Near KABOOM this weekend..

[dwalker]

While shooting the USPSA match this weekend in Reno I had a squib load on the next to last stage of the day. On the start signal two shots went into the first paper, then one into the next, the slide came back, stripped the next round, and I stopped. Something about the third round felt "off" and weak. I racked out the round that had been chambered and the next round did not fully chamber. Dropped the mag, racked that round out and locked the slide and told the RO I had a squib and an unsafe weapon. Showed him chamber where the copper base of the bullet could barely be seen. A trip to the safety area with a cleaning rod and problem solved.
The removed projectile had a good bit of soot on the base,so not sure what the exact issue was. Pretty much have it narrowed down to either powder contamination or a light charge. The only contamination I can think of is maaaaybe some polish or caselube somehow got into the case prior to loading. Not sure how I could have gotten a light charge, but there was a batch I ran on my turret press where the powder thrower got a bit out of adjustment and was not throwing full charges. I thought I had culled out and torn down all the affected rounds but its possible I missed a couple, so all the remaining Berrys 124's have been culled for teardown.

The RO and other shooters did not hear anything different with the shot and I feel very fortunate that I did not trigger the follow up shot as that would have been a hell of a kaboom with the setback bullet (compressed load) slamming into the squib bullet.

[Yerman]

Glad you are ok. That is one of the reasons I went with the Dillon 650 and the powder check alarm.

It makes it easier to justify the cost of the machine if you take your safety and the cost of your firearms into consideration.

[mjmagee67]

No powder plain and simple. If there was any powder it would have gone down the barrel farther. Us USPSA guys run those light recoil springs, lets those squibs cycle the action.

[Win231]

Someone on another forum said his friends called him "paranoid" because he glances at the case before seating bullets. I posted that safety was not paranoia & I always glance at the case to ensure a powder charge; it's the last chance to notice a missing or light charge. In 45 years of handloading, I've never experienced a squib or light charge or double charge but I've read about quite a few.

Before I started handloading, I DID have a squib due to a missing powder charge. It occurred with the range's reloads.

[stilly]

How is there no powder in the case? I thought Dillons were always perfect and everyone that had one never had any issues with them...

I am hmm, shocked that this is a story that would be told on a public forum...

Unless OP is just wanting to covertly brag about his wicked hyper senses and keen hearing.

Good job in catching all that.

[BajaJames83]

He just said it was a turret... so I'd assume a lee but might not be

[dwalker]

No powder plain and simple. If there was any powder it would have gone down the barrel farther. Us USPSA guys run those light recoil springs, lets those squibs cycle the action.

I was right there with you thinking it was little to no powder in the case, but there was a lot of soot for a primer only charge. The longer I dwell on it I am more and more convinced it was some sort of powder contamination. I just have not yet figured out the how and what of it, as this is the only squib out of the 600 or so I loaded that batch. Like I said there were some that i tore down and reloaded because the powder thrower had shifted or been adjusted for a different load and was throwing 4.0gr charges into 5.2gr charges. Was fairly certain all of those had been culled out.

How is there no powder in the case? I thought Dillons were always perfect and everyone that had one never had any issues with them...

I am hmm, shocked that this is a story that would be told on a public forum...

Unless OP is just wanting to covertly brag about his wicked hyper senses and keen hearing.

Good job in catching all that.

I dont use Dillon anymore, have not for many years. I was using a Lee Classic turret with the auto-disk powder thrower using the vernier adjustment for the charge.

Why not tell this on a public forum? I guess I dont follow the unwritten cool-guy reloader rule of NEVER admitting a mistake was possible, or that a GASP! squib occurred. Someone might not blow up thier gun if they read this thread and it makes them think about what they are doing. I am not perfect, I make mistakes, components are sometimes faulty, and like anything else, crap happens. Still, tend to be pretty thorough and in the past 25 or so years of reloading I have had just a few rounds not go bang (bad primers) and only two actual squibs- the one this weekend and one a few years ago.

He just said it was a turret... so I'd assume a lee but might not be

Yeap, Lee Classic Turret. Same one I have been using for about 5 years now, after I traded off my PRO1000 and Loadmaster. I sold all the Dillon stuff a while back and occasionally I will think about another 550 or maybe a 650, but I likely wont.

[stilly]

It is even harder to throw a squib in a LCT... There is only one shell at a time man.

Okay so let's go with NO squib because there was powder. Any idea on how much powder or no? That all got burned up and blown all over the place. Heh...

My apologies for thinking you were using a Dillon. I thought that EVERYONE that competes uses a Dillon... Well, that is what the Dillon folks all say anyways...

Oh yeah, I hit reply before I got to the Turret part. Mah bad...

[liber]

My apologies for thinking you were using a Dillon.

Maybe you'll use this as a reminder the next time you bash Dillon presses. (which seems to happen frequently from you )

[dwalker]

It is even harder to throw a squib in a LCT... There is only one shell at a time man.

Okay so let's go with NO squib because there was powder. Any idea on how much powder or no? That all got burned up and blown all over the place. Heh...

My apologies for thinking you were using a Dillon. I thought that EVERYONE that competes uses a Dillon... Well, that is what the Dillon folks all say anyways...

Oh yeah, I hit reply before I got to the Turret part. Mah bad...

Hard to tell. There was soot all over the base of the projectile when removed from the barrel, so "some" powder burned. My guess is the inside of the brass was contaminated with grease or something that fouled the powder. Caselube is the only thing I can think of but for all I know my kid spilled something into the bucket of brass and it fouled the powder. Kinda had to be something greasy because the primer did go bang, so who knows.

I specifically went back to the LCT because I felt I had greater control over the finished product.