Oddest 'Oh-Oh' at YOUR reloading bench

m657

m657

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OK, nothing too special....little things still happen all these decades later well past when ALL those little 'oopsies' should never occur.

Had one little strange incident a few days ago....

I've been wrestling with 308 cases of late, and have had to reacquaint myself with the peculiarities of long-gun bottle neck cases.

Solved one of the unsolvable mysteries of reloading, by finally buying a NEW set of dies, which produced sparkling prime ammo for my next range outing.

But....had to take the 650 tool head off and fiddle a bit with some otherwise minor adjustments....only to discover now just where I had put that tin of Imperial sizing wax...*kaff*kaff*....

Well....it DID leave a marvelous exact impression of the decapper/resizer die and the powder funnel die in the otherwise barely used container.

And it DID give me an opportunity to find how effectively various approaches are in removing considerable-sized gobs of semi-hard wax from the dies.

Leaving the dies directly under a 60w bulb for a while does soften it considerably, if you need to know.....
 
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m657 said:
OK, nothing too special....little things still happen all these decades later well past when ALL those little 'oopsies' should never occur.

Had one little strange incident a few days ago....

I've been wrestling with 308 cases of late, and have had to reacquaint myself with the peculiarities of long-gun bottle neck cases.

Solved one of the unsolvable mysteries of reloading, by finally buying a NEW set of dies, which produced sparkling prime ammo for my next range outing.

But....had to take the 650 tool head off and fiddle a bit with some otherwise minor adjustments....only to discover now just where I had put that tin of Imperial sizing wax...*kaff*kaff*....

Well....it DID leave a marvelous exact impression of the decapper/resizer die and the powder funnel die in the otherwise barely used container.

And it DID give me an opportunity to find how effectively various approaches are in removing considerable-sized gobs of semi-hard wax from the dies.

Leaving the dies directly under a 60w bulb for a while does soften it considerably, if you need to know.....
Click to expand...


I was filling up my MEC reloader to load some shotshells. I filled the half-full powder hopper with shot....never noticed it until I finished filling the other half full hopper (shot hopper) with powder. It took a while but I salvaged it all.
 
A couple years ago I came across an old can of 4227, when I dumped it into the measure a redish dust came out. This can was about 20 years old and had deterioriated, so I dumped about half the powder out, it was full of red colored flakes and smelled bad. For some unkown reason I decided to check the inside of the can for rust and before thinking I stuck the ring finger of my right hand into the hole to check if the can had rusted. As soon as it went in I knew I had a problem, it wasn't gonna come out.
A moment of panic set in, all I could see was me walking into the ER with a half full can of gunpowder stuck on my hand. Thoughts of panicked ER personel calling in the bomb squad ran thru my mind. Not wanting that to happen I twisted, turned and pulled my finger back out, 'ringing' the skin and tearing it back all the way to the knuckle. It bled everywhere and hurt like crazy. For a few months I had a 'tatoo' around my finger where the ruined powder had worked its way in.
I had to put up with the Wife's ribbing for a long time afterwards but I didn't cause a scene at the local hospital.
That is one of the dumbest things I've ever done.
RD
 
Stupid Reloading Tricks

A few weeks ago I was humming along decapping some brass on my single stage RCBS press when I got out of sequence and decapped my finger. But it was a nice neat, little puncture...Willyboy
 
Watch the corncob...

A while back, had just completed charging 200 rounds of 38's using HP-38. When checking the visible volume AFTER weighing every 10th case, I noticed one that was had a LOT bigger charge than the others. Strange - I was sure that I didn't double charge any of the cases. Weighed the charged case - was not that much heavier. Only one thing to do - dump it and re-charge. Surprise - a stuck piece of corncob popped out with the powder. Sure got my attention - make sure I double check the volumes before seating the bullet! :eek:
RR
 
Realizing after loading 50 rounds of 30-06 to match specifications for a customer friend custom for his chamber that the overall case length was a tad too long. 5 hours of work down the tube.
 
