OVER PRESSURE OVERLOAD reloading mistakes reminder!!

[doninreno]

I've been reloading somewhere around 4 or 5 decades now and have had a couple of experiences with over charging a case and experiencing the results. One was a 9mm case that got double charged about 45 years ago when my daughter interrupted my reloading routine...As I later discovered, i managed to double charge a WHOLE ROW of five of them as I later discovered when I went back and weighed all the loaded rounds to see what the weights were like. The first one was discovered when I shot it and though it resulted in NO damage to me or the pistol (I guess those old S & W Model 39s were pretty tough), though it threw the case about trhee times further than usual and tore a chunk out of the rim during extraction, not to mention that when I shot it, it felt like someone had slapped the CR*P out of my hand. WHOA! I stopped right there and took the whole works home to figure it out.

So, roll the clock forward about several decades and I had another one the other day that resulted in no damage to either me or the rifle, but TOTALLY destroyed the case by blowing the head off of the body (I never found the primer, but the pocket was blown WAAYY oversize! The bolt gun (a fairly heavily reworked Rem 700 SA in 6mm BRX) did its job very well venting the gasses and standing up to the abuse. It appeared, at the time to me, to be nothing more serious than a pierced primer, but when it came time to lift the bolt handle it was a NO-GO! The shot went into the 8 ring on my 600 yard target, but I didn't have the mental clarity to ask exactly WHERE it went----high, low, where ever, so I haven't even a guess what the velocity might have been, though the overcharge could NOT have been a double charge---was likely maybe 4 or 5 grains only, but I DO NOT know that for sure. Anyway, upon getting home ( I had to DNF the match) and getting the head of the case out of the bolt, it showed all the classic signs of a BIG over pressure, so I started to try to figure out what had caused the apparent over charge. After running this all through my mind, talking it over with some of my fellow shooters/reloaders and carefully considering my reloading routine, I (we) decided that what I had experienced was a powder bridging incident during the reloading process that I hadn't caught when it happened. Seemed pretty hard to believe, given that I'd had like TWO incidents over the years (decades) and thousands of rounds reloaded, but that seemed to be the only possible explanation. Somehow I had had a momentary loss of focus during the process and missed something that is a KNOWN problem and isn't like all mysterious or anything. But, there it was...TWO overcharges in decades of reloading doesn't seem to indicate some systemic reloading routine problem where I try to use several double checks to catch any possible errors, but it SURE DID POINT OUT HOW EVEN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF FOCUS/CONCENTRATION can cause an accident or incident and possibly a destroyed weapon or even an injury!!

The whole purpose of this post is to point out that we---NONE OF US, NO MATTER HOW LONG WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS can let ourselves make even the most insignificant appearing mistake when reloading---complacency WILL GET YOU if you let it! I've learned this lesson before in my first career as a military pilot and, I guess, had to learn it again. Hopefully I will remember this "lesson learned the hard way" and get through the next decades without a recurrence.

 

[Fig]

If you reload for 50 years and only have two double charges you are doing very well.
If you shoot regularly for 50 years and only have two negligent discharges you are doing very well.
People who've been shooting for less than ten years and tout their perfect safety record and perfect reloading are just inexperienced. You do something long enough and no matter how careful you are you are going to make a mistake unless you are a machine (they fuck up too).

With gun safety the thing is that you can break any single rule and it will most likely not result in catastrophe. Break two and it will. I've never had a double charge, but I have had more than one squib, and once when I was not shooting the pistol (a really nice G2 SAA) and the guy had the presence of mind not to pull the trigger again, lucky.

What's important is that WHEN you have a lapse you use it exactly as you are doing, and consider it a wakeup call to redouble your efforts in safety and attention to detail in all things firearms. Well done.

 

[AIAW]

One reason I never reload when I am tired or preoccupied with something else on my mind.

About 5 years ago I loaded roughly about 40 338LM's with Varget instead of H1000. I wasn't paying attention and just filled the ChargeMaster right up with it. There is an obvious kernel size difference and everything - didn't even notice. I seated about 20 of them and then noticed what I had done while the canister was sitting where I had left it. That would have been a very, very bad day.

Haven't had a problem since then after "the awakening". A buddy of mine did accidentally poured about a pound of Benchmark in with 2 pounds of Varget once. Destroyed the action lugs and bolt. Luckily no physical injuries.

 

[Huskydriver]

One reason I never reload when I am tired or preoccupied with something else on my mind.

About 5 years ago I loaded roughly about 40 338LM's with Varget instead of H1000. I wasn't paying attention and just filled the ChargeMaster right up with it. There is an obvious kernel size difference and everything - didn't even notice. I seated about 20 of them and then noticed what I had done while the canister was sitting where I had left it. That would have been a very, very bad day.

