Safety Warning

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Hondo 60

Hondo 60

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Sep 6, 2009
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Freeport, IL
The image you are about to see is true.
The name is withheld to protect the guilty (obviously negligent) reloader.

While I started with a bit of humor, this is in no way meant to lessen the message.
It's taken me about 3 weeks to report this just because I'm so embarrassed & ashamed.

As you can see below, I got sloppy, just once, but that's all it takes.
Luckily the good Lord was watching over me.
I still have both eyes & all ten fingers & toes.
I found about 1/2 of the cylinder, one chamber was intact, 2 were blown in 1/2.
There was a bullet in the intact chamber (not a completed round, just the bullet)

Please, please, please be careful when reloading.
One distraction can be disastrous.

rip.jpg
 
Glad you're alright. At least it's just a modern GP100. Easily replaced, anyway. Would have been sad if it were a Six or an old Smith.

So now that you're finally able to post the pic, how much longer until we hear the details?

Sharing is caring!

:)

I'm going to make a random guess. Titegroup + doublecharge?
 
Actually its an SP101.

And details?

Not much to say, other than I obviously dbl charged a case.

Made on a Dillon 550, (no powder cop type die) with what I'm assuming was 14 gr of Tite Group under a 125 gr JHP.
The reason I assume 14 gr of Tite Group is because the load called for 7.0 gr.

It's made me re-double my efforts to pay attention.

I took the rest of the box home & weighed each round.
None were more than 1 gr different from the others.
(this is one reason I always separate cases by headstamp)

If I ever get a different press, it'll be a 650 so I have the extra die hole for a powder cop/lockout die.
But I have so much already invested in the 550, (9 toolheads & caliber conversions) that I doubt that'll be anytime soon.
 
Last edited:
Oh My

Very glad you are OK.

I always thought of the SP101 as a little tank and could not blow up. With a hot round that little revolver is a handful. With a way too hot round, I can't even imagine what you went through.

I like reading your posts, so don't EVER do that again.
 
That's why I ALWAYS use a bulky powder that fills-up the case >1/2 way. So if I double-charge the case, I will know it. It's one of the reasons why I stick with Unique for all my handguns.
 
I am glad to read that you were not hurt. Posting the picture provides a lesson for us all and thank you for doing that.


I'm going to make a random guess. Titegroup + doublecharge?
Click to expand...

That was an excellent guess, so I am going to ask, does Titegroup have a reputation for blowing up pistols?

It used to be that Bullseye double charges were the bane, does Titegroup drop even a smaller charge than Bullseye?
 
Thanks for being humble enough to post that up. Sorry to see a nice revolver get punished like that, but glad to hear the operator came out of it unscathed.

A buddy once admitted to me that he had a couple experiences with a double shot of bullseye in 45acp in an old style 1911. He said it was kind of funny - an extra loud bang that blew the mag out of the gun, so he slapped another mag in and kept right on going. I think that was when he decided it was better to just fill-'r-up with Herco.

I load on a 550. I quit loading bullseye in 45acp for fear of missing a double charge. Loved that load, but figured it's not worth the risk.

Anyway, things I've done to minimize the risk is going to powders that fill the case on a double, stick a card with the powder details into the hopper, and I now look into every case right before placing the bullet. I've posted the mirrors and lights setup here before. Someone once asked me if the 550 ever failed to throw a proper charge - well, not that I've ever noticed, but I'm just doing my best to mistake proof the operator.
 
Glad to hear you're ok. Also glad you told the story behind, as I to use Titegroup. This helps remind me to double and triple check my cases before loading bullet.
 
Hondo, the first thing I want to say is Thank God you are still with us. It takes an awful lot of pressure to do that to a Ruger.

The other thing I wanted to offer is that, after doing this for 30+ years I'm very aware of how easy it can be to become complacient and make a mistake of this magnitude. It's for this reaosn that I have stuck to powders that won't allow for a double charge to slip by. And if not for this fact, I would have certainly have encountered at least a couple of over charged cases. If not for the powder over flowing, thus making it impossible for it be over looked, I would most deffinitely have had a situation simliiar to your's.

Usng these slower burning powders doesn't necessarly mean you have to shoot only jacketed bullets or full tilt loads either. Yes, mid range will be abotu as light as you can go with most powders bulky enough to prevent such error's, but for me, it's well worth it.

GS
 
Tiregroup is totally outrageous, you can have a high pressure spike with minimal over charge, I can't imagine a double charge--am glad you are ok coming out of this ordeal.
This is why i use a loading block and visual inspection when using TG.

