Very experienced and cautious Hand loader made a very bad mistake when he grabbed CFE Pistol instead of CFE 223. No serious injuries. Parts are where they landed and pictures speak for themselves.
Blown Up Rifle, Lessons To Be Learned.
- Thread starter Boatninja
- Start date
Man, I'll bet he had to clean out his pants after that one. Glad no one was hurt. Eye pro?
That would not have happened if it was a KAC . 
... or an AKThat would not have happened if it was a KAC .
That’s amazing.
One time I was loading 9mm with N320 and swapped over to load 6.5 cm with H4350. The problem was I couldn’t remember what powder was in the chargemaster lol.
H4350 and N320 look very similar to the naked eye.
Needless to say my impact didn’t explode when I pulled the trigger but I was a little nervous.
Kinda of like those moments where you know you locked your car but your not sure if your car is locked?
One time I was loading 9mm with N320 and swapped over to load 6.5 cm with H4350. The problem was I couldn’t remember what powder was in the chargemaster lol.
H4350 and N320 look very similar to the naked eye.
Needless to say my impact didn’t explode when I pulled the trigger but I was a little nervous.
Kinda of like those moments where you know you locked your car but your not sure if your car is locked?
Yep do this a couple of times and you’ll start to leave the jug on the bench next to the CM. That being said, I’m looking at a 1/4 filled CM right now and I have no idea what powder is in it lol.
We all need a management system for using our powder. Mine is one powder and one powder only on the bench at a time. I never leave powder in the hopper when I done. And I toss any unknown powder.
I've taken to putting a piece of masking tape with the powder written on it on my Dillon and to top it off a piece of tape goes on the primer tube with what primers are in the tube. Jeezus getting old sucks.
Getting old is when you can't remember if you replaced the tape that was supposed to keep you straight on what powder was in the hopper and dump the powder anyway.
Thanks for sharing. Its always good to be reminded that what can happen if we get complacent.
He takes full responsibility but turns out he ordered CFE223 and was sent the CFE pistol, contacted retailer and their records only show CFE. More than a few lessons here. He has been loading for over 15 years and is an avid shooter and area PRS competitor. I have learned more from him about loading than any source other than Forums and books. He brought parts for me to take a closer look at tonight but I was busy and didn't connect.
Rocketvapor, it was a Bushmaster and ForgeValley he was wearing Bahio Sunglasses and had minor cuts on his face and a cut on his elbow that bled pretty good but didn't need stitches. Said it was really loud and he was kinda sore.
Rocketvapor, it was a Bushmaster and ForgeValley he was wearing Bahio Sunglasses and had minor cuts on his face and a cut on his elbow that bled pretty good but didn't need stitches. Said it was really loud and he was kinda sore.
Even if the retailer sends the wrong item how do you not notice this?
Thats what I do too. I only use one powder at a time but I lable my hopper with blue tape for whatever I'm using. It's a good system
Because of your last statement is why
Nobody argues the Serbu or any 50 would or wouldn’t fail under same circumstances. The arguments are towards how and what occurred when it failed
I suppose we need to keep in mind there’s a substantial difference between 50 and 223
But that was the argument. Now back to the OP
Glad your ok. Thank you for sharing as it may help someone else prevent the same from happening
I saw he posted this later.
The potential for injury was definitely there. 25gr vs 250 is a complete different ball game when it was likely the same mistake. Pistol powder and rifle cartridge. Marks name was drug through the dirt over a reloading error, not a design flaw.
Any gun can blow up, they all have potential to injure, especially high powered cartridges.
Glade no one was seriously injured. Be safe, all it takes is one slip up!
Sure glad your friend survived with 'minor' injuries.
One question on the order, you can see your order details.
Is there a chance your friend put CFE Pistol in his cart by mistake?
I can go back and look at stuff I ordered.
One question on the order, you can see your order details.
Is there a chance your friend put CFE Pistol in his cart by mistake?
I can go back and look at stuff I ordered.