I keep finding that my powder measure on my Hornady LNL AP likes to drift and drop a little more and more until I'm a full grain heavy if I don't adjust it. Still can't figure out what the problem is. I degreased and cleaned EVERYTHING just like the DVD showed. Everything is nice and tight that should be. And she just drifts a tiny bit more each time until I have to adjust it again. I'm using the baffle in the powder and I keep the powder at least 2/3's full when using it. This doesn't happen with my Uniflow, Lyman Ideal #55, or Lee Pro Auto Disk. This is the only powder measure I have to watch like a hawk and measure and adjust so much. I'm only using ball powders like HP-38/Win 231 most of the time, but it still did it with Bullseye and Unique was even worse. But I struggle with Unique in anything. I'm at a loss. I just got the micrometer insert to see if that holds it any better.
 
I was loading .44 mags with a load of 10.5 grains of Unique. problem was I set my scale for 15 grains! They were a "little stout" and required a fair amount of force to eject the empties, as in pounding on a cleaning rod for each case. Needless to say after the first cylinder full in my 629, the rest got pulled, which is when I discovered my error. This is my only mishap in over 30 years of reloading.
 
My eyes didn't follow the correct line in the reloading manual all the way across the page, and while working up a .44mag. load of H110, loaded a full grain over max. in several rounds. They were super accurate, but super fast, too! I didn't discover the error until I happened to be looking at the manual again some time later. Then I realized why such high velocity. No more of that nonsense.

Andy
 
Loading 240 grain JHPs in 44 Special using Power Pistol. As always, I looked down each powder-charged case with a flashlight. One had a double charge. Well, that's why I look ---- but that had never happened before.
 
I always put a name tag in the top of the powder in the powder hopper. Well, a couple months went by, I go back to the bench and realize two canisters of powder on the bench, and two name tags in the hopper. Doh, well it's either Unique or Herco- hope its not mixed.
 
The first time I used my Lee Classic Turret I got a primer stuck halhway into the pocket. The press was locked up. Couldn't get the shell holder out. Couldn't figure what I did wrong.

Internet to the rescue. Apparently I'm not the only one.

Ya gotta make sure your press handle can make a full upstroke without contacting the edge of your bench. :facepalm:
 
I decided to load some stiff 95gr .380 using N-320. Problem was I grabbed 124gr bullets instead. They shot like magnums.
 
I was setting up my brand-new lubrisizer and had decided to use my home-made beeswax/olive oil lube since I was loading up some blackpowder .45 Colt. I installed the sizing die, melted the lube, and confidently poured it into the lube reservoir. Imagine my horror to discover that without a bullet in the sizing die, there was nothing to keep the melted lube from running out of the holes in the sizing die, gushing out all over the place and running onto the floor. Then, of course, it immediately hardened into a nasty mess. It seemed to take forever to clean that mess up.
 
johncantiusgarand said:
I was setting up my brand-new lubrisizer and had decided to use my home-made beeswax/olive oil lube since I was loading up some blackpowder .45 Colt. I installed the sizing die, melted the lube, and confidently poured it into the lube reservoir. Imagine my horror to discover that without a bullet in the sizing die, there was nothing to keep the melted lube from running out of the holes in the sizing die, gushing out all over the place and running onto the floor. Then, of course, it immediately hardened into a nasty mess. It seemed to take forever to clean that mess up.
Click to expand...

That reminds me. Always turn off the powder hopper before changing discs on your Auto Disc...:eek:
 
Maximumbob54 said:
I keep finding that my powder measure on my Hornady LNL AP likes to drift and drop a little more and more until I'm a full grain heavy if I don't adjust it. Still can't figure out what the problem is. I degreased and cleaned EVERYTHING just like the DVD showed. Everything is nice and tight that should be. And she just drifts a tiny bit more each time until I have to adjust it again. I'm using the baffle in the powder and I keep the powder at least 2/3's full when using it. This doesn't happen with my Uniflow, Lyman Ideal #55, or Lee Pro Auto Disk. This is the only powder measure I have to watch like a hawk and measure and adjust so much. I'm only using ball powders like HP-38/Win 231 most of the time, but it still did it with Bullseye and Unique was even worse. But I struggle with Unique in anything. I'm at a loss. I just got the micrometer insert to see if that holds it any better.
Click to expand...

Interesting problem... I have always used the micrometer, and have never had an issue, mine does not vary a bit.

