Share your hand loading mistakes!

[Caveman Jim]

I've got a couple of those right there in view.

Same here, some are pretty comical…

 

[pewpeworegon]

no to little powder, that's why you double check and pat attention....ugh

 

[Mikej]

That ^ reminds me...Some years ago I was charging some handgun rounds and noticed powder kernels on the bench (??).
WTH?....Somehow I'd missed priming a case. That was back when I still grabbed a primed case out of the container, charged it, and set it in the loading block. I now charge cases sitting IN the block.

 

[HighlandLofts]

the other day i loaded two hundred rounds of 38spl for my grandsons cowboy shoot.
seating the bullets i had one that didnt feel right,
Cracked case.

After i seat then crip the cartridges i put them in a old plastic ammo tray with the primer up in the air,
I had one case with a primer put in sideways.

It pays to be observant.

 

[Aught Six]

If you ever meet me, note the black freckles around my right eye.
15 years old, ball C and a Colt Python.
I broke it.

 

[Caveman Jim]

It wasn't a chicken egg, my bad…

 

[Richo877]

It wasn't a chicken egg, my bad…

View attachment 2121624

What's the chamber look like?
And do you still have all your fingers?

 

[Caveman Jim]

What's the chamber look like?
And do you still have all your fingers?

That happened inside my convection oven drying wet range brass, it just dented the pan.

 

[Dillon1000]

That happened inside my convection oven drying wet range brass, it just dented the pan.

Hi Jim, Dillon 1000 Here, Just wondering if you know Steve Kostinich Up your way.? He has been building rifles for me
since the late 70s. Just happened to notice where you were. DJ

 

[Caveman Jim]

Hi Jim, Dillon 1000 Here, Just wondering if you know Steve Kostinich Up your way.? He has been building rifles for me
since the late 70s. Just happened to notice where you were. DJ

DJ, can't say that I ever heard his name. I do live in a cave and rarely mingle with the locals unless they like to fish.

 

[papaya]

My literally very first handload. Even learning how to prime the cases may be not as obvious. I must have damaged the primer when I was seating it in. I took me 2-3 attempts to get it in. The rest of the loads went bang just fine. This fist one did give me a moment of pause though

 

[Richo877]

My literally very first handload. Even learning how to prime the cases may be not as obvious. I must have damaged the primer when I was seating it in. I took me 2-3 attempts to get it in. The rest of the loads went bang just fine. This fist one did give me a moment of pause though

View attachment 2147730

Looks like it went in upside down and had to be decapped and reseated right side up again. I've had a few like that, but they still go bang. It's much better than the ones that go in sideways I find myself learning new things all the time. There's subtle little things that help a lot. Just the angle you hold onto something or the form of your grip can make a world of difference.

 

[Kf338]

I loaded 800 rounds of 30-06. Didn't realize that the scale moved or it did move so I had to 800 bullets out dump the powder started over now. It does not sound like fun.

 

[arrowshooter]

Yep, it happened. Went to do some load work for one of my rifles and pulled two new pounds of "H335" with matching lots off the shelf. After paying zero attention to what came out of the bottle into the dispenser, I loaded up 40 rounds and headed to the range. What I ended up with was 400 fps faster speeds, no primers left in the brass and feeding issues. Definitely tooooo spicy so I stopped after three rounds. When I got home the first thing I did was check the load and that's when I finally noticed that the powder that came out of the bottle was not H335, but resembled HP38. Both bottles were like this. I haven't bothered to run it past Hodgdon yet, but I plan to.

Sorry for the sideways views

 

[arakboss]

That happened inside my convection oven drying wet range brass, it just dented the pan.

What temp do you dry brass at?

 

[tac]

My literally very first handload. Even learning how to prime the cases may be not as obvious. I must have damaged the primer when I was seating it in. I took me 2-3 attempts to get it in. The rest of the loads went bang just fine. This fist one did give me a moment of pause though

View attachment 2147730

Handy helpful tip #667 - when inserting primers, check to see that they are actually set slightly below the level of the surrounding head - around 0.001 is usual.

 

[tac]

Yep, it happened. Went to do some load work for one of my rifles and pulled two new pounds of "H335" with matching lots off the shelf. After paying zero attention to what came out of the bottle into the dispenser, I loaded up 40 rounds and headed to the range. What I ended up with was 400 fps faster speeds, no primers left in the brass and feeding issues. Definitely tooooo spicy so I stopped after three rounds. When I got home the first thing I did was check the load and that's when I finally noticed that the powder that came out of the bottle was not H335, but resembled HP38. Both bottles were like this. I haven't bothered to run it past Hodgdon yet, but I plan to.

Sorry for the sideways views

View attachment 2147748View attachment 2147749

HP38 was my go-to powder for reloading 9mmP for my old Lugers - 124gr bullet and 4.6gr of HP38............................

 

[joken]

I loaded 800 rounds of 30-06. Didn't realize that the scale moved or it did move so I had to 800 bullets out dump the powder started over now. It does not sound like fun.

That's a great way to learn to verify your load. I have done similar and worse things over the years.

 

[fstdraw]

Those kids of yours are always pulling a funny!

 

[Caveman Jim]

What temp do you dry brass at?

200* for damp at 1:30 min and 225* for 2+ hours for the Tsunami/flooded wet.