quote:

I also double loaded a 45ACP recently

And may I ask how that was accomplished? It wouldn't have been a SDB stutter step, would it?

That's why I posted about it. I have been reolading for a bunch of years and stuff happens.

Here is what we will hear next from someone: "If you don't know what you are doing....."

Makes me crazy!

Skip,

Just to be fair to glocks. Some time ago I double charged 9mm case in 550B(unintentionally of course) and fired it from my glock 19. The round must have had 9.2 gr. TG in it under 115 gr. bullet. KB felt like the gun exploded in my hands - violent recoil and very loud boom.

Damage report. My head was spinning, I had a scratch on my arm from the ripped brass, the arm was numb for about 15 min. Mag, extractor and extractor spring flew out of the gun. There was a small but impressive dent in the slide right behing the extractor. I can only imagine what force is required to create such dent in one hit. None of the parts including OEM barrel were damaged, but I lost the extractor - we just never found it... This gun had some 5K rounds through it after the incident with no malfunctions.

Unless one catches double charge on the press, I don't think it is possible after the fact to be sure how exactly it happened. The best explanation I could come up with was along the lines of your earlier post in this thread.

Speaking from this experience KB is incredibly dangerous and no fun at all. After the incident I replaced 550B press with 650 to use the powder check die. So far it caught a number of squibbs but no double charges. All my quibbs were caused by a shorter case mixed into a lot of longer cases (38spl in 357 mag lot or 380 auto in 9mm lot). Shorter cases don't always activate powder release and you get an immediate warning when it happens.

Thorn brass case from my KB has a permanent place on my reloading bench to keep reminding me about the price of error in reloading.

Mike

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Thorn brass case from my KB has a permanent place on my reloading bench to keep reminding me about the price of error in reloading.

Mike

Excellent post. I like my Glocks to be quite honest. My son is a corrections officer in our county jail. He came home after scoring a perfect on the handgun qualification course, I had the opinion of most about "tactical tupperware" and vowed never to own one, and he said I would have to shoot one, they were incredible.

Being openminded and knowing his shooting skills, we bought one, the same model he carries while on duty. A G22. One of the most accurate firearms I have ever shot and function, man does that thing function. I now have a Glock 21, the wife has a Glock 26 and the boy has too many to mention!

Ugly as sin but functional and accurate. For their purpose, self defense there are few better. Just don't expect to take it on your next safari and shoot an elephant at 1000 yards!

You two are to be commended for admitting everything isn't roses in the land of blue presses! It isn't easy to own up to mistakes, at least not for me, so I applaud your intestinal fortitude!

Thanks, Skip and Paul. This reloader stands commended. Hope this story will help somebody to avoid a nasty accident.

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It isn't easy to own up to mistakes

I've found, especially since coming to Christ, that the ONLY way to fix mistakes is to recognize them, confess them and not to repeat them.

A man is not a man, not the kind of man that God wants us to be, unless he acknowledges his mistakes, in my opinion.

Real manhood isn't a matter of things like not crying, or always being tough and brusque. It's a matter of seeing things that make you want to cry and doing something about it through your tears. It isn't standing up proclaiming you correctness and inability to make mistakes either. Being a real man is when we can honestly assess our shortcomings and get the corrected. Either through confession to a friend that wants to help, much like Paul and others here, or if we take them to the throne of Grace to get His help.

I'm not quite sure why I said all of that but......... like my mom used to say, if the shoe fits ya just gotta wear it!

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smith crazy:I think that is your ministry dennis. I am trying as hard as I can to point out areas where we COULD agree and all you do is point to the possible areas where we don't!

First of all read the chapter in the book that I’ve listed in my previous replies to both you and Paul5388.

The particular chapter is extremely informative because the gentleman writing it as been involved in the analysis of related failures and testing of Glock pistols. That is to say he has down lab work, pressure testing and failure analysis. In fact the information contained in that chapter if heeded by users of Glock pistols could or would prevent problematic issues.