Have you called Hornady about the issue? They have very good CS, and should be able to make it right by you...
 
loaded some 45 Colts....was havin' a good time shootin' and one went puff....squib....open cylinder and there was corn cob media everywhere:D
 
I have loaded for years on single and turret presses. Well a couple months ago I dived into a Hornady LNL, What a press. Went through 38 spl like wildfire, so switched to 45 ACP.Everything goin great, I love this machine. I ran out of new brass, so I had some that had already been sized and flared, so I threw em on the press. For some reason my powder measure went nuts, only went halfway up, no powder in the cases, what the ? Got out the manual, took the PM off, disassembled, reassembled, reinstall, same thing. Wait a minute, this happened with the case change. Old sized and flared cases was letting the powder thru expander to go to deep in the case, didn't realize I had that much of a flare on the old die. Took about an hour to figure that one out.

Lee
 
I was running a Hornady LNL. That day I was filling up 44 specials for SASS (Trail Boss 5 gr) and came up with a stoppage when a bullet wouldn't seat.

I pulled it and found a 9mm case inside the 44 special.

That case passed through the resizer where it was decapped (!), the priming station where it was reprimed, and the powder station where it was filled and flared.

Can't remember whether the 9mm case was primerless, or if the decapping pin pierced the small primer before decapping the 44 spec. But anyway, I was impressed.
 
Used to run AmmoLoad presses, and occasionally a primer would go off while being installed. On VERY rare occasions, had an entire tube (100 or more) of primers ignite. The explosion would send the weighted follower up against the concrete ceiling, looked like a blast from a shotgun. Sure got your attention!
 
This just happened yesterday (after 40 years of reloading). Went to the range and was firing some 41 long colts through a SAA. First shot gave a low "pffftttt" but I saw the paper target "vibrate". Continued and got the same "pffttt" each time. First time I've fired 41 Colt. I was hitting paper. Then I realized that I was also hitting the dirt/snow halfway to the target. Bullets were ricocheting to the target (most were in the "kill zone").

Evidently, I must have loaded 0.3 gr instead of 3.0 grains. Guess I could use them in the basement for indoor practice!
 
...HAR!!! so I'm not "the ONLY one"...HAR HAR HAR!!!

Re: other stuff in the cases:
as a Dillon 650 devotee, I've found even with that impressive bit of engineering, certain basics can NOT be ignored.

Most common mistake for *me* was to not insure the old case was truly empty. There's a herd of critters than haul cherries for their little mousey parties...and leave the pits in various odd places...including the media.....and sometimes I'll get a pit that usually bends the decap pin. I've also had a variety of 9mm and 22LR hiding in the 45LC cases over the years. Not often, just those few times that make you realize how careful we really SHOULD be in the process.

There's others....but I ain't up to admitting nothing....
 
Fishslayer said:
That reminds me. Always turn off the powder hopper before changing discs on your Auto Disc...:eek:
Click to expand...

Been there and done that and had the mess to clean up to show it... :(

dmar said:
Interesting problem... I have always used the micrometer, and have never had an issue, mine does not vary a bit.

Have you called Hornady about the issue? They have very good CS, and should be able to make it right by you...
Click to expand...

Once I'm done with a new Mak cast bullet project then I will install the new micrometer and see if it does the same thing. But I need to cast more of my .45 ACP bullets first for loading. If the micrometer insert still does it then I will give them a call.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
I keep finding that my powder measure on my Hornady LNL AP likes to drift and drop a little more and more until I'm a full grain heavy if I don't adjust it. Still can't figure out what the problem is. I degreased and cleaned EVERYTHING just like the DVD showed. Everything is nice and tight that should be. And she just drifts a tiny bit more each time until I have to adjust it again. I'm using the baffle in the powder and I keep the powder at least 2/3's full when using it. This doesn't happen with my Uniflow, Lyman Ideal #55, or Lee Pro Auto Disk. This is the only powder measure I have to watch like a hawk and measure and adjust so much. I'm only using ball powders like HP-38/Win 231 most of the time, but it still did it with Bullseye and Unique was even worse. But I struggle with Unique in anything. I'm at a loss. I just got the micrometer insert to see if that holds it any better.
Click to expand...

