Had My First Squib

[anonymouscuban]

Went to the range today to live fire practice and to run some of the test rounds I made through the chrono. Did the chrono first. Went well. No issues. Then I shifted to doing some transition drills. Decided to use some of the rounds I had left from the test ones I made. About 30 rounds in, "floop"... that's the sound I heard. Luckily, I had the frame of mind to not fire the next shot. Sure enough, squib stuck in the barrel. 

 

Walked over to the reload shop and removed it from the barrel. Inspecting it with the older man that owns the range and works the reload shop, he thinks there was no powder at all in the round. Just the primer is what went off and jammed the round just barely into the barrel. 

 

It's kind of made me a little nervous. I went back up and finished my transition drills. Still had some rounds left that I made and forced myself to shoot those even though I was a little nervous about it. All fired well except for a couple of light primer strikes. Which brings up a different issue. 

 

I'm running WSP primers. My SP-01 is tuned with a Pro Package. I've run thousands of rounds through of various manufacturers and have never had a light primer strike. Thinking about it, I don't think I've ever shot Winchester ammo. Do other manufacturers not run Winchester primers? Should I move to Federal primers? Every round that had the light strike fired off on a second trigger pull. Not sure if this matters. 

 

Long story short. I really need to pay more attention and remove all distractions when I'm reloading. Fortunate that this experience ended as well as it could so don't want to test my luck. 

 

 

 

[echotango]

Lights strikes can also be a sign of not seating the primers deep enough.  I only use WSP and have never had an issue. 

[GrumpyOne]

The light primer strikes were most likely the result of primers not completely seated. Hit them again, I bet they will go bang. As for Winchester primers, I've probably used upwards of 75k of them...and not once can I remember one not going off...it's not the primers.

 

As for the squib, there is no substitute for looking into each and EVERY case after you drop the powder, powder cop or not. Rig up a mirror and a light, or whatever you need, to be able to look into each and every case as you reload.

[anonymouscuban]

Thanks guys. You're probably right about the primer not seating correctly. It was probably some of the first few rounds I made and I wasn't really quite sure how much pressure I needed on the lever to really get a good seat. I later realized that I could check primer seating by setting the case on a flat surface to see if it wobbles at all. I found a few. I should have went back through all the rounds I made to check them but didn't really think it was that crucial. Now I know. I guess this is all part of the learning process. Again, just glad I learned my lesson and still have all my fingers. 

 

Grump... I'm definitely going to see if I can fashion something together. Are there any mirror setups sold or is this going to be DIY? 

[Furrly]

Important thing is lesson learned with out any major catastrophic event. we have all been there..powder check station is good to have a as well. if your press allows for it. 

 

GL

[BJB]

I have had exactly one squib but it was in a match.  As you described above, it also occurred very early on in my reloading endeavors and was entirely d/t my learning curve.  I learned to reload and reload only, no multi tasking, and look for powder in each and every case as I place a bullet. 

 

Lite strikes are usually a result of not seating fulling but with a gun tuned somewhat for competition they can also be a result of the weaker main spring used to lower the DA pull if the primer is harder.  That's why lots of guys, especially competition revolver guys & DA/SA Production guys, used Federal SPP exclusively.  Were the lite strikes on the DA pull or the SA pull?  The DA pull doesn't cock the hammer as far as the SA and it will impact with less force.  For me this is where a lite strike will occur in cold weather.  When it's time to replace springs d/t use the lite strikes can start occurring more often because the spring is weaker.  I use mainly Winchester SPP and usually everything is good to go with them.  I have polished my DA/SA action but I haven't lowered the main spring because I want it to always fire and I'm not married to Federal SPP.  In the past, the lite strikes I did experience were with the Winchester SPP but it was only on the DA pull and only in cold weather.  Nowadays, I'll load my Barney round with a Federal primer and everything else is primed with WInchester. I don't have tons of Federal primers but I can always find Winchester SPP for a deal so this works for me.  When reloading, every so often I'll load a sleeve or two of Federal primers and they go in a different bag for my Barnys.  BTW: I use predominately Winchester SPP but, besides Federal, I have also used CCI, Magtech, Fiocchi, & Remington.  Every one of these have worked just fine in a DA/SA gun that is tweaked but not tweaked too much.  The only failed primers I have ever experienced, that won't go off at all, even with repeated hits and in another gun, were Remington primers.

