lugnut Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Been reloading for over 5 years and never had this happen to me. I was low on fresh brass and tumbled a bunch of brass just before I started reloading. Tumbled it for about 3 hours. Strangely enough the brass didn't look as good as it usually did but the cases were good. I have a plunger type of checking die on my press. Well one case got a load that looked much higher than normal. I stared at it good and was trying to figure out how the hell I could have a double since I hadn't stopped to press (LNL AP) at all. I was completely puzzled. When I couldn't figure it out I removed the "full" case and dumped the powder back into the powder drop. On further inspection of the cases I had not reloaded yet.. I found one with mud caked into the bottom of the case!!! They I checked to powder drop and indeed there was some dried up mud in it!!! Damn! What appeared to be a double load was actually a normal load with a bunch of dirt!! I found two cases yet to be loaded with some mud hardened into the case bottom! I was surprised as I shaked the cases real good before tumbling them for so long. Yesterday was a very muddy day a practice. When I pick up cases I usually hit them on the side of my shoe to knock out the mud/dirt. Well I'm guessing that I might have picked up a couple that had been there for a while and the mud really hardened to the bottom of the case and I missed them on first inspection! I'm quite surprised that the mud was able to survive that tumbling for so long honestly. I guess I need to be more vigilant going forward. I wonder what would have happened if I shot that round? Squid maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphamikefoxtrot Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Yet another reason to use the STM wet tumbling method. I found a few of those when I used to use a dry tumbler. I'm sure that I shot some too. Never had a squib. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.roberts Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 It wouldn't have been a squib, would've been over pressured due to reduced case volume. Might have been super bad, might have been "Oh, that one felt a little hot." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynnm45 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Probably would have been more like a squib depending on how much mud was in the case. Primer would have ignited but probably not the powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.roberts Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Decapping pin went through the mud to push out the old primer, right? Made a hole in the mud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnut Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Decapping pin went through the mud to push out the old primer, right? Made a hole in the mud? Exactly. Enough mud or crud to appear to be an overcharge but not too much that would stop the decapping die. Nicely hidden in the case.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Neill Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 When I wrote about this several years ago, a primary concern is not that you could not light off the powder, the concern was that you would light off the powder. The decreased internal volume would escalate pressures very significantly. Alway - always, inspect the cases to be certain the internior is clear of any sort of debris - mud, bugs, rocks, smaller cases - anything that shouldn't be there. Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipscjoe Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Put your cases in a box. I use a plastic trash can lid. And shake them. They stand up base down and you can see inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoShot Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I have had the same thing happen, the case comes out from under the powder drop tube and appears over full. Upon examination I find a spider web/cocoon in the case. The little critters seem to prefer nickel cases too! These cases had laid out on the range for a couple of months before they were picked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griz Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 My powder check die buzzed one time so I stopped and looked in the case. The powder was moving... A big hairy spider was trying to dig his way out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrf Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 (edited) My 2nd batch of reloads ever (only the last 20 or so out of 100) were pulled because of a similar issue. I got a really hot, smoky, smelly blast. I inspected other cases I tumbled and they had tumbling media in them(kind of crusting the wall). Not every case, just a few. It was new media and once fired pretty clean brass to begin with. I attributed it to being over zealous with brass polish, which caused some cob to clump. I quit using brass polish and drastically improved the lighting in my reloading area and have never seen this again. Edited December 15, 2012 by lrf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Yeah, polish needs to be added to the cob then let to run by itself for five minutes or so to break up the clumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben b. Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 I had this happen in a .40 case once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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