Haven't had a problem since then after "the awakening". A buddy of mine did accidentally poured about a pound of Benchmark in with 2 pounds of Varget once. Destroyed the action lugs and bolt. Luckily no physical injuries.

Very very bad day right there glad you caught it.

 

[Chris399]

Wow - Glad you are alright as it could have been much worse.

I have loaded tens of thousand of rounds of shotshell loaded on progressive type machines and all of it loaded based on volume powder drops via a reamed powder bushing. With all of my metallic reloading, I use an initial volume drop from a Redding powder dispenser and then trickle each charge to the final weighed charge. I just don't trust my volumetric powder measure to give me an accurate and repeatable drop that I would put directly into a metallic case.

Chris

 

[FishDr]

Thanks for sharing @doninreno. Good lesson for us all.

 

[Fig]

It surely depends though. Just as you cannot maintain a heightened level security indefinitely, so too you should not pretend to take the same level of care and attention to detail always and in all situations. I often consider case capacity in my load development for rifles, and shoot for 100%. I load plenty of C charges as well. Less room to screw that up too badly and cause a catastrophe.

However, loading super fast (shotgun and powders like Unique) powder for pistols, where the range can be as small as 1.2gr-1.8gr, you have to go to threat level red. There's hardly any powder in the case, and you could fit a triple charge with room to spare.

I trust the drop on my MEC and on my Dillon, but confirm on a scale periodically (more on the front side than the back).

 

[spife7980]

Good PSA

I try to idiot proof myself. I dont do pistol or shotgun loading so I dont really have to worry about a double charge with my slow rifle powders, usually I would be hard pressed to fit in even a few grains of extra powder in the case, I can go over pressure but not astronomically so.

Wouldnt have hurt me any but once I filled about 25 cases with H4831 instead of H4350 before I realized what I had done, the jugs looks pretty darn close. I have since put a piece of masking tape on the cans of H4831 that says 270 and set them to the side. Take the time to do the little things that can prevent accidents even if its just little visual reminders.

I doubt I ever reload pistol or shotgun, its too easy to buy those and they are too wild for me if something goes wrong.

 

[Howland]

I once seated several dozen .223 before noticing the 5gr. slide on the balance beam had slipped a notch. I had been targeting a warm load but not over book max.

The next day I became the proud owner of a kinetic puller.

 

[FishDr]

I own a kinetic puller as well … it’s a chore to pull 223 if there’s any amount of neck tension!

 

[308Gunner]

I have never double charged a case as it wont fit but there have been a few primers that didnt go off and when I looked at the round the primers had been seated up side down.

 

[briscoetab]

What is powder bridging? I think I have an idea because I think that is what has caused me some issues before.

I switched from H4350 to IMR4451 when H4350 was hard to find. At the time all I had for a funnel was the basic RCBS funnel. For some reason the IMR4451 would stick in the funnel and when you would move it to the next case it would come out. Luckily this happened with enough powder that it caused the case to overfill but it happened several times with the IMR4451 and sometimes it was a small enough amount that it did not overfill the case. This also meant that sometimes a case would hardly have any powder which could be just as bad.

Because of the sticking issue I now check inside all the cases really quickly after adding powder just to make sure the powder volume is similar. I also bought the area 419 funnel kit and this solved the issue with the sticking powder.

 

[Bradu]

I've had a few shotgun shells with no powder when I reloaded as a kid. I was probably 11 or 12 when my dad taught me to use a progressive loader. I loaded a lot of shells for our family of 4 to shoot registered trap. I have left a few primers out reloading pistol and rifle but luckily that has been the only mistake i've had. I used a powder alarm on the Dillon so I didn't have to worry about it and I use a flash light to check the reloading block just before I seat a bullet to make sure there are no empty or odd looking levels in the case.

It can be easy to make mistakes if you don't pay attention. I always make sure there is only one powder on the bench when reloading so I can't pour it into the wrong container when I am done.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

2 pieces of reloading safety advice:
- never have more than 1 powder on your bench when reloading. And keep it there through the next day, so you can be sure what you used.
- On a progressive, the RCBS lock out die is invaluable! It will catch a double charge or a failure to charge! It's saved me more than once.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Powder bridging is not double loading. No different than silo bridging. Only it occurs in a closed fired case and creates a pressure spikes. Powder pushed upon ignition to the shoulder and seated bullet with no place to go. Short stubby small caliber are good candidates. Another reason why I shake my case of reloads before shooting. OP should explain a little further why it may have been his fault because of his loading routine.

First 30 seconds shows bridging at the shoulder and neck in a silo. Same principle in cartridge bridging only with a lot of spontaneous over pressure before something gives.

