Question for the Reloaders

[venomballistics]

I keep hearing about the double charges that blow guns apart, How many calibers can actually be double charged? The brass is only so big depending on caliber, are some only half full of powder? Or is someone using a more powerfull powder?

All calibers can be double charged
the trick is to choose a powder that makes it impossible to seat the bullet if it happens.
Such as 2400 in a 357 or 44 magnum. The case is stuffed.
use titegroup and you could triple charge.
Cases have space, use it

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

Playing with my new Lee Autodisk powder measure, I thought I'd take some photos to use as illustrations in this thread.

The below show a series of powder drops into a 38 special case. Each throw is 2.7gr of Bullseye powder. This is probably on the low end of where 38 special would be loaded, but none the less is at least a reasonably common powder charge in this cartridge(and is also the smallest charge that can be thrown using the standard disk set with powder measure).

As can be seen, a double charge doesn't really look all that different from a standard charge, both in the photo below and in person. Things don't really look that obvious to me until it gets to a quadruple charge.

When I'm working with fast powders like Bullseye, I'm never afraid to toss a powder charge if I have any doubts about it being correct.

 

[David R]

If you put the cases next to each other like in a loading block, the double charge is obvious with regular charged cases on all 4 sides of it.

If you are afraid of it, don't use it. I find great accuracy from Bullseye. I buy it 4 lbs at a time. I am glad because right now its hard to find, so I am using an 8 lb jug of Promo (red dot) having great luck with accuracy and consistency.

 

[fredj338]

As noted, it's the powder used in handguns, not the size of the case. You can easily triple charge a 44mag with TG, & it will take he gun apart. Choose a powder that fills 1/2 the case, then any possible dbl will be seen. In rifles, almost impossible with rifle powders to dbl charge a rifle case, any caliber, but for the 45 bores.
The opp end of this is can you compress powders. As always, just depends on the powder. I like powders in rifle rounds that I can compress slightly, like 100% density.

 

[Yodasog]

I was one of the Tech writers that worked with Dean Grinnell when he edited Gun World and the ABC's of reloading
Three factors can lead you to and unhappy camper day
First be sure of the powder you are using some powders look a lot alike the most dangerous combo for confusion is bullseye and 2400 the powders look a lot alike make sure you only have one out at a time
I am aware of at least one occasion where 21 grains of bullseye was loaded behind a WW 210 grain flat point 41 mag load, The SW model 58 did not explode but the chamber did bulge
The problem occurred when the 41 mag was being loaded right after some 45 auto loads had been made up
Residual powder had remained in the powder meter
Lucky SW makes a solid revolver, I was holding the Model 58 weapon when the round went off, the recoil was severe
Second a clean work space can keep you from going to the happy hunting grounds make sure the powder measure is clean if you load more than one caliber and watch carefully when you load multiple calibers only one powder on the bench at a time and one type of primer magnum or standard.
Clean the primer drop tube after each loading session do not use any cleaning products on the primer tube push a dry patch down the primer drop tube this keeps the buildup of the explosive element in the primer tube to a minimum
Third visually inspect the volume in every case for uniformity if in doubt toss it out
This list is not exhaustive nor is it meant to be, take care and have fun

 

[Moe Mentum]

Just look inside the cases with a flashlight, and they should all be the same level, if not toss it and do it over.