Two guns blown up in five weeks...suggestions?

[Black&TAN]

Looking into cases is much easier with the IKEA JANSJÖ lamp, recommended to me a few months back. Basically a $10 flexible LED light fixture that is easily aligned to case. Base fits perfectly, next to my 550B (strong mount).

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[19852]

I do not like to hear of things like this, we all need an occasional reminder of the risks of reloading. I have a shooting buddy who decided to clear a primer jam with a hard rod, and lost a finger or two. Thankfully saved his sight with his glasses.

I moved away from the fast powder, heavy bullet combo in 9mm some time ago. The combination I use now would overflow the case if double charged and I use an automatic indexing press.

[cardguy]

Make sure to reload when you are not distracted and can focus. If I have a bad day or a lot on my mine I stay away from my reloading press.

X2

[tambarika]

Bulkier powder that fills case 1/2 way.

what you are looking for is a SLOWER burning powder. I use 5.6 grains of AA #5 with a 124g RN. PF = 130. Double charge will overflow the case.

[njl]

Titegroup and 147gr plated bullets for a new reloader? Were those your friend's suggestions? If so, are you sure he's your friend?

But seriously, you should have started with a harder combination to blow up. Plated bullets require a lot more care than jacketed to load properly. 147gr bullets leave you the least margin for error. Titegroup is too easy to double charge.

I'd put all that stuff away for when you're more comfortable reloading and get some 124 or 115gr jacketed bullets (if you can find any) and a powder like Universal Clays that will not allow a double charge with the lighter bullets. i.e. if you throw a second charge, it'll spill out all over the shell plate and you will notice it. You can still make a reasonably low recoil (less than factory) round with the above stuff. It won't be as light as 147s with titegroup, but it'll be safer.

[RangeJunkie]

I use solo 1000 and it fills the case great.

For my glock I run a 147 with 3.2 of solo1k at 1.125 for my Glock minor gun.

For comparisons sake, when I do load major for my open glock, it's 6.8 of Autocomp, and to the eye it's just a little more powder in the case.

Now to put that in perspective, my major load would do some damage to my minor glock if I were to speculate.

Solo1k shoots great and flat, not smokey even with lead exposed bullets. I found that load of I think Flexmoney and never deviated from it.

Get it set up and pump out the rounds!

Glad your and yours are okay!

[prebancolt]

Visual check before each bullet is placed onto the casing. You'll be able to actually see if there is a double charge. Attention to detail is really all you can do. There are some powders that may fill your casing more then others and if you double charge, some may spill out or at least the case will be very full and obvious that it is a double charge. I can't tell you which powders those are because I don't know but I'm sure someone on here can.

I just look in each case as I'm advancing the cases in my 550b. Not hard once you get in the habit, and definitely avoids situations like this if you use bulkier powders.

[Jlnel]

Glad nobody got hurt, can replace guns!

[hornetx40]

There is a seller on Ebay selling led light strips made up to fit the press. They work well and not in the way.

[lockmup68]

You can weigh each one already loaded to double check.

[BlueOvalBandit]

You can weigh each one already loaded to double check.

That doesn't work.... using a 45 for example there can be as much as 10 gr difference in the finished product. Variations in brass (especially mixed) and bullet weights add up quick.

[rgkeller]

Well about a year ago a local competitive shooter with a ton of years reloading experience helped me set up a Dillon 550B for reloading 9mm ammo for my daughter and I to use at matches. Well for the first 10 months things went smooth. The load he suggested that I use was 3.1 gr of Titegroup pushing a 147 gr Berry's bullet.

Six weeks ago, my daughter got distracted while reloading and double charged a round and it cost me a customized Browning HP.

Last night I loaded 100 rounds, with plenty of powder weight checks, and I know I was watching each round as I loaded it yet today one of those reloads blew up a Gen 1 Glock 19 that I've had and fired prob about 200,000 rounds through.

Well now I dont have a clue what is going wrong. Any suggestions? I'm considering changing from Titegroup but right now really am confused and nervous about putting anything I've made into any of my guns till I get this figured out.

So I come here and instead of just reading am making my first post and its one asking for your opinions and thoughts.

Till then,

Stephen

http://www.atlantaarmsandammo.com/

[vluc]

I use Titegroup in 9mm. A double charge of 3.5 of Titegroup that I use will fill the case nearly to the top and is easily seen.

Likewise. I have loaded tens of thousands of 9mm with TG at 3.4 grains. A double charge is absolutely noticeable - if you are paying attention. Not the powder, not the press, operator error. It's the Indian, not the arrow.

Edited February 27, 2013 by vluc

[jlamphere]

I found a lamp a Lowes that works really well. It is fully adjustable and the clamp works perfectly on the mount. Here is the url if anyone is interested on a led light source for a 550-650. $19.95 is what I paid.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_352725-47842-17783-003_4294798229__?productId=3394398&Ns=p_product_avg_rating|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_avg_rating%7C1&facetInfo=

[Powder Finger]

You can weigh each one already loaded to double check.

