Reloading Mistakes, What's Your Worst?

[snert]

I recall being next to a guy at the range back in the 70's (I was 14 and had just started hand loading for my 222). he was shooting a lever gun. I asked him what he was shooting and (I think) he said 219 Zipper. Never heard of it so I asked to see one. The fired cases he showed me all had many splits in the shoulder (not neck) and an appearance like a Weatherby case, radiused. Black soot all over. When I said "wow, gonna have to throw those out" he said "When I resize them it fixes them and it shoots fine". OMG. Even as a kid I had enough sense to pack up and leave. Horrifying....

So not my mistake, but really, some people should not be trusted with even Silli-Putty.

 

[mac86951]

Honestly, I've made many of these mistakes while loading. I've caught the problem once then changed my acceptable procedures. Like keep one powder on the bench. Luckily I caught that one loading.

Early early on I grabbed some from the local store for my new to me 223 and hadn't started loading yet. Chambered first round and "click". Uh oh; check everything over and soft primer strike??? WTF! Check it all again, case still won't extract. Check everything one more time. Box labeled 222 Remington...

-Mac

 

[David247]

If you get an RCBS Chargemaster, make sure you close the powder drain door before pouring in powder, especially ball type. BTDT.

I'd be willing to bet that happens to every one who owns one sooner or later. Luckily mine happened with Varget. Ball would suck!!!

 

[Raythemanroe]

I like to turn my brass twice, second to get final dimensions and clean it up nicely.. Well I failed to do a second and ran the brass with out much issues other than lots of Vertical mostly because of clearance issues I'm sure.. I bought the Brass to get fresh fire formed brass for the World Open.. I toasted all primer pockets on the first outing and my old brass was mixed round counts in a bag that I now had to use for the World Open..Pay attention, measure twice..lol


Ray

 

[2506]

I have been loading for about 40 years and I can only think of two mistakes I made. One was early in my loading days I got a new Rem. 700 Varmint in 243 Win. Bought new Rem. cases and did not run them through the size die before I loaded them. Did a ladder load up went to the range and when I tried to load the first round it would not chamber. After trying another round and it would not chamber I noticed that the cases were bulged slightly at the shoulder case body junction. Necks were sized too small from factory and when I seated the bullet it pushed the shoulder back a tad. Had to pull all the bullets dump all the powder FL size all the cases loosing the primers in the process.

Second mistake was also while doing a load work up for a rifle. I put all the rounds in the same 50 round plastic box and had a piece of paper with all the load data for each round in each of the numbered rows in the box just like I should have. I got to the range and while getting the box of ammo to the bench I stepped on a (steel rifle case) someone had not policed up laying on the concrete floor around the shooting bench. When I stepped on the case it rolled under my foot and made me slip and loose my balance and it caused me to drop the box of ammo and the top popped open and all the rounds went scattering out all over the floor. Back to the loading bench pulled all the bullets dumped all the powder and started all over again. From that point on I now put all different rounds in separate ziplock plastic bags with the load information in each bag.

Once at the range in the early 1980s I saw a fellow have a blow up. He was about 10 yards down from me. When he fired the first round he ever reloaded out of his almost new looking WWII vintage M1 carbine there was a BLAST and I saw his hat fly off backwards and he fell off the bench backward. I jumped up and ran to him expecting to see his head full of holes. God was looking down on him because he did not have a mark on him. The rifle was a wreck, stock was busted in pieces, the bolt was missing and front top ring of action was missing. The bolt had went through the bill of his hat and was found in the parking lot behind the shooting benches. When talking to the fellow I got the impression that his parents were from the same limb on the family tree if you catch my drift. He had been left his loading equipment and the rifle by a relative that had died. Since the only powder that was in the box was BULLSEYE he assumed that powder was powder and with no loading manual to actually learn how to load ammo he decided that you were to fill up the case with powder. When I ask him how he knew how to size cases and seat bullets etc. he said that there were instructions for the press and loading die set in the stuff. He had filled up a 30 carbine case full of BULLSEYE seated a bullet and fired it. Yep it was a BLAST not a boom.

 

[savagedasher]

I guess you could call it reloading . My son two years ago I had taken his black powder gun and checked the aim . I had told him I had loaded it!!!!!!!! . Not thinking or checking He patch the ram rod and pushed up where it stops . Put a primer in to check the primer burn on the patch . Which is standard thing we do. To stop hang fires .
When he pulled the trigger the ram rod broke and went sideways through the door the jag an the bullet went through the door also . About 3" of the rod
Expanded and both the bullet and the jag expand the the shaft and embedded it in the bore . He used my spare to hunt with .
When we came in for lunch we disabled the gun with the Spare rod and jag we
Found the 3" of the shaft in the bore . The od on the barrel hadn't changed . Still shoots the same . It did take some cleaning . With jb and a brush to get the aluminum out . Safety first always mark and check your ram rod when shooting muzzle loaders . Larry

 

[divingin]

I'd be willing to bet that happens to every one who owns one sooner or later. Luckily mine happened with Varget. Ball would suck!!!

I can state (from experience) that they both suck.

 

[joshb]

I made a couple mistakes. Early on, I had worked up a "rather warm" load for my 308 just off the lands. One day, I wanted to try some at "mag length" and simply seated the bullet further in the case over the same charge. I fired one, came home and pulled the rest. I spent some time here, rereading and studying the affects of case volume. Recently, I was heading for the range and grabbed 50 rounds of 308 for a stock 5r Remington. My kid fired one and had sticky bolt lift. I realized that they were loaded for my "other" factory 5r! The problem of having 2 of the same gun.