Excerpt taken from the subject book chapter:

More Lab Work ON KBS
I was asked to review a report several years ago, which included the investigation of over sixty blown Glocks from different police departments.

You’ll have to procure the book. The conclusions may surprise you.

I don't own a Glock because I waiting for them produce a revolver.
There's something about a blued steel S&W 'N'frame.
Jim

Paul5388,

The first result of a double charge I ever saw was back in the early seventies. The cylinder of a Taurus revolver was blown in half like a walnut, and no one was injured. That round was loaded on a single-stage press. That round was loaded using Bullseye powder. Some people say not to use that powder because such low volumes are used that it is easy to double charge without noticing. Do you stay away from such powders?

Have you ever had to pull bullets because you made a mistake in your reloading procedure? I have and probably will continue to make errors. Bullet Pullers are big sellers.

Some folks used to complain that the Star Progressives were prone to dropping a double charge, now we have the few Dillon detractors who say the same thing. All this being said, any single-stage or progressive machine is not more or less prone to double charging. Operator error is the cause of double charging. If you want to stick with a single-stage, that is fine. Most people who shoot a lot cannot afford the extra time it takes to load on a single-stage press and they shouldn't be afraid to load on a progressive. If a person can focus on the job to be done for the time it takes to do it they shouldn't be afraid to reload on a single-stage or progressive machine. Of course some people cannot do this and they probably shouldn't reload at all.

I have had to use an "eraser" before, as most people have. However, it wasn't because of a double charge. I never charge more than one case at a time and immediately seat a bullet, to help prevent the disastrous double charge.

I use Bullseye without any thoughts of problems with the method I employ for charging cases.

Even using a turret, I still charge one case at a time and finish the round before moving to the next case.

After 40+ years of reloading, I've never had a KB, but that doesn't mean I'm beyond making a mistake sometime.

If you're going to a progressive press, I would defintely go with the Dillon. I've had a 550 for 7 or 8 years and I love it. No problems of any kind so far.

Sgt Preston here. I load on a Dillon 550 by my choice. It is a simple rugged machine, but requires that the operator pays attention to what he is doing. Similarily I can also use a table saw without sawing my fingers off. I choose to use a table saw because it is quicker & gives me better cuts than I can get with a hand saw, BUT it requires that the operator pays attention to what he is doing. I load 15,000 + per year and haven't had any problems. My one piece of advice to all reloaders is: if a problem or jam occurs, immediately remove all the brass from the star wheel, dump all the powder back in the dispenser, set the primed cases aside for re-filling later. The next order of business is to locate the source of the jam & fix it. Finally after the problem is fixed, the last step is to place a new piece of brass a station 1 and re-start the process. In my opinion, double charges usually don't occur from NOT advancing the star wheel, they occur because of confusion when trying to repair a jam "on the fly" wuithout clearing the deck. Just one old Jarhead's observation & opinion. Happy New Year guys! Sgt Preston USMC LLA

+1 Sgt Preston.

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but requires that the operator pays attention to what he is doing.
My one piece of advice ..... immediately remove all the brass from the star wheel, dump all the powder back in the dispenser, set the primed cases aside for re-filling later........
they occur because of confusion when trying to repair a jam "on the fly" wuithout clearing the deck.

Good points and well taken! If we would listen to those "more seasoned" reloaders it would greatly benefit us.

I think Sarge has brought up the points that make Paul leery of progressive presses. I have no doubt that Paul would NEVER have a problem with a progressive press although from his posts it would be hard to believe he would ever get one. Here is the problem, in our quest to do things always faster, faster, faster, like getting the McDonald's syndrome, in reloading it can be an issue or attitude that can cause serious bodily injury if not death to have that attitude.

Some folks are so poor (mentally) they have a hard time paying attention! I've been in that catagory more than once I can tell you! ( by the way that is a play on words!)

If you get a progressive press, for crying out load, pay attention.