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Share Some Reloading "Accidents"
gknaka2
Member Posts: 461 ✭✭✭
I'm at work and bored. Last night I was decapping .45 cases and punctured my thumb, all the way to the die face. Hurts like a mother.
Want to hear some stories from you all on some harrowing experiences at the reloading bench...
Want to hear some stories from you all on some harrowing experiences at the reloading bench...
Comments
That's about the worst though.
He started to scream when he pulled the bit out of the first hole. Almost 75 pounds of #12
lead shot flowed out onto the floor. "hidden" ballast was a NO-NO in that class.[:0]
I still have the head of the brass case, blown to bits, head stamp MM44 as a reminder.
I made the mistake of seating a high primer on a 9MM round in 1983; the explosion left me deaf for hours, the scar left by the big hunk of brass left in my belly is a reminder to not be that stupid again. The keyhole bullet impact going through the ceiling drywall still burned into my brain.
I still have the head of the brass case, blown to bits, head stamp MM44 as a reminder.
You know it was a big wreck when you still get part numbers off the pieces....[;)][8D]
That's hardcore, I assume that by "high primer" you are referring to a primer that is not seated fully and sticking out?
Yup, I had about 10 or so that did not seat all the way, the crimp removal was not complete so they were sticking up. It was about the fifth or sixth round that went BOOM. The hunk of brass in my belly still shows up nicely on x-rays.....
quote:Originally posted by babun
Not a reloading accident, but related.... Along time ago , I bought a 1970 "Cuda {with a hemi} that was set up for drag racing in the old B/modified class. These classes had very strict rules. The first weekend we were working on the new car, I asked my helper to drill two 3/8" holes in the rear frame rails so I could mount a new fuel pump.
He started to scream when he pulled the bit out of the first hole. Almost 75 pounds of #12
1972, last year for the 426
[:o)][:o)] JIMBO
lead shot flowed out onto the floor. "hidden" ballast was a NO-NO in that class.[:0]
People...please do not store primers in a glass jar. Glass doesn't go well as shrapnel against flesh.
150,000 45ACP and used same brand of brass some loaded over 20 times
each . I wanted to work up some super dooper accurate loads for
slow fire and Purchased 500 Nosler 185 grain bullets , Nmber #1
change in a component as I had always used Lead 215 grain or 200
grain bullets. Then I had gotten a 50 Cal can of once fired REM-UMC
brass DA DA #2 second change of an component.Then went all the way
and bought 500 Match Primers TA DA #3 again another component and
just to make sure I also changed the powder from Bulls-Eye to Vitavori 310. "the so called MARINE load " as the marines had given
up on Federal Match 185 grain ammo because of quality control
problems. I figured I would work up groups with first 100 rounds
and save the rest for slow fire At State Championships and Camp
Perry national championships . All loads fired at 50 yards in
ransom rest with use of chrongraph 10 shot groups with .1 grain
increments Third group out of a total of 5 varying loads 1&1/4
inch. go home load 30 rounds of this powder charge go back to range
shoot 30 shots on one composit target 1&3/8 high by 1&1/8 wide[:D][:D][^] Go home and load remaining 420 rounds ready to win FIRST
place. Go to state championship . Second string of slow fire Bang Bang
KABOOM[:(] magazine in 3 pieces at my feet one empty case at my
feet less 1/2 of case head one other cartridge a wreck and one
unhurt still loaded cartridge . but a slight problem right hand jet
black from powder burns and now instead of a pair of grips I had
many small parts of grips . Got out my spare pistol and finished
the centerfire part of the match with lead loads albeit slight
flinching first 20 or so shots. [:o)][:I]. Lunch time check out
primary pistol "No Damage " install grips off spare Kart 22 and
Shoot 45 stage with primary pistol useing lead loads . Retired the
SUPER DOOPER loads . Two years later go to state Championships shot
on a BEACH military range with 40 MPH winds got out the super
dooper loads again to keep from wasting my new lead loads in the
wind . This time did not even get off the first 5 rounds when you
guessed it KABOOM with same results as first time wrecked grips and nerves [:(!][:(!][:(!] at how stupid I am finished match
with spare pistol. Go home install new grips and test with lead
loads no damage but my nerves. I decided I would weigh all
remaining loads can't find any error but decide to pull bullets . I
am CHEAP. I had pulled factory military Ball bullets before so out
comes the inertia bullet puller. [:)]normal factory 45 ammo takes
at least 3 Hard raps per round .I am still mad so install first
super dooper round and give it one good smack . WOW the bullet is
out so I take second round and give it medium rap again bullet come
out DAMN third round and just a VERY VERY small tap. same results. Finally LIGHT BULB Nosler bullet is .451 all lead bullets are .452.
