My first squib!

[Esko 270]

I had my first and hopefully last squib today. I actually tried to cycle another round in the chamber but luckily it was far enough back not to let the slide close. Dumb move on my part! If something seems wrong stop and check it out. I thought I would pass this along so maybe somebody could learn from my stupid mistake.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Esko 270

[Garufa]

Glad you caught the squiB.  I'd wager everyone who reloads has had at least one.

Another good reminder to pay attention when reloading and firing (even factory ammo).

[MacGyver]

I tried to jam a squid into mine one time, but it just made a mess...

Glad you noticed and we're okay.  I've only ever had one squib - factory match grade ammo, too.  

[No_0ne]

Those damn squids will completely stop up a revolver too, all 6 chambers ...

[Esko 270]

Tough crowd

[RED333]

I have had one  with 308 factory ammo in a semi, caught it.

One in 44 mag with my reloads, in a semi rifle, caught it.

4 in a 22LR revolver, caught it after the 4th round, PIA to get the bullets out of the barrel.

It happens to us all, glad things work out for the good.

[gjohnsoniv]

Been there done that while shooting an original and very expensive Colt revolver. Fortunately did not pull the trigger a second time. Never a fun situation but glad everything turned out fine for you.  Saw another guy not so lucky on Facebook today that had his AR go ka boom on a squib load. 

[sybo]

Oh the pucker factor that produces!!!!! Loaded up some "hot" loads for a Ruger GP-100, nice and toasty they were when the third round went "Pew" instead of boom! Not a good feeling at all!! Obviously I loaded one up without powder, just the primer, and the bullet was a third down the barrel. I ALWAYS carry a brass rod or a hardwood dowel in my range bag. It came into use that day. When I pulled the trigger, I think I peed a little with that sound of the squib! Be safe all!! Be aware!

Edited July 23, 2017 by sybo

[A.J. Holst]

I thought you meant this type of squib

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Squib Cakes

 

 

Edited July 23, 2017 by Gotthegoods

[leroy]

I understand... A "squib" will sober ya up, no matter the source... The advice about paying attention before pulling the trigger on the next round is golden... I've handloaded for the last 40 years or so... Never had a rifle round squib, but have had some revolver squibs... Mostly from lotsa slow burning powder, like 296, in 44 mags or 45 colts... Lotsa times the handload squibs are from poor bullet pull... That's why its so important to size the brass well and crimp the bullets in the heavy duty revolver loads...

leroy....

[Raoul]

Happens to the best of us.

[bersaguy]

Quote

 

I can say I have never had a rifle or pistol round squib "Knock on Wood" but then I probably don't shoot as many rounds as most here do. What I have seen and had back years ago when I was just a kid growing up. Me and my best friend Dave were both into trap shooting as kids and had a gun club within walking distance of our homes  and we would save our money we earned doing odd jobs till we could afford to buy reloadng supplies and we would reload as many 12 gauge rounds as we could and go shoot. We were using an old Texan reloader and if you did not pay close attention you could run out of powder quick. Both Dave and I did that a couple times and we learned quick the dangers of it. Neither of us damaged either of our guns but another shooter almost did with one of his reloads had failed and had it not been for Dave it could have been bad! Dave was on the line when the guy next to him had a squib and Dave hollered real loud "Squib" and that round was stopped till it was checked. Sure enough the Remington Power piston wad was still lodged in the barrel of the shooters gun and he was going to call his next bird and shoot. Maybe it would have just blown the wad out but maybe it could have blown the gun up.  The guy was very thankful to Dave for hollering Squib beccause there was 2 other shoots going on and he didn't hear his squib load but Dave did and didn't see the wad clear his barrel. We never had a wad not clear the end of our barrels because we seemed to have just enough powder in out squib loads to push it out but it was smething we wtached for and we became much more careful when reloading after that. Shortly after that we saved our money all Winter and bought a Mec 600 reloader which had safety's that would not allow the bar to slide dumping the powder or shot into the casing if there was not enough powder of shot to be a safe load. We used Federal primers, Peters # 8 Shot and Hercules Red Dot Powder for ur reloading.

[noylj]

Take a sport that involves fast shooting, a revolver, and a squib. They don't even have the time to think before the next shot is going off.

[Erik88]

Think about the fact that even though we are all experienced shooters we can still make this mistake. 

Now think about all the inexperienced shooters out there that have no idea what a squib load is or how to handle it. 

 

[Johnny Rotten]

I had a squib once in a 22 cal conversion kit on a MG, I didn't recognized what happen until the extractor blew off the bolt, stacked up over 15+ rounds.....all I can say thank god it wasn't 556.

[Esko 270]

On 7/23/2017 at 11:05 AM, leroy said:

I understand... A "squib" will sober ya up, no matter the source... The advice about paying attention before pulling the trigger on the next round is golden... I've handloaded for the last 40 years or so... Never had a rifle round squib, but have had some revolver squibs... Mostly from lotsa slow burning powder, like 296, in 44 mags or 45 colts... Lotsa times the handload squibs are from poor bullet pull... That's why its so important to size the brass well and crimp the bullets in the heavy duty revolver loads...

leroy....

