Huge OOPS with blank cases

Kevinj · October 28, 2013, 05:52 PM

I have been hand loading for 45 years and had my first huge OOPS! I finally gathered up enough supplies for an afternoon of loading on my Dillon 550. I was loading 45lc with a modest 8.5 Unique under a 250 gr RNFP. I got well into the 3rd bag of brass when I notice I had loaded about 250 rounds using Top Brass blank cases (meant for fast draw wax loads with very large flash holes). With the kinetic bullet puller it will take me days to recover the components. My hornady bullet puller is not meant for cast bullets Even if I had the correct collect)- ANY IDEAS?

arizona98tj · October 28, 2013, 06:33 PM

At least you discovered the issue before it became a real time problem. Sorry to hear about it. Time to start pulling bullets.

jepp2 · October 28, 2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

With the kinetic bullet puller it will take me days to recover the components. My hornady bullet puller is not meant for cast bullets Even if I had the correct collect)- ANY IDEAS?

How much larger are the flash holes? I load and shoot a lot of NT brass which has much larger flash holes and never notice any difference.

With the heavy large diameter bullet, those will pull really quickly. A couple of hits and the bullets will be out for recovery. Small diameter light bullets with strong neck tension are the toughest to pull with inertia.

snolden · October 28, 2013, 06:46 PM

Start pulling 10-20 every night. I have had to pull 160 once. Sucks but you caught it

andyjr11 · October 28, 2013, 07:32 PM

I do not see the large flash hole being a problem. The only problem I see is if the cases were made for blank use only. They could be to thin to take a full pressure load.

Even at that, it would only cause hard extraction.

Paul B. · October 28, 2013, 08:01 PM

If you can contact the company that made that brass, ask them if there would be any consequences from shooting the loads already made up.

Paul B.

dahermit · October 29, 2013, 04:58 AM

Quote:

I do not see the large flash hole being a problem. The only problem I see is if the cases were made for blank use only. They could be to thin to take a full pressure load.

Even at that, it would only cause hard extraction.

andyjr11, A test for you: Prime a case, but do not put any powder or bullet in it. Shoot the primed case in your revolver. Now try to rotate or open the cylinder. You will find that the primer has backed out of the case and locked-up your cylinder. If you fire cases with "way" over size flash holes, the same thing can happen...only tighter.
It depends on how "very large" those flash holes actually are.

mehavey · October 29, 2013, 07:19 AM

My 2₵....

1. The strength of the case/cylinder combination is in the cylinder. The gas seal is in the case.

2. The primer initially backs out of the case anyway (whatever the flashhole design), and is
re-seated when the main powder charge ignites/build pressure to slam the case back
into the recoil shield.

Just my thought (your mileage may vary of course) that you don't have a significant
problem w/ that 14,000CUP load

Others.... weigh in with better experience.

Kevinj · October 29, 2013, 08:18 AM

The flash holes are almost as big as the primer face itself. Other that that the cases are dimensionally equal to starline brass and are designed for up to 4 or 5 grains of black powder (for show). I thought about firing 1 in my ruger but primer set back and gas cutting in the primer pocket would be the biggest concern. It is a load I use so I can run it in any 45lc pistol I pick up - a little warm for a colt and a whimp load for a ruger. I may try one. If there are adverse effects I will start pulling. The cases are NOT cheap and are hard to come by.

Nick_C_S · October 29, 2013, 07:25 PM

Quote:

With the heavy large diameter bullet, those will pull really quickly. A couple of hits and the bullets will be out for recovery.

That's true jepp2. But even at that, that's a lot of bullets to kinetically pull. A kinetic puller is a "onesy-twosy" thing.

(I don't know enough about 45 Colt to comment on the remainder of the ideas.)

Kevinj · October 29, 2013, 08:08 PM

Well, I pulled 'em all! took an hour and a half once I got the rhythm going. Now so it don;t happen again I will be listing the Top Brass b;ank cases on Gun broker. 350+ never fired blank cases.

Nick_C_S · October 29, 2013, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Well, I pulled 'em all!

With a kinetic? Heh, that's awesome.

jepp2 · October 29, 2013, 09:56 PM

Quote:

A kinetic puller is a "onesy-twosy" thing.

And yesterday I pulled down over 250 rounds of 30-06 to recover the components. 60 of them were mil tar sealed. But in the future I will limit my use to once or twice daily.

