Averted a KABOOM!

[mousegunner]

I dropped some IMR 4895 into a pan and trickled up to 41.5, then poured into my .308 brass.

I used my flashlight to look into the cases and one had more powder than its neighbor. Dumped into a pan and it was over by a bunch and the other was under charged. Don't know how that came about since I drop and trickle up to weight. Checked my 505 and no problems there. I always look into my charged cases to check there's powder and levels are the same. Should have weighed the overage but whatever it was it bottomed out the pan. Glad I caught it and didn't get surprised.

 

[mauser284]

I have never had that happen to me but I have known better reloaders than myself that have had it happen. Machines are not perfect and neither are humans! I have had undercharged loads though where I had to shotgun the action or pull the bolt to make sure the bullet made it out of the bore!

I have had hot ammo that was mass produced ammo. You know what I mean you can feel and hear the difference when it fires!

You would not believe how many people do not stop and check the weapon when either of those happen. Most people do not understand that a weak load can be a HUGE safety issue with a bore obstruction. Sadly the training in this country and I would imagine every country is very variable in it's quality!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Stuck in the funnel. Happens all the time

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Not nearly as bad, but I stuck a .260 round into a .308 this afternoon and it wouldn't fire (twice). That caused me to check ammo and correct the issue. Upon trying to shoot a .308 round, it wouldn't ignite.

The reason it wouldn't fire? I blanked a primer on the last round out of the .308 yesterday, and some trash got into the firing pin hole.

It was a day full of fun surprises.

 

[Bc'z]

Stuck in the funnel. Happens all the time

This is why I tap the case I'm charging on the bench while holding funnel.
Clears funnel and settles powder.
Followed by seating a bullet before placing back in the tray.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

This is why I tap the case I'm charging on the bench while holding funnel.
Clears funnel and settles powder.
Followed by seating a bullet before placing back in the tray.

I like to line them all up in the tray full of powder before i seat bullets. Just like in this case you can spot an issue before its an issue

 

[nmkid]

Stuck in the funnel. Happens all the time

Back in 1970, I had a serious KABOOM! Cracked my stock and broke the crosshairs on my scope. I have for many years tried to figure out what happened. The explanation above is the best I have heard. For years I have done the same as Bc'z.

 

[NorCalMikie]

"Drop" the powder from my 505, shine a light into each case. Tip case so the light over my right shoulder shines on/into the case neck. Nothing like a double check for good results.

 

[dolek]

I like to line them all up in the tray full of powder before i seat bullets. Just like in this case you can spot an issue before its an issue

Same here,I feel very safe with that method. Escaped a few mishaps through the years,getting a visual of them all lined up helps spot a problem.

 

[Bc'z]

I like to line them all up in the tray full of powder before i seat bullets. Just like in this case you can spot an issue before its an issue

I know a lot of folks load that way.
But if charge is trickled up, dumped, visually verified, with bullet seated there will be no mix ups and over charges.

 

[dickn52]

I powder all my cases, then wear a headlamp and visually check each case. I had one that wen pffff a couple of weeks ago. 223 and it never left the case. Thought I had bad powder until I pulled the bullet. Nothing there. But NO squib.

 

[natdscott]

I like to line them all up in the tray full of powder before i seat bullets. Just like in this case you can spot an issue before its an issue

Likewise, and use high bulk powders for the casing.

 

[Dgd6mm]

That's why I like a clear tube.

 

[T-shooter]

Is it possible some powder clumped together and stuck in the bottom of the funnel, maybe due to static or moisture? And as careful as we try to be, things sometime happen. I once had a case with no primer and another time, one with no powder. I found out after trying to fire both.

 

[carlsbad]

I use a plastic pan with a funnel built in. I look at it every time I pour it in to make sure not a single kernel is stuck in the pan, not so much for kaboom prevention but for SD minimization. Then I seat the bullet while the next charge is being thrown. That way I don't let a charged case set for any time and minimize the chance of human error.

--Jerry

 

[Old Tanker]

As a beginner, I may be too paranoid. I throw the charge just below what the load calls for then trickle the final amount on the scale. Before charging each case, I turn it, mouth down over the trickler to ensure it isn’t already charged. Once charged, the case goes directly to the bullet seater. I may relax a little, over time but hope to never get complacent.

 

[jds holler]

I've also been a long time advocate of the flashlight check of the loading block full of charged cases.

I've also got a system that I use for direct charging of cases from my powder measure that prevents "bridging" in the drop chute. --

I give the handle a double tap on the top stroke, and THEN hold the case to the drop shoot for the single clank on the down stroke. --Clink Clink -- Clank. Any powder caught in the measure will fall harmlessly onto the table or floor instead of into the next case. I also think the double tap on the top stroke improves consistency in the charge chamber.

I am an incredibly lazy bastard about trickling and weighing, so I've adjusted my philosophy to emphasize powder volume over powder weight. Fine grained powders rule!! jd

 

[1shot]

I have two high intensity flood lights above the powder drop station. I'm using the FX 120i w/auto trickler, a funnel with an attached drop tube and an arbor die/press for seating. I get several cases with powder in them first, then as the AT does it's thing, I seat a bullet. This procedure allows me to look into each case twice, prior to a bullet being seated, and a slow pour virtually eliminates any powder bridging.
I hope this helps,

Lloyd

 

[NorCalMikie]

I've also been a long time advocate of the flashlight check of the loading block full of charged cases.

I've also got a system that I use for direct charging of cases from my powder measure that prevents "bridging" in the drop chute. --

I give the handle a double tap on the top stroke, and THEN hold the case to the drop shoot for the single clank on the down stroke. --Clink Clink -- Clank. Any powder caught in the measure will fall harmlessly onto the table or floor instead of into the next case. I also think the double tap on the top stroke improves consistency in the charge chamber.

I keep a couple of small flashlights on the bench just to look at cases. The light over my right shoulder does the trick. Tilt the case so the light shows the powder or not. The "CLANK" of the powder measure are will get rid of and stacked up powder. Keep that constant rhythm going.
I have been known to charge a case and see a pile of powder in the loading block. No primer. (DUH!!)

 

[ballisticxlr]

People don't know what it actually takes to cause a modern rifle to KB. It's a lot more than a few grains extra powder.