[:0] REM-UMC case wall thickness is .003 thiner then my WCC MATCH
cases for a total of .003 +.003 +.001= .007 difference on bullet
neck tension. go back to loaded Nosler super dooper load and press
the nose of bullet in loaded rounds . less the 2 pounds pressure and
kaplunk bullet slides down in case and stops only when it touches
the 4.2 grains of powder now cartridge OAL even shorter then 45
GAP [:0][:(!][V][xx(][:(]This causes over load condition IF nose of
bullet hitting feed ramp come close to 2 pounds . MORAL of story change one component at a time and don't assume that just because you have been loading for years you can't screw up.
Got frustrated and trying to go as fast as I could with some Wolf primers (slightly larger btw than American small rifle primers. Blew primer off... Good thing I kept telling myself all the while I started loading with a hand primer....point it away from your face! I didn't catch any of the blast but it sure woke me up!
Next we tried cast 6.5 mm bullets swaged out to 30 cal with a 270 gas check on the bottom making a short boattail base. Made for an interesting looking bullet. Anyway my buddy loads some test rounds with a full case of the 4831. He fired the first round and said the recoil seemed high. Case looked fine so I shot the second and yes indeed recoil was harsh. Had to beat bolt open with a stick, primer very flat, black ring. Later pulled the rest and discovered he had loaded a full case of 4895. I had never really like that Savage 110E up until then but I had a great deal of respect for it after that event. Be sure of your components.
So about 40 years you could buy surplus powder in a paper bag for two bucks a pound H4831 or H4895 from the drug/sporting good store. A nice guy down the street would sell us pulled 174 gr FMJ boattails for penny a piece. Anyway we were shooting really good ammo in an 30-06 for about three cents a round. I think we went through a five gallon bucket of those bullets.
Next we tried cast 6.5 mm bullets swaged out to 30 cal with a 270 gas check on the bottom making a short boattail base. Made for an interesting looking bullet. Anyway my buddy loads some test rounds with a full case of the 4831. He fired the first round and said the recoil seemed high. Case looked fine so I shot the second and yes indeed recoil was harsh. Had to beat bolt open with a stick, primer very flat, black ring. Later pulled the rest and discovered he had loaded a full case of 4895. I had never really like that Savage 110E up until then but I had a great deal of respect for it after that event. Be sure of your components.
I remember those days....[:D] 'course they were after the days my uncle got several grocery bags full of pulldown 4895 free. That was pulldown powder from 30-06, from the plant down in Hawthorne NV. My uncle worked there back in the early/mid fifties.
