Error Example — No Powder in Case, Primer Pushed Bullet, Locked Revolver

[cw308]

Blame it on the wife . Was reloading HBWC 50 rounds . At the range fiered the first 4 rounds grouped great at 10 yards then click , a lock up , cylinder wouldn't move . At first I thought the ejection rod loosened up , I could only cock the hammer back to the point the locking cylinder pin at the base of the frame (. S&W 65 3") dropped down.
When the cylinder didn't release I thought , Oh No , my cleaning rod only went in the barrel 2.75" the bullet was between the barrel and the cylinder . Could the primer have been so weak I didn't hear it , it was enough to release the bullet . Anyway , at the range that had a wooden dowel that fit in the barrel , the lead bullet tapped back in the case pretty easily and the gun was fine . Seems like no powder in the case , I'll blame it on my wife instead of a senior moment. Felt like such a jerk. Will only Happen Once.
Chris

 

[rockrat]

Wouldn't take that bet on it only happening once!!!

 

[Bill K]

Good thing it did not enter the barrel and your next pull of the trigger sent another one on top of it, things could have been a lot worse.

 

[CaptainMal]

Think it is best to load one, then immediately seat the bullet. Glad you shared the experience as many will learn from it.

 

[joshb]

That’s why I abandoned the progressive presses and load them one at a time on a single stage press. I keep a bucket of prepped empties. They come out of the bucket, get a charge and get put in the shell holder for the bullet.

 

[cw308]

rockrat
Thought u guys would be on my side . Will carry a wooden dowel in my range bag.
Chris

 

[EOD Rob]

Think it is best to load one, then immediately seat the bullet. Glad you shared the experience as many will learn from it.

I'm with you on loading one round at a time! My powder charger has a counter and one time after 100 rounds loaded the counter only read 99. I was loading 9mm so there was no way to check by shaking! Had to pull every one of them to finally find the one I missed. Learning has occurred!!!!
The bad side, I am always super vigilant about that exact thing. Guess even a long timer can screw up!

 

[cw308]

Captain
I pay attention on how it fired , I have read stories on a squib round stuck in the barrel , I didn't hear a bang or even a light dang , just a click , thought it was a bad primer . Stuck round in the barrel , that's a nightmare. In fast firing situations I can see it easily happening but in slow fire you know something not right , better check.
Chris

 

[cw308]

Josh
I do load and seat one at a time , all it takes I guess is one distraction and bad things can happen.
Chris

 

[cw308]

Bill K
Your not kidding . I'm still beating myself up.
Chris

 

[cw308]

EOD Rob
I do load and seat one at a time , when the scale showed loaded 45 and I have 46 in the tray I weighted each one , what I thought was , in zero the scale in the middle of loading it through the count off , I even pulled the lightest round , it had powder . I do share my screw ups , no matter how bad it makes me look if I can help someone from not doing what I did . I thought I was pretty careful , not so easy called myself an ass hole . Hoped I Helped.

 

[shoot4fun]

I personally saw, held and examined a Charter Arms snubby 38 Spl. that had three bullets lodged in the barrel before the forth one locked up the cylinder. None of them had powder.
The guy that owned the indoor range bought it cheap, had his gunsmith do a cut-away on it and showed it off often.
Another guy I know got his S&W M27 back from the factory (they had replaced a bulged barrel due to no powder in one round), only to walk out the back door with the same "reloads" and lock the gun up on the first round. You guessed it. NO POWDER!

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

@cw308 and others, thanks for posting. I think reading about these mistakes will help us remember not to make them (or maybe not to make them again )

 

[cw308]

shoot4fun
Guess the guy that short the 4 with no powder had good hearing protection , or maybe just numb.Some people don't learn from their mistakes.
Chris

 

[cw308]

6 shots or 5
That's exactly why I posted it ,. Can't believe I did it but I DID.
Chris
PS : Isn't so nice to remembered that way , The guy who locked up his revolver by a loaded empty case.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Sorry, but loading one at a time is bad Juju, as you have discovered.
Load ALL cases with powder, have empty cases in one block, charge, move to next block and inspect EVERY CASE prior to seating bullets. This is the ONLY way to make sure you have no missing powder.
I used to use a Dillon to load my 45ACP Major Power Factor loads for IPSC, cost me an expensive race gun 1911 cuz of a missing powder charge.
Why my lockout die didn’t work I don’t know, but anyway, that was $5,000 bucks of scrap metal.

Cheers.

 

[Homerange]

After changing to charge then seat projectile for each case never in decades have I had another loading mistake.
Why ppls charge a heap of cases is beyond me. Mistakes happen and for the risk of life and limb they must be eliminated.

 

[cw308]

Magnum Maniac
That is one horror story 5 grand , you must have use curse words know one ever heard of . I don't feel so bad now , Thanks Mag.
Chris

 

[jasophil1]

I use two blocks empty on left fill set in the one the right when you get them all charge look at the powder in all .

 

[K22]

Here's how I avoid that issue. After each case is primed, the case is turned upside down (primer side up) in the loading block. I normally do 50 at a time.

As I charge each case with powder the case is turned upright in the loading block. I check every 10th throw from the powder measure to verify the charge weight is correct but I don't deposit that check in a case, instead I return the powder it to the powder measure hopper.

When all cases are charged, I visually inspect each case to make sure that there is powder in each one and there isn't a double charge. I used a small mag lite to aid visually for this inspection process. Then I seat the bullets.

PS: I use a single stage press and hand prime each case.