Certaindeaf
member
That ca will do it to you every time. What the heck is ca?
Squib woes
- Thread starter pittspilot
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floydster
Member
Ya, what is ca????
Smokeyloads
Smokeyloads
Fishslayer
Member
^^^ This. I hardly ever use .38 brass for my range fodder. It avoids the carbon ring.
.38 SP+P charge of Bullseye or Green Dot in a .357 case with a 158gr LSWC seated just past the crimp groove works pretty well for me.
floydster
Member
I use Pink Dot in my 357 mag
My recent findings that may be helpful.
I also use Unique and was trying to load a plinker with low recoil for my mom in 38 special using 38 cases. Using 4.8 gn of Unique behind a 125 gn bullet. I found that I was not getting complete ignition, verified by unburned powder found after firing. I did not get any squibs but I could imagine that the problem would be compounded with the longer 357 case. I abandoned Unique and and went to HP38/Win231 loading 4 gn behind a 125 gn copper plated bullet. The results are far more consistent with a very mild recoil, and fairly clean cases.
I have been quite fond of unique for mid range loads, especially in 45acp. But have found,through advice of experienced here at THR and now with trial and error, that HP38/Win231 is better suited for reduced loads.
I also use Unique and was trying to load a plinker with low recoil for my mom in 38 special using 38 cases. Using 4.8 gn of Unique behind a 125 gn bullet. I found that I was not getting complete ignition, verified by unburned powder found after firing. I did not get any squibs but I could imagine that the problem would be compounded with the longer 357 case. I abandoned Unique and and went to HP38/Win231 loading 4 gn behind a 125 gn copper plated bullet. The results are far more consistent with a very mild recoil, and fairly clean cases.
I have been quite fond of unique for mid range loads, especially in 45acp. But have found,through advice of experienced here at THR and now with trial and error, that HP38/Win231 is better suited for reduced loads.
dmazur
Member
I understand that you are being careful with the 550, but I will offer this -
Too much checking, on the press, can cause confusion. (I am an engineer, and we tend toward compulsive, and I can manage to get myself confused...)
Just because the buttons are removable doesn't mean you should ever do this while doing a production run. If you have to, because something jammed, then I would suggest clearing all the stations and starting over.
I check powder charge every box, which is 50 for pistol and 20 for rifle. I use the break in production to label the box, make an entry in my Excel spreadsheet, walk around a little, etc. And I check powder charge with a reserved case (with a fired primer to contain the powder) which never gets used as a completed round. That's the only time I have the button out at Station 2.
I set up seating depth by making a dummy round, or using a previously-created dummy round, and that's the only time I have the button out at Station 3.
I set up crimp by making a dummy round and "sneaking up" on the crimp until it is what I want. That's the only time I have the button out at Station 4.
So, if you are checking rounds "mid-process", I am suggesting you might want to modify that. The progressive press isn't intended to be played with, despite someone's level of concern. You set it up correctly, operate it consistently, and it makes uniform (safe) rounds.
That, of course, is just my opinion. But it might be worth consideration if you are having trouble.
Too much checking, on the press, can cause confusion. (I am an engineer, and we tend toward compulsive, and I can manage to get myself confused...)
Just because the buttons are removable doesn't mean you should ever do this while doing a production run. If you have to, because something jammed, then I would suggest clearing all the stations and starting over.
I check powder charge every box, which is 50 for pistol and 20 for rifle. I use the break in production to label the box, make an entry in my Excel spreadsheet, walk around a little, etc. And I check powder charge with a reserved case (with a fired primer to contain the powder) which never gets used as a completed round. That's the only time I have the button out at Station 2.
I set up seating depth by making a dummy round, or using a previously-created dummy round, and that's the only time I have the button out at Station 3.
I set up crimp by making a dummy round and "sneaking up" on the crimp until it is what I want. That's the only time I have the button out at Station 4.
