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squib load

cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
edited March 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I reloaded some 38 special 158 grain bullet,with 3.3 grains of bullseye powder. got my powder info from a lee chart. shot one time in a dan wesson 357 6 inch barrel, and the bullet got stuck what may have caused this to happen.
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Comments

  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What bullet?? a jacketed bullet with that charge is aweful low.

    Oil contamination could do it, so could lube in the case.

    Was the bullet crimped? What primers were used?
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    3.3 grains of Bullseye is a fairly good target load and shoud not get stuck in the barrel I suspect your powder measure may have "bridged" the powder in the drop tube area or your scale is faulty or MOST likely you got bullet lube or oil on the powder or YOU forgot the powder entirely (IT DOES HAPPEN ).
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  • BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My family has been shooting 158g LEAD 38's with 2.8g of Bullseye for over 40 years. I lean twoards the two above posts. I also noticed your question on old powder. You should check it carefully, this may be the cause.
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    jacketed hollow point, cci primers
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cave man
    jacketed hollow point, cci primers


    How far down the barrel was the bullet?
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    about halfway
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I dont Think the primer alone would get the bullet more then just past forceing cone of barrel . I vote for either bad powder or case lube etc got some of the powder not to burn. Double check your powder measure dump 10 loads in to yor powder scale one at a time and weigh them .
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Alliant website gives 3.5 Bullseye as maximum for a standard-pressure .38 Special load with a 158 JHC, so the load used is neither below nor above a reasonable range.

    IF that's what was actually used.

    This incident gives all the classic signs of a "no-powder" squib. From a clean and unfouled gun (this was the first shot, per the OP) a primer alone can push a bullet well into the bore.

    This is a loading practices incident. It should scare the bejeezus out of you, Cave Man. Had you accidentally double-charged that case instead of skipping it, you would have destroyed the gun and possibly injured yourself or others.

    It is a basic and immutable reloading rule to absolutely insure that every case gets one and only one correct powder charge. However you are loading, you are not meeting that rule. Serious re-examination of your knowledge level, practices and/or habits are in order.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I only loaded the one shell and shot it to make sure I was doing it right. I checked the powder 3 times to make sure it was right before I loaded it. then i went to the range . shot the gun to make sure I did right would not have not shot any more with out checking after each shot. Iam new at this thats why Iam asking what may be wrong!!!
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ah. That was not at all clear from your first post. You said you "reloaded some" and only shot one time.

    Was there unburned powder in the cartridge and gun after you removed the fired cartridge?
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cave man
    I only loaded the one shell and shot it to make sure I was doing it right. I checked the powder 3 times to make sure it was right before I loaded it. then i went to the range . shot the gun to make sure I did right would not have not shot any more with out checking after each shot. Iam new at this thats why Iam asking what may be wrong!!!


    Mr. Rocky is trying to help, not castigate you. A primer will push a jacketed bullet about 1/2 way down the bore on a clean gun. If powder was evident, yet remained unburned I would second the idea of contamination of the powder by oil or case lube during loading. Are you using carbide dies or using lube and standard dies?
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Iam not sure about there being any unburned powder. Iam useing carbide dies
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, there are only two possibilities, really. There was either no powder in the cartridge to begin with, OR the powder was somehow contaminated and did not burn.

    If you didn't notice any unburnt flakes of powder, or gooey tar-like globs of contaminated powder when you extracted the fired case, then that leaves nothing but the "no powder" option.

    Yet you say you measured and weighed that one cartridge carefully.

    As that eliminates BOTH of the only two possible options, I'm at a complete loss.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I said Iam not sure if there was any un burned powder. I was more worried about the bullet stuck in the barrel. and getting it out than looking for unburnt powder. I would like to thank everyone that tried to help me thanks!!!!
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  • richbugrichbug Member Posts: 3,650
    edited November -1
    The other variable that we don't usually have is the fact the gun is a DW. How big is your cylinder-barrel gap? If the barrel is seriously backed out it could happen.
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  • cave mancave man Member Posts: 21 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    the gap is .006 of an inch that is what dan wesson specs.Iam going to get new powder and primers and start agisn. there is a local gun smith at our range he said he would watch me a help if needed,.
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