PLEASE CHECK YOUR POWDER LEVEL BEFORE YOU SEAT THE BULLET!!!

[farmerjohn]

Just getting over surgery and thought I would load up some handgun ammo while I was on "light duty", my old standby load of 8gr of unique and a 260gr WFN cast for my 45 colt is all I ever used in my Colt and Ruger revolvers, plenty stout enough to get the job done and not too much strain on the revolver or me. Just use the trickler on my V3 and loaded up a few, getting the dies set and figured I would check the velocity. I've been doing this for over 50 years, charged 16 cases, phone rings while it's blue toothed to the trickler, I answered it, talked to my son, looked at the charged cases and thought I'll just run these through the chronograph and see what they still do, didn't have my flashlight and almost didn't get up and go get it to check powder levels, see if you can spot it! My Blackhawk might have taken it but I doubt it, that generation II Colt.... I'd probably be getting the pieces of it dug out of me!! Still don't know how I did it, but PLEASE check powder levels... John

 

[Ironman308]

Glad you did a visual check and great advise. It has always worried me with handgun reloading because unlike rifle it is possible to get a double charge. Even though we would use more powder I have wondered if there is a powder that would fill more than half the case so a double charge would overflow the brass.

 

[DGP4]

I always do a check with the little light I have to check barrel bores. All it takes is ONE mistake and...KABOOM!

 

[6bra1k]

i do not use a powder that does not fill a case over 50% full.
never a double charge, cause you cannot seat a bullet if you do.
real cheap insurance

 

[6MMsteve]

glad you caught it, I've made 2 boo boo's one was 53 or 55 grs of 4831sc in a 65284 had hard bolt lift couldn't figure it out till I checked my scale, the scale arm was sideways a tad out of the v blocks, I just completely missed it all

 

[Rsadams]

One of the few mistakes I have made reloading was double charging a .38spl case.... These old black powder cases don't fill with modern powder so half full is double.... I also cought it by checking with my little flashlight.... I don't load any thing now like that and sold the .38 because of it... Even on my Dillon I look into every case before placing a bullet on it , it may not be a fast way but it's a safe way and still a ton faster than my single stage.... The safety rules we use are in place for a reason , they have been around for a long time for a reason also... Glad you checked... Sometimes we all need a little reminder to double check everything....

 

[BartsBullets]

Glad you caught it! That might have been more excitement then you were looking for.

Bart

 

[Bill Norris]

One of the few mistakes I have made reloading was double charging a .38spl case.... These old black powder cases don't fill with modern powder so half full is double.... I also cought it by checking with my little flashlight.... I don't load any thing now like that and sold the .38 because of it... Even on my Dillon I look into every case before placing a bullet on it , it may not be a fast way but it's a safe way and still a ton faster than my single stage.... The safety rules we use are in place for a reason , they have been around for a long time for a reason also... Glad you checked... Sometimes we all need a little reminder to double check everything....

Right. It only takes a few extra seconds to make sure the charges look the same.

 

[JayHHI6818]

Glad you caught it!!!! When I load for
My 338 Whisper (10.2 grs) HP38 in a 7 BR case I do visual with flashlight before seating the bullets. Then my OCD takes over and I weight each cartridge after seating the bullet.

 

[Bill K]

I always take a look see in the cases, prior to seating the bullets. It is just one thing a person should ALWAYS do, to double check for missing, low charge or like in your case double charge.

 

[K22]

Always have - always will.

A. To make sure I did not have a double charge pistol cases.

B. To make sure I didn't miss a case charging rifle cases.

 

[hoz53]

Just getting over surgery and thought I would load up some handgun ammo while I was on "light duty", my old standby load of 8gr of unique and a 260gr WFN cast for my 45 colt is all I ever used in my Colt and Ruger revolvers, plenty stout enough to get the job done and not too much strain on the revolver or me. Just use the trickler on my V3 and loaded up a few, getting the dies set and figured I would check the velocity. I've been doing this for over 50 years, charged 16 cases, phone rings while it's blue toothed to the trickler, I answered it, talked to my son, looked at the charged cases and thought I'll just run these through the chronograph and see what they still do, didn't have my flashlight and almost didn't get up and go get it to check powder levels, see if you can spot it! My Blackhawk might have taken it but I doubt it, that generation II Colt.... I'd probably be getting the pieces of it dug out of me!! Still don't know how I did it, but PLEASE check powder levels... JohnView attachment 1317904View attachment 1317905

using my dillon 550 for 44 mag. - i use a short piece of wood dowel rod - i stick it in the case after powder charging and mark the dowel at case mouth, then i use it as a powder check gage on every round. Its easy to miss one no matter how you do it. Im stopping using the 550 for handgun loads since it doesnt have room for a powder check die, the way i want to set it up. gonna set it up for 223 and go back to the single stage on handgun loads. i see the one - glad you caught this

 

[miningshawn]

One practice I have adopted when loading pistol is to place a projectile tip down in the case once it is charged. The next step in my process is seating, so I just flip the bullet over and seat.
If I get distracted or leave the room it is immediately apparent where I left off.

 

[wagonman]

on a 50 round loading block with charged pistol cases I run my eyes vertical down the rows then then horizontal across rows TWICE looking for any odd level case, 45yr habit I passed onto my son and grandsons never pull short cuts double check, using powders that doesn't fill 50% of case in my opinion doesn't have to be dangerous.

 

[Homerange]

One practice I have adopted when loading pistol is to place a projectile tip down in the case once it is charged. The next step in my process is seating, so I just flip the bullet over and seat.
If I get distracted or leave the room it is immediately apparent where I left off.

Great tip.
Never have I understood why reloaders would charge a bunch of cases before seating.
Charge case, seat !

C'mon guys adopt safer reloading practices !

 

[nakneker]

It’s such an easy and simple thing to do, a great habit for anyone’s reloading procedure. Glad you caught it!

 

[joshb]

I don’t charge cases in the block. I keep my primed & prepped cases in a Tupperware bin. I grab an empty, charge it and then put it in the block. Yet, I still check them with a light. OCD? Yup! Still have all my fingers? Yup!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Great tip.
Never have I understood why reloaders would charge a bunch of cases before seating.
Charge case, seat !

C'mon guys adopt safer reloading practices !

Or you can say i cant believe anybody would seat a bullet without dumping all their powder and looking in the cases with a light to compare

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I leave them upside down until i charge them. That way i can see the primer and know theyre empty

 

[Homerange]

I leave them upside down until i charge them. That way i can see the primer and know theyre empty

Yes of course, best safe practice. I even flip shot cases in range cases then prep from there and into shallow basins while prepping and finally into the bench block before individually charging and seating and finally into range cases.
Torch on the bench, hell no it's another thing to get in the way of best safe practice.

Never ever is there a case on my bench unless it's upside down.