Saved Face.... No Really

[retiredpo]

While this is embarasing, and I never thought I would admit this to anyone, Donh...talked me into it, for
safety and accolades to Rossi. and a reminder of what not to do....
I recently purchased a 44 mag oct bar. 20 inch case hardened. used.. small issues with action, and tube slipping, but all very dealable and fixed. because i had tooooo many irons in the fire, i changed my regular routine of loading and did a few 44 mag 240 gr. cast bullets using 8.2 grs of SR 7625.... There really is no excuse, but one of the shells ended up with 16.4.... When I shot it, I thought it was a bit stout,...
but the lever wouldnt open, until I got it to the work bench,... and only after a lot of persuasion....
I cleaned it up, and it cycled new rounds flawlessly.... i fired one ( pulled the bullets on all loaded rounds and rechecked) and it fired fine, but the casing would not eject, and when tapped out, had enlarged significalntly..
gun went to Rossi for a new barrell and whatever else it needs. Ive been reloading for many yrs... and this is a first. but I owe my face at least to that gun.... and will never deveate from the methodolgy of loading that has in the past served me well.... Only am admitting this to let everyone know it happens. and Rossi makes a hell of a product.

[donhuff]

Thanks for posting this. I know it might embarrass you to admit it to your peers, but it is a good thing to know that our guns are that strong. I hate that it messed up your barrel, but that is really not much damage for so much pressure. Also, glad you did not get hurt during the ordeal.

And fellas, don't give him a hard time about it, cause the ones of us that have not made a mistake while reloading, are the ones that started yesterday and have not pulled the trigger on their new rounds yet. Reloading is a continuous, interesting, learning process. And it can be a very boring and monotonous process, at the same time. When he first told me I of course told him what "I" do, to keep from doing that same thing. I had already hit the submit button before it hit me that I hate someone telling me that sort of thing. Too late to get those words back though. There aint no, I didn't mean to say that, button.

RD, can quickload estimate the pressure of such a load?

[Tuco Ramirez]

Thanks for telling your story!!

Have loaded a few squib rounds through the years myself. The last one was about a year a half ago. The golden rule with reloading IMHO is no distractions. No phone calls, no trying to do anything else while you are reloading.

You have to have a system that you follow each and every time. Glad you were not injured!!

[akuser47]

Glad your ok, I have been on long load sessions where I had gotten comlacent was not checking and I was double chargeing my shells good for me I load everything in long steps. I clean the shell cases then size and prime then weigh and charge each one step at a time I was doing 200 rounds this day and on last 50 I was getting ready to seat the bullets and noticed the powder being so high I was like oh crap and thank god at the same time if this had been a turet. I would had been in trouble. Single stage helps me see my mistakes. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.

[Ranch Dog]

Thanks for posting the info retiredpo. Hope you don't mind but I'm going to move this to the reloading forum as that is where the reminder should be. I'm kind of curious what damage was done to the rifle or didn't you just want Rossi to check it out?

A fellow on my Lee Loader forum just experienced a mistake in loading Accurate No. 7 with a charge that was intended for Reloader 7. I figured the charge was producing 150K PSI and it blew up the 444 Marlin.

IMR SR7625 isn't listed in QuickLoad so I have no way of calculating the pressure that was generated.

[donhuff]

RD,
It's right with unique in burn rate sooooo. What would Unique do in that kind of charge? I know it wont be exact, but would be a rough idea.

[williamc]

... thank god at the same time if this had been a turret... Single stage helps me see my mistakes.

I'm a novice reloader, and I use a Lee turret press with auto-index. I think for a novice that is a pretty good feature to prevent against double charging, since I don't touch the cartridge until it has been through all 4 stages. I just have to make sure there is powder in the hopper to prevent squids and I'm safe. Likewise, the auto disk powder measure will protect against overcharging if set up right. No plan is foolproof, and I still regularly weigh my loads, but I think the Lee setup is very safe.

[akuser47]

... thank god at the same time if this had been a turret... Single stage helps me see my mistakes.

I'm a novice reloader, and I use a Lee turret press with auto-index. I think for a novice that is a pretty good feature to prevent against double charging, since I don't touch the cartridge until it has been through all 4 stages. I just have to make sure there is powder in the hopper to prevent squids and I'm safe. Likewise, the auto disk powder measure will protect against overcharging if set up right. No plan is foolproof, and I still regularly weigh my loads, but I think the Lee setup is very safe.

I am not fimiliar with the turret op. yet so thats good to know I still like the step by step I do even though high volume shooter will never be happy with my process. Good to know it is safe as well.

[williamc]

I definitely think safety is a mindset, especially when it comes to reloading. no equipment can prevent a lapse of judgement or concentration. Still, my point is that the autoindex feature coupled with the Autodisk powder measure ads a significant layer safety to the Lee turret that other turret presses do not have. Just something to think about.

[Archer]

Don't feel too bad, Winchester just recalled a couple lots of .22 LR for potential double charges.

Good to know the action held the pressure and sent it downrange.

WRT turret presses, Like everything else IT DEPENDS.

Lee makes or has made turret presses both with auto-indexing and manual indexing. It is possible to double charge on the manual indexing version but unlikely with the auto-indexing version IF you are using it as intended and it is working right. I've also seen the auto-indexing parts pulled and tossed aside because they weren't working correctly.

Lyman's turret press is manual indexing.

Likewise with other progressives some advance automatically and others require a manual turn of the shellplate. I've got a Dillon Square Deal that auto-indexes that I load .44 M on and a 550B that must be manually advanced after each pull of the handle.

Got to keep in mind the equipment you are using and how it works regardless of if it is hand tools, single stage, turret or progressive.