Pushing the load limits of any cartridge....dangerous....want more power...get bigger gun....do not push it.....
Reloading Safety
- Thread starter Hikinghunter
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Hikinghunter
Well-Known Member
My main objective is to reload 28nos and 300prc, since those are my long range guns. I also shoot .243 and 30-06, but I'm perfectly happy with factory ammo in those. With that said, I may start out with some 30-06 hand loads, just for practice.
If no one else has said this, get a bullet puller. Either impact, or collet. Something you will need.
I for one always look at my powder drops before inserting a bullet into the case. I usually load 20 rds at a time, complete one loading step at a time before moving on to the next one so when I drop the powder into each case I physically look into each case to see if the powder levels look close to each other. You can see if you double charged or if you ran out of powder and didn't notice it just by looking down into the case.Point taken. I'm a naturally detail oriented person. I'll probably weigh each round after the bullet has been seated to ensure I didn't over load, and come up with some journaling system to ensure I don't use the wrong powder. I'm not inclined to load "hot" - seems like a good way to spend more time cleaning fouled barrels…
Glad you guys came out of the double load situation ok. Good point to think about any cases that might accept accidental double-loads.
With that said, I'm thinking more about any common newbie ******* mistakes that could be dangerous, rather than just goofy/pointless. Complacency seems to be more common with experanced hands - newbies are properly scared. Looking to learn from your guys newbie mistakes, rather than making my own
For example - I used to homebrew beer. I was properly scared of the chemicals and compressed gasses with red warning labels. Turns out, the most dangerous thing I did in that hobby without giving it a second thought was carrying a glass carboy (think 5 gallon beer bottle) across a tile floor. Doesn't sound all that dangerous, but they are s slick as snot, and it's easier than you'd think to drop those things and impale yourself on foot-long glass shards. To my knowledge, nobody has hurt themselves with the super-scary compressed gas cylinders used in brewing (which have enough energy to flatten a house), but plenty of folks have gone to the ER with serous injuries from glass carboys. Are there any equivalents in reloading - stuff that newbies do that old hands would never would?
cabelasken
Well-Known Member
I had a box of 300 WSM factories that had one bullet of .284 dia. When I took it out of the box to fire at the range the bullet was loose and with a slight tug it came out of the brass. So the bottom line is it can happen to anyone. Bullets of .277 and .284 dia are very close and now I have a shelf for each different caliber.
9.3davison
Active Member
A friend of mine reloads and he owned a cheap set of digital calipers and did not realize they were very inconsistent. When seating bullets, he assumed his seating die was faulty and adjusted the seat die for every round in that group of hand loads. Upon firing the rifle, one of the rounds pushed the bullet into the rifling and it over pressured enough to split his stock.
Of course he stopped reloading until we discovered what was going on (also why it is important to have a mentor or at least someone with reloading knowledge). He did not realize a precision measuring instrument could fail.
Labwhisper
Active Member
Am I the only one who immediately visualized waving a propane torch over case mouths rather than a flashlight?
M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
It would only take one time to figure out it wasn't such a good idea. lol
NSP64
Member
Get an rcbs collet bullet pulling die. Allows you to salvage all the componants. Good advice here. Been loading 38 years. Check your brass length after every resize . Take your time and enjoy. I just started in long range shooting 300WM. I have always looked for the accuracy node in the middle powder charges.
Remember, If your recipe changes start low and work back up. Enjoy
Remember, If your recipe changes start low and work back up. Enjoy
Litrfoot
Well-Known Member
Never pick up range brass to reload! You don't know the history of its use! Buy quality brass and keep track of the firing of said brass. The same goes for your rifle barrels. All my rifles have log books.
Always remove all sizing lube before shooting! It is important that the brass has the ability to grip the chamber walls. This reduces bolts thrust.
That's 2 cents.
Always remove all sizing lube before shooting! It is important that the brass has the ability to grip the chamber walls. This reduces bolts thrust.
That's 2 cents.
X2 and don't have 2 different caliber projectiles on the table....finish one set of reloads, put everything away
rickjoty
Well-Known Member
Torch, meaning flashlight in American English
