First mistake at the range... Very lucky

[MagnumManiac]

Bad mistake, but hey, we're only human and nothing damaged.
I once was at a shoot, there was a member of our team that EVERYBODY tried to avoid, you know, the guy that knows it all but actually has no idea. Anyway, he just so happened to be next to me, we were all shooting fouler/sighter shots when we heard a very strange string of shots coming from his bench, sounded like fire forming loads. He then asked me if I could see any hits on his target, so looked through my spotting scope, which was annoying having to move it, he didn't have one, could only see one hit that was clearly keyholed. I told him this, and he said it didn't feel or sound right when he fired 5 SHOTS and looked at his ammo, he was using 25-06 ammo in his 6.5-06!!
Nobody liked that guy, this was only one incident involving him. He also once rocked up during a cease fire and proceeded to start firing fire forming loads. He said it was safe because there isn't a bullet in the case, we almost had a dozen heart attacks out at the 500yrd line!!

Cheers.
gun)

 

[ShootnMathews]

Wow. I think he'd be beat with a rubber hose for firing while you were in the field.

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

The guys at our range would have tossed him out without batting an eye, and he'd have probably had people ready to beat him down all the way to his car.

 

[J E Custom]

Just like reloading. My rule is never to have any components on the loading bench except the ones for the load in progress. especially powder.

At the range, same thing. when I finish shooting one rifle I remove all the ammo for it back into my truck and then get the ammo for the next rifle only to put out.

These things can happen to anyone if they don't have a system in place to prevent this.

Glad you are all right and did not hurt the rifle.

Maybe your post will keep someone else from doing the same thing (Firing the wrong ammo
in there rifle).

J E CUSTOM

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

JE... yes sir... My work bench is always one caliber... One powder... One bullet make. My mistake comes from years of reloading and dragging multiple boxes to the range... And finally tiring of it. For the last 3 years I've just used a single box with my ammo divided by a single row between them.. This time... I had too many rounds that I didn't have enough space to put that single row between my 7mms and 308s. It was hubris that got me into trouble... And it will be humility that gets me back on track. Just glad I have both sets of eyes and hands to join me in remedying my lack of respect for the process. I knew better... But thought I knew better!

 

[Marble]

Well... made my first error with respect to reloading and rangetime last night in 30 years. Light was getting low and I was trying to double-check loads on both my 7mm IHMSA and 308. Had just finished verifying loads on both the 7mm and 308, and was taking my last shot on the 308 at 200 yrds to confirm my adjustment from a 3 round group I had just shot. Reached over and grabbed a 7mm, inserted, close bolt. Didn't notice. Aimed & Fired.... did notice. Felt like I was shooting a half load.

Pulled the cartridge and that's when I'd realized what I had done. I was very lucky that it was a smaller bullet going through bigger barrel and that the 7mm Ihmsa is formed from a 308 case so it was a close match to the chamber, or I could have ended up destroying a very nice firearm, not to mention myself.

Lesson for me: Don't get over-confident/complacent... Don't rush... keep ammo in separate case... look at it before inserting into rifle!

Feel very fortunate. Here's the result:
View attachment 38911

So glad you are ok. The first and only dangerous reloading mistake I saw was on a Rem 700 mountain gun in a 7-08. The guy had never loaded before and on his first shot he welded his brand new bolt to his receiver. Blew out the gas ports, blew the mag plate off the bottom of the gun. Gun was toast.

I did almost the exact same thing you did two years ago. My ammo boxes for my 7mm and my 300 wm are identical, and I was shooting siroccos in both at the time. I had both ammo boxes on the bench at the same time and accidently stuck a 7mm in my 300wm. Same result as yours. My bullet went about 60 yards and hit the dirt. Now, whenever I am shooting, I clear off the bench with every other cartridge so I only have one choice to put in my gun.

 

[Sargesniper]

JE... yes sir... My work bench is always one caliber... One powder... One bullet make. My mistake comes from years of reloading and dragging multiple boxes to the range... And finally tiring of it. For the last 3 years I've just used a single box with my ammo divided by a single row between them.. This time... I had too many rounds that I didn't have enough space to put that single row between my 7mms and 308s. It was hubris that got me into trouble... And it will be humility that gets me back on track. Just glad I have both sets of eyes and hands to join me in remedying my lack of respect for the process. I knew better... But thought I knew better!

Man don't keep beating yourself up. You are human. Just like the rest of the shooting world. There is not one person shooting today that has not made some sort of mistake at one time or another. Learn from the experience and move forward in a positive way. Chalk this one up to luck and think of a solution to your experience. Always think, SAFETY FIRST. Don't rush it. I'm sure you are going to work out a solution that fits your need.

