KABOOM prevention

[M77MKII]

Some time ago I had problems with a Dillon.I worked the primer problem out,it would miss a primer,occasionally.While working out the kink,I had left a case in the charge position.....Yup you guessed it I missed the overcharge in the case.Cost me a nice clock 35,lucky to have my hand in tact,with all fingers.Well that day I loaded about 400 rounds,got about 250 left.Here is the question.I want to check the loaded cartridges I have left for overcharge.Thoughts on using a digital scale for this,and its accuracy?Can I trust I found all the overcharges if any?

[markshere2]

What is the value of 250 rounds?

What is the risk of another bad one?

What is the cost of another bad one?

Weigh each and pull down the 10 heaviest?

Pull them all apart?

You gotta make them decisions.....Not us.

[Yoder]

Pull them all. It won't take that long. I screwed up about 100 .45's one time. I dumped them in with about 400 other loaded rounds before I realized it. I pulled all 500 of them. You can save everything and re-use it. I just ran them all back through my press.

[frankski]

Early in reloading I had the same question. Some good folks on this forum persuaded me that the normal variation in bullet and case weights would make weighing to detect over/under charge a “fool’s errand”. I remember the words, they were apt.

Over time, I’ve disassembled a lot of loaded ammo when I was less than certain of a charge. I sleep well at night and have all original fingers and eyes.

[SgtRecon]

If you get set up right from the start, gloves, glasses,hearing protection,vessels for the components close by and have a good puller, you can get quite a good rhythm down, and knock out 250 quickly,I use a Frankford arms kinetic. I do it outside in my yard against an old knarly hard stump.have something unmovable and solid to whack against and whack them sharply

Get mad at yourself for having to do this and it will go quicker, ask me how I know. reloading is a rewarding hobby, things like this make you better

take it all inside and repack them, small price to pay for peace of mind

[Brick]

Pull them all!

[bamboomaster]

You could host a party and invite some folks over with bullet pullers to help out - with three or four working, shouldn't take more than an hour or so...

Yes, others have mentioned "PULL THEM ALL" and I agree whole-heartedly. You can re-use the bullets, re-use the primed cases, and re-use the powder. What's not to like?

And you can sleep at night, knowing your gonna just be fine with your NEW reloads at the range.

The fastest/low-cost way to pull these bullets that works for me is to clamp a 30-34" 2x4 to a vertical cinder block. Use two clamps - one near the base, one near the top of the block. Have three clean plastic containers - one for bullets (plastic won't dent the bullets), another for powder, and a larger one for brass.

Then wack away with your bullet puller. One or two SHARP strikes on the top of the 2x4 and you're done with the first one. Carefully empty the condiments into the appropriate containers.

IMO, it's not worth the time weighing all .45 ACP's to hope to identify any miscreant rounds...

PULL THEM ALL!

[Twoboxer]

Honestly, my first thought reading the OP was "Geez, hasn't he learned his lesson yet?" Then I realized you probably have learned, and are honestly looking for the best way to ensure the remaining 250 bullets don't blow up another gun and perhaps, this time, your hand.

The answer is really simple. The absolute, ONLY ways to eliminate a second overcharge are:

1) To be ABSOLUTELY SURE you could not possibly have had more than 1 overcharged round. Apparently, you cannot be certain or you would not have needed to ask.

2) Pull all the rounds.

So if you want to save the bullets and most of the powder for re-use, a kinetic puller works well with a piece of sponge at the bottom of the tube to cushion the ejection impact. If you value time and effort more than ~$50 of bullets, use a collet puller . . . though many claim the small amount of damage often done to the pistol bullet is irrelevant.

As said above, you cannot definitively find an overcharge by total cartridge weight.

[M77MKII]

Yup,I was wondering if there was a fool proof way.Guess there is not.I'll just buy a couple pullers and start banging.Beats losing any body parts and another Glock 35.

[GeneCC]

Some time ago I had problems with a Dillon.I worked the primer problem out,it would miss a primer,occasionally.While working out the kink,I had left a case in the charge position.....Yup you guessed it I missed the overcharge in the case.Cost me a nice clock 35,lucky to have my hand in tact,with all fingers.Well that day I loaded about 400 rounds,got about 250 left.Here is the question.I want to check the loaded cartridges I have left for overcharge.Thoughts on using a digital scale for this,and its accuracy?Can I trust I found all the overcharges if any?

If it were me? Components are cheap, my time and my body are expensive.


I'd waste the entire lot, chalk it up to experience.