I caught a potentially disastrous mistake today. I only keep the powder I'm using on the bench when recharging. I was planning on loading some .357 pistols and 30-06 rifles that I haven't loaded for in a good while. (My friend just got a Garand and I have a Savage) I put the powder I used on the last 9mm batch away and brought back powder for the 30-06 which I intended to load first. Fortunately in my pharmacist-like checking rigamarole I realized that I had brought out the 2400 that I was thinking about using in the .357. Back to the shelf and get the IMR 4895. I'm glad I caught it, but was disconcerted that I actually brought it over to the bench and sat there preparing other things for a few minutes before I caught it. Does anybody care to surmise what may happen with 48.5 grains of 2400 in a 30-06????

Lesson: Don't even come close to charging a case without being triple sure that you have the right powder, not what you THINK is the right powder.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

It's easy to be out of focus.I was setting up to load 3 gr of bullseye the other day and my measure seemed to be way off after I'd taken it apart for a good cleaning.After the tenth adjustment and weighing,I finally realized I'd set the scale at 30 grains

I can't be sure but I'm guessing that charge of 2400 would allow you to fire only 1 round in want would be called your former 30-06 rifle.

It seems to me you really never got closest using the wrong powder. Just bringing it to the bench us no big deal. You didn't even pour it into the measure.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Hopefully, had you not noticed when you did, the error would have become more than apparent as soon as you saw small "grains" rather than longer sticks. It always pays to check and re-check...

When prepping to dump the first charge in a case I have already looked at the powder at least twice, checked the drop weight 10 times, then I go back and look in my notes for the powder, bullet weight, and charge I'm planning on.

Then I look at the powder, scale setting and box of bullets.

Finally I'll start charging cases.

and only one powder on the bench at a time.

I keep all my powder in a storage cabinet in my shop. I only bring out the powder I'm using at the time and that jug sits on my loading bench until I switch to a different powder. I double check the load data a couple times and then fill the powder measure making sure it is the correct powder.

Anytime I switch to a different powder I disassemble the powder measure completely and give it a good cleaning. From there, I put away the powder I was using and get out the new powder and begin checking the charge weight. Truth is we all do stupid stuff sometimes but as long as you catch it before anything bad happens you had a good day.

As Ballistic, mentioned my ritual is similar, go to downstairs retrieve the powder I'm using take it upstairs(one and only one powder out at a time), it sits right beside my two scales, one beam and my electronic, I also have little masking tape labels for each powder 231, HP38, #5, #7 #9 sr4756 etc. The small tape labels come off the powder bottle and onto my powder resesvoir, while that powder is in use. This also allows by to know which bottle of powder is the "opened" one. Some powder I have 20 one pounders, the tape label allow to always know which bottle is on deck.

I screwed up today also. I primed 58 - 45ACP case with Large
Rifle Primers not Large Pistol Primers before I realized what I had done. Lucky I hadn't added powder and seated the bullets yet. It easy to get distracted and make mistakes. I'm gonna have to double and triple check myself. I like the idea about using masking tape stuck to the powder measure. Lots of good tips here.

I use a LOT of masking tape.

for marking powder, plastic ammo cases, inside the flap of
factory ammo cases, plastic bags with "stuff", my paper targets etc.

Scotch tape and felt pen also come in handy but hard to remove.

I was getting ready to load some mild 44 mag cartridges this morning and was going to go with 6.6 grains of HP38, since the SNS bullets I'm finishing off lead up so bad if you push them harder. Anyways, I reached into my powder magazine and grabbed what I thought was the bottle of HP38 black bottle and saw the "H" on the label (label partially turned away from me) and opened it and started pouring it in my powder measure. As soon as I started pouring it I saw the powder didn't looking remotely right. Instead of flattened disks, the powder was a very fine granulated looking powder. I then rechecked the label on the bottle and saw the label read "H110"! Needless to say, that went back into it's bottle, cleaned out my measure and then loaded it up with HP38. And yes, I only have 1 powder out on the loading bench at a time.

In my case, it wouldn't have been nearly as disastrous as yours, rwsmith. All that would have happened with mine would have been squibs instead of grenading a fine weapon.

So it's easy to make mistakes, but hopefully the "good habits" we develop for reloading should protect us from ourselves. That includes double checking the type of powder you are loading as well as the charge weight.

At least you caught it!

I double charged a 45 ACP case the other day and was surprised it fit in there so well. I knew as soon as I dumped the pan that I screwed up because I saw black in the case when I poured it in. I forgot to "index" my funnel to the next case between charge throws. If I had not noticed right away, I would like to think I would have caught it during my visual inspection before seating bullets.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

It would have been catastrophic, but then 2400 & 4895 look nothing alike, so unless you were blind or drunk, you could not help notice the diff.
Awhile back someone posted pics of two ar rifles blown up the same day. Guy loaded ammo for both, mistaking Varget for Power Pistol. Just not possible unless you are blind or drunk or a complete moron reloading. Those folks should consider buying their ammo. You are right though, when it comes to powder going into a case, a double check of type & weight is NOT enough. Anyone that says it's easy to get distracted doesn't really understand how important being focused is when dealing with smokeless powders while reloading.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO