# I Found a OOP's Today



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Well, a few years ago I loaded up a lot of .340 Weatherby round with the 225 grain Barnes TSX bullets and I decided that I wanted to just switch them over to the rest of the 225 grain TTSX bullets that I have. So I pulled out the old hammer type inertia puller and went to work beating them on a 4x4 to break the bullets loose and save the powder and old bullets. 

I was going good and then I came upon one that only had about a 1/4 charge of powder. Now these loads hold 88 grains of powder so to dump the powder out and only see around 20 grains I was quite shocked. I even hammered the pullers reservoir a few times thinking that it may of been stuck in it along with tapping the case and getting a flash light to look down into it. Yep, it was only about 1/4 full of powder. 

I have no idea of if that charge would of pushed the bullet all the way through the barrel and out or if it would of just lodged the bullet in the barrel, but I am glad that I found it now instead of pulling the trigger and wondering just what happened. I am usually very meticulous when it comes to charging the case but this one slipped by. 

This goes to show that even after loading metallic cartridges for over 50 years mistakes happen.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Take loaded rounds, 5 at a time and weigh them on a scale. Look for any large variations in weights that could be attributed to anomalies. They should all be fairly consistent. If you find bunch that deviates from the norm too much, then you can weight individuals and see where the issue lies. You can test fewer at a time as well... I find 5 seems to go quickly.

But you are lucky to catch that one. I've heard light loads are more dangerous than over pressure loads, due to the primers pushing the bullet into the lands before the powder pressure curve builds, it acts like a barrel obstruction. IDK how true that is... but I've seen bulged barrels from light loads so YMMV.

PS: 88 grains is a monster load. Reminds me of my hotter 7STW loads up around 84grns. I'm always shocked when i switch from reloading .380acp or 40sw back to the STW... and how fast a can of powder disappears into those cases. LOL

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I usually dump powder into the scale pan and then dump it into the case through a funnel. How this one slipped by I have no idea. 

That 88 grains of powder was lower than max in the manual that I used. And the new manual doesn't even list that powder for that bullet weight any more.

That loading gets me 3,000 fps out of my rifle and shoots fantastic. 

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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I wrote to Hodgdon once about STW data, I have older books with loads that dont exist in new books, or are MUCH lower in the new books. I asked if their powder had changed, they said no. I asked if the older data was dangerous they again said no, but still said use the newer data.

IMO I think they are in CYA Lawyer mode. Alot of people loaded hundreds of thousands of loads with that old book data and didnt blow up any guns. I dont see flattened primers or other signs of high pressure, so I still shoot a just under max of the old book version. I get 3200FPS with 160s ... plenty to knock an elk on its azz.

-DallanC


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

I had a blooper last week shooting clays. The wad didn't clear the barrel. Luckily I had a couple of 410 shells in my shooting bag. I took the barrel off & dropped the 410's in and shook it up and down until the wad dropped out.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

You are right on the CYA mode. 

I have a number of older loading manuals that the lawyers would have a fit over as far as the loading's and how hot they are compared to what they are recommending now.

I found a err in a Barnes manual. They listed data in the 7mm Rem mag loading's that were for the 7mm Weatherby mag loading's which were way over pressures for the Rem mag. All they did was to send me a copy of the correct loading's.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I stopped "dropping" powder charges when it comes to rifle handloads. I place the primed brass on the scale, zero it out and then trickle charge the powder. Accuracy and velocity has been so much better when every charge is within a 100th of a grain. Takes forever to load 40 rounds but that's the fun of it.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

For hunting ammo or other precision ammo, I use a cheap Lee Perfect Powder measure to drop within half a grain of my target load into my balance beam pan, then I use a Frankford Armory powdered trickle charger to bring it right up to perfect balance, then into the next empty case it goes. Its generally a pretty fast and very accurate method.

For pistol or plinker AR Ammo where I dont care about super accuracy, I will just drop directly into cases using a different automatic powder measure that is fixed volume. Those loads are upper mid range on the load so being +/- .1 grain doesn't matter. Just needs to go bang and be "minute of pop can". Those are about loading hundreds of rounds per sitting. I still test every 10-15 powder throws on the scale to make sure they are staying in spec.

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The last 4 years I have been using a RCBS Chargmaster.

Once the powder is in the pan and weighed on the scale I'll dump it into the case and by the time that I have the bullet seated and the finished round into the box the next charge is in the pan being weighed and the final grains trickled into it and the process starts over again. 

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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thats on my future Christmas present list 

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Well, my scale is wore out. I went through close to 3000 rounds today and all came out where they were suppose to. 

That's one way to do a inventory.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Critter said:


> Well, my scale is wore out. I went through close to 3000 rounds today and all came out where they were suppose to.
> 
> That's one way to do a inventory.


All it takes is one and usually it is just one. I've had an artillery round several years ago that was missing the black powder in the flash tube. The result was a pants changing moment for the whole crew. We had already shot near 600 rounds from that lot number. No other issue and none since. That lot is now expended but that lesson is firmly burned in my brain.


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