"Common" issues

[Duff-Man]

So what are the "common" issues that could be encountered in reloading?

Underloaded/no powder
Overloaded
Too much crimp

[grousemaster]

too little flare

[Scratch]

Lack of components....











JK.... I've been helping a few guys reload over here, and one thing that I see is sometimes, is they'll short stroke it and either the primer won't get seated enough, or they miss the primer all together.

[Grandpa Rex]

Inattention.

With any multistep process, cutting corners, rushing, distraction, and lack of care can compromize your process.

[rugersol]

• bad data (either flat-out wrong published data ... failing to correlate it with another source ... or if it ain't close enough, a bad guess)

• loose powder-measure setting (check it as ya start each new 100rd "batch" ... also a good idea to re-weigh at some regular frequency, as well)

• not topping off the powder measure (reminded by Pat Cannon ... if it is, er gonna be, below 1/3 full, by the time ya load yer "batch", best top it off ... er at least fill it to double what ya think ya'll need)

• double-charge (this is more easily achieved with a very fast powder ... as it will take up very little volume, by weight ... convsersely, if lights loads are desired, a below book min of a very slow powder, is not a good solution ... ya can still use a "fast" powder ... but ideally, it's one that comes very close to the top of the case-mouth, when doubling)

• light/no charge (also, in the case of a slower powder, supposedly something called "flashover" can occur, and blow up yer gun! )

• light crimp (in a semi-auto, the bullet hits the feed-ramp, and is squashed back into the case ... causing significantly higher pressure)

• over crimping (ya basically swage the bullet ... in a semi-auto, this can cause headspacing issues ... with cast bullets, it can increase leading)

• bad brass (w/o using something like a "U" die, bulged brass can become deformed by a FCD which flows the brass down to a ridge ... affording a blowout ... also, split cases)

• "double" seating (loads are already seated/crimped, and ya realize yer OAL is too long ... rather than pull em, ya try to re-seat em ... in some cases, this works ... but the next time ya go to load, yer mouths'll split!)

• mismatched powder/cast-bullet (use a fast powder at low-speed for "soft" bullets, and a slow powder at hi-speed for "hard" bullets)

• long OAL (published OAL is a reference ... it's yer responsibility to check your loads in your bbl to make sure yer not too close, er into the lands ... in extreme cases, this can cause headspacing issues!)

• not using a cast crimp-groove (again, OAL is a reference ... with cast-bullets, rare exceptions aside, always crimp into the crimp-groove ... as much as ya can w/o swaging the bullet)

[rugersol]

too little flare

Heffay's got us all beat, there!

[Duff-Man]

Inattention.

Not really an issue per se, but the root cause of most of the problems.

[Kelor]

too little flare

Heffay's got us all beat, there!

I know it's off topic, but that was funny stuff there.

[Pat Cannon]

So far, the only things I've had to pull bullets for was letting the powder go empty, and a few that were underloaded because the Autodisk was sticking. A little graphite powder cured the latter. Paying attention when I do the charging step covers both.

[grousemaster]

So far, the only things I've had to pull bullets for was letting the powder go empty, and a few that were underloaded because the Autodisk was sticking. A little graphite powder cured the latter. Paying attention when I do the charging step covers both.

Same here, I had to set a couple aside due to letting the powder go empty nd being unsure of the charge in the previous round.

Another major issue in MN: corrosion. I moved my setup to garage and already see corrosion on the press....and I keep it oiled down when not in use. Some guys have that problem even indoors. Maybe I should duracoat the damn thing!

[s4s4u]

Attention is the most common issue.

[Pat Cannon]

Attention is the most common issue.

Yep.