SEMPER FI ........ SARGESNIPER

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

Man don't keep beating yourself up. You are human. Just like the rest of the shooting world. There is not one person shooting today that has not made some sort of mistake at one time or another. Learn from the experience and move forward in a positive way. Chalk this one up to luck and think of a solution to your experience. Always think, SAFETY FIRST. Don't rush it. I'm sure you are going to work out a solution that fits your need.

SEMPER FI ........ SARGESNIPER

Good point sarge.... I'm not beating myself up... But acknowledging that this issue was caused by my being lax with what I knew were poor practices, but over the years, had convinced myself that I was smart enough and competent enough that it wasn't an issue. It's made me examine other aspects of my reloading/shooting to see if there might be other bad habits I've introduced into my methods due to expediency. I'm all about efficiency... And blowing my face off doesn't seem that efficient! Lol

You guys rock and I've already gone back to my old way of doing things. Just a good reminder to me why certain practices have been established in the first place...

 

[Sargesniper]

Good point sarge.... I'm not beating myself up... But acknowledging that this issue was caused by my being lax with what I knew were poor practices, but over the years, had convinced myself that I was smart enough and competent enough that it wasn't an issue. It's made me examine other aspects of my reloading/shooting to see if there might be other bad habits I've introduced into my methods due to expediency. I'm all about efficiency... And blowing my face off doesn't seem that efficient! Lol

You guys rock and I've already gone back to my old way of doing things. Just a good reminder to me why certain practices have been established in the first place...

Some times we take things for granted instead of what they really are. No one is immune. Get back into the groove and move forward. Put it behind you but always remember this incident and do not let it happen again. Every thing is going to be fine with you after this. Take care man and keep them in the V ring. SEMPER FI ..... SARGESNIPER

 

[LoneTraveler]

I am a retired Wildlife Officer, I have seen and heard about all that can go wrong. I checked a guy one morning deer hunting said he had missed the biggest buck he ever seen 4 times. Shooting his buddies 270 Win. shells in his 30-06. He laughed wonder how his buddy was doing trying to get his 30-06 shells chambered in his 270 Win. The scariest things that can happen is when someone puts a 308 Win. shell in a smaller bore 30-06 length chamber. In the district office I once worked out of hung a shadow box. In the shadow box was a Pre 64 Model 70 Win. which had been custom barreled to 25-06. In helping his buddy at the range someway a 308 Win. shell got in his pocket with his 25-06. He put the shell in the gun, the Mauser extractor held it against the bolt face and firing pin. When it fired crap happened. It split the front receiver ring through the scope base holes. The scope was torn in half. The lugs held in the receiver. The busted the stock has what was recovered is in the display. Bent the magazine floor plate until it blew down. His custom rifle is now junk. the case holds over 40 pieces of the gun and stock. No injury, the angels looked after him. A guy brought a Mauser custom 25-06 into Chuck Wilcox's shop about 1973. He had shot a 308 Win. in it. The only thing that save the mans life was he had forgot his hat and rolled a towel up and put it around his head to keep sweat from dripping in his eyes. He recovered the hook of the extractor from the towel. He was lucky without the towel he would have been dead. Getting a 308 Win. shell in a 270 Win. 280 Rem class chamber is like trying to shove a golf ball through a garden hose.

 

[Holy Moley]

I would like to thank you for your depiction of what happened and your honesty. I would not be surprised if you've saved someone from injury or worse by posting this. This is certainly a reminder to never be complacent around firearms, weather we are at the range or in the field. Definitely a wake up call!

 

[ishootkittens]

I've seen it before, it's an easy mistake when you're chewing through ammo at the range. My mistake was I was shooting someone else's rifle and loads, I ASSUMED the guy separated his ammo, until a buddy of mine took a shot and the bolt SLAMMED open and hot pieces of metal and powder came back and blasted his face. He bled from what looked like tiny little bug bites on his face for a good 30 minutes. We are just glad he was wearing sunglasses. LESSON LEARNED

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

I've seen it before, it's an easy mistake when you're chewing through ammo at the range. My mistake was I was shooting someone else's rifle and loads, I ASSUMED the guy separated his ammo, until a buddy of mine took a shot and the bolt SLAMMED open and hot pieces of metal and powder came back and blasted his face. He bled from what looked like tiny little bug bites on his face for a good 30 minutes. We are just glad he was wearing sunglasses. LESSON LEARNED

Jesus...that made my stomach bark. Glad to hear that your friend ended up without serious injury.

 

[ishootkittens]

The bigger mistake was not taking him to the ER rather another friend an I decided we were going to pick the pieces out of his face ourselves with a pair of tweezers, a needle, and a bottle of alcohol. He didn't care for our operating procedures.