Safety reminder

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

Tonight I was loading for a weekend match. I haven't loaded ammo in a few months so I emptied my powder measure, cleaned it and put it back on. I am running a Dillon 650 set up to load .38-40. The brass today was new, so no spent primers to make a mess. The rest of machine was adequately clean and operating smoothly except for the block that drops the cartridge had cracked so I reversed it and it was working with only a slight occasional drag.

 

Well I managed to set off an explosion that blew the primer tube tonight with about 40 primers in it. Thankfully I had bought a spare priming unit years ago for changing over to small primers and had all the parts to get it back up and running. Dillon sure makes a stout product. I know they will replace all damaged parts free of charge, but even if I had to pay, I bet there aren't $10.00 worth of damaged parts to even replace.

 

A big thank you to the black powder gods that the isolation between the powder measure and the priming system was adequate this time.

 

Keep your presses clean and running smoothly. If they drag at all stop then and there, take it apart and clean, identify and rectify the problem. "One more pull and I'll get to it" was almost my undoing tonight. Wear your safety glasses. I caught a little peppering at chin level, but my beard kept me from any burns. Keep your loading area clear.

 

You don't have to tell me the risks of loading BP on a Dillon 650-I know them, I have taken precautions that I am satisfied with and I don't recommend it to anyone else because there is risk there. Tonight I got complacent and tried to run the machine when everything was not absolutely perfect and ignored a drag that should have told me to tear it down and correct the problem. If I am sharing my deficiencies so that you may learn-well then gentlemen, this is going to be a long class. . . .

[Grizzly Dave]

Glad you came out of it ok pard.

[Presidio]

YIKES !

 

I can only imagine the surpised look on your face ! Glad you're okay !

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

I believe the look on my face was simply one of mild surprise. At first I thought it was a single primer and that "Well that was a little louder than I expected."

 

Then I saw the weight (A 250 grain slug seated in the bottom of a .45 case and pressed on the end) that had been attached to the primer follower rod rolling across the floor, and the follower had hit the ceiling hard enough to be bent into a "Z" shape (at first I thought it was the powder linkage rod for about 1/2 a second)

 

The carnage inside the primer tube was really quite impressive. It is in a zip lock bag with all the primers that went off and I think it will be a permanent decoration in my reloading room.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

Glad yer ok J Mark. Were you using Federal primers?? I Know of two other such incidents using Federal primers with the Dillon, and one with Lee. Lee used to suggest not using Federals with their presses. FWIW, I do not use Federal when loading BP on my Horandy proggessive or Lee turret. Good Luck

 

 

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Fordyce Beals]

J. Mark Flint

 

 

http://5dogscreek.com/2012/news-may-2012/

 

Has a photograph of 1/2 pound (the same amount that fills a blue brand powder measure) of FFG black powder going off in a cannon. An aluminum foil wrap around the powder and no wadding or projectile. Not something you would want next to your face, your beard won’t protect you from that!!!

 

I know you said you were risk tolerant of this but just saying for me, NO.

 

Fordyce (who got to pull the igniter and set off all the car alarms)

[Snakebite]

Tonight I was loading for a weekend match. I haven't loaded ammo in a few months so I emptied my powder measure, cleaned it and put it back on. I am running a Dillon 650 set up to load .38-40. The brass today was new, so no spent primers to make a mess. The rest of machine was adequately clean and operating smoothly except for the block that drops the cartridge had cracked so I reversed it and it was working with only a slight occasional drag.

 

Well I managed to set off an explosion that blew the primer tube tonight with about 40 primers in it. Thankfully I had bought a spare priming unit years ago for changing over to small primers and had all the parts to get it back up and running. Dillon sure makes a stout product. I know they will replace all damaged parts free of charge, but even if I had to pay, I bet there aren't $10.00 worth of damaged parts to even replace.

 

A big thank you to the black powder gods that the isolation between the powder measure and the priming system was adequate this time.

 

Keep your presses clean and running smoothly. If they drag at all stop then and there, take it apart and clean, identify and rectify the problem. "One more pull and I'll get to it" was almost my undoing tonight. Wear your safety glasses. I caught a little peppering at chin level, but my beard kept me from any burns. Keep your loading area clear.

 

You don't have to tell me the risks of loading BP on a Dillon 650-I know them, I have taken precautions that I am satisfied with and I don't recommend it to anyone else because there is risk there. Tonight I got complacent and tried to run the machine when everything was not absolutely perfect and ignored a drag that should have told me to tear it down and correct the problem. If I am sharing my deficiencies so that you may learn-well then gentlemen, this is going to be a long class. . . .

 

 

Been there, done that. This is the same EXACT scenario that happened to me! If you are worried about the powder measure, you can slide a piece of aluminum tubing, cut to size, over it. If by some rare chance the hopper were to go off, it would be directed up...and not out into your face.

 

Snakebite

[WymoreWrangler SASS 46187L]

I'm just glad your okay pardner...

[Texas Red]

JMF,

 

My Gad Col...Surely it stained your britches...???

 

TR

 

"Deo Vindice"

[Blue Wolf , SASS# 29424L]

J.Mark,

Glad your OK. I bet you were dazed for a second trying to figure out what just happened.

 

Blue Wolf

[Bear Saint Paw]

Glad you are ok JMF!

 

Have you determined what was wrong yet? I'm real interested in that as I have a XL650 also.

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE]

I'm fine and it happened so fast my britches were spared. I was using Federal primers. I have the aluminum hopper conversion, but may consider more.

 

As to the problem. . . well I haven't been shooting much lately and that means I only load occasionally. Some minor corrosion under the primer feed disc and some crud made the primer feed drag a bit and I did commit the cardinal sin of taking a primer out of the discharge chute and running it back thru the feeder. I think a primer may have gotten turned and hung possibly as a result of this. As I was having problems with the block that pushes the first cartridge into place I was being deliberate about seating it (pushing firmly at the end of each stroke) when it went off.

 

As I said earlier, totally my fault for not stopping at the very first sign of trouble and clearing the machine and cleaning and tuning everything. I shudder to imagine a powder hopper being ignited full of BP, but other than being more particular, I don't plan to change much about my loading set up.

[Bama Red]

First of all, J. Mark, I'm glad you're OK.

 

Or what passes for OK in your case!

 

Also glad you figured out the problem and can work to prevent it in the future. BTW, if you had taken your head off, I'd have no use for that bucket of .38-40 brass I bought from the Boy Scouts at Ambush last October. I'll give it to ya the first time we see each other. Keep your wits about you and listen to that little voice in your head that says, "Whoa, son! Ya just might want to think this thru!"

[Matthew Duncan]

Do we call you Lefty now or assume your still 100% intact (physically) ?

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Sometimes the voice of experience is a warning shout.

 

Glad it wasn't worse and that you're okay.