Get out the lead bullets

[USSR]

Does anyone else do a final weigh like this?

No. The variance in individual case weights and bullet weights make it pretty much meaningless. Put your faith in your procedural checks.

Don

[pete2]

The main things to watch powder drop and primers. Look in each hull before placing the bullet on it and make sure to check the primer any time it doesn't feel right when you seat it. I do still have a single stage press for load testing, odd pistol loads and rifle ammo.

[tmd47762]

Weighing loaded cartridges may not catch a slight over or under charge but you would find double charges and powder less cases. Except maybe in smaller pistol cartridges where the powder charge is within case and bullet variation ranges. I suppose then if you sorted cases and bullets by weight it would work.

[rclark]

No I have never weighed a completed cartridge (what's 'completed bullets' BTW?). I only work on a single stage and before placing bullet into case I always glance at the power in the case. Never yet had a squib after all these years... knock on wood.

[dwhite]

I've got a Lee turret press. I can do up to 130 rounds per hour at a safe steady pace. I have a light mounted over the ram so I can see the powder charge before seating a bullet.

I like the idea of one thing at a time and few moving parts. Faster than a single stage with none of the complications of a progressive.

A true friend would go and break his friends press. Just sayin'

All the Best,
D. White

[AzShooter]

Surprise, surprise, he got the bullets out by using a squib rod and a heavy hammer. I didn't think he could do it. He also didn't ruin the barrel. But I'm making time to visit him and instruct him on how to use a Dillon 550.

Do one thing at a time, do it well and move along.

[Sevens]

And if someone gets honestly and seriously hurt as a direct result of one of his next handloading failures... (face palm)

Trying to school this guy (oh he's stubborn) is like finding clean needles for an addict.

[F. Guffey]

Quote:
Does anyone else do a final weigh like this?
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No. The variance in individual case weights and bullet weights make it pretty much meaningless. Put your faith in your procedural checks.

Yes I have with a variation: I weighed the bullets, I weighed the cases and I weighed the powder and primer. I added up the total weight of the components and then started loading. When finished any variation in the weight had to do with the amount of powder.

I understand how confusing most are but when finished there was a spread of 17 grains out of 250 30/06 rounds loaded on a RL550 B.

The advantage to knowing the weight of the components for the QC reloader can be realized when the reloader is is loading 5 different cases with different head stamps from different manufacturers. All of the lightest rounds were loaded with Winchester cases.

Something else that would confuse most reloaders; I sorted the loaded rounds by weigh into separate boxes. The variation of weight was caused by the differences in the weight of the cases.

And then one day I was standing next to a another reloader at the firing range; he could not pull his trigger, he could not rotate his cylinder, he could not pull the hammer back and he could not swing his cylinder out, meaning he had his pistol Model 66 S&W 357 Magnum locked up.

Two of us reloaders stopped what we were doing to help him. We drove the bullet out of the forcing cone and back into the case. As soon as we handed his pistol back to him he started loading 6 more rounds. We stopped him in an effort to get him to think. If he loaded a round with no powder how does he know the next round loaded des not have too much powder. We offered him all the ammo he could shoot, we offered to help him with his reloading, we offered to loan and or give him equipment etc. All we managed to do was make him mad; He left.

I could not convince him the last opportunity he had to test his ammo was just before he chambered it.

F. Guffey

[AzShooter]

Well, we found out why the cases stuck. It wasn't no powder, it was too light of a load.

He decided to use jacketed ammo in his .38 cases with only 3 grains of Bullseye. That won't force the bullets he was using out of the case. I know of another shooter that had the same experience with these bullets.

I told him to not load jacketed with light loads. I want him to call me when he decides to experiment instead of using loading data from his manuals.

[reynolds357]

My number one rule of reloading is "Never, ever, ever, use a powder you can double charge." Using a powder you can double charge is stupid. I am very careful, but this rule has saved me on a few occasions.

[USSR]

Using a powder you can double charge is stupid.

When dealing with handgun rounds, you are eliminating a heck of a lot of excellent powders. Actually, the act of loading a double charge is stupid.

Don

[Sevens]

Can't find many powders on the market that won't fit a double (or triple or quadruple) in .38 Special.

[AzShooter]

Seven is right. Especially if you are loading accurate target ammo. One of the most popular loads is 3.5 grains of Bullseye with a 158 grain Lead bullet.

Even Unique gives you enough room for a double charge unless you are loading MAX.

[Mal H]

... and if you use that rule, you might as well stick to black powder if you reload .45 Colt rounds.

[Grey_Lion]

You can educate the ignorant, but you can't fix stupid..... Sounds like you've tried the first....

As I see it you have 2 options - all of which were mentioned in one way or another above - either break the guys press and get him out of reloading, and/or avoid ever going to the range with this guy's reloads...... The risks just aren't worth it..... And you can't fix stupid.

Sounds harsh - but it's the final outcome that matters. From your story, it doesn't sound like he's gonna stop until there's blood. :-(

[Hammerhead]

Using a powder you can double charge is stupid.

Load much 45 auto or 38 special? 45 Colt? Didn't think so.

I stupidly loaded 50 rounds of 45 auto with 4.5 grains of Bullseye this morning. Prolly could have fit 3 charges in each case, but I didn't, because I inspect my powder charges.

I love my turret press. I process 1 case at a time, all the way through each station, and even have a 'light station' that swings a flashlight over the case after charging, reminding me to look and giving a bright light right down on the powder charge.

I'm headed to the range for a frosty day of shooting, I'll worry about the traffic and the cold, but not about my ammo.