Bullets everywhere.

[Redlyne22]

Thursday night i got home from work and decided to finally get around to loading my .223. Im fairly new to reloading and I am learning as i go along.

As I go to full length size my first shell of the night, my workbench collapsed right down the middle, spilling Varget powder, SMK 308 and SMK 223, Shells, tools, my LEE press...... all over my lap and floor.. I literally sat there for 3 mins in shock as my brain tried to figure what just happened

Here my Problem: I had 50 Finished 308 rds. 10@ 42.0 gr. 10@ 43.5 gr. 10@ 44.0gr. 10@ 45.0gr and 10 @ 45.5gr. Now these 50 rds are mixed up.

How can i tell them apart from each other?

BTW. I hate particle board with a new found passion.

[Fastattack]

If it is really important, pull them all apart and start over. Since you don't know how much the cases weight you can't be sure what is inside. On the other hand, since it is just 50 rnds and they are all 'recipe' loads you might want to just go shoot them.

[CSACANNONEER]

You're screwed. Simply weighing them won't do it since, there is enough variation in the weight of your primers, brass and projectiles to make this meathod impractical. Or, by chance, did you sort your brass and bullets by weight??? If so, you might get pretty close (but still no garantees) doing this.

[NotEnufGarage]

You're screwed. Simply weighing them won't do it since, there is enough variation in the weight of your primers, brass and projectiles to make this meathod impractical. Or, by chance, did you sort your brass and bullets by weight??? If so, you might get pretty close (but still no garantees) doing this.

Agreed. I've seen variations in weight of .223 cases of 3 or 4 grains or more. With .308 it'd probably be worse.

Pull them apart and reload them.

Plywood and 2x4's are a better option than particle board. PB has no strength, other than compression.

[Redlyne22]

I did not sort the brass and bullets by weight. Im new to all this and those 50 rds took me hours to finish.

I assumed since the particle board was High density (HDPB) it would of held up fine."Dont assume ****".

Ok....... thanks for the info. You live and you learn.

[cpatbay]

The good news is that it won't take more than a few minutes to pull 50 rounds with a puller. Then it will probably be another hour or so to reload them.

[Redlyne22]

You know what. Thats exactly what im going to do. Ill just pull them apart, reweigh the powder and slap them back together.

[cpatbay]

Oh, just make sure you check that there are no residue powder stuck in the case after you pour the powder out. Sometimes, a little bit of case lube inside the case would cause some small but significant amount of powder to stick on the inside case wall. These would mess up you powder weigh when you redo them in the best case and could push you loading way past max load in the worst case.

[Redlyne22]

Should i run a Q-tip through it to dislodge any residual power? Or will that risk getting lint in the casing?

[cpatbay]

I use a tooth pick to get them loose and pour the residual out. But be gental when you work near the primer though.

[Justintoxicated]

I'd just tap them off on the desk, powder really should not be sticking inside the brass, a couple flakes of powder won't matter too much anyways.

[gotsig]

This is just my opinion, and what I would do under these circumstances. Shoot the 50 rds. as is to warm up, or plinkers. Load up 5ea in .2 or .3gr increments. 1/2 gr. increments (in my experience)may jump right over the sweet spot.

[IntoForever]

When I'm making rounds to see what works best, I mark on the brass with a sharpie - the powder load (and type if different powders) then put them in separate snack sized zip lock baggies.

[edgerly779]

Next time 2 layers of 3/4" pywood .Never break if you put frame al the way around and have substantial legs. Next earthquake knock mother in law out and grab animals and dive under it.(LOL)

[BajaJames83]

thats too bad man. i made my bench out of 1/4" steel plate with 3/4" sheet of plywood on top. heavy as hell but never moves...