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Stupid reloading mistake


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I loaded up about 2000 rounds of 32-20 without checking the overall length.  I found that thecrimp was not in the crimp groove on the last batch.  On inspection of my dies, the lock nut on the seating die was loose and the seating depth slowly decreased over the 2000 rounds.  That meant that many or most of the crimps were not in the crimp groove.  I tried some of them in my rifle and had some of the rounds back into the case (which causes a jam.)

 

No problem, I said to myself.  I’ll just reseat and recrimp them (I use a Lee Factory crimp die.). I load on a Dillon 550 so I figured it would be easier to just remove the decamping pin and powder measure and feed the cases into the machine using the feed ramp the same as when loading.  Seating and crimping is a two step process anyway so this made it quicker than just using the seating and crimp die.

 

Well, I didn’t remove the sizing die, just the decamping pin.  Big mistake.  It seems that the yield point ( the stress at which deformation is permanent) for brass is much higher than lead.  The result was that I now had about 2000 rounds of 32-20’s that would let the bullets back into the case when used in a ‘73 rifle.  Being as I’m an engineer, I already knew that but just didn’t think about it.  I just keep learning the same lessons over and over again.

 

Well, by the time I’ve shot all these rounds in my pistols, maybe I’ll shoot better.

 

 

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1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

One thing that might help, is to use a Sharpie pen and mark the die body and clamp ring.

Then when the lines do not line up-You'll see it PDQ.

Good luck,

OLG

I Like That Idea Lumpy 

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Quote

I loaded up about 2000 rounds of 32-20 without checking the overall length.

 

That would be the first and most critical error especially using a progressive press of any kind.

 

I use a single stage (and will never change) and I still check everything after 50 rounds. Powder, seat, crimp.

It is harder to check some things during progressive loading, but there is a larger potential for error and must be kept in mind.

 

I had shotgun ammo firing issues last match. Is it the gun or the ammo?!  Inconsistent ammo reliability has a really big effect in your shooting performance. "Is this thing going to go off or not?" really get's in the way. I see shooters fall apart because of it all the time. It took me three stages shooting different shells to get the confidence back. Several shooters offered their SG's for use to finish the match but I was willing to trash the match to narrow down the issue. Which I still have not figured out. I had just broke into a new case of Federal primers. Other shooters shot my shells with varying results (some shells went off with hardly a primer strike while others were slammed and didn't)???

 

In the scheme of things, sub-sonic pistol cartridges are very forgiving to bad reloading and I think volume loading often overpowers quality loading.

Slow down your loading and shoot faster!  ;-)

 

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4 hours ago, Cypress Sam, SASS #10915 said:

Being as I’m an engineer, I already knew that but just didn’t think about it.  I just keep learning the same lessons over and over again.

 

Well, by the time I’ve shot all these rounds in my pistols, maybe I’ll shoot better.

 

Sounds like a familiar (to me) movie I have seen and occasionally starred in ............. :D

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Another thing you can use, Lumpy’s example, is Torque Seal. Google it. It’s a lacquer based paste in a tube. Your set your torque or hardware and then put a dab or squirt of the torque seal across or between the two surfaces you want to ensure haven’t moved. When it cures if the hardware moves the seal breaks apart and you can see it and correct the problem. It’s easy to remove too, if you need to remove it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=torque seal orange

 

 

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A tool head for every cartridge you reload for on the 550.  Set the dies... tighten 'em down, and forget them.

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OLG

I usually mark the dies and leave them permanently set.  The Redding dies I use for 32-20 have a bullet seating adjustment lock nut that is just a hex nut.  See pic below, pencil pointed at nut.  It doesn’t show marks well.  But your suggestion is a good one where there is a lock ring.

2ACCE552-B341-4171-AC99-92097544022E.jpeg

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Widder

I wondered what was wrong.  The .177 cartridge that holds the BB’s looks so much like the 32-20.

8E2136DA-24C2-4410-920E-9884C6EEB94C.jpeg

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Wyatt

You have to actually come to the match to get that honest advantage.  

 

BTW Did you notice that my grand-daughter taught me how to post pictures?

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18 hours ago, Cypress Sam, SASS #10915 said:

OLG

I usually mark the dies and leave them permanently set.  The Redding dies I use for 32-20 have a bullet seating adjustment lock nut that is just a hex nut.  See pic below, pencil pointed at nut.  It doesn’t show marks well.  But your suggestion is a good one where there is a lock ring.

2ACCE552-B341-4171-AC99-92097544022E.jpeg

You could maybe line up a mark on the top of the die body with the slot in the seating stem .....  or add another nut to the stem to lock them both in place.

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Yusta B

The problem wasn’t that the nut came loose.  The problem was that I didn’t retighten the lock nut after experimenting with a different length bullet.  If you don’t tighten the lock nut safeguards don’t matter.

 

I have found that since I turned 80, I’m forgetting more and more stuff.  Your suggestion is a good one though.

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Ok. have it your way !  :lol:  Put a piece of tape on the die, mark it, the lock ring AND the tool holder. Just gotta be a way to nail that puppy down ......   Should be able to fix anything with some duct tape & a Sharpie........

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can you shoot them in your revolvers and start over ? i realize that means marking and being selective but it seems a real waste to not be able to use them up before starting over , pulling all those bullets and going back to square one seems a real big job to me , 

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16 hours ago, watab kid said:

can you shoot them in your revolvers and start over ? i realize that means marking and being selective but it seems a real waste to not be able to use them up before starting over , pulling all those bullets and going back to square one seems a real big job to me , 

Take a look at the last line in his original post. :)

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yup - i forgot that after reading all the other posts , but i felt so bad that they could not be used as intended , i guess he has a lifetime supply :>} 

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