Stupidest thing you've done reloading

[rwc101]

You only forget to lube cases once. Spent a very long time picking primers out of the carpet.

 

[coleslaw]

I did something similar when switching out H4831 with H1000 last winter. H4831 went into the can of H1000. $45.00 into the fire pit. Better than an 8lb jug I suppose...

 

[Redman]

Loaded my .223 off of my .220 swift recipe. Needless to say the primer just fell out and had to knock the case out with a cleaning rod.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Loaded my .223 off of my .220 swift recipe. Needless to say the primer just fell out and had to knock the case out with a cleaning rod.

I was testing some Absolute Hammer loads in my 6.5. First round was way high on the chrono. Being a dumbass I assumed it was a bad reading and shot another. The primer fell out and the bolt was sticky as hell so I got a clue and stopped. Went home and checked my beam scale. The slider was not in the detent and I was about a grain and a half high in my powder charge

 

[buffybr]

Progressive press loading 223 and ran out of primers and didn't notice. Dozen or so cases pouring powder out of the bottom.

Set up my seating die wrong and crushed a few Alpha Munitions brass. The most expensive stuff I had owned at the time.

I've loaded shotshells on my progressive 366 presses where I ran out of primers and the powder ran out the bottom of the shotshells, but I have never had that happen with rifle or pistol shells, even when loading with ball powders.

My RCBS stuck case extractor has been used more than once with cases that didn't have enough lube on them. That's another reason that I've switched to carbide size dies for all of my pistol reloading and collet neck size dies for most of my rifle reloading.

My worst reloading mistake was overloading a case forming shell for my .30 Gibbs that ended up in an early retirement for that rifle.

 

[np307]

Punched a hole through the base of my thumb nail while decapping

 

[Redman]

I was testing some Absolute Hammer loads in my 6.5. First round was way high on the chrono. Being a dumbass I assumed it was a bad reading and shot another. The primer fell out and the bolt was sticky as hell so I got a clue and stopped. Went home and checked my beam scale. The slider was not in the detent and I was about a grain and a half high in my powder charge

I also shot a 7mm Rem Mag out of a 300 Win Mag. It sounded funny and wasn't much of a kick when I ejected the shell I knew exactly what happened. A friend of mine did the opposite and is lucky to be alive..messed his hand up pretty good.

 

[elkduds]

I shot a ramrod out of muzzleloader, along w powder, patch and ball. Still keep the ramrod as a reminder.

 

[Buckbrush]

Punched a hole through the base of my thumb nail while decapping

Ohh that's got to smart.

 

[winmag]

Loading while distracted is definitely a bad idea.

Used to live in a loft apartment that was basically just a big open space and couldn’t get away from friends hanging out while I was loading. Loaded 10 rounds of 308 with no powder in the case. Luckily it had enough neck tension that the bullet didn’t start down the barrel when the primer popped.

 

[nhenry]

Early in my loading days I didn't know that touching the lands was bad.

 

[Wally Dog]

Drank wine................

 

[Bambistew]

I was doing load development for a 270 win and a 30-06. I just got done loading imr 4350 and was loading up some H4831sc. When I went to dump the powder I emptied about 1 cup of the h4831sc into the 8lb jug of imr 4350. For the last hour I've been picking H4831out of imr4350.
And I think I've picked out enough for half a 270 case.
Pita!!

I'd live on the edge if it was me, so don't take my advice. I'd just mix it up well and just shoot it, reduce the charge and work up. The dilution would be what 1200-1500gr in 40-50,000gr (assuming it was near full)? The burn rates are very similar, the max charge rates are similar in both the 06 and 270 (2-3gr different).

Before "magnum" primers where a thing, many of the large cases (375 H&H, 404 Jeff, nito express et. al. ) where charged with a small amount of fast burning pistol powder over the primer (5gr), then the slow burning powder of choice 80-120gr. Old time pioneers in reloading used mixed duplex charges to create different burn rates due to the limited powder choices available at the time. The chemical makeup of the energy component in powder is more or less the same, its the other parts that retard the burn rate that are different.

When I first started loading at 12 (32 years ago), I assumed that a set of 6mm Remington dies was what I'd need for my 243 Win (6mm) in a Remington rifle. It worked fine, I set up the dies correctly, etc. What I didn't realize was the 6mm die was basically just neck sizing my cases. 90% of them chambered the other 10% didn't, the headspace was too long.

I double check everything twice. Total focus, no music, no eating/drinking, no distractions.

 

[MThuntr]

Back when the 204 Ruger was new an old coworker loaded some .224 bullets. He claims he didn't even notice how hard the bullet seated but noticed when his new rifle went boom.

Another stupid thing I've done is to think I'm done reloading for a particular rifle once I get a load put together. HA that lasts like 100 rounds.

 

[CPAjeff]

I was new to reloading and had no idea what I was doing . . .

I didn't understand that there was a minimum recommended charge and wanted to fire form some 6.5x284 Lapua brass. So I loaded like 40 grains into the case instead of the recommended 55ish - because I was a cheap bugger and didn't want to burn the extra 15 grains of powder. Luckily it only took one or two shots down the tube to realize something wasn't quite right . . .

 

[Irrelevant]

Reload 40 rounds for an extended ladder test planning on shooting them the next day so I didn't write anything down. That was last winter, I still haven't shot them, and I have no idea what the details are anymore. Not sure if I should shoot them at all or just pull bullets empty the powder (I think I remember which is was) and start again.

 

[rwc101]

I shot a ramrod out of muzzleloader, along w powder, patch and ball. Still keep the ramrod as a reminder.

Told myself I'd never dry ball a muzzleloader again after the first time. Did it again a week later.

 

[np307]

Ohh that's got to smart.

Yeah it didn't feel great.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Dumbest thing thing I’ve done reloading was telling myself I’ll save money by reloading

Reloading has proven cheaper than buying factory rounds for me.

 

[mtmuley]

Well I just ordered some #18 mesh screen. The imr 4350 is .04 dia the H4831sc is .045 dia. The mesh is .041 don't know what the variation is in screen and all the kernels of powder. But I'm gonna try sifting it before I turn $300.00 of powder in fertilizer. Lesson learned don't have multiple cans of powder on bench. Especially when your memory is fading.

I'd torch it. $300 bucks is cheap compared to what could happen. Good luck. mtmuley