Nick_C_S · October 29, 2013, 11:48 PM

I stand corrected

rodfac · October 30, 2013, 01:57 PM

KevinJ, you get the attaboy award for today...you did the right thing, padnuh and kudos to you. I once pulled 100 after I suspected I'd set the measure incorrectly...I weighed each charge up to #25 checking to see if I'd screwed up...but found none that were suspect...I sat back, looked at the rest, and told myself, I'd never trust them, nor allow any of my family to shoot them....pulled 'em all and was glad I did. Rod

Kevinj · October 30, 2013, 03:51 PM

I know from experience with magnum rifle rounds that enlarged flash holes can cause an unsafe increase in pressures. Even thought this was a medium load in a low pressure cartridge I just did not feel safe firing even one to test it. Some time spent getting to know my bullet puller was better than spending time getting to know a surgeon and buying a new gun.

I appreciate the affirmation rodfac!

October 28, 2013, 05:52 PM	#1
Kevinj Member Join Date: March 9, 2008 Posts: 19	Huge OOPS with blank cases I have been hand loading for 45 years and had my first huge OOPS! I finally gathered up enough supplies for an afternoon of loading on my Dillon 550. I was loading 45lc with a modest 8.5 Unique under a 250 gr RNFP. I got well into the 3rd bag of brass when I notice I had loaded about 250 rounds using Top Brass blank cases (meant for fast draw wax loads with very large flash holes). With the kinetic bullet puller it will take me days to recover the components. My hornady bullet puller is not meant for cast bullets Even if I had the correct collect)- ANY IDEAS?

October 28, 2013, 08:01 PM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,801	If you can contact the company that made that brass, ask them if there would be any consequences from shooting the loads already made up. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

October 29, 2013, 07:19 AM	#8
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,883	My 2₵.... 1. The strength of the case/cylinder combination is in the cylinder. The gas seal is in the case. 2. The primer initially backs out of the case anyway (whatever the flashhole design), and is re-seated when the main powder charge ignites/build pressure to slam the case back into the recoil shield. Just my thought (your mileage may vary of course) that you don't have a significant problem w/ that 14,000CUP load Others.... weigh in with better experience. Last edited by mehavey; October 29, 2013 at 07:32 AM.

October 29, 2013, 11:48 PM	#14
Nick_C_S Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,522	I stand corrected __________________ Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself. Life Member, National Rifle Association

October 30, 2013, 01:57 PM	#15
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	KevinJ, you get the attaboy award for today...you did the right thing, padnuh and kudos to you. I once pulled 100 after I suspected I'd set the measure incorrectly...I weighed each charge up to #25 checking to see if I'd screwed up...but found none that were suspect...I sat back, looked at the rest, and told myself, I'd never trust them, nor allow any of my family to shoot them....pulled 'em all and was glad I did. Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

October 28, 2013, 06:33 PM	#2
arizona98tj Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 980	At least you discovered the issue before it became a real time problem. Sorry to hear about it. Time to start pulling bullets. __________________ stu-offroad.com Largest Jeep TJ project site on the web! (now with guns)

October 28, 2013, 06:46 PM	#4
snolden Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: N. E. AZ Posts: 387	Start pulling 10-20 every night. I have had to pull 160 once. Sucks but you caught it

October 28, 2013, 07:32 PM	#5
andyjr11 Member Join Date: March 27, 2013 Posts: 40	I do not see the large flash hole being a problem. The only problem I see is if the cases were made for blank use only. They could be to thin to take a full pressure load. Even at that, it would only cause hard extraction.

October 29, 2013, 08:18 AM	#9
Kevinj Member Join Date: March 9, 2008 Posts: 19	The flash holes are almost as big as the primer face itself. Other that that the cases are dimensionally equal to starline brass and are designed for up to 4 or 5 grains of black powder (for show). I thought about firing 1 in my ruger but primer set back and gas cutting in the primer pocket would be the biggest concern. It is a load I use so I can run it in any 45lc pistol I pick up - a little warm for a colt and a whimp load for a ruger. I may try one. If there are adverse effects I will start pulling. The cases are NOT cheap and are hard to come by.

October 29, 2013, 08:08 PM	#11
Kevinj Member Join Date: March 9, 2008 Posts: 19	Well, I pulled 'em all! took an hour and a half once I got the rhythm going. Now so it don;t happen again I will be listing the Top Brass b;ank cases on Gun broker. 350+ never fired blank cases.

October 30, 2013, 03:51 PM	#16
Kevinj Member Join Date: March 9, 2008 Posts: 19	I know from experience with magnum rifle rounds that enlarged flash holes can cause an unsafe increase in pressures. Even thought this was a medium load in a low pressure cartridge I just did not feel safe firing even one to test it. Some time spent getting to know my bullet puller was better than spending time getting to know a surgeon and buying a new gun. I appreciate the affirmation rodfac!