robhasxj
Member
Besides low powder or no powder, is there anything else that would cause a squib?
I've been loading for several months now on a RCBS single stage press. i've shot about 500 of my own 45 loads with 4.5gr bullseye and 185gr Rainier FN bullets with great results. no problems what so ever (in my para 1911). The single stage forces me to take my time. i double check everything, including the powder. i've read enough stories on this board and others to know to double check everything and to take my time.
Last night i had a squib. the sixth shot of the night sounded funny, so i stopped, unloaded, and put a pen down the barrel to see if in fact that was the case. sure enough, an inch into the barrel the bullet was stuck.
now i have about 300 rounds that i'm unsure of. For the first 500 rounds that fired flawlessly, i used brand new brass. now i load once fired or range brass that i pick up. the 300 remaining are all mixed brass, nothing new. i used the same bullet and powder combo and the same primers.
So here's my questions:
1) Is my load too light?
2) i already shot about 500 rounds with no problems, why am i having a problem now?
3) could the old brass cause a squib? i coudn't find the suspect brass last night.
I'm fully prepared to start pulling bullets. i don't want to, but when in doubt i guess. I'm not ruling out the possibility that i overlooked something and forgot the powder in a case. now, after i pull them,
4) is there anything i should look for that would cause a squib? i don't want to start reloading again with a different powder load only to run into another squib.
5) and can i reuse the the pulled bullets?
Sorry for the long post. i'm just trying to cover all my bases.
Thanks for the help,
Rob
I've been loading for several months now on a RCBS single stage press. i've shot about 500 of my own 45 loads with 4.5gr bullseye and 185gr Rainier FN bullets with great results. no problems what so ever (in my para 1911). The single stage forces me to take my time. i double check everything, including the powder. i've read enough stories on this board and others to know to double check everything and to take my time.
Last night i had a squib. the sixth shot of the night sounded funny, so i stopped, unloaded, and put a pen down the barrel to see if in fact that was the case. sure enough, an inch into the barrel the bullet was stuck.
now i have about 300 rounds that i'm unsure of. For the first 500 rounds that fired flawlessly, i used brand new brass. now i load once fired or range brass that i pick up. the 300 remaining are all mixed brass, nothing new. i used the same bullet and powder combo and the same primers.
So here's my questions:
1) Is my load too light?
2) i already shot about 500 rounds with no problems, why am i having a problem now?
3) could the old brass cause a squib? i coudn't find the suspect brass last night.
I'm fully prepared to start pulling bullets. i don't want to, but when in doubt i guess. I'm not ruling out the possibility that i overlooked something and forgot the powder in a case. now, after i pull them,
4) is there anything i should look for that would cause a squib? i don't want to start reloading again with a different powder load only to run into another squib.
5) and can i reuse the the pulled bullets?
Sorry for the long post. i'm just trying to cover all my bases.
Thanks for the help,
Rob