Close Call Whew!

[Petro_58]

I've been reloading for years and consider myself very Careful and Consistant when reloading. Well this morning I was finnishing up some Test Loads for my SIG P239 .40 S&W getting ready for a Range Trip. I decided to put Printed Labels (usually handwritten) on my Boxes. I finnished up the New Test Loads and pulled a couple Boxes that I loaded a few weeks ago to relabel them also. Opened the first box and found I had evidently Forgot to Write the information on the label. I was pretty sure that I remembered what the loads were, but my Gut Said pull a couple to verify. I pulled 4 out broke them down. The very first load was 2.2gr Heavy from what I remembered. It was supposed to be 4.8gr Titegroup, it weighed out at 7.0gr. WOW, don't know how that happened! Because I'm in developing mode, I scale weigh every charge and usually Double Check the charge between a Digital and My Balance Scale. No Pun intentended but "I Blew that one". Well needless to say I pulled all the different test loads and rechecked everything, just so happens that was the Only One that was off charged. GLAD the Ole Gut Feeling told me to check it out.
I just wanted to share this (My Mistake) to show how even an Experienced Loader can SCREW UP. Sure wish I knew how I did it, but Luckily I caught the Problem before it could have been an UGLY Incident. Still hoping to make that Range Trip by the Weekend.

 

[unclear.six]

Glad you are ok.

 

[jsquared]

Yeah thats weird, not a double charge just a bit extra thrown in for good measure

 

[Petro_58]

Yeah thats weird, not a double charge just a bit extra thrown in for good measure

Yea I don't understand it either, I did a double charge once when I got distracted, but I caught that as soon as I pulled the brass off the Press. That was Long Time ago. These were all being hand weighed charges, not from my thrower on the Press. And then not a double charge either. Just don't know how I screwed that one. I'll have to Triple check myself for awhile. Just glad I caught it Before I Fired it.

 

[strokin99]

what do you use to throw the charge.

 

[Petro_58]

what do you use to throw the charge.

I hand weighed all the Charges on my OHAS Balance Scale. And I alway's Re-Zero upon Charge Changes. Then periodically I check the charge weight against my digital scale. When I'm developing different loads I'm usually only Loading 5-10 of a particular load at a time for test firing. In this case I was pretty sure of what I wanted so I loaded 20. Given where the Over Load was in the Box it was the LAST one of that Batch.

 

[strokin99]

just a fluke I guess

 

[Cruisers460]

I pulled 1500 223s once for my brother, someone had given him some mixed reloads. He was going to pull them for components but they got mixed in with his large ammo can full. One almost blew his mini 14 up. I found one bullets out of 1500 that someone had loaded with what appeared to be pistol powder. Heck of a lesson!

 

[RamRoddoc]

That could have been disastrous! I'm really glad you picked that up.

I was weighing rifle charges on my balance scale one time and a cassette case left on the table (prior I had set the powder trickle on it). It had found its way under the scale and was just stopping the scale from lining up. I was adjusting the charge and after I noticed the increased charge weight didn't move the beam that's when I noticed the edge of the case blocking the scale.

Another time after a move (one of many) the movers must have been less than gentle; I noticed my scale was erratic. I took it apart and on the balance arm, the wire pivot was bent just enough to rub against the arm. A gentle tug with needle nose and it was right as rain.

 

[Bear44]

What probably happened is that some powder got stuck in the funnel from the previous charge. Are you absolutely sure you don't have a light load in one of the other rounds? You could probably have picked up on the problem with a well lit visual check. We always look into each case with a flashlight. It's quick and you would be surprised how much a heavy or light charge jumps out at you.