Double charging ammo ?

[tercel89]

I have a single stage press and use a regular Hornady Powder measure. I can only load one piece of brass with powder at a time. I have been interupted by my kids and my wife a few times and then I accidently put a double load of powder in a piece of brass. Luckily I always go back and look down at all my brass and see if the level of the powder is the same as the others. I only load 50 rds at a time. I saw the deep level of powder in one piece of brass and thank God I caught it and dumped it.

 But my question is how do you guys or other people accidently double charge brass ? And can it occur in one of those fancy progresive presses ? I am just trying to make sure of stuff to watch out for .

[TGO David]

Easy way to check is to assemble one cartridge correctly and weigh it on a digital scale.  That's your known good weight.  Now when you load 10 or 20, weigh them all at one time and divide the weight by the quantity.  If it's not REALLY close to the same number your known good cartridge weighed, you need to weigh them one at a time til you find the one that's overcharged.

 

This trick is most reliable when you use the same kind of brass for your loading session.  If you mix different types of brass, your numbers could be off due to composition of the brass casing.

[Omega]

I use a turret press but use it in single stage mode, sort of.  When I get to the powder, I drop then seat.  If I get interrupted I start over with an empty shell by turning the left behind shell into the hopper.  

 

Easy way to check is to assemble one cartridge correctly and weigh it on a digital scale.  That's your known good weight.  Now when you load 10 or 20, weigh them all at one time and divide the weight by the quantity.  If it's not REALLY close to the same number your known good cartridge weighed, you need to weigh them one at a time til you find the one that's overcharged.

 

This trick is most reliable when you use the same kind of brass for your loading session.  If you mix different types of brass, your numbers could be off due to composition of the brass casing.

I think this would work for large charges, or ones that are not close to max but smaller charges would be dificult to spot since some of my bullets can vary by a grain or two and as you mentioned brass can vary by brand, trim length or how many times its been reloaded.

[Lumber_Jack]

Progressive presses you can put a powder check die. Most work mechanically and will show if a case is either over or under charged.

I used a flashlight and do a visual inspection.

[Ron Padilla]

yep the progresives can use a powder cop in one station to help prevent that from occuring. I use one in station to help notify of a under or no charge or over charge.

[frankmako]

started reloading in 73 and as far as i know i have not double charged yet. or as far as i can tell.  i use powders that all most fill the case and/or 1/2 of the case in my pistol reloads.  so if there is a double load it is easy seen and when i index to the next station powder comes out and it easy seen.  for rifle i still use a single stage press and two very old powder drops.  i like doing 50 to 100 at a time dropping powder.  i set them in a holder and before seating bullet i use a light and look inside them.  on both of my dillons i use a home made mirror setup that lets me see inside the case on the bullet seat stage.  i do not load hot loads, i load easy loads that are fun to shoot all day long so if i did a double charge it should not/could not/hope not/might not be bad if i did double load. 

[Ray Z]

Before I went off the deep end and got my 650 I always used cartridge trays. When it came to charging the cases, after doing the whole tray I could see if there was one that was overly full very easily.

[Omega]

started reloading in 73 and as far as i know i have not double charged yet. or as far as i can tell.  i use powders that all most fill the case and/or 1/2 of the case in my pistol reloads.  so if there is a double load it is easy seen and when i index to the next station powder comes out and it easy seen.  for rifle i still use a single stage press and two very old powder drops.  i like doing 50 to 100 at a time dropping powder.  i set them in a holder and before seating bullet i use a light and look inside them.  on both of my dillons i use a home made mirror setup that lets me see inside the case on the bullet seat stage.  i do not load hot loads, i load easy loads that are fun to shoot all day long so if i did a double charge it should not/could not/hope not/might not be bad if i did double load. 

I used to do the same thing as far as full (or close to) case of powder but lately it seems that many powders are hard to come by so had to use some that would work but not leave the case as full.  In another forum I seen where someone had a SEE (Secondary Explosive Effect) due to the case not being full so am thinking if this powder availability issue is not fixed soon I am going to start using Dacron to top off the rest of my cases to try and prevent that.

[Handsome Rob]

I'm probably over cautious, but I'm new to reloading & still paranoid.
I drop powder & then seat & crimp one at a time. I never have a tray full of charged shells. I'm still paranoid enough that I weigh every charge too!

[tercel89]

started reloading in 73 and as far as i know i have not double charged yet. or as far as i can tell.  i use powders that all most fill the case and/or 1/2 of the case in my pistol reloads.  so if there is a double load it is easy seen and when i index to the next station powder comes out and it easy seen.  for rifle i still use a single stage press and two very old powder drops.  i like doing 50 to 100 at a time dropping powder.  i set them in a holder and before seating bullet i use a light and look inside them.  on both of my dillons i use a home made mirror setup that lets me see inside the case on the bullet seat stage.  i do not load hot loads, i load easy loads that are fun to shoot all day long so if i did a double charge it should not/could not/hope not/might not be bad if i did double load. 

 That is exactly what i do on mine. I am loading my pistol rounds just enough to make the gun function and cycle the slide . Just so my son and me can have fun with. I'm doing 4.8gr with Power Pistol which fills half the case and it shows that I can go all the way to 6.7 . So if I went over some I think I would noticed the brass being full when I go back and look at them . I use a single stage press and load them 50 at a time and have them all laid out in a cartridge tray. I always go back and look inside them real carefully

Edited March 11, 2015 by tercel89

[tercel89]

I used to do the same thing as far as full (or close to) case of powder but lately it seems that many powders are hard to come by so had to use some that would work but not leave the case as full.  In another forum I seen where someone had a SEE (Secondary Explosive Effect) due to the case not being full so am thinking if this powder availability issue is not fixed soon I am going to start using Dacron to top off the rest of my cases to try and prevent that.

 Would that be from the case having a somewhat empty space inside it between the powder and the bullet ?

[tercel89]

Before I went off the deep end and got my 650 I always used cartridge trays. When it came to charging the cases, after doing the whole tray I could see if there was one that was overly full very easily.

 

 yes I do that ! So that I can look down inside all 50 f them before i put in my bullets

[Dolomite_supafly]

I charge the case then load the bullet before grabbing the next case to charge. It is no slower than charging a bunch of cases at one and keeps interruptions from blowing a gun up.

 

I do a visual inspection of every charge to make sure it HAS powder versus and over charge. Also, something to be aware of some powders make it very difficult to notice a double charge.

[ttocswob]

Single stage here - use a loading block. Only charged cases are mouth up, I put 'em upside down when sizing, priming, etc. I then do a visual check on all 50 before seating bullets.