Disaster averted by knucklehead reloader

[Questor]

I can't recall a more eventful weekend for shooting. Saturday one of our members resigned by default because he was arrested right at the range with a car full of paraphernalia for making methamphetamine. The lesson is that you shouldn't leave that stuff out and visible if you're going to a shooting range that's frequented by members who are policemen.

Sunday morning one of the regular old timers was moving a bit slower than usual. He had died at the shooting bench.  We were the only ones there on this drizzly cool morning. The dispatcher kept trying to get me to tell her it was a shooting accident. I kept telling her that the man had simply died, apparently of old age. He had just quietly passed away.

Then the really remarkable thing happened:

Sunday evening I was loading some .375H&Hs and had completely forgotten about the last batch of 375s I had made. I had used Winchester 760 powder because I had some that needed to be used up.

When I went to make a new batch of ammo I glanced at my most recent recipe and assumed that it was for Reloder 15 because I believed that was the only powder I had ever used for 375H&H. Bad assumption!!!

I had the Reloder 15 out and had the scale set up and adjusted for the charge weight of 760. Then, as I was beginning to throw charges, I double checked the recipe as I always do and saw "Win 760 Powder" written on the recipe. I almost fainted!  The charge weight for 760 was about 10 percent heavier than the maximum charge for Reloder 15!!!

For kicks, I loaded a case with the 760 charge of Reloder 15 and found that it fit the case, but would be slightly compressed. This probably would have warned me too, but it may not have.

Bottom line is that I wish I had a third leg so I could kick my own you-know-what. I readjusted everything and then felt stupid during the rest of the loading session.

I've always felt a bit silly for double and triple checking things during reloading, but I don't think I'll feel silly about it any more.

[sui generis]

I am acquainted with a local person who is an ex-reloader. Before he quit, he'd blown up 3 guns. After he sent in his 629 for the 2nd time, Smith said they wouldn't fix it again.

[Questor]

Why is he an "ex-reloader"?

[Bullseye]

I was thinking a while back about all the thousands of loads I have made over the years, and as far as I know have never messed up.  Then I got to thinking about the odds of something eventually happening even though I am careful.

I must say that we need to think like that every now and then to remind ourself of how careful we must always be when reloading.

[LouisV]

Too bad the meth maker could'nt have been taken care of at the range. LouisV

[Jim 44-40]

One time I started loading powder into cases,after about 10 rounds I realized I forgot to put primers in . Blame it on just getting over the flu.

[oliverstacy]

You did nothing wrong, you caught your mistake and have learned something.  I'm with you on checking data two or three times but it's better than them scraping part of your head off the bench.  

I caught myself loading around a grain and a half to much one-day while loading 44 mag rounds and had to pull 15 bullets and start over.  At least I realized what I was doing wrong when I checked the data one more time and noticed what I was doing.

Josh

[Land_Owner]

The "lesson" learned by the Meth maker is "Do the Crime - Do the Time!".  Yours could be construed as a "warning" but I don't think you intended it that way.  Lawful pursuits, especially the guns and ammo kind, are no place for the lawless.

I can think of no better requium for the old man than to have died among acquaintneces in pursuit of an activity that he enjoyed and frequented often.  Can you think of anything better? His spirit will always be in that place for those who knew him and for those who were there.

Checks and balances.  Checks and balances.  It works and you may have saved yourself and others.  No way to determine in the absolute.  Same result as guns deterring more crime than they create.  Difficult to foresee the other side of that consequence but satisfying when mistakes are caught and corrected.  To err is human...

Land Owner
If it was easy, anybody could do it!

[june6th1944]

Here are some things I've NEVER done reloading:

1.  Filled cases with powder and no primers and then wondered why powder was all over my tray.':('

2.  Seated bullets on cases with no powder.':oops:'

3.  Double charged cases.':eek:'

4.  Tried to seat bullets on cases that had not been resized, yet had new primers and powder in them (I use a handpriming tool).':('

Because I've NEVER done these things, I've had to become more careful and diligent when reloading.  I try not to allow interruptions from the kids/wife (don't they know if I'm in the garage I'm not available).  If there are interruptions and I have to stop, I write down what's done.  I KEEP A CHECKLIST ON THE BENCH.  A checklist will hopefully keep me from blowing myself up. ':wink:'

[JD11]

Holy Crap, on a positive note, you can't say your life's been boring lately.  

Filled cases with powder and no primers and then wondered why powder was all over my tray

   That's sometimes one of my main events on the first cartridge if I haven't been reloading for awhile.  At least it's one of the more easy to catch harmless screw-ups. :grin:

[jhalcott]

do not EVER get into an argument with your spouse ,then go to your reload bench and start reloading!! I tried to load some 30-30 cases with 30-06 charges,but the excess  powder ran over my wrist .AFTER the 2nd attempt(i thought there might be a spider web in the case), I reread the recipe. Then I went pool shooting with a brother.

[Tn Jim]

And I can say I have NEVER loaded a whole box of 44 mags with no powder in the cases before  :roll: . Getting old ain't no fun.

[Lawful Larry]

 The dispatcher kept trying to get me to tell her it was a shooting accident. I kept telling her that the man had simply died, apparently of old age.

Being in law enforcement I can understand the reasons the dispatcher was so interested in guns being involved.  She was only interested in the safety of her officers.  She wanted to make sure she had all the information correct and that her officers didn't walk into something terrible.  

She didn't mean to sound like a bleeding heart lib trying to put words i your mouth.  Our dispatchers are the most important people in the chain of events and we are very greatful for all they do.   :wink:

[williamlayton]

I think drugs, from beer to anything, are so very dangerous in and around firearms that I would believe getting this guy away from people at the range was a most wonderful thing.
I make no judgement on drinking or drugs, I believe both to have the same effect on folks, but there are places not to do either, under any circumstances---matter of fact, I could inumerate the places they were safe to do them easier than I can where it is not safe.
I am sure you had a bad day and it was stressful. I am sorry for the loss of your compadre. I hope you can let it go and relax, the stress is not fun.
Blessings