Smokeyloads
 
I remember why I load AA#7 in my 9mm, double charge is way over the case.

Glad you didn't get hurt.
 
I'm very sorry to hear that you joined the club.

Glad you are OK.

I would get another sp101 right away, and salvage what parts you can from your unfortunate victim.
 
I remember seeing a YouTube of a guy that blow his Glock 40S&W up twice with his perfected Tight Group load & blamed Glock after they rebuilt it once.

Glad to see you man up about it. I blow up a Edge & was so Happy Savage wanted to fix it for free just to get to see it. They even paid shipping both ways.
 
First of all - thanks everyone for the kind words.

And yes, I miss her!
She was my EDC, but DO still have a S&W Model 38 & a Kel-tec PF9
(carrying the 38 as I type)

does Titegroup have a reputation for blowing up pistols?
Click to expand...

Only if you dbl charge!

One of the reasons I chose that powder is the low charge weight - it's very economical.
(but not so economical if you have to replace a gun)
3.7gr for 38 Spl load & 7.0 for my 357 Mag load.

Loading 38 spl & 357 mag, leaves a LOT of empty case.
When I first set the press up to load 38 Spl, I can quadruple the charge in the case to get the powder properly settled.
I guess that in and of itself should be a warning.


For reloaders looking to upgrade their press, I'm gonna start recommending a 650 or Hornady LNL ap they both have 5 die holes.
That way a Powder cop/lockout die can be used.
 
Hondo,
My condolences on your loss.

I guess I'm a little too OCD when it comes to handloads to use a progressive press.

I drop the powder and seat the bullet immediately.

For me, this prevents squibs or double charges.

My little Rockchucker has loaded thousands of pistol rounds for me.
 
Hondo 60 said:
One of the reasons I chose that powder is the low charge weight - it's very economical.
(but not so economical if you have to replace a gun)
3.7gr for 38 Spl load & 7.0 for my 357 Mag load.
Click to expand...
The blown up gun does certainly cancel out several tens of thousands of rounds worth of economy..
 
I am glad you are OK. Too bad about a nice revolver, but as posted, at least it is a model still being made and easily replaced.

I am not a Tightgroup fan for a couple of reasons. One reason is it is hard to tell a double charge in a big case with a light load. I see every powder charge I seat a bullet over, so that is a big one for me. There are other economical but bulky powders which I prefer. Bullseye is another that is hard to tell a double charge with in a small case with a light charge just by looking. I like it in tiny cases though. Meters great. Tightgroup meters OK, but not great. It also burns very hot, and by many reports is spiky at the top. Dunno, I gave up on it early. I have most of a one pound can left. It is free to anyone who is close enough to come get it.

That said, many people like it and use a lot of it. :)
 
Hey Hondo,

I have been using a Hornady L&L since 1997, and I have never needed any type of powder cop or lock out die. I think Kevin Rohrer hit it right on the head when he said he always uses a powder that fills the case at least half way. That way you cannot double charge a case without it being obvious. The powder measure on my L&L is very accurate with flake and ball powders, and I charge cases in Station 3. At Station 4, I visually inspect every case for powder level before placing a bullet in the case mouth and seating. With a small goose neck led light attached to the press, I can even see the powder level in .223 cases before seating bullets. I trust my visual inspection method more than I would any powder cop die. Even with a powder cop die, you still have to look at it or there is no sense in using it.

When I first started reloading many years ago, I thought it was a great idea to get more shots per pound out of Bullseye powder. It was true you can get more shots per pound with the fast powders, but I found I got better accruacy with powders that filled the case more. I finally gave up the idea of getting more shots per pound and switched to the idea of avoiding double charges by always using a powder that filled the case at least half way. I have never regretted that decision.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile
 
This very reason is why I chose to buy a turret press with an auto advance. As soon as I charge the case the bullet gets seated on the next stroke. It is also another reason why I only pause my reloading at the end of a round.

So sorry to hear of your misfortune, the worst can happen to the best of us. If you are looking for another Ruger, I saw a Security Six on gunbroker for $425 buy it now price. Would buy it myself, but it wasn't meant to be.
 
That was an excellent guess, so I am going to ask, does Titegroup have a reputation for blowing up pistols?
Click to expand...
Some of the most impressive Kodak moments I've seen have all been made possible by Tightgroup. Lots of powders have damaged brass and guns, but when you see something like that, you can automatically rule out a lot of bulkier and slower powders.

It used to be that Bullseye double charges were the bane, does Titegroup drop even a smaller charge than Bullseye?
Click to expand...
I guessed Tightgroup, because Bullseye is generally regarded to be too fast for 357.
 
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