Repeated checking pays

[dodgestdshift]

Decided today to reload a few 45/70 cartridges. My light shooting load is 45 grains of powder. Set up my Ohaus 10-10 scale for 45 grains. Finished filling the cases and went to the next step, examining the loaded cases under a good light. When I did the first 3 cases looked light. I wondered was my vision screwy or was there really a difference. I decided to weigh one of the the properly filled cases to verify that it was right at 45 grains and if so would add to the first 3 cases to bring them up to 45 gr. The test case balanced perfectly, but before I continued I looked at my scale. HOLY SMOKE!!! the 10 grain adjustment had moved UPWARDS from 40 gr. to 50 gr. The good loads were 10 grains high. 6 grains over maximum. The first 3 were proper at 45 gr. The scale must have been moved somehow during the charging process, causing the rest to be way too high.

Checking and double checking saved me from having a bad day. I would recommend everyone who dispenses powder to check the charged cases in good light and notice any discrepencies. It seems like wasted time, but the one time you make a costly error it will catch it.

 

[grislyatoms]

Checking charged cases visually saved my biscuits just the other night. (see thread below)
Excellent advice and ALWAYS part of my procedure.

 

[Car Knocker]

Scale check weights are a good thing.

For favorite recipes, I have a dowel that is marked to reflect the proper powder column height. I drop this into each and every case in the loading block to visually verify powder content. In effect, it works like a powder-check die in a progressive press.

I have the load info printed on the dowel.

 

[Doug b]

My Ohaus 10-10 did the samething a few years back. As in your case good bench practice caught it.On checking my scale after reading this post I noticed the washer that locks the weight to the balance beam on my scale is worn to a knife edge and darned it it ain't adjustable.