Reloading Misadventures - Post your Whoops moments.

[Merrixs]

no booms.....just was ruunin' a few 380's in single stage and ran the decap pin in my finger

I also have done this. Started neck sizing my 10mm and had the decaping pin protruding further from the sizing ring than standard. I got in a grove and got going to fast when I had one that didn't get on the shell holder far enough. When I went to push it the rest of the way in my other hand went ahead and pushed it up while my index finger was in the way. I actually thought the case had cut into my finger at first. It didn't hurt right a way either, but dang it was sure sore for a couple weeks while the scar channel worked it way to the outer layer of skin. Sure hope I never do that again.

 

[chtheo]

I just started reloading, and although I will never make any of these mistakes, I truly appreciate you guys sharing yours.

 

[SSGSAD]

I have stuck a bullet in the barrel of a RSBH, .44 mag. and had to remove it with a cleaning rod...

 

[Rocket]

When I was a kid, Dad had me use a Lee Hand primer for .45acp. I was sitting in front of the TV. Every one I watched go in from the top. Never heard of safety glasses back then. Was lucky. Fast forward to a couple of years ago when I got into reloading for myself. As I was reading up on it and came across a couple of warnings. I called my Dad and told him he was an idiot and hung up. He called me back and once I cooled down, we laughed about it. Needless to say I am a bit more cautious. Especially with MY KIDS. And there is no TV anywhere near my bench!

 

[dukeboy_318]

The only oops moment I've had so far is loading up a 20 round batch of 26.5 grains of H335 for .223, a full grain and a half over max, I realized it 20 rds in that I was on the wrong page in my reloading book and looking at the wrong caliber. dooh

 

[dukeboy_318]

I just started reloading, and although I will never make any of these mistakes, I truly appreciate you guys sharing yours.

Oh you say that now, I guarantee you will make a mistake somewhere down the line, not matter how careful you think you are, you're still human, mistakes will happen, the key is making sure you catch them before they go bang.

 

[Broom_jm]

I just started reloading, and although I will never make any of these mistakes, I truly appreciate you guys sharing yours.

You're fairly new around here, but when you're using sarcasm, you're supposed to switch to a purple font.

 

[billybob44]

Started neck sizing my 10mm

^^^Not to Jack the thread, but I always want to learn?

What's up with "Neck Sizing my 10MM"??

If I do not Full Length size my 10MM cases they will not fit G-20 OR case gauge??..Bill

 

[billybob44]

^^^^^^

I also have done this. Started neck sizing my 10mm and had the decaping pin protruding further from the sizing ring than standard. I got in a grove and got going to fast when I had one that didn't get on the shell holder far enough. When I went to push it the rest of the way in my other hand went ahead and pushed it up while my index finger was in the way. I actually thought the case had cut into my finger at first. It didn't hurt right a way either, but dang it was sure sore for a couple weeks while the scar channel worked it way to the outer layer of skin. Sure hope I never do that again.

Sorry here is the post..Bill.

 

[Merrixs]

Bill,
I have a Lee 4 die set. It's just my personal preference, but I don't like how the sizer die gives good bullet tension but sizes the entire case much smaller then needed to chamber. It's more steps, but what I do is send the case through the factory crimp die (with max diameter sizer) as a pass through. This resizes the case close to the max diameter that will fit in the chamber. Then I use my adjusted sizer/decapping die to only size about 1/4" of the neck to get proper bullet tension. When you seat the bullet it pushes the case neck back out to about where I left the rest of the case. Looks much nicer and is not so sloppy in the chamber. I do actually resize the entire case, I just don't use the decapper die to do it.

 

[NathanJefferson]

So far my two reloading mess ups are:

A 30-06 round with no powder, just primer and a seated bullet. Wasn't loaded by me, came with a rifle I bought. Good thing I got off the fence and pulled them all.

Next was after spending a couple hours loading up multiple .300blk loads for testing, 10 different loads 5 of each and put them all in a nice RCBS .223 ammo box. On the way to the range the box tipped over and they all got mixed up. So now I get to go back through and load all over again . It is easy enough to separate the subs from the supers but beyond that I have no way to tell which powders/grains each is.

 

[BGDave]

So far my two reloading mess ups are:

A 30-06 round with no powder, just primer and a seated bullet. Wasn't loaded by me, came with a rifle I bought. Good thing I got off the fence and pulled them all.

Next was after spending a couple hours loading up multiple .300blk loads for testing, 10 different loads 5 of each and put them all in a nice RCBS .223 ammo box. On the way to the range the box tipped over and they all got mixed up. So now I get to go back through and load all over again . It is easy enough to separate the subs from the supers but beyond that I have no way to tell which powders/grains each is.

I've done that. Arrrrrgh. Have started marking bases with a sharpie.

 

[Aszerigan]

One time for my company's catalog photo shoot, I reloaded a magazine with the rounds facing backwards. Silly me!

This is one of my favorite "bad photo mistakes" of all time.

 

[j706]

I started reloading somewhere around 1986. The original shoes gun Rack was where I got all my stuff. Purchased a hornady manual and started reading. My 1st few years of loading where all. 220 swift. No mishaps thus far. I triple check everything without fail.

 

[XtremeVel]

Been fortunate so far... Never damaged a gun or even stuck one in the barrel...

Always double check everything at the bench... It's after loading where I have made the mistakes... The same one multiple times... returning the remaining powder from the hopper to the wrong container... Hardly a year goes by where I don't spread probably at least a half pound over the garden...

 

[Iroquois]

Have caught several fingertips in case mouths resulting in unique "carp-mouth" shaped
wounds.
Have loaded powderless shot shells( easy to spot, shot goes out, wad stays in barrel)
don't reload when distracted or tired...
Started out on Lee Loader. First batch of .38s I got bored while pounding primers in
and leaned back in my chair. This changed the angle of my strike resulting in a popped
primer...which sent me arse-over-backwards onto the dining room floor.
The wife was mad till she walked in and saw me on my back...which resulted in laughter
for her. I bought a Lee hand primer shortly after.

 

[davidc912]

Wife was shooting her LCR for the first time with .38spl SWC's I had loaded. She couldn't pull the trigger all of the way back. I could have blamed her for having small, weak girl hands. But, apparently her husband weak-handed a couple of primers.

 

[Merrixs]

Have loaded powderless shot shells( easy to spot, shot goes out, wad stays in barrel)
don't reload when distracted or tired...

I have "tried" to load a couple shot shells with out a primer. They are also easy to spot when the powder poors out all over the floor when going to the next station on my load all.

 

[T4rdV4rk]

I just put my first piece of brass through my brand new hornady sizing die and destroyed the decaping pin and bend the shaft because I didn't realize I had a berdan primed 7.62x39 and not a boxer. I didn't even notice the added force due to the neck and shoulder being converted to 6.5 Grendel at that portion of stroke. I knew something had gone wrong when the newly sized case neck had about a 10 degree angle to it from the bent expander coming back through it. Oh well Live and learn.

What die do you have? I thought the capping pin was in a collet and was supposed to let go?

 

[Merrixs]

What die do you have? I thought the capping pin was in a collet and was supposed to let go?

It's got their zip spindle set up. When you tighten up the collet enough to keep it from spinning, there is no way it's going to slip up when it gets to much force.