I contend that pistol powder should never be stored in the same area as rifle. I started this practice when I started reloading and have never deviated from it. Hodgdon brand in particular doesn't do the best job of making labels distinctly different between powders. AS for age, that doesn't help either.
Personally I load powder in the chargemaster when I get to that step. After completed the dispenser gets emptied into original jug and placed back on shelf. So there’s no question of what’s in the dispenser
Only powder jug on the bench is what’s in the dispenser
Only powder jug on the bench is what’s in the dispenser
Same, only one canister sitting next to the CM, and the hopper is always emptied after I'm done for the night. Hopefully a side effect is limiting humidity impacts as well.
I have a hang tags with powder names on the dispenser.
And if I ever have the slightest doubt about what is in it, I will empty it, toss that in the trash, and refill it with whatever I'm supposed to be using.
I'm not going to risk an eye, or worse, to save a few bucks.
I do the same thing. I only have about 4 Pistol powders, I keep them in a separate plastic container ,in a different area away from the where the Rifle powders are kept.I contend that pistol powder should never be stored in the same area as rifle. I started this practice when I started reloading and have never deviated from it.
His name was dragged through the dirt because there was insufficient care given to understanding what the failure mode would be in the event your second line becomes true. that failure mode turns out to be “90% chance you die from flying bits of shorn-off steel”
Nearly all firearms manufacturers and general consumer product engineering pay attention to the failure modes of thier products, because no one wants the bad press (or lawsuits) for failing to do due diligence. Mark got lucky in that he is in one of two industries where the bar for proving negligent design is very high (firearms and pharmaceuticals)
Did you see what’s happened to the Barrett? When loaded with pistol powder, potentially just as deadly.
Where did you get this 90% number? As far as I know, no one has been killed by one of Marks guns malfunctioning, so in reality its zero.
This guy, op’s buddy. Who inadvertently put pistol powder in his AR 15 was mildly injured from it. Why aren’t people screaming about how Eugene Stoner should designed a gun that doesn’t blow up and pepper people with Shrap Metal.
Massive double standard some of you guys are selling here.
All firearms are inherently dangerous. Take precautions.
Yes, I saw, and while it certainly goes bang, most of the shrapnel grenades outwards laterally, not straight back at your face and body.
Scott has blown up two RN 50s, once with himself as the unfortunate subject, and one with a stand-in. in both cases the “ears” became frag that went right backwards at the shooter.
no one is screaming at eugene stoner for the same reason they aren’t screaming at ronnie barret, when those respective firearms have a massive overpressure event, they are not practically guarnteed to send lethal shrapnel in the worst possible direction, instead venting most of the force in directions other than the shooter.
I dunno. One dude was rushed to a hospital with a thumb in his neck, the other guy grabbed some band aids and took pictures.
Apparently you missed the chunks of metal that imbedded in the ballistics dummy.
Or if you had your face on that scope that big ass piece of metal will hit you very hard.
Definitely a chance of injury!
Denial of that is just...really what’s wrong with you.
I hear you, but you’re also comparing a .223 to a .50.I dunno. One dude was rushed to a hospital with a thumb in his neck, the other guy grabbed some band aids and took pictures.
Would you sit behind that Barrett with a cartridge loaded with pistol powered powder and trust your life to it??
Either one regardless of size would cause some damage. I prefer not having metal lodged in my neck
Go shoot your Serbu. You’ll be just fine
Go shoot your Serbu. You’ll be just fine
It’s a fucking over sized zip gun. But this is a hijack from the topic at hand which is safety and precautions to take to ensure you don’t use the wrong powder….IMO, of course.
You realize the wrong powder is what caused Scotts accident. Not a poor design. I dont think there is a rifle on the market that would “safely” handle that.
Pistol powder in a Rifle cart is dangerous no matter what it is or who designed it.
Can one of you guys with quick loads tell me what the pressure would be with 34.4 gr of CFE Pistol would be?
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