Old S&W .38 spl reloads

[slabuda]

I have used 2.8 of BE with the Hornaday's 158 swc as my standard 50 foot target load for 30 years.

The precaution I use in loading with all powders is once the case is primed, I wil charge the case, visually check the powder then seat the bullet. I have never batch charged cases. I also verify the charge weight every 10 rounds with BE and other similar, consistent metering powders. Other powders like unique and red dot I will typically check every third charge.

Same for me on powders that are very easy to double charge (low gr loads). Used my lyman auto charge unit and checked then loaded each case as the next charged up.

 

[DWalt]

I always charge all sized and primed cases first. Then I visually check each charged case for charge uniformity using a flashlight or under sunlight. That prevents double charges or no charges. Then seat the bullet. No real need to check every 5th, 10th, etc. charge from the powder measure, I usually check every 50th, and that's nearly always OK.

 

[kbm6893]

I have used 2.8 of BE with the Hornaday's 158 swc as my standard 50 foot target load for 30 years.

The precaution I use in loading with all powders is once the case is primed, I wil charge the case, visually check the powder then seat the bullet. I have never batch charged cases. I also verify the charge weight every 10 rounds with BE and other similar, consistent metering powders. Other powders like unique and red dot I will typically check every third charge.

I'm a new reloader and reload 38 with red dot until it's gone. I do batch load, 50 at a time. But here's my routine:

50 primed cases ready to go in loading block, primers facing up. Throw charge and weigh it. Take case out of block and put into funnel primer facing up so if it was double charged, the powder would dump. Before putting powder in, I visually inspect the case to make sure it is empty. Dump powder and place charged case in loading block (different color than other block)

Repeat 49 more times. Weigh every charge. Use flashlight to inspect every charged case for double charges. When I am done, seat bullets and put finished cases back in original block, but this time bullets facing up and primer down.

When all 50 are seated, I crimp separately and put completed rounds in ammo can with load data taped to it.

30 minutes for 50 rounds. I'm in no rush.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I understand the double charge possibilty. Same goes wit 700x. I reload .38 spl as closely, and maybe even more so than my rifle loads.

Each one hits the scale before going in and no distractions allowed.

Bullseye,700X,Red Dot,Promo and the list could probably build up to over a dozen quick powders that could double up in a case plus some others that bridge easily from a powder measure and other kinds of problems that can crop up while reloading.

I remember a few weeks ago,my wife coming in my reloading shop asking me what I'd have for supper.I was in the middle of a .44 Mag batch.Guess what!From that batch,I had one rd without powder that launched my small missile right smack between the cylinder and forcing cone.Bet it is the one that was under the powder measure when she walked in(powder measure manually actuated on a Dillon RL300).I won't accuse her 'cause she just might hire a lawyer to proof me wrong(and I can't afford a lawyer!!!)but just the grinning from my fellow shooters on the firing line was punishing enough!
The meaning of all this is whatever the powder used,be concentrated at what you are doing while reloading!
Qc Pistolero