 

Also, does your SP-01 have an extended firing pin?  If not, an extended firing pin might help overcome some primer striking reliability issues that a tweaked DA pull might bring on.

[Hi-Power Jack]

42 minutes ago, anonymouscuban said:

  I need to pay more attention when I'm reloading. 

 

I had same problem couple years ago - installed a light, and now

(horse is out of the barn), I LOOK into Every Case before I seat

the bullet - can't get into trouble that way.      

[anonymouscuban]

Important thing is lesson learned with out any major catastrophic event. we have all been there..powder check station is good to have a as well. if your press allows for it. 
 
GL

That's the worse part. I have a powder check. But to be honest, the first set of rounds I loaded, I was so overwhelmed with trying to watch each station I was forgetting to look at the powder check. I then stopped trying to run multiple rounds at a time and just did one at a time for the next hundred just to get the hang of it.

I have had exactly one squib but it was in a match.  As you described above, it also occurred very early on in my reloading endeavors and was entirely d/t my learning curve.  I learned to reload and reload only, no multi tasking, and look for powder in each and every case as I place a bullet. 
 
Lite strikes are usually a result of not seating fulling but with a gun tuned somewhat for competition they can also be a result of the weaker main spring used to lower the DA pull if the primer is harder.  That's why lots of guys, especially competition revolver guys & DA/SA Production guys, used Federal SPP exclusively.  Were the lite strikes on the DA pull or the SA pull?  The DA pull doesn't cock the hammer as far as the SA and it will impact with less force.  For me this is where a lite strike will occur in cold weather.  When it's time to replace springs d/t use the lite strikes can start occurring more often because the spring is weaker.  I use mainly Winchester SPP and usually everything is good to go with them.  I have polished my DA/SA action but I haven't lowered the main spring because I want it to always fire and I'm not married to Federal SPP.  In the past, the lite strikes I did experience were with the Winchester SPP but it was only on the DA pull and only in cold weather.  Nowadays, I'll load my Barney round with a Federal primer and everything else is primed with WInchester. I don't have tons of Federal primers but I can always find Winchester SPP for a deal so this works for me.  When reloading, every so often I'll load a sleeve or two of Federal primers and they go in a different bag for my Barnys.  BTW: I use predominately Winchester SPP but, besides Federal, I have also used CCI, Magtech, Fiocchi, & Remington.  Every one of these have worked just fine in a DA/SA gun that is tweaked but not tweaked too much.  The only failed primers I have ever experienced, that won't go off at all, even with repeated hits and in another gun, were Remington primers.
 
Also, does your SP-01 have an extended firing pin?  If not, an extended firing pin might help overcome some primer striking reliability issues that a tweaked DA pull might bring on.

The like strikes happen all on SA pulls. And all fired on a second pull. I think one of them required 3 pulls which adds to the suspicion that it's a primer seating issue. I'm guessing the couple of strikes pushed the primer in a bit.

I am running an extended firing pin and the reduced power firing pin spring as well.

I had same problem couple years ago - installed a light, and now
(horse is out of the barn), I LOOK into Every Case before I seat
the bullet - can't get into trouble that way.    [emoji4]   

I'm running over to Wally World right now to pick up some LED light strips to add to the press. Also gonna see if I can find a small mirror. Gonna do everything I can for this to be my last squib. Really scared the crap out of me.

