Almost blew up

[JThompson]

I'm not sure how it happened, but I got a case with no powder. I didn't hear the cap go and waited thinking I had a bad cap. I racked the slide and glanced at the round as it came out. I saw something , or didn't see something and dropped th mag and ejected the round. As I looked on the floor for the dud, I didn't see it, but saw a very black case. . I pulled the slide off the STI and sure enough there was a zero about 1in in front of the chamber. That will get the juices flowing. I will slow down and look over any suspected dude from now on I can tell you that. I was suprised I didn't hear the primer fire... so I wasn't thinking squib. That could have been very ugly with 8gr of VV3n37 with no place to go. I didn't clear the barrel at the range. I figured I was lucky and it might be time to think this one over and make sure I don't do anything like that again. Pucker factor of at least an 8.

Edited May 21, 2007 by JThompson

[XRe]

BTDT... Luckily, in my case, the bullet didn't make it far enough down the barrel to chamber another one... Maybe that's something to be said for using .356 bullets, eh???

[JThompson]

BTDT... Luckily, in my case, the bullet didn't make it far enough down the barrel to chamber another one... Maybe that's something to be said for using .356 bullets, eh???

True... I was using .355 Zero. I've had squibs in the past, but I always heard the primer go... not this time.

[LadyinBlue]

I hate it when that happens

[Bluemax29]

In 1999 during a club match in orange, texas, I saw a guys gun explode in his hand for the very same reason. Cracked the slide, blew the barrell up, but lucky for him it only gave him a bad powder burn and made his hand go numb for about 10 minutes. Firm believer in the powder check on my 650.

[JThompson]

In 1999 during a club match in orange, texas, I saw a guys gun explode in his hand for the very same reason. Cracked the slide, blew the barrell up, but lucky for him it only gave him a bad powder burn and made his hand go numb for about 10 minutes. Firm believer in the powder check on my 650.

As much as I've been reloading I wish I had went for the 650 or 1050. I already would rather watch paint dry than reload. The next good chunk of money will go for a 650 or 1050. (With powder check)

JT

I hate it when that happens

First time for me... didn't care for it.

[XRe]

As much as I've been reloading I wish I had went for the 650 or 1050. I already would rather watch paint dry than reload. The next good chunk of money will go for a 650 or 1050. (With powder check)

I had a 650 for a while back in "the day". I ended up chucking the powder check, and moved my seat die over, cause powder was making a mess all over the place. My eyes became my check die. I would use the powder check die for loading .40, though - its real tough to see the powder in that case (small charge, relatively big case). Jake Di Vita had a squib at the Open Nats last year. What press do you think he was loading on??? 650.... don't ask me how he did it, he doesn't know either.... Equipment does not replace solid reloading practices.

I take it you're loading on a 550, now? I load on the same press. The one squib I've loaded on it (knocking on wood) in 20,000+ rounds has almost certainly been due to me losing focus and talking with someone, and then not following up on my distraction. I make a habit of looking at the case in station two as it comes down out of the powder die (and positioning myself so I can see the powder level), and then immediately setting a bullet on top of it, before moving the shell plate. This buys me two things - no powder slop, and I have a visual indicator that there is powder in the case (the unseated bullet on top). If I have any doubts, I stop and check (just pull the bullet off the top and look). If you get distracted - STOP LOADING, attend to the distraction, examine the press to know exactly where you were at when you stopped, and then continue. And... don't be in a hurry You can load fast, for certain, if you are smooth, and follow a good rhythm. I have done 600 an hour on this press, though 400-500 is more typical as I'm not always out there just pounding them out. But getting in a hurry leads to slop and mistakes, so...

I can totally understand wanting a faster operation, though... I'm lusting for a 1050 w/ bullet feeder, myself...

[shred]

Even with the 1050 + feeder, I still try to 'call' every powder drop. It's good practice for 'paying attention to everything'.