So, if you are checking rounds "mid-process", I am suggesting you might want to modify that. The progressive press isn't intended to be played with, despite someone's level of concern. You set it up correctly, operate it consistently, and it makes uniform (safe) rounds.
That, of course, is just my opinion. But it might be worth consideration if you are having trouble.
35 Whelen
Member
I've loaded gobs and gobs and gobs of .38's for my wife and I to shoot in CAS. I load a 130 gr. cast RNFP and a 160 gr. SWC and they're loaded in .38 cases, but to an o.a.l. that's nearly that of a .357 so they'll feed in her Rossi, so for all practical purposes, they're being loaded in .357 cases. It's a very light load of either Clays or Red Dot. Due to the nature of CAS, we shoot with the muzzles at varying angles, but usually more downward than anything. I've used every brand of primer under the sun, but currently am using Tula lead-free as that's all Graf's had in stock at the end of last year. Have never, ever once had a squib or a bullet stuck in a barrel on either revolver or more importantly the rifle.
I shoot copious amounts of Unique in my .38's .357's and especially my .44 Specials...my 4 lb. keg is almost empty. I load straight from either an RCBS UniFlow or Lyman No. 55 powder measure. Unique isn't the best metering powder out there, but variations in thrown charges are hardly enough to cause squibs in any of the mentioned calibers.
Although everyone here has made some good suggestions, but I believe your problem lies elsewhere:
I'd bet a dollar to a donut hole that this is your problem. A few years ago I was shooting lots of skeet and sporting clays with a 20 ga. and was loading my shells on a MEC Grabber progressive loader. I had used a 12 ga. Grabber years before when I was on our 4-H trap team and never had a single problem with squibs out of thousands of rounds. Same with the 20 ga. at first. Then at one point I ordered and installed an adjustable powder and shot bar which I checked with a powder scale when I first installed it. At the same time, I installed a powder baffle.
I immediately began getting squibs to the tune of a least 1 per 25 shells, sometimes two or three. I checked and re-checked the powder and shot charges being dropped by the bar, but the squibs kept on. As a last resort I removed the powder baffle and to this day have never had another squib.
I likewise had one of the Uniquetek baffles in my UniFlow, but was getting inconsistent charges when I'd throw and weigh charges for rifle cartridges. I finally removed the baffle. Problem solved. I can't explain why this happened and I know that countless thousands of folks are using baffles with no problems.
Remove the powder baffle and I'll guarantee you your problems will go away.
35W
I shoot copious amounts of Unique in my .38's .357's and especially my .44 Specials...my 4 lb. keg is almost empty. I load straight from either an RCBS UniFlow or Lyman No. 55 powder measure. Unique isn't the best metering powder out there, but variations in thrown charges are hardly enough to cause squibs in any of the mentioned calibers.
Although everyone here has made some good suggestions, but I believe your problem lies elsewhere:
I'd bet a dollar to a donut hole that this is your problem. A few years ago I was shooting lots of skeet and sporting clays with a 20 ga. and was loading my shells on a MEC Grabber progressive loader. I had used a 12 ga. Grabber years before when I was on our 4-H trap team and never had a single problem with squibs out of thousands of rounds. Same with the 20 ga. at first. Then at one point I ordered and installed an adjustable powder and shot bar which I checked with a powder scale when I first installed it. At the same time, I installed a powder baffle.
I immediately began getting squibs to the tune of a least 1 per 25 shells, sometimes two or three. I checked and re-checked the powder and shot charges being dropped by the bar, but the squibs kept on. As a last resort I removed the powder baffle and to this day have never had another squib.
I likewise had one of the Uniquetek baffles in my UniFlow, but was getting inconsistent charges when I'd throw and weigh charges for rifle cartridges. I finally removed the baffle. Problem solved. I can't explain why this happened and I know that countless thousands of folks are using baffles with no problems.
Remove the powder baffle and I'll guarantee you your problems will go away.
35W
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