eyes and next using a flashlight .

 

[red rick]

Well that’s not comforting then is it?

If loading quickly is your goal, you’ll likely have more mistakes not less. Guess you could load with your fingers crossed but then that may slow you down

What would you do differently ?

 

[CQB45ACP]

I batch load on a turret press . I also use a bench mounted powder measurer . I also double check with a flashlight , but I didn’t need a light to see it . I was loading 9mm using HS-6 powder . I load them with all the cases in a loading tray and move the loading tray to the next case . I then visually inspect them , first with just my eyes and next using a flashlight .

I too batch load on a turret press but unlike you, I do measure each load on a digital scale. Once you get into a repeatable rhythm, it’s not noticeably slower but does prevent double charges.

Edit: my comment crossed in the ether. Since you asked I have to say you must not have done all the things you said you did. Weighing each load could replace some other things and offset time expended.

 

[AJC1]

What would you do differently ?

Two ways to fix the problem. 1. Seat the bullet after the case is charged, or 2. set the bullet for seating. I set the bullet and move to the next piece. This works well for me because I use a 2 step expander with lead bullets.

 

[red rick]

I too batch load on a turret press but unlike you, I do measure each load on a digital scale. Once you get into a repeatable rhythm, it’s not noticeably slower but does prevent double charges.

Edit: my comment crossed in the ether. Since you asked I have to say you must not have done all the things you said you did. Weighing each load could replace some other things and offset time expended.

How would I have caught the mistake if I didn’t do all of the things that I said that I did ? I don’t think many people weigh every charge , but if it makes you feel better I would stay with it . If I were loading max loads I would .

 

[jmorris]

There are so many ways to mess up, one really needs to always be paying attention or do some other less dangerous activity.

 

[Englishmn]

At least you caught it before you shot it.

 

[CQB45ACP]

How would I have caught the mistake if I didn’t do all of the things that I said that I did ? I don’t think many people weigh every charge , but if it makes you feel better I would stay with it . If I were loading max loads I would .

Hey friend I’m not the one with the double charge AND a high primer.

You asked me a question and I gave you an answer. If you want to turn it into a word game I can’t help you. But that’s just the powder issue. How about that primer?

So now I repeat, you either didn’t do what you said you did or you did one or more of them twice. Either way you need to fix your process to reduce the probability of a mistake. It might be simply slowing down.

 

[irishlad]

I don’t know what I could do to prevent it , I think the key is that you check and double check your work . Maybe slow down some or weigh every charge , but that would be way to slow and no fun at all .

I load all my rifle rounds on my Rock Chucker. I visually check the tray before seating.




I load all my pistol rounds on my LCT (just got a Six Pack Pro). I load by headstamp. I weigh them first, 99% are usually within a 1gr. I toss the rest. I weigh and gauge the completed round when done. Easy and fast to do. Works well for me.

 

[red rick]

Hey friend I’m not the one with the double charge AND a high primer.

You asked me a question and I gave you an answer. If you want to turn it into a word game I can’t help you. But that’s just the powder issue. How about that primer?

So now I repeat, you either didn’t do what you said you did or you did one or more of them twice. Either way you need to fix your process to reduce the probability of a mistake. It might be simply slowing down.

Friend you are the one turning it into a words game . Basically calling me a liar . I caught the mistake by double checking .

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Seems to me that the bottom line is your process you had in place was adequate to catch the mistakes.

Have yet to get into reloading myself...only the barest of introduction by a friend on the subject. But if I were to find an error, I would ask myself two questions:

1. Was it "luck" that I found the error, or was it by rigorous application of a "QA process" in my reloading?

2. How did the error come into being in the first place? Equipment error? Operator error? Loading process error?

Once I had the answers to those questions, then I'd know if I would need to make a change somewhere.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Friend you are the one turning it into a words game . Basically calling me a liar . I caught the mistake by double checking .

I simply asked what you were going to do to prevent recurrence and then responded to your questions.

 

[murf]

nice catch @red rick if that is your first hiccup, then congratulations are in order. this is a perfect example of why everyone should have and use "check" procedures when reloading.

i see you also have flame retardant skin. thanks for sharing your first "oops!".

murf

 

[red rick]

I said that I doubled charged a case in my OP . This thread got me to thinking if 12gr of HS-6 would overfill a 9mm case . So I got the scales out just now and weighed in 12 grains . It filled it to the top , almost overflowing the case . My case was not that full , so it wasn’t double charged , it must have been the powder drop . I estimate that it was about .9 grains overcharged .

 

[CQB45ACP]

Okay so I’m sorry for being abrasive before. Really.

That sounds like a big difference in amount of powder you intended to drop and the amount actually dropped.

How did that happen? (He asked respectfully.)