[JThompson]

As much as I've been reloading I wish I had went for the 650 or 1050. I already would rather watch paint dry than reload. The next good chunk of money will go for a 650 or 1050. (With powder check)

I had a 650 for a while back in "the day". I ended up chucking the powder check, and moved my seat die over, cause powder was making a mess all over the place. My eyes became my check die. I would use the powder check die for loading .40, though - its real tough to see the powder in that case (small charge, relatively big case). Jake Di Vita had a squib at the Open Nats last year. What press do you think he was loading on??? 650.... don't ask me how he did it, he doesn't know either.... Equipment does not replace solid reloading practices.

I take it you're loading on a 550, now? I load on the same press. The one squib I've loaded on it (knocking on wood) in 20,000+ rounds has almost certainly been due to me losing focus and talking with someone, and then not following up on my distraction. I make a habit of looking at the case in station two as it comes down out of the powder die (and positioning myself so I can see the powder level), and then immediately setting a bullet on top of it, before moving the shell plate. This buys me two things - no powder slop, and I have a visual indicator that there is powder in the case (the unseated bullet on top). If I have any doubts, I stop and check (just pull the bullet off the top and look). If you get distracted - STOP LOADING, attend to the distraction, examine the press to know exactly where you were at when you stopped, and then continue. And... don't be in a hurry You can load fast, for certain, if you are smooth, and follow a good rhythm. I have done 600 an hour on this press, though 400-500 is more typical as I'm not always out there just pounding them out. But getting in a hurry leads to slop and mistakes, so...

I can totally understand wanting a faster operation, though... I'm lusting for a 1050 w/ bullet feeder, myself...

The problem was not with the press.. I know I made a mistake. The boredom factor almost bit me in the arse. I visually check for powder, (Dillon 550 3N37 at 7.7 fills the case pretty good) but I just had brain fade. I was lucky and I intend on being more careful in the future. One thing I have noticed that works pretty good for remembering where you're at is to leave the press in the fully up position if there is a distraction. I obviously didn't do this at least once. I intend to make sure I take the extra second or two to leave it up if something distracts me.

Thanks for the advice. I was taking it for granted I need to use the same focus to reload as I do when shooting. I intend do my best to see it doesn't happen again.

JT

Even with the 1050 + feeder, I still try to 'call' every powder drop. It's good practice for 'paying attention to everything'.

Good advice Shred... I intend on taking it to heart.

JT

[pevadijk]

I had a squib today on a very fast steel stage and I did't hear the primer pop...........so I cycled my 9mm Edge and then the Range Officer and a shooting buddy yelled 'STOP!!!!!!!!!!!' very hard, so I did stop ;-)

I pulled the gun apart and there was a bullet lodged in the barrel, so I guess I was very very lucky today!

[JThompson]

I had a squib today on a very fast steel stage and I did't hear the primer pop...........so I cycled my 9mm Edge and then the Range Officer and a shooting buddy yelled 'STOP!!!!!!!!!!!' very hard, so I did stop ;-)

I pulled the gun apart and there was a bullet lodged in the barrel, so I guess I was very very lucky today!

I'm very glad they heard it and stopped you... that will get the old ticker moving. Most of the time you can't get another round in and go to battery, but now and then you can. You owe your buddies a case of beer for that one.

[Singlestack]

One thing I have noticed that works pretty good for remembering where you're at is to leave the press in the fully up position if there is a distraction.

If you ever get a 650 don't ever let go of the handle with the press in the fully up position. My old shooting partner blew his up like that. He had a distraction, left the handle down/press up and turned his back on the press. The handle flipped (slammed) up and the impact caused a fresh tube of Federal primers to go boom. The remains of the primer feed tube were stuck in his ceiling.

Dillon did replace all of the damaged parts for free though.

[JThompson]

One thing I have noticed that works pretty good for remembering where you're at is to leave the press in the fully up position if there is a distraction.

If you ever get a 650 don't ever let go of the handle with the press in the fully up position. My old shooting partner blew his up like that. He had a distraction, left the handle down/press up and turned his back on the press. The handle flipped (slammed) up and the impact caused a fresh tube of Federal primers to go boom. The remains of the primer feed tube were stuck in his ceiling.

