I'm just reading this Thread now. Educational for all. I noted that no loading block was used in the description. Not sure what others do. I use a loading block and try to powder charge all cases as one continuous step in my reloading process. Then after all the cases are charged with powder, I visually examine all of the cases to compare the level of the gun powder. There have been times following the completion of the powder charging of 'all' cases, that I've found an empty case. And there have been times when I've double charged a case - but with my rifle cases, a double-charge normally overflows the casing. Which is a good built-in safety mechanism. The squib (reduced) loads do create a powder volume situation where a rifle casing can be double-charged. With some pistol casings, it's also possible to double charge a casing without powder overflow, so I am doubly diligent to ensure the powder levels are all the same when a casing and powder allow that possibility.
By inspecting the powder charge in every casing setting in the loading block after all cases have been powder charged, this process serves as a quality assurance/quality control step, and also adds to the safety of cartridges I'm manufacturing. Any significant differences in visual depth of powder charges prompts closer scrutiny. We don't want a primer to lodge a bullet into the bore because of neglecting to charge a casing with powder. Nor do we want any double-charged cartridges. So I force an inspection of each casing in the loading block after I'm done charging them all with powder. I find it helpful to examine all charged cases side by side. When they're all the same (or supposed to be the same), an outlier shows up very quickly in this manner. I'll inspect the powder charges twice, especially if there's been an unscheduled interruption to my reloading process/time following the powder charging step, and prior to the bullet seating step.
Glad the young man is still engaged in shooting and hunting. And that he bagged a buck this past season!