That doesn't work.... using a 45 for example there can be as much as 10 gr difference in the finished product. Variations in brass (especially mixed) and bullet weights add up quick.

Absolutely true, you can vary anywhere from a squib to a blow up and never catch it on a scale

[Classic_jon]

You can weigh each one already loaded to double check.

That doesn't work.... using a 45 for example there can be as much as 10 gr difference in the finished product. Variations in brass (especially mixed) and bullet weights add up quick.

Seconded,

When I started reloading I tried to do that and there is a considerable variation in the weight of mixed brass. It just does not work.

When in doubt on something like that... don't use it. Knock it apart and VISUALLY check it. Your fingers and eyes alone are worth more than the time it takes to knock apart a round, check it, and then reload it if necessary.

[Glock26Toter]

I have an old dental mirror on my press. I attached it to my press and melted the neck so I could get JUST the right angle. This way I easily see inside each case as it comes over to seating station without moving around or having to actually "look" into the case.

[okieSteve]

I found a lamp a Lowes that works really well. It is fully adjustable and the clamp works perfectly on the mount. Here is the url if anyone is interested on a led light source for a 550-650. $19.95 is what I paid.

http://www.lowes.com...ing|1=

I use this lamp too, works very well on my 550

[GeneBray]

Two guns in two month is terrible. Sorry to hear that especially the Browning HP. Hope it wasn't one made by FN. That would make it even worse. Anyrate. My two cents are: If you are certain there was no double charge the second kaboom, then look carefully at crimp and COL. If the bullet sets back during feeding, the case volume decrease significantly, and when fired pressures can go sky high and kaboom! I use Titegroup with MG (or did until not available anymore) and 124 gr bullets. 3.9-4.1 grs. Never had a problem except one or two squibs. Do have 1k 147 gr to try.

[Foxbat]

Switch to an auto-indexing progressive loader, and never look back.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Foxbat

[matgyver]

I hope it wasn't a real gen 1 glock 19. Them is rare!

http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1409747

[jmorris]

Six weeks ago, my daughter got distracted while reloading and double charged a round and it cost me a customized Browning HP.  

Last night I loaded 100 rounds, with plenty of powder weight checks, and I know I was watching each round as I loaded it yet today one of those reloads blew up a Gen 1 Glock 19 that I've had and fired prob about 200,000 rounds through.

Well now I dont have a clue what is going wrong.  Any suggestions?

My first thought is that a blown up gun (much less two or more of them) makes an auto indexing press with powder check seem cheap. If you are already "watching each round" it's obvious you could use a little help too.

"plenty of powder weight checks" would only tell you that the powder measure is doing its job. You still have to do yours, checking each and every one to make sure they are correct.

If its a distraction problem because something is going wrong with the process. Try clearing the entire shell plate when something is wrong. Yeah it's a PITA and will slow you down a lot but it's cheaper than blowing up another gun.

Never make anything except a full and complete stroke, make it a rule, clear the shell plate if you don't.

It's not the powder that has caused your problems but your process.

Edited April 24, 2013 by jmorris

[djthemac]

I still do everything on a single stage

For this reason

No offense, but you must not shoot a large amount of ammo each month. If you are this worried about safety it might be best to purchase factory loaded 9mm ammo. The amount of time invested will not offset the cost you save by reloading.

After this happening twice I think I would consider gettting an auto indexing press

I agree.

In my opinion, a 550 is a very safe press. It's just like a Glock, the safety is between your ears.

Agree as well, however a 5th powder check station and auto-indexing goes a long way in preventing these types of situations

[rvb]

heck I even measured the powder every 10th round just to make sure.

This may have been where you went wrong. The less you mess with it, taking brass in and out and whatnot, the better off you'll be.

I was going to post something similar. A "process" is very important. Stopping the process for any reason invites disaster.

I look in the case, set the bullet, pull the handle. Those 3 things always have to happen together and in that order.* -IF- I stop for ANY reason (primer jam, for instance), I make sure I know where I'm at in the overall process, make sure each station is ready, make sure their is no powder in the case under the powder funnel, then start with those 3 most-important steps.... paying particular attention for the next few rounds after starting back up.

*If you listen closely while I reload, you could probably hear me muttering "look.. set.. pull" over and over again as I do it.... haha. So far, no problems, and I too load titegroup under 147s with a 550B. been my load since I started loading in 2005.

-rvb

Edited April 24, 2013 by rvb

[tunaman]

As mentioned, two things will prevent that in the future:

Uninterrupted, undistracted time on the handle;

Powder that fills the case at least half full (with the appropriate level of attentiveness of course);

The 550B is a great press and there is NO SUBSTITUTE for paying attention - you are engaging in an activity that can result in catastrophic failure if all isn't followed methodically.

With low levels of powder, the COAL isn't going to tell you anything relevant, nor would it be helpful to try pushing the bullet in as there is plenty of room inside the case, and every bullet should be able to seat deeper regardless whether it is properly charged or not (depending on crimp of course).

And a random weight check won't really help either, except to verify that the charge is proper and consistent, as it only takes one bad round.

NO DISTRACTIONS!