 

[myownman]

Before I entered the competition arena I shot just shoot for pure accuracy. Two of my fav rifles for that were a 7mm-08 and a .308. I was up on the rest with my .308 and grabbed a round and chambered it. BOOM and the bullet was WAY off the paper somewhere! WHAT! NO WAY! >>>Oh YES WAY! I grabbed a 7mm-08 round and shot it in my .308! Uneventful! However, what would have happened if the reverse were true and I shot a .308 in my 7mm-08?!! That mistake gave me a WAKE UP CALL!

My cousin and I were shooting side by side in prone position. We were shooting 500 yards down this clearing. I went to the truck to get something to drink, and he continued shooting his .308. I walked back over, and noticed he had shot up all my. 7-08 ammo. He said I was wandering why I wasn't hitting sh$t!!

 

[CaptainMal]

In a form of "loading" I was both helping a fellow shooter at the rifle range while shooting and loading my muzzleloader. Another shooter also requested help and I got stopped mid loading.

Shot with the metal ramrod still in the barrel.

Blasted myself backwards off the chair at the bench. Busted my nose on probably the scope, with blood everywhere.

The story goes on but not important to the fact that I double fired a 400 rifle one time while offhand. That was a ferocious recoil and tore the gun out of my hands, plopping me painfully back. This was worse yet the Thompson Center rifle stayed together to live another day.

 

[jsthntn247]

I loaded 4350 instead of Varget in my Ftr 223 rifle. Couldn't figure out why I was 3 Moa low on the first relay. Bad thing was I shot better scores than I normally do

 

[Shoebox]

Years ago, I was at the range with my first 2506, having a good day !!
When what looked like Daniel boon and his wife pulled up next to me, It was quite the sight!
Buckskin clothes 6' long muzzle loaders, all the gear I was quite impressed,
While waiting for the range bell, he went to get some drinks, I sat and watch the lady load, which was fascinating !!
I went up to club house, when I got back, lady was gone But the guy was loading the rifles ,
I didn't know anything about muzzle loading but that little voice in my head was pretty sure you don't load them twice
I walk over and explain that they have both been work on the rifles (they both went white )
After I finish up, jack & Jude bought me lunch and a few drinks
The best part of the day was having lunch with jack and Jude in buckskins and cap !!
I'm glad I didn't see what a double charge( .50 cal ??) muzzle loader was like !!

 

[KMart]

Time to confess on my latest failure. Just came in from loading powder in the cases and seating bullets in some 6.5x55 rounds. Went to the cabinet to get the dies, took out the seater and adjusted the micrometer to an approximate setting and screwed it into the press. Set the first case in the press put a bullet on top of the case and seated it.
I thought it felt a little strange going in and when the loaded round came out, it had about 1/2 inch of bullet sticking out of the neck.
When I grabbed the dies, I grabbed the 6.5x47 instead of the 6.5x55. Makes one feel pretty stupid.

 

[The German]

The first thing I remember was a primer that did not want to get seated... Voice in my head telling me "push harder, not a problem at all"... next thing the voice in my head was telling me "Ooops that was loud". Fortunately it was just the one primer that went off and nothing else went bad and nobody got hurt.
The second thing was me not checking that the rotary tumbler lid was closed all the way and not leaking. It was leaking quite a bit, and cleaning solution was all over the workbench the next morning. It was an old kitchen countertop, so no real water damage and I had a really clean reloading bench afterwards...

 

[Bugs]

After forgetting to put powder in shotgun shells, the dog points, bird flushes and the old Ithaca sounds like a weak fart, BB's subsequently roll out the end of the barrel into the leaves. Dog kind of looks at you funny and it is funny until you recall what might happen if you neglect to check to make sure the wad isn't stuck halfway down the barrel.

 

[Fast14riot]

Stuck 4 cases in the first ten of a batch before I figured out it was a bad shell holder. It's now used for decapping only.

 

[PRR1957]

Maybe I'm missing something but I'm surprised using a magnum pistol primer made that big of a difference.

The load was a +P+ to begin with. Pulled the rest of the loaded rounds latter at home and the powder charge was correct so it had to had been the primmers. The reason I had them loaded so hot was that, that gun grouped really good at that high powder charge.

 

[cjmac]

If you get an RCBS Chargemaster, make sure you close the powder drain door before pouring in powder, especially ball type. BTDT.

Cant tell you how many times iv done that ...it SUCKS !

 

[yotehater]

The arch enemy of reloading. /pulling bullets.


I had some 300BLK loaded with 125 SST that weren't performing. Since I had put a Lee Factory Crimp on them the inertia puller wasn't working. I set up the RCBS collet puller and proceeded to go at the disgusting task. About then I had the brilliant idea to use an extended shell holder to gain a little better leverage on the Rockchucker handle. Since I knew they were firmly crimped I gave the handle a good whack to pull the bullet.

With the press handle now at an unusual position...opps, whacked it the wrong way.

 

[DRNewcomb]

Fortunately, my worst reloading mistake was loading about 1000 rounds of 9mm so light that they wouldn't cycle the slide on my pistols, even with a target spring. I have a friend who managed to blow apart the stock on a M1 Garand when his reload failed. It was a real pretty stock, too. I don't know if he ever figured out what he did wrong.