 

[Bradu]

I think in this case he is talking about powder bridging in the funnel. Not all the powder goes into the case, moves funnel to the next case and remaining powder falls in plus you add a full charge to it. I tap the funnel and look before moving because of this.

 

[briscoetab]

I think in this case he is talking about powder bridging in the funnel. Not all the powder goes into the case, moves funnel to the next case and remaining powder falls in plus you add a full charge to it. I tap the funnel and look before moving because of this.

Yep that was what I was talking about and what I thought the OP was talking about, happens in the funnel and it could cause a double charge if the case is big enough. In my case the case is not big enough and I would notice a double charge but if only a small amount “bridges” then could just be an over charge.

I usually do tap the funnel but for some reason the IMR 4451 can still stick in that RCBS funnel unless you do it fairly hard, which is why I switched to the 419 funnel solved all the issues plus some.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Well, at least the silo example is still relevant

 

[briscoetab]

Well, at least the silo example is still relevant

Yes it is perfectly relevant, I thought it was funny because it is even more relevant when you are talking about it being the funnel because it is the exact same principle and the area 419 funnel kind of does the same thing as what the video was talking about with the “liquefying” just a smaller scale using a different method.

 

[Milo 2.5]

I load in my garage, it is heated, set up nice. I store bulk powders downstairs in the gun room, but keep 1lb containers nearby, refill as I go.. About 4yrs ago, friends decided one Sunday morn we needed to shoot, so I needed 6 comp match ammo loaded now. I had 3 chargemasters at the time, it will go fast. My powder used was IMR 7977, so I empty what powder is in the 1lb, did it amazingly well, the powder covered the augers of all 3 CM's the same, about 1/4". So I run downstairs to refill, needed 70-80rds. This is where it all went to hell, I had 7977, IMR 4451, and VV N550 in quantities, all stored on the bench under my first reload bench, I grabbed 4451, not paying attn, and filled the 1lb.
Using your imagination you can envision the rodeo that was about to ensue. I had regular loads, I assume mixed loads, and HOT loads, 47gr worth of 4451 in a 243 case. The sequence I seat bullets from a tray of 50 guaranteed that in my first magazine of 10 rds, I was going encounter all 3 of them.
When I finally did stick a case to the boltface of the mausingfield action, peeling it off revealed a nice brass buildup, and Norma 243 was stamped into the buildup.
I knew almost immediately what happened after chrono'ing one hybrid going 3410fps. I got 8 rds off that day with the rifle. Incident free, for what happened, the MF did exactly what it claimed it would do, extract cases. I had to pull a asston of bullets, throw powders away.

 

[pmclaine]

I load on an S1050 progressive.

I almost manufactured a "moment" loading .45 ACP with W231.

I had a stoppage on the plate. Looked at the works to figure it out and pulled the handle.

I had a sick feeling in my gut something is wrong and the Dillon Powder check started beeping.

The stoppage was on the return stroke.

So I figured out the stoppage and was able to release the pull arm without causing the plate to rotate.

Next pull of the handle repeated the process of the last pull on the same cases.....which made a double charge at the powder measure.

I caught it but I was sick and scared.

Now any stoppage on the operation I clear the entire shell plate of brass, fix the problem, than repopulate the brass in its necessary spot ensuring the spot at the powder measure is either empty or populated with unpowdered/primed brass.

I hear and see these "fantastic" high production claims on Dillon S1050s.....I barely hit Square Deal B production rates when I load.

Figure I dont need to go a speed that ensures I destroy a gun or some body part.

I know my day is coming but Im doing my best to avoid it.

 

[DownhillFromHere]

I hear and see these "fantastic" high production claims on Dillon S1050s.....I barely hit Square Deal B production rates when I load.

Figure I dont need to go a speed that ensures I destroy a gun or some body part.

^^^^ THIS. I constantly hear competent shooters I like and respect talking about watching TV or whatever as they load. Not me. My reloading area is in a tiny room custom-made for the purpose when the house was built. I don't like reloading. It is a chore to support the hobby, not part of the hobby.

So when I reload/handload, I want to put all my concentration into it. A few weeks ago, a few sessions into handloading bottleneck ammo again after a 25-year hiatus, I was distracted when I started. I wanted 40.6 grains of powder. So I set the scale. To 46.0 grains.

Powder went in just fine. Bullets went in just fine. About the 4th round I noticed a little crunch as I seated one. Not supposed to be a crunch. Go back and check... and... omg.

As someone posted above, I felt a little sick when I realized what I had done. I truly said a prayer of thanks that my routine of 50+ years - anything feels weird, stop and clear everything - had avoided a potential disaster. Not sure if a 4-grain overcharge (max load in my rifle is just over 42 grains) would do a pile of damage but I was thankful to not find out.