I Had A .356 Coated Bullet Jam In My Barrel

[TonytheTiger]

14 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

I am currently the proud owner of 200 rounds of 9mm Major ammo many of

which contain NO POWDER, but they have bullets.   

Hate to burst your bubble Jack but I don't think they're going to make Major...

[Hi-Power Jack]

16 hours ago, TonytheTiger said:

Hate to burst your bubble Jack but I don't think they're going to make Major...

They'll certainly "make Major" if I fire a 2nd round behind a bullet stuck in the barrel ....  

[TobyJ]

When I moved from a single stage to my current turret, I was really paranoid about squibs, so I came up with a press mounted camera.  I drilled a hole in the turret, right between the powder and the seating dies, to mount a $6 ebay 'endoscope' (that's what they called it).  I velcroed an old phone to the powder hopper, and as it came around, it gave me a look down into the case, and I could easily see the powder.  I still use it for 300BLK subsonic, as it is a relatively deep case, and it's tough to see a little over 7 gr of powder down there. On 9mm, I'm able to just look into the case.

 

When I finally upgrade to a Dillon next year, it will be a 650, with the powder check.

 

TobyJ

[TonytheTiger]

On 12/24/2016 at 0:29 PM, Hi-Power Jack said:

They'll certainly "make Major" if I fire a 2nd round behind a bullet stuck in the barrel ....  

Yeah but the problem with that is you'll usually make Major in your pants at the same time.

[GrumpyOne]

19 minutes ago, TonytheTiger said:

Yeah but the problem with that is you'll usually make Major in your pants at the same time.

And if you make major, you know that you've already made minor!

[texasref]

A few things worth mentioning,,,,,,,,,I think.

Not sure how old your press is, but I put a spring or two around the funnel neck and the plastic plug to help make sure the charge bar returns with a full powder charge. I left it off for a while but found it didn't work as well. And as stated always look in the case for powder. You can't tell if its a few tenths under or over. But you can see it and it will be enough to eliminate the squib.

Also any time you leave the press mid session, always leave with the handle down.That way you know where you are in the progression.

[IDescribe]

This can also happen from fouled powder -- the primer detonation knocks the bullet into the barrel, but the powder doesn't burn fast enough to seal the case to the chamber walls, and the powder and gases blow out around the case and dirty it up nicely.

[HDGoose]

On 12/23/2016 at 6:17 PM, GrumpyOne said:

A 550 does not inherently cause squibs. What causes squibs on any progressive press is the operator not trusting the press, removing a case to check powder (or check something else) and then indexing the press to the next station.  

Once your press is set up correctly, trust your press. I probably haven't loaded as many rounds as some have on my 550 (at least 60k rounds), but I have never had a squib...I also look into each and every case as I put a bullet head on it.

On another note, with the press set up correctly, with no bullet or case feeder, and with 6 primer tubes filled, you can load 500-600 an hour on a 550...

^This^

I load on a 550 and I've only had one squib but I'm sure it was my fault (not the press), and that was enough to help me develop a few habits to make sure I never have another.

1. Never reload when distracted.
2. Index immediately after letting the handle back down from the primer seating stroke.
3. Look in to the case at station 2 to make sure it has no powder then glance at station 3 and make sure it has powder as I'm setting the bullet on the case mouth.

As long as I'm doing these things every time there is zero chance of a double charge or squib.

Also, in four years of shooting USPSA I've seen far more squibs loaded on 650's than 550's. Probably because there are a lot more shooters loading with 650's but it does indicate to me that squibs can happen even if using an auto-indexing press.