Share your hand loading mistakes!

[ageingstudent]

Also I find these cutting brushes to be very useful for both detail dusting and mess cleanup.

 

[Aongus]

I loaded pistol primers in the rifle cartridges I was putting together. Noticed it and had to take them apart. I learned to only put what you need for current task on the bench. So only pull out the pistol stuff when preparing a pistol load.

 

[eb in oregon]

Several mistakes I've committed and now guard against when reloading.

Not paying close enough attention when priming on a single stage press and either trying to stuff in a primer sideways or upside down.

Seating the bullet and crimping at the same time. Doing so has the crimper starting to crimp while the bullet is still being seated and that can cause lead to shave or buckle a part of the case mouth. So I always seat and crimp in two separate operations.

Not removing the primer crimp from military cases. This either crushes the primer or deforms it. Not a good thing.

Using too much muscle when priming. This can crush a primer or flatten it some.

Not looking in each and every case after putting in the powder. I once had a squib load in a .38 super and the bullet lodged in the barrel (while the action had cycled, ejected, and fed another cartridge) and the thought of what would have happened still makes the hair on my neck stand up.

Not adequately lubricating cases. Not only does that result in a case stuck in the die, but it can damage a die due to the galling of the case. If it takes too much muscle, stop and assess why.

These are little problems that can cause big issues. Reloading is a great hobby and save lots of dollars if one shoots a lot, but it's always good to remember that each and every cartridge has the capability to be a little tiny bomb and a lack of attention or a failure to follow procedures correctly can gain the reloader that possibility.

 

[DizzyJ]

Son of a b...butterfingers. So much for checking that charge...View attachment 842508

Send it.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Send it.

Realistically now, Sweep it...

 

[ageingstudent]

Send it.

itif only I could find it all. Stick powder bounces everywhere

 

[ageingstudent]

Realistically now, Sweep it...

That was yesterday still finding kernels on the floor haha

 

[Knebel]

Son of a b...butterfingers. So much for checking that charge...View attachment 842508

Been there done that.....more than once lol

 

[ageingstudent]

Been there done that.....more than once lol

Me too. There's no fix for clumsy

 

[Caveman Jim]

That was yesterday still finding kernels on the floor haha

I don't know if you all remember back when I was designing my room, I specifically asked about flooring. I am so glad that I went with laminate flooring instead of office carpet squares, it's so easy to "sweep up" my spilled components.

 

[ageingstudent]

I don't know if you all remember back when I was designing my room, I specifically asked about flooring. I am so glad that I went with laminate flooring instead of office carpet squares, it's so easy to "sweep up" my spilled components.

I do! My problem living in the small rv is that it's shared space and there's always"stuff" around. Even a small spill is a minor disaster. Thank god I have laminate floors.

 

[Capn Jack]

Finding out the hard way that, seating depth does matter and excessive depth can drastically increase chamber pressure.

Luckily I only ruined a couple of cases before the increased recoil told me something was wrong.

 

[Mikej]

Finding out the hard way that, seating depth does matter and excessive depth can drastically increase chamber pressure.

Luckily I only ruined a couple of cases before the increased recoil told me something was wrong.

Specifics?

 

[DizzyJ]

Finding out the hard way that, seating depth does matter and excessive depth can drastically increase chamber pressure.

Luckily I only ruined a couple of cases before the increased recoil told me something was wrong.

Yeah.
I loaded up some 122gr lead projectiles for competition and used the beretta as the chamber gauge. No problem.
Shot them out of the Walther and noticed recoil greater than jacketed Bullets. Come to find out, the bullets weren't seated deep enough for the Walther and were jamming into the lands.
This is why the "plunk" test should be done with the gun you're going to be using.

 

[Capn Jack]

Specifics?

Loading .458 SoCom Using bullets that didn't have a cannelure.

 

[Mikej]

Loading .458 SoCom Using bullets that didn't have a cannelure.

Thanks for the come-back.
Dang! I can see that happening.

 

[tlfreek]

anyone know how to seat a primer here. I keep trying it just keeps falling out. Lesson don't be stingy with the case lube. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now [sigh]

 

[Dinglenutz]

I've had two classes of loading errors so far; a couple squib loads from not watching the powder drop closely enough, and a few crinkled 454 cases when I was trying to get the crimp hard enough to hold without a seperate crimping station. Powder/primer alarms and the right dies fixed those.

That, and a few stuck cases before I started using lube dies. That's what, 40 years worth? Pretty uneventful.

 

[Dinglenutz]

anyone know how to seat a primer here. I keep trying it just keeps falling out. Lesson don't be stingy with the case lube. You would think I would have learned my lesson by now [sigh]

View attachment 843681

If you're on a progressive a lube die is a wonderful thing.

 

[41mag]

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