Post by bob on Aug 25, 2019 14:32:24 GMT -5
Over the years I have been proud of the fact that with one exception, which wasn't my fault, I've never had a bad hand load leave my bench. Well the other day I was loading a bunch (50) of virgin Hornady Hornet brass to fire form to K Hornet. I was not too concerned with absolute powder charge consistency which I am normally quite concerned about and was throwing charges straight into the small case from the Uniflow powder measure, from there to the seating process with the case never leaving my hand 'till bullet is seated and in the box. The neck of the Hornet is small and the powder charge is a little hard to see(not a good excuse), anyway after I completed the loading process I ,out of curiosity , decided to weigh some completed loads. To my surprise(shock) I found a -10 gr. discrepancy in one cartridge vs the others so I immediately and carefully weighed each of the 50 and did find one more -10gr. I pulled the bullets and as you may guess the cases were empty so I charged them properly then went shooting.
Needless to say if I had'nt weighed them I would have had a squib and with the shooting going on at the range and the lack of recoil anyway I might have shot a second round and had serious problems.
Lesson learned, especially with these small neck cases, I will at least weigh all loads either during or immediately after a mass loadings such as Hornets or .218 Bee, not quite so worried about the bigger straight walled cases .38 - .45 Colt very easy to see powder charge. Normally when loading these small cases and even the larger handgun cases I weigh every 5th anyway oor it's every load depending on usage.
Needless to say if I had'nt weighed them I would have had a squib and with the shooting going on at the range and the lack of recoil anyway I might have shot a second round and had serious problems.
Lesson learned, especially with these small neck cases, I will at least weigh all loads either during or immediately after a mass loadings such as Hornets or .218 Bee, not quite so worried about the bigger straight walled cases .38 - .45 Colt very easy to see powder charge. Normally when loading these small cases and even the larger handgun cases I weigh every 5th anyway oor it's every load depending on usage.