Learn from my mistake! Damaged SP101

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Thanks