Dillon did replace all of the damaged parts for free though.

Thanks for the heads up... I'll remember if I can ever afford the 650 or 1050. It's a safe move with the 550 though.

[walter hornby]

i got lucky with the girlfriends gun. i do all all of our loading on a 650. i was having problems with the 650, in that it would not push the case all the way forward so it would slide into the sizing die properly. anyways one must have slipped through. i was going to the range to chrono some rounds and i was going to take her gun but then decide to take mine (my gun always chrono lowers then hers.) anways later that weekend she is cleaning her gun and can't get the rod through it. she had a squib in the gun! the last time she had shot it she had delibertly ran her gun dry to use up all of the previous load that she didn't like. the last round was a squib and no one had caught it. she was very lucky.

[38superman]

The one time I had a round with no powder, the primer fired but I didn't hear it.

It sounded like the hammer fell on an empty chamber.

I racked the slide and saw an empty case eject with my peripheral vision.

Didn't think too much about it until I tried to shoot again and discovered the gun hadn't gone into battery.

Closer inspection revealed a bullet stuck in the bore.

It didn't travel quite far enough to allow a loaded round to chamber behind it.

If the bullet had traveled a few millimeters further ..... bad news.

My loads are done on a 650 with a powder check but load enough rounds and sooner or later Muphy's law is applied.

I consider myself careful and dilligent when I load, but in the course of thousands upon thousands of rounds, you only have to screw up once.

I can't speak for anyone else but when I'm shooting a stage, if I pull the trigger and the gun doesn't fire I rack the slide as fast as I can and try again. Who doesn't?

I must say it is something that causes me a great deal of concern.

Tls

Edited November 18, 2007 by 38superman

[SA Friday]

Couple of months ago, I was ROing our squad pretty consistantly throughout the York, PA match. One guy had TWO squibs on two different stages. I heard the hollow thunk in both cases and shouted stop, UL&SC. Both times he didn't hear the primer go off. The RO being in off to the side and back should be able to hear it. Most shooters cannot. Both squibs had to be driven out of the barrel. I made a friend that day.

9mm and 38 super are much easier to see the powder in the case. 40's are when I get ultra-anal about checking power charges. It's so damn hard to see the small charge in the case. I use UC so the charge is a bit more, but it's still pretty hard to see.

[JThompson]

I can't speak for anyone else but when I'm shooting a stage if I pull the trigger and the gun doesn't fire, I rack the slide as fast as I can and try again. Who doesn't?

I must say it is something that causes me a great deal of concern.

Tls

Me too my friend... me too.

[ipscbob]

This is precisely why I look into EVERY case before seating a bullet. I load super on a 1050 and even though I am just looking for powder it slows me down slightly. The piece of mind knowing the every case has at least some powder is well worth the extra time and effort.

[edwin garcia]

This is precisely why I look into EVERY case before seating a bullet. I load super on a 1050 and even though I am just looking for powder it slows me down slightly. The piece of mind knowing the every case has at least some powder is well worth the extra time and effort.

+1, I left the station between the powder measure and seating die empty so i can visually verify that there IS powder inside before i seat the bullet.

[dansy]

I load our 38 Super Comp (for 2) on a 1050 with the kiss bullet feeder....even with it I still look into each case for a sign of powder....when I load match ammo I also weight cases once in a while.

For the .40 and 9mm I do it on a 650 and I have a powder check but still look before setting the bullet.

Touch wood the only squib I have ever had is when I first got the 650 and I knew the was a couple squib in the pile.....used the weighting method to find them.

[scribble]

I have had several on my 550 and I know they were my fault not the press. I was checking powder levels on some loads I was making up and must have dumped the powder back into the hopper and not the case. I might have to rethink my bench height as I can not see into my cases to check pwder for my 45. It could just be the large case and small powder charge

[Wasz]

This causes me to wonder. As general practice should I just train myself to stop if a round doesn't go boom? Rather than try and jam in another one as fast as possible and keep on going?