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[BJB]

2 minutes ago, anonymouscuban said:

The like strikes happen all on SA pulls. And all fired on a second pull. I think one of them required 3 pulls which adds to the suspicion that it's a primer seating issue. I'm guessing the couple of strikes pushed the primer in a bit.

I am running an extended firing pin and the reduced power firing pin spring as well.

If it occurs on the SA pull then you are correct.  It's likely a seating issue.  But, it's easily rectified once you get into your reloading routine. 

[tanks]

Squibs are not much of a problem usually as the case will not eject if there is no powder in the case. Double charges though...

[Banacek]

Good lesson to go back to basics.  Which progressive press are you using?  There are a ton of light options now and you can always rig up a mirror.  Can't say I have not had a squib before but certainly not many in over 30 years but the progressive press can be the problem, more so with something that is manually indexed versus automatic.   I usually end up with rounds that have an upside down primer.  

 

Be nervous for awhile and then get back to cranking them out!

[Darrell]

Had my first squib 2 weeks ago, I been reloading since 1972, but I installed a bullet feeder and while getting it adjusted properly I must have advanced the shell plate and not caught it. Luckily I know what to watch for when shooting, and now I'm making sure to look at the powder before I go to the bullet feeding stage.

[anonymouscuban]

Had my first squib 2 weeks ago, I been reloading since 1972, but I installed a bullet feeder and while getting it adjusted properly I must have advanced the shell plate and not caught it. Luckily I know what to watch for when shooting, and now I'm making sure to look at the powder before I go to the bullet feeding stage.

I definitely learned a lesson that reloading needs your full attention. I added a LED light to the press and I've since made it a habit to visibly inspect every case after the powder measure step and then again just as I place the bullet on the case. I also check every round to make sure the primer is seated correctly by placing it on a flat surface and checking for wobble.

It's working. Today I shot 550 rounds that I reloaded. Not one issue. No light primer strikes. All rounds cycled my gun well. No FTF or FTE. All around a great day. Also determined that I prefer the 135 gr bullet. Shoots well out of my gun.

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[Novagunner]

I have had 1 squib and fortunately, it wouldn't go into battery after trying to load the next round. I always watch each case now after powder drop.

[theblacklabel18]

Went to the range today to live fire practice and to run some of the test rounds I made through the chrono. Did the chrono first. Went well. No issues. Then I shifted to doing some transition drills. Decided to use some of the rounds I had left from the test ones I made. About 30 rounds in, "floop"... that's the sound I heard. Luckily, I had the frame of mind to not fire the next shot. Sure enough, squib stuck in the barrel. 
 
Walked over to the reload shop and removed it from the barrel. Inspecting it with the older man that owns the range and works the reload shop, he thinks there was no powder at all in the round. Just the primer is what went off and jammed the round just barely into the barrel. 
 
It's kind of made me a little nervous. I went back up and finished my transition drills. Still had some rounds left that I made and forced myself to shoot those even though I was a little nervous about it. All fired well except for a couple of light primer strikes. Which brings up a different issue. 
 
I'm running WSP primers. My SP-01 is tuned with a Pro Package. I've run thousands of rounds through of various manufacturers and have never had a light primer strike. Thinking about it, I don't think I've ever shot Winchester ammo. Do other manufacturers not run Winchester primers? Should I move to Federal primers? Every round that had the light strike fired off on a second trigger pull. Not sure if this matters. 
 
Long story short. I really need to pay more attention and remove all distractions when I'm reloading. Fortunate that this experience ended as well as it could so don't want to test my luck. 
 
 
 

Glad to hear you didn’t have a kaboom.

As far as light strikes go, does the pro package come with an xl firing pin? I was told cz style guns with light springs kind of require them. I put one in my tanfo and never had an issue with either federal, winchester, even cci primers. Just gives it a little extra “oomf”. Best of luck.


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[anonymouscuban]

Glad to hear you didn’t have a kaboom.

