Share your hand loading mistakes!

[Mikej]

Just wait until you get the edge of your finger in between the case and the bullet when you are seating bullets. If the case is champhered, it makes a nice even cut.

I have used this "Mistake" many times in trying to explain just how little resistance is needed to make a perfect taper crimp. There's a lot of leverage there! I've never caught my finger on the edge of a case, but I've sqoze it a time or two.

 

[Aongus]

Just wait until you get the edge of your finger in between the case and the bullet when you are seating bullets. If the case is champhered, it makes a nice even cut.

That sounds real unpleasant.

 

[jrd541280]

Just wait until you get the edge of your finger in between the case and the bullet when you are seating bullets. If the case is champhered, it makes a nice even cut.

yup still there.

 

[Knebel]

That sounds real unpleasant.

Been there done that. Very unpleasant

 

[Swampr]

I once stuck the decapping pin through my finger nail. I was sizing a decapping a pile of 40sw one night on the ole Lyman T-Mag single stage while watching television. Ouch, I wasn't sure how I did it, happened quickly. Turned the TV off after that..lol

 

[RVTECH]

While resizing a bunch of .357 brass that was given to me I was pulling the handle on one and the ram came to a sudden stop and I felt something 'flex'.

I withdrew the ram and saw the decapping stem bent over!

I looked in the case and there was a 9mm bullet stuck in it!

Check your 2nd hand, hand me down etc. brass before resizing it - even if from a 'trusted' source!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Ruin a few .458 SoCom cases @ .85 ea. and you want to cry.

I've got 4 of these sittin in my brass cabinet taking up space, I'll send em to ya.

 

[Caveman Jim]

While resizing a bunch of .357 brass that was given to me I was pulling the handle on one and the ram came to a sudden stop and I felt something 'flex'.

I withdrew the ram and saw the decapping stem bent over!

I looked in the case and there was a 9mm bullet stuck in it!

Check your 2nd hand, hand me down etc. brass before resizing it - even if from a 'trusted' source!

I pick up range brass, often times there are a lot of different calibers in the bucket so when I get back to the shop I dump them in a big round plastic container with good lighting and sort. I too have seen cases nesting together and try to get them cleared out although I am not always successful.

 

[Capn Jack]

I've got 4 of these sittin in my brass cabinet taking up space, I'll send em to ya.

Because I was experimenting with various weight bullets, I windowed my ruined .458 SoCom cases with a Dremel Tool so I could see what the bullets looked like extending into the case.

 

[nammac]

Because I was experimenting with various weight bullets, I windowed my ruined .458 SoCom cases with a Dremel Tool so I could see what the bullets looked like extending into the case.

With powder in 'em?

 

[Capn Jack]

Don't tumble 9mm with .458 cases. The 9mm get into the .458 and when the case gets filled with medium They're hard to get out.

 

[Knebel]

9mm cases also fit pretty good into 40cal cases

 

[Caveman Jim]

Don't tumble 9mm with .458 cases. The 9mm get into the .458 and when the case gets filled with medium They're hard to get out.

One time I tumbled some 45 colt that had a 9 mm and a 40 Smith & Wesson case nested so tightly in there, I was able to save the 45 colt but screwed up the other two getting them out.

 

[Knebel]

Caught it before I loaded it into the mag....

 

[CLT65]

This wasn't my mistake, but someone had a bad day at the range.

My son and I picked up a bunch of 9mm brass at the range, and I put on my reading glasses and go through it carefully before loading or selling it. This one jumped right out at me:

 

[Knebel]

This wasn't my mistake, but someone had a bad day at the range.

My son and I picked up a bunch of 9mm brass at the range, and I put on my reading glasses and go through it carefully before loading or selling it. This one jumped right out at me:

View attachment 854305

I found a steelcase 7.62x39 just like that recently. Glad it wasn't in my gun

 

[jrd541280]

9mm cases also fit pretty good into 40cal cases

lol and 40's into 45 acps

 

[ageingstudent]

With powder in 'em?

And a lighter so's I can see what I'm doin'

 

[ageingstudent]

This wasn't my mistake, but someone had a bad day at the range.

My son and I picked up a bunch of 9mm brass at the range, and I put on my reading glasses and go through it carefully before loading or selling it. This one jumped right out at me:

View attachment 854305

That looks like a prime candidate for one of your will it shoot threads. Boy I have seen a lot of 9mm lately that's just shy of bursting like that. Big bulges from overcharged rounds in an unsupported chamber.

 

[CLT65]

Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty particular about what I'll load, thought it may not seem that way. Dings and dents don't bother me, but anything structural in the base, web, or primer pocket, and it goes directly into the scrap bucket. I tossed a whole bunch of once fired GI 7.62x51 brass a while back, because most of them had signs of incipient case head separation from being fired in an MG with loose headspace.

When we pick up range brass, I go through it pretty carefully. My son has been processing most of it, but I give it a close final inspection. I'm trying to teach him some attention to detail. If a case takes a little too much force going into the sizer die, stop and look at it, see it there's a reason why. If it goes in way too easy, stop and pluck it out, because it's probably a .380 case that slipped by sorting.

Here's another one I found. Anything that looks questionable goes straight into the scrap bucket.