The Confessional is Open! What's on YOUR "Shelf of Shame"? - Page 3

Sevens · October 18, 2010, 07:24 AM

Weighing your loads is only likely to make you even more upset. Given the variance in brass and the variance in bullets, you'll see a weight that covers a range and it'll get your shackles up.

To sleep well at night, institute a process at your load bench that will give you piece of mind so you have confidence in your loads.

jhansman · October 18, 2010, 07:36 PM

Before I knew what I was doing, I loaded up a dozen .30-30 rounds with jacketed bullets and (wait for it........) Trail Boss! I know, I know. I squibbed two rounds before my brain realized nothing was coming out of the barrel of my Marlin 336 (doh!). Lucky I didn't blow the thing up. I keep this episode in a handy part of my memory as a reminder of how ignorance can potentially maim and kill.

**Brian Pfleuger** · October 18, 2010, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhansman

Before I knew what I was doing, I loaded up a dozen .30-30 rounds with jacketed bullets and (wait for it........) Trail Boss! I know, I know. I squibbed two rounds before my brain realized nothing was coming out of the barrel of my Marlin 336 (doh!). Lucky I didn't blow the thing up. I keep this episode in a handy part of my memory as a reminder of how ignorance can potentially maim and kill.

I doubt that it makes you feel any better, but this is a completely acceptable practice if the load is correct. I've done it myself on a few occasions to fireform new brass.

See the link to IMR's load data:

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

**Brian Pfleuger** · November 13, 2012, 09:34 PM

It's been over two years but I'm bringing this back to life for one of my own entries and hopefully some of ya'll will add more too...

As some of you know, I have recently converted a Savage 11 from it's original .270WSM to .243AI.

So, I'm in the process of working up my first "real" loads. I do all my measurements, set the starting charge and use QuickLoad to predict the max charge.

I load up all these rounds and, wanting to clean the residue in the barrel from a previous powder, I run a couple patches of cleaner, a dry patch to verify and then a patch with what I thought would be "lightly oiled".

I get to the range and notice on extracting the first shot that the case had a surprising amount of oil on it. Huh, but, no ill effects as far as I can tell...

As I get a step below max load though, suddenly MAJOR extractor impressions.

Obviously I stop the work up and even more closely examine the other cases. I notice that I can see faint (very faint) extractor marks on almost all the cases.

Obviously, something is wrong.

Well, long story short, I'm convinced that the oil was having some affect, by increasing bolt thrust but...

The entry to the Shelf of Shame, such as it is... I had intended the rounds to be .050 off the rifling but somehow I had ended up 0.100 INTO the rifling.

I guess the gun is good, anyway. QuickLoad thinks that load with the bullets jammed was around 71,000 PSI.

CWKahrFan · November 13, 2012, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Two... was that you shouldn't ever make a hundred (or more!) of anything until you know it's proven success.

(Ain't THAT the truth!...) ... or even 50...

tkglazie · November 13, 2012, 10:06 PM

Glad you rekindled this BP (and also glad that you and your gun survived the experience). I saw this gem a few posts up from Sevens 2 years ago that I thought was worth repeating:

Quote:

To sleep well at night, institute a process at your load bench that will give you piece of mind so you have confidence in your loads.

Thats a great creedo for reloading. I would add to that: "learn from the mistakes that others have made and use them as lessons to improve your own process whenever you can".

I love and respect this hobby far too much to stop trying to get better and safer at it every chance I get.

warningshot · November 14, 2012, 01:36 AM

Does manually hamering-out a reverse seated large rifle primer with Lee's depriming tool count?

Edward429451 · November 14, 2012, 09:51 PM

Oh this here is some serious mod abuse, opening a old thread when he closes our old threads that we re-open...for shame!!!! J/K

Brian, 71K PSI?

Whoa. Glad you're ok.

**Brian Pfleuger** · November 14, 2012, 09:57 PM

Actually, 71k isn't a major deal. 22-250 is rated at 65,000. .243 is 60,191, so it's not that far over. Without the oil, I doubt there would have been extractor marks.

And it's ok to resurrect old threads if the resurrection serves a purpose.

Edward429451 · November 14, 2012, 10:48 PM

Well since it's a safety oriented thread, we'll let is slide this time.

I had one. I had been in on a group buy for a Ranch Dog Designed 6 cav Lee mould, a 350 gr GC 45/70 boolit. I had no data for a 350 so tried to extrapolate a powder charge for it using RX7. I settled on 50 grains and loaded 20 rounds up and off to the range I went. I chrony'd them @ 1886 from my Guide Gun and they shot one ragged hole at 50 yds. They were stiff for sure and especially from the bench. Great numbers and consistency though. 1886 FPS/60 FPS ES/3.6 SD! I was thrilled but had a sore shoulder.

I got one of you guys here on TFL to run it through Quik-load for me and as it turned out, they were up around 40K, basically proof loads for a Marlin.