As far as light strikes go, does the pro package come with an xl firing pin? I was told cz style guns with light springs kind of require them. I put one in my tanfo and never had an issue with either federal, winchester, even cci primers. Just gives it a little extra “oomf”. Best of luck.


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Yes. I have the extended firing pin in my pistol. As many told me, I concluded that the FTF were due to the primers not being seated correctly. I hosted my process since then and have fired roughly 500 rounds without one FTF.

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[theblacklabel18]

Yes. I have the extended firing pin in my pistol. As many told me, I concluded that the FTF were due to the primers not being seated correctly. I hosted my process since then and have fired roughly 500 rounds without one FTF.

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Awesome. Happy to hear it!


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[g56]

I had my first and only squib about in 1974 before I got my first Dillon. I was loading 9mm on a single stage press and each and every case was checked for powder charge before the bullet was seated, and yet it happened. I've loaded probably over 100,000 rounds on my old Dillon 550 and have never had a squib, but I am exceptionally careful when loading is interrupted, that's when a mistake is most likely to happen on a Dillon.

 

I was out on the range shooting 9mm, one time I got a pop instead of a bang, I knew instantly what it was, and sure enough there was a bullet stuck about halfway up the barrel, sure glad I didn't try to jack the slide and shoot it again. That pistol is sitting in my nightstand right now, beats having blown it up.

[MemphisMechanic]

Also: for CZs and Tanfo guns with really light hammer springs, a flush primer is a high primer.

 

I have my Dillon 1050 set to bury CCI primers .004” below flush. Winchesters are physically shorter and you can easily get them .005” to .007” deep in most brass. That is down IN there and almost anything will set them off.

 

I believe you’re loading on a 650? There’s no adjustability when it comes to primer seating, but be aware flush is not good enough for really light springs.

 

Come up a couple of pounds to a 13lb hammer spring and you’ll find you shoot the DA just as well in double action at the range when running USPSA type drills. It only matters in slowfire DA shooting and dryfire.

 

But the gun will ignite anything including barely flush CCIs.

 

Your buddies with striker guns and 1911 / 2011s will tell you flush is good and high means they’ll rock. Ignore those guys. Your gun hits much weaker than theirs. Bury those suckers.  

Edited April 2, 2019 by MemphisMechanic

[Ihrtuspsa]

I've had 2. 1 from factory ammo and 1 from my own retardation..it happens.

[jakenmorty]

I kid you not....two days after reading this post, I got my first one as well.  Like reading this jinxed me or something.  It happened to me in the middle of a USPSA match though, which was a bummer because I was smack in the middle of running a stage pretty decently (by my standards anyways).  Definitely sucked, but it is what it is.  I guess I too will go back to leaning forward and confirming there's powder in each case, as I guess should be done anyways.  As to how mine happened, I can only speculate, but this is my theory:

 

For some reason my Loadmaster doesn't really dig Winchester SPPs and will every now and then wedge one sideways between the primer arm and the trough.  When this happens, on the downstroke everything will lock up and grind to a halt.  At this point I have to remove all the cases from their various stages, unscrew the center knurled nut, o-ring, and the little widget that tosses the finished case into the bucket, take the shell plate off, clear the jam with a little hooked file, and reassemble.  My only thought is that when I put everything back in it's proper station, I put an empty primed case into the seating station, crimped it, plunk tested it, and put it in with all the others.  Just to be double sure, I pulled every...other....bullet (about 300) from that session to make sure it wasn't a more serious issue, and ofcourse...the rest of them were good to go.  Made me feel a little better anyways.   Such is life...

[ezra650]

A good habit that I follow on my 550. If I have to step away from the press while loading I will leave the ram up/ handle down. It keeps anything on the shellplate from getting bumped etc. and also makes it harder for you to just spin the shellplate and keep loading when you return to the press leaving a case with no powder. I also don't leave anything on my shellplate once I'm done loading.