Do you crip 9 or 45? I've only been loading since May but this was my first issue. The book says little or no cramp is needed on 45 or 9 but there's lots of variables I know. What's your max on how many times you will reload the same brass?

[Sunfish]

If there's a fair amount of tension on the neck your OK. I crimp whenever I have to flair the case mouth mostly

[DaveTN]

You are lucky it wouldn’t chamber the next round. We are trained to clear malfunctions quickly and continue to fire. Bad news if it’s a squib.

I’ve never had one, but my friend had one next to me at the range. Model 66; bulged the barrel. Luckily he was shooting .38’s, but it was reloaded ammo.

 

[leroy]

11 hours ago, Esko 270 said:

Do you crip 9 or 45? I've only been loading since May but this was my first issue. The book says little or no cramp is needed on 45 or 9 but there's lots of variables I know. What's your max on how many times you will reload the same brass?

Esco... 

I always resize the brass, flare it as little as possible to get the bullet started to seat, and use a bit of a taper crimp... The 9 and ACP dies should be taper crimp dies... I measure the outside of the case at the case mouth with the bullet seated with a dial caliper or a micrometer, note the reading, and adjust the taper crimp die to crimp about .002 tighter than the original "no crimp" reading... It works well for me... Lotsa folks who bulk reload will tell ya this aint necessary... I kinda like it anyway... Bullet pull (...the amount of squeeze the case puts on the seated bullet...) and crimp is important with slow burning powders like the heay kickers use... Not so much with the faster powders... I like the crimp thing to make sure that the bullets wont set back on recoil and feeding with the semiatuos...

RE: "Reloading number of times on the cases"... Resize em every time (....i think this is far more important than the taper crimp, by the way...) and reload em till ya see a case mouth split...  When they split, toss em... I tend to keep my cases separate in 100 to 400 piece batches.... They will tend to go bad together... When ya get tired of sorting the splits, toss em all...

Hope this helps a bit...

leroy

[chances R]

I use enough taper crimp that 1) allows the finished cartridge to go in the case gauge with ease, 2) does not allow the bullet to 'set back deeper' when I apply a downward force against the bullet on the reloading bench.

[Esko 270]

On 7/26/2017 at 8:38 AM, leroy said:

Esco... 

I always resize the brass, flare it as little as possible to get the bullet started to seat, and use a bit of a taper crimp... The 9 and ACP dies should be taper crimp dies... I measure the outside of the case at the case mouth with the bullet seated with a dial caliper or a micrometer, note the reading, and adjust the taper crimp die to crimp about .002 tighter than the original "no crimp" reading... It works well for me... Lotsa folks who bulk reload will tell ya this aint necessary... I kinda like it anyway... Bullet pull (...the amount of squeeze the case puts on the seated bullet...) and crimp is important with slow burning powders like the heay kickers use... Not so much with the faster powders... I like the crimp thing to make sure that the bullets wont set back on recoil and feeding with the semiatuos...

RE: "Reloading number of times on the cases"... Resize em every time (....i think this is far more important than the taper crimp, by the way...) and reload em till ya see a case mouth split...  When they split, toss em... I tend to keep my cases separate in 100 to 400 piece batches.... They will tend to go bad together... When ya get tired of sorting the splits, toss em all...

Hope this helps a bit...

leroy

 What scales are you using?  I'm using Hornady 1500 digital, they get the job done but I can check the same round 3 different times and get three different weights, it's not much but dang. I've done a lot of looking around online and reading reviews and haven't really found anything better be 50/50 reviews.

[Raoul]

Do you mean checking the powder charge or the finished round for weight?

 

[Omega]

2 hours ago, Esko 270 said:

 What scales are you using?  I'm using Hornady 1500 digital, they get the job done but I can check the same round 3 different times and get three different weights, it's not much but dang. I've done a lot of looking around online and reading reviews and haven't really found anything better be 50/50 reviews.

A slight breeze can throw you off a bit, such as a ceiling fan or A/C.  If within .02 I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[leroy]

Esko...

I use an ancient RCBS balance scale... Probably 40 years old... I use an old RCBS  adjustable powder measure as well... I check every 10 charge on the scale if i'm usin a single stage press (..which i do most of the time...)... I keep the powder pretty full in the hopper... I never worry about a tenth of a grain on 10 grains or less for medium and medium fast burners (...Unique, 231,Titegroup...) , or two tenths over 10 grains if it's slow burning powder (... 2400, H4227, 296...)...

Hope this helps...

leroy

[sybo]

The old balance scales work, but ‘why’ would anyone use one when the digital ones are sooo cheap today??  I find the longer I have been reloading(22 years) the more precise the measuring the better. Especially when your are working up pet loads or a ladder .