Lessons in Reloading or Why one shouldn’t have more than one set of dies on the loading bench.

[Pat Riot]

I have been reloading ammo for over 25 years. I think I am pretty good at it, but no matter how good you are you can make mistakes. 
I run a single stage Lee press with Breech Lock adapters. Really nifty little gadgets that make changing does quick and easy and you don’t have to reset or adjust them once you have them set. 
Today I was humming right along loading. Some .357 Magnum and I planed yo finish up the .357 and move right into reloading .38 Special so I had both sets of dies on the bench and both die boxes were open. 
I had finished seating 100 bullets in 100 cases and moving to the last step of crimping. I grabbed my Factory Crimp die and as I stuck in the press and locked it in I thought to myself “Gee, that die sure does look stubby” without giving it any other thought I crimped a .357 round.

The press handle had a very strange feel to it. Almost like pushing a sharp knife through a watermelon.

 

I knew immediately what I did. While cussing myself under my breath I swapped out the .38 and .357 dies then finished crimping the remaining 99 rounds.

 

That round will sit in a prominent spot on my reloading bench as a reminder to PAY ATTENTION!

 

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

You done good.  There are a number of nitwits on the wire that would have crimped all 100.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

 

 ..... now THAT's a crimp .........  

[Cypress Sun]

What are you going to call this new "wildcat" cartridge?

[Pat Riot]

2 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

What are you going to call this new "wildcat" cartridge?

 

The .357 OS

 

The OS stands for “Oh Sh….!”

[J-BAR #18287]

You're a brave man.  I ain't gonna post my reloading mistakes!!

 

[Buckshot Bear]

You've invented a new caliber.

[Dantankerous]

.357 Sig Long

[Subdeacon Joe]

Ah!   You've been having trouble with bullet setback from recoil in your lever actions!   That crimp should take care of that problem.

[watab kid]

yup - you could do that with my setup - turret has both 45 and 38 but its single stage - you gatta move it to get there 

[Michigan Slim]

I've got 27 die sets on my bench. All in separate die blocks though.....

[Cypress Sun]

44 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said:

I've got 27 die sets on my bench. All in separate die blocks though.....

 

27 die sets...DAMN!!!

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

7 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

I've got 27 die sets on my bench. All in separate die blocks though.....

 

 

OK ........ you win ........  

[Sam Sackett]

On 8/30/2023 at 6:26 PM, Pat Riot said:

I have been reloading ammo for over 25 years. I think I am pretty good at it, but no matter how good you are you can make mistakes. 
I run a single stage Lee press with Breech Lock adapters. Really nifty little gadgets that make changing does quick and easy and you don’t have to reset or adjust them once you have them set. 
Today I was humming right along loading. Some .357 Magnum and I planed yo finish up the .357 and move right into reloading .38 Special so I had both sets of dies on the bench and both die boxes were open. 
I had finished seating 100 bullets in 100 cases and moving to the last step of crimping. I grabbed my Factory Crimp die and as I stuck in the press and locked it in I thought to myself “Gee, that die sure does look stubby” without giving it any other thought I crimped a .357 round.

The press handle had a very strange feel to it. Almost like pushing a sharp knife through a watermelon.

 

I knew immediately what I did. While cussing myself under my breath I swapped out the .38 and .357 dies then finished crimping the remaining 99 rounds.

 

That round will sit in a prominent spot on my reloading bench as a reminder to PAY ATTENTION!

 

 

Well,  you did get a good tight crimp.  Maybe a tad tight, tho.!

 

Sam Sackett 

[Michigan Slim]

2 hours ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

 

 

OK ........ you win ........  

In all fairness, half belong to my little girl.

[Pat Riot]

11 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

I've got 27 die sets on my bench. All in separate die blocks though.....

Impressive, but do you leave two sets open and sitting right next to each while reloading?

 

I can tell you I won’t do it again. 

[Michigan Slim]

8 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

Impressive, but do you leave two sets open and sitting right next to each while reloading?

 

I can tell you I won’t do it again. 

All in a row. But they are set in die blocks all together. And labelled. I've made my share of other mistakes though!

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Undertaker blew up 12" Second generation Colt SAA when he made a mistake and loaded something like 8.5 grains instead of 5.5.

[Pat Riot]

2 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

All in a row. But they are set in die blocks all together. And labelled. I've made my share of other mistakes though!

I think the biggest mistake I have made was I inadvertently mixed 2 powders in the powder measure then realized the mistake after loading 200 rounds of .38 Special.
Ever pull 200 rounds with one of those danged hammer bullet pullers?  
 

Good times. 

[Dead Eye Jake]

I can relate to tearing apart several hundred rounds of ammo.  I bought some 535 gr bullets for my 45 70.  Instead of loading up 10 or 20 rounds and testing them I loaded up a whole bunch and assumed they would shoot as good as the 500 gr bullets I bought from the same vendor.  Not even close.  They were really bad.  Nose diameter was way to small I found out later and also too soft of an alloy.  All on me for not checking them and loading too many.  I now cast my own bullets for my Sharps and check and recheck.  Lesson learned. 

[Presidio]

21 hours ago, Michigan Slim said:

I've got 27 die sets on my bench. All in separate die blocks though.....

I'm counting myself fortunate that I can keep two separated in my normal confused "Now what's that for?" state of mind.

 

I'm with Pat.  One set at a time on my bench.  I ain't organized enough to do otherwise.

[Michigan Slim]

10 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

I think the biggest mistake I have made was I inadvertently mixed 2 powders in the powder measure then realized the mistake after loading 200 rounds of .38 Special.
Ever pull 200 rounds with one of those danged hammer bullet pullers?  
 

Good times. 

Only 200? Yes, I've broke down 200. Lol.

[Texas Maverick]

On 8/30/2023 at 5:44 PM, Cypress Sun said:

What are you going to call this new "wildcat" cartridge?

38-07

 

TM

[Pat Riot]

On 8/30/2023 at 7:30 PM, Dantankerous said:

.357 Sig Long

 

2 minutes ago, Texas Maverick said:

38-07

 

TM

I like Dantankerous’ name for it. 
 

This ammo is so rare and hard to get there is only one in existence. I am in talks now with all the major gun companies. I expect they’ll jump right onboard with it. Right after .30 Super Carry gets off the ground…or out of the basement. 

[Dantankerous]

33 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

This ammo is so rare and hard to get there is only one in existence. I am in talks now with all the major gun companies. I expect they’ll jump right onboard with it. Right after .30 Super Carry gets off the ground…or out of the basement. 

 

Handgunners 50 years and a 100 years from now will be lauding your efforts much like we do today about what Elmer Keith did for the handgun world.

 

[Eyesa Horg]

The .357 +P Riot 

[Pat Riot]

1 hour ago, Eyesa Horg said:

The .357 +P Riot 

Winner!

[Michigan Slim]

I wish all you folks lived in Indiana. Then we could all make fun of Pat in person!!