Mine does something similar. I have found that as I run it the powder settles in more dense and charges more as it runs up and down through the cycles, however, eventually it does stop increasing, but you have to keep your eye on it. If you give the powder measure a bunch of light taps and bumps after you first pour the powder in it eliminates a bunch of that. I have also found it's worse with ball powders than extruded or flake shaped powders. Hornady does have excellent customer service whenever I have called, but I have never asked them about that. It has to be some phenomenon because everything seems to fit perfectly together and nothing is moving, no slop, real solid. If you find a way to prevent this altogether let me know as well. I just try to settle it down as much as I can and watch it in the beginning of each session for a while.

Oh, and by the way, all I use is the micrometer inserts, those things rule for quick setup and an infinite number of charge levels.
 
Last edited:
7x57 out of a 30-06

The long and short of it was I was hunting with a 7x57 in the morning and I pocketed some live shells before re-entering my home. At the range that afternoon one of the shells found its' way into my 30-06 rifle. No harm done, but a close call anyway. If the combination had been different, say a 308 shell in a 270 rifle, could have been bad.
 
I don't know if this qualifies but after loading thousands upon thousands of rounds of .38 spl., .357 mag., .357 maximum, and .44 mag., I picked up a 1911 (Springfield G.I. Love that gun.) and went for my first batch of reloads for it.

I bought a set of RCBS dies, a box of 100 Hornady 230 gr. XTP's, got out a pound of Unique and my Lyman manual, and set about it.

After getting past the process of rethinking the crimp concept and how it applies to a case that chambers at its mouth (felt like brain surgery at the time), I carefully assembled 50 rounds with my old Lee Hand Press. -I have a Dillon 550B but I wanted to give complete attention to every step of every round. Plus, I didn't have enough cash for another tool head, etc., that goes with a caliber change on the Dillon.-

So the batch is finished, inspected again, and boxed up for my next trip to the range. A couple days later, I go to the range. With much anticipation, I load up a mag full of my initial set of .45 ACP reloads ever, and rack the 1911's action to chamber the first round.

The slide stopped about 3/4 of the way forward and acted like it was spot-welded in that position. No way to get it to move either backwards or forward. Locked up like a bank vault with a live round down in the guts!

After fighting off the reflexive urge to spell "HELP!" in my Carhartts, I set about to disassembling the pistol and the round fell right out.

Turns out that the noses of the 230 gr. XTP's that I bought were much rounder than the regular hardball bullets. I figured that would aid in feeding since they were hollowpoints. I WAS WRONG! I then surmised that they were meant for reloading .45 COLT instead of .45 ACP. No way that bullet shape would feed in my 1911. All I could do was take 'em home, get out my bullet puller, alias "the dammit", and take them all apart. Haven't tried again since.

Thing is I don't have anything chambered for .45 LC. Maybe I oughtta put the box of bullets up for a Karma or sumpthin'.
 
"Thing is I don't have anything chambered for .45 LC. Maybe I oughtta put the box of bullets up for a Karma or sumpthin'. "

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a 25-2 or 625 (in acp).
 
Maximumbob54 said:
I keep finding that my powder measure on my Hornady LNL AP likes to drift and drop a little more and more until I'm a full grain heavy if I don't adjust it. Still can't figure out what the problem is. I degreased and cleaned EVERYTHING just like the DVD showed. Everything is nice and tight that should be. And she just drifts a tiny bit more each time until I have to adjust it again. I'm using the baffle in the powder and I keep the powder at least 2/3's full when using it. This doesn't happen with my Uniflow, Lyman Ideal #55, or Lee Pro Auto Disk. This is the only powder measure I have to watch like a hawk and measure and adjust so much. I'm only using ball powders like HP-38/Win 231 most of the time, but it still did it with Bullseye and Unique was even worse. But I struggle with Unique in anything. I'm at a loss. I just got the micrometer insert to see if that holds it any better.
Click to expand...

The problem with the LNL is the powder compacts in the hopper as the arm is activated and dropped. Easy to fix, cut a strip of 3x5" index card stock about 4-5 inches long and an inch wide. Fold it long ways in in half across the short axis into a a V shape, and drop it in the hopper pointy end up so it acts like a baffle over the outflow for the measure. The powder flowing around it to exit the measure will be more consistent in density. Same for Lee autodisk measures which do this too.
 
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