The gun is fine, my shoulder healed. I dropped it to 40.0 grains and started over. 40 gr gave me 1612 FPS/106 ES/ 13.3 SD., and groups opened up. I had hoped to tighten the groups since it was a milder load now but not this time. With every bump of the powder after that the groups consistently tightened even more. I stopped around 1700 and called it good. It's an Elk load for sure. Scary how this load tightens groups the hotter it gets. It's still minute of Deer at 100 yds easy. This is the dumbest thing I've ever did reloading.

hounddawg · November 15, 2012, 12:11 PM

loaded 100 round of .45 ACP, wife says dinner is ready. Back in the shop I decided to load some .223 and thought I had changed the powder out

Lessons learned:

- never have more than 1 jug of powder on your bench at one time
- W231 is a lousy choice for .223 powder

pretty much destroyed that AR but no blood was spilled

October 18, 2010, 07:24 AM	#51
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 6,936	Weighing your loads is only likely to make you even more upset. Given the variance in brass and the variance in bullets, you'll see a weight that covers a range and it'll get your shackles up. To sleep well at night, institute a process at your load bench that will give you piece of mind so you have confidence in your loads. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

October 18, 2010, 07:36 PM	#52
jhansman Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2007 Posts: 624	Before I knew what I was doing, I loaded up a dozen .30-30 rounds with jacketed bullets and (wait for it........) Trail Boss! I know, I know. I squibbed two rounds before my brain realized nothing was coming out of the barrel of my Marlin 336 (doh!). Lucky I didn't blow the thing up. I keep this episode in a handy part of my memory as a reminder of how ignorance can potentially maim and kill. __________________ Blessed is the man who has nothing to say, and cannot be compelled to say it.

November 13, 2012, 09:34 PM	#54
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,662	It's been over two years but I'm bringing this back to life for one of my own entries and hopefully some of ya'll will add more too... As some of you know, I have recently converted a Savage 11 from it's original .270WSM to .243AI. So, I'm in the process of working up my first "real" loads. I do all my measurements, set the starting charge and use QuickLoad to predict the max charge. I load up all these rounds and, wanting to clean the residue in the barrel from a previous powder, I run a couple patches of cleaner, a dry patch to verify and then a patch with what I thought would be "lightly oiled". I get to the range and notice on extracting the first shot that the case had a surprising amount of oil on it. Huh, but, no ill effects as far as I can tell... As I get a step below max load though, suddenly MAJOR extractor impressions. Obviously I stop the work up and even more closely examine the other cases. I notice that I can see faint (very faint) extractor marks on almost all the cases. Obviously, something is wrong. Well, long story short, I'm convinced that the oil was having some affect, by increasing bolt thrust but... The entry to the Shelf of Shame, such as it is... I had intended the rounds to be .050 off the rifling but somehow I had ended up 0.100 INTO the rifling. I guess the gun is good, anyway. QuickLoad thinks that load with the bullets jammed was around 71,000 PSI. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. ----- He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

November 14, 2012, 01:36 AM	#57
warningshot Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2009 Posts: 982	Oh No...Not Me! Does manually hamering-out a reverse seated large rifle primer with Lee's depriming tool count?

November 15, 2012, 12:11 PM	#61
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 760	loaded 100 round of .45 ACP, wife says dinner is ready. Back in the shop I decided to load some .223 and thought I had changed the powder out Lessons learned: - never have more than 1 jug of powder on your bench at one time - W231 is a lousy choice for .223 powder pretty much destroyed that AR but no blood was spilled __________________ Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other. - Ronald Reagan

November 14, 2012, 09:51 PM	#58
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,496	Oh this here is some serious mod abuse, opening a old thread when he closes our old threads that we re-open...for shame!!!! J/K Brian, 71K PSI? Whoa. Glad you're ok.

November 14, 2012, 09:57 PM	#59
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,662	Actually, 71k isn't a major deal. 22-250 is rated at 65,000. .243 is 60,191, so it's not that far over. Without the oil, I doubt there would have been extractor marks. And it's ok to resurrect old threads if the resurrection serves a purpose.

November 14, 2012, 10:48 PM	#60
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,496	Well since it's a safety oriented thread, we'll let is slide this time. I had one. I had been in on a group buy for a Ranch Dog Designed 6 cav Lee mould, a 350 gr GC 45/70 boolit. I had no data for a 350 so tried to extrapolate a powder charge for it using RX7. I settled on 50 grains and loaded 20 rounds up and off to the range I went. I chrony'd them @ 1886 from my Guide Gun and they shot one ragged hole at 50 yds. They were stiff for sure and especially from the bench. Great numbers and consistency though. 1886 FPS/60 FPS ES/3.6 SD! I was thrilled but had a sore shoulder. I got one of you guys here on TFL to run it through Quik-load for me and as it turned out, they were up around 40K, basically proof loads for a Marlin. The gun is fine, my shoulder healed. I dropped it to 40.0 grains and started over. 40 gr gave me 1612 FPS/106 ES/ 13.3 SD., and groups opened up. I had hoped to tighten the groups since it was a milder load now but not this time. With every bump of the powder after that the groups consistently tightened even more. I stopped around 1700 and called it good. It's an Elk load for sure. Scary how this load tightens groups the hotter it gets. It's still minute of Deer at 100 yds easy. This is the dumbest thing I've ever did reloading.