My daughter and her buddies were bringing home a mattress set that I had had bought for her. It was going to be given to my son who needed a better mattress. Anyhow, one of them is smoking and tosses the butt out the window[:(!][:(!][:(!] (saw too many fires in the Sierra's from that[V][V][V]) The butt goes back and lands in the box spring. When they get to the house, smoke is pouring out of it. Well, they get the hose and water it down until it looks out. (It's not...[:0]) Anyways, thinking it's out they take it around to the side of my house thinking, "Dad will pay the thirty bucks to have it disposed of." About three hours later, I get a call from the neighbor girl while I'm down in Chicago. She says, "The police need to talk to you, hold on." HUH??? The cop gets on my neighbors phone and proceeds to tell me I have to get to my house now! Not happening, I say, I'm in Chicago, The soonest I can be there is six hours from now. That is , if I have a good trip. My other neighbor, Dave, I honestly hope some of you have a neighbor this good. Like gold, seriously. He checks out the house, Dogs are okay (I would hate to lose my guns but my dogs? NO) My son who comes home about ten minutes later gets the third degree from the cop.
When the mattress lit back up it melted most of the siding on the west side of my house. ....Right outside my reloading room. Where I have a bunch of primers and smokeless powder. If that lit up it wouldn't be good[:(] [:(]
But, as it turned out, just the siding was melted and we got new, bright yellow siding with chocolate trim (has a nice antique look to it) for a grand.
I used to tease my wife that had that gone off and she was home her lily white butt would be flying through the air....BOOOOM!{hand sign=end-over-end}[;)][8D][;)] She didn't laugh...[:D] I did. But, I'm sure glad my doggies didn't get hurt in any way.[:D]
Do ya'll wear safety glasses when you reload?
NAW!! It makes it harder to see the fine details
Just out of curiosity, and maybe I'm missing something here...When I have squib rounds with no powder, the primer barely makes any noise (even with no hearing protection), yet when people have primers go off at the reloading bench, they complain of deafness for days. What gives?
Simple the bullet, case and gun muffle the sound and the majority of the blast wave from the primer is contained, like a suppressor. When a primer goes off while reloading, it is not at all muffled and since most loading rooms have very few soft things to absorb the noise it echoes
quote:Originally posted by gknaka2
Just out of curiosity, and maybe I'm missing something here...When I have squib rounds with no powder, the primer barely makes any noise (even with no hearing protection), yet when people have primers go off at the reloading bench, they complain of deafness for days. What gives?
Simple the bullet, case and gun muffle the sound and the majority of the blast wave from the primer is contained, like a suppressor. When a primer goes off while reloading, it is not at all muffled and since most loading rooms have very few soft things to absorb the noise it echoes
That and its right in your face . [:D]
I've caught at least 3 squibs that way.
quote:Originally posted by lksmith03
quote:Originally posted by gknaka2
Just out of curiosity, and maybe I'm missing something here...When I have squib rounds with no powder, the primer barely makes any noise (even with no hearing protection), yet when people have primers go off at the reloading bench, they complain of deafness for days. What gives?
Simple the bullet, case and gun muffle the sound and the majority of the blast wave from the primer is contained, like a suppressor. When a primer goes off while reloading, it is not at all muffled and since most loading rooms have very few soft things to absorb the noise it echoes
That and its right in your face . [:D]
I had my first primer go off this week and even though it was about 2 feet from me, it made me ears ring
If you get a dud...don't tilt the bore up and let all that unburnt powder come back into your gun.
If you ever have a bullet stick in the barrel due to no powder, DO NOT POUND IT OUT!!!!!!!!! Take it to a gunsmith and let them drill it out, pounding it out causes metal fatique to the barrel and it will fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never heard this before. Pounding it out with a couple light taps causes metal fatigue (keep in mind that we are talking about a lead bullet in a steel barrel), yet forcing it down the barrel at 1000+ fps doesn't??
quote:Originally posted by joker19
If you ever have a bullet stick in the barrel due to no powder, DO NOT POUND IT OUT!!!!!!!!! Take it to a gunsmith and let them drill it out, pounding it out causes metal fatique to the barrel and it will fail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never heard this before. Pounding it out with a couple light taps causes metal fatigue (keep in mind that we are talking about a lead bullet in a steel barrel), yet forcing it down the barrel at 1000+ fps doesn't??
+1 If a gunsmith ever put a drill bit into one of my barrels, He would find out about my back-up gun!!!