My Golden Rule About Reloads

[BamBams]

Folks,

I work in a gun shop.  In the last 6 weeks, I've had THREE people come to the counter with the same problem:

Exploded guns!

Let's see,  A S&W 4" .357 with the barrel blown right off.  A S&W Model 29 with the chambers blown apart and top strap nearly gone.

Last night, A 9mm semi-auto with the grips blown off.

There was ONE thing they ALL had in common.  Can you guess what that is?

In each case, the shooter was using SOMEBODY ELSE's reloads!  Don't do it.  I won't shoot anyone else's reloads, and I won't let anyone shoot mine.

[Thomas Krupinski]

Yea, but that don't beat the folks who chamber and fire range pick-ups!

[Gun Runner]

Bam-Bam I have to agree with you. I also work partime in a Gun shop. I have been reloading over 50 yrs and to this day still learn something new. I reload for my own family and no one else, I dont shoot anybody elses  loads no matter how well I know them. A bunch of the daughter and son-in-laws friends wanted me to reload for them as we all shoot togather (informal can, paper, milk jugs), I instead taught them how to reload, explaing the liability if someting happen with my reloads. They all got to where they wont reload for or shoot somebody elses reloads. Seems there is always somebody out there who insists on making super duper loads, that work fine in their guns but would probable blow up somebody elses. Over the years I have probable taught 200+ people to reload and still wont shoot their reloads. They say why not, you taught  me, just dont want to take the chance.

Gun Runner

[Questor]

Sad but true. The only potentially dangerous situation I've had with reloads was when using the loads prepared by a highly respected shooter who used a Lee progressive press to prepare them. Double charges, apparently.

[securitysix]

I don't shoot other peoples' reloads in my guns.  I have no problem shooting other peoples' reloads in THEIR guns.  I will only reload for a gun I have access to, which means if a friend wants me to reload for them, they supply bullets and the gun, and I'll work it up for them.

[Dusty Miller]

Questor makes a good point--double charges are a killer.  I don't have a progressive reloader so I  peer into each case before seating the bullet.  From time to time I've intentionally put a double charge into a case and for sure they stick out like a sore thumb but I guess the progressive reloader makes this difficult to see.  I only load for myself so there's no big hurry.  So far there's never been a double charge put into one of my guns and with a little luck and lots of diligence it never will.

[unspellable]

It isn't just double charges of powder.  There have been cases with progressive reloaders in which two bullets were loaded.  First bullet sticks in the reloader due to cold sticky lube or such, and two bullets get loaded in the next case.  Needless to say, double bullets raise the pressure a tad.  There was an article on this in one of the rags a while back.

[Thomas Krupinski]

For the folks worried about double and dry charges, I sometimes use an RCBS powder indicator die.  That may not be the correct nomeclature for it, but it's just a die that is placed in station 4 between the powder measure station and the bullet seating station.  

There is a floating rod through the center that shows by the height it raises to on the up stroke if a case has a double charge or is empty.  On auto indexing presses it isn't much of a problem, but when running manual indesing with pistol charges it is possible to double throw if you become distracted.  With that die you have to remember to watch it.  I believe there is another one they have that has a lock out feature that locks the cycle if there is a problem.

[Donna]

BamBams,

You brought up an old memory from my earliest reloading days. A very good friend of mine had a brother that has a load for his M1 .30 carbine and I took the load and made so for me to see how they would work in mine. Well, the first shot opened the bolt quite energetically, BANG!! My forehead was peppered with powder burns. As I looked around I noticed below my rifle was the rest of my cartridges and about a foot away was my spring from my clip. Running my hand through the dirt I found my clip floor plate. I’ll never do that again. I came out lucky.

Donna :wink: