Reloading Blunder

[1100winger]

Have been reloading since the early 80's - pride myself on process and thoroughness of procedure.
This weekend at the range had a no-fire. Tried 3 times.
Brought it home, pulled the bullet. I had failed to fill the case with powder. Crimp on the bullet kept it from discharging. The Fed 210 was no match for a heavy crimp.
Lesson reinforced. Felt very sheepish in the reloading room.

[mryimmers]

Well if you're gonna screw up, that's not the worst way.
Unless you're polar bear hunting haha.

[Bergerboy]

Not sure if this will help but when I reload I prime and charge all of my cases in my loading block. Before I start seating bullets, I take a flashlight and visually check all of the cases to confirm the powder charge. Seems to work for me.

[Big Sky]

^^^

I also use the reloading block as a way of checking each step along the way.

The primed cases get set into the block with the case mouth facing down and the primer facing up.

When a case gets charged it goes back into the block. I use an RCBS Chargemaster which counts the number of charges it has thrown. This can be compared to the number of charged cases in the loading block. It's easy to identify the charged cases because they have the neck pointed upwards.

When I am seating the bullets, I visually inspect each case to make sure that there is powder inside.

Works for me.

[1100winger]

Boneheaded to be sure.
Normally visually check each one - no excuse.

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by mryimmers

Well if you're gonna screw up, that's not the worst way.
Unless you're polar bear hunting haha.

Yup ... lol

I always add the powder charge and seat the bullet immediately, then put the finished round in the loading block. Works for me.

[Dick284]

If you’re bulk reloading and doing your case charging as a single step for all your cases, you better be doing a visual on your cases before moving to bullet seating.
I will charge two to three cases, then begin seating bullets as I weigh out the next case(RCBS Chargemaster) and while moving each case to the press I do a quick visual that I’ve charged the case with powder.

No distractions, and get a rhythm going, good habits result in safe and predictable results.

[sns2]

Loading when you are tired or after a few wobbly pops is inviting trouble too.

[obsessed1]

I use a lyman dispensary so I seat bullets as I go. Primed cases are put primer up in the tray, as each charge weight is thrown/ measured I dump it in the case, replace the pan ( to start next throw), walk over to my press and seat the bullet. By the time the bullet is seated and cartridge is placed in the mtm box the next charge is ready. I usually throw in batches of 50-100. Works for me.

[260 Rem]

With a beam scale, I use two loading blocks ... with prepped cases on the left side and transferring them to the right side as I charge them. With the electronic dispenser, I seat each case after it is charged, while the powder is being dispensed in the pan for the next case.

[Chargerguy]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

Not sure if this will help but when I reload I prime and charge all of my cases in my loading block. Before I start seating bullets, I take a flashlight and visually check all of the cases to confirm the powder charge. Seems to work for me.

I started doing this after having the same thing happen once when I first started reloading in my teens. Twice in the last few years I fumbled my powder pan over top of a full loading block that was nearly completed and had to dump every case and weigh every charge to find which cases got the extra powder. So now I just seat the bullet as the FX120i is spitting out the next charge.

[catnthehat]

I charge 50 cases at a time and can see the powder go in because my drop find is clear plastic . I then check each one in the tray to make sure it has powder in it . Cases get bullets installed immediately .
One powder can on the bench of below the measure at a time , powder gets dumped if I have to leave , I do not leave powder in the measure .
Powder type also gets written on the measure with painters tape .
Priming tools also get labeled .
Cat

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by 1100winger

Boneheaded to be sure.
Normally visually check each one - no excuse.

that's why when I get bench time I ensure I do all in stages with no interruptions...its a system....each case gets done before moving to the next step...we all have had a brain fart or two....cant reload for that many years without a glitch….

[32-40win]

Seems to me the last time I missed a case I had an eerie feeling, pulled the last 5 out of the box and weighed them, yup, missed one, not hard to check that way with 40-70gr loads, sure wouldn't want to try that with loads under 10gr though. Had lots of misfire/hangfire episodes over the years, only a couple were no powder though, was loading at the range on those, doesn't cause any issues when breech seated bullets are in there, other than a WTH moment and a speedy ejection. Other than that, there was an empty shotgun shell someone stuck in my gun whilst i wasn't looking.

[1100winger]

Don't drink
Go to bed early
Reload in the morning when its quiet
Always reload well caffienated

It's real simple - I f$cked up.

And I post so that those less experienced can realise the seriousnous of our hobby/vocation/passion.

All the warnings are true.

[RightWinger]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

Not sure if this will help but when I reload I prime and charge all of my cases in my loading block. Before I start seating bullets, I take a flashlight and visually check all of the cases to confirm the powder charge. Seems to work for me.

I do the exact same thing. WHile charged cases are in my block, just before I seat the lead, I take a lil flashlight and visual inspect. Run down the rows. Takes 30 seconds and then there is zero chance of that.

[Moosetalker]

All my loads are near 100% case capacity on Both son and son in laws 30.06 with R22 and H1000 for my .300 WM both have to tap loaded brass on bench to settle the powder down the extra few microns. Then listen for the crunch when seating.
Still need to be careful with the wife's 270 and daughters 6.5x55 easy to throw over and or under for those.

[Groundhogger]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

Not sure if this will help but when I reload I prime and charge all of my cases in my loading block. Before I start seating bullets, I take a flashlight and visually check all of the cases to confirm the powder charge. Seems to work for me.

^likewise. Not because I'm thorough, more because I'm not...and govern myself accordingly. lol I've even poured powder, confirmed, seated bullets...then second-guessed myself, and weighed the finished round looking for a discrepancy about the size of the powder charge.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by lone wolf

Yup ... lol

I always add the powder charge and seat the bullet immediately, then put the finished round in the loading block. Works for me.

My style also.

[220 Swift]

Shake each one when finished.
It works.
Unless load is compressed which is bad anyways.

[markg]

Originally Posted by Bergerboy

Not sure if this will help but when I reload I prime and charge all of my cases in my loading block. Before I start seating bullets, I take a flashlight and visually check all of the cases to confirm the powder charge. Seems to work for me.

I am thinking of changing to doing the charging with a a reloading block. I always worried I would get dust or other contaminants into the cases with the powder as they sat there waiting, but I think the likelyhood of that is low. The benefit is that you are certain that each case is full of powder.

[markg]

My redundant safety check is giving each cartridge a shake to confirm powder. I will be reloading for 6.5 Creed with H4350 and I know lots of people load these to the compressed load mark thus rendering this confirmation method useless.

Time to switch to the loading block method. (at least for this cartridge).

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by 220 Swift

Shake each one when finished.
It works.
Unless load is compressed which is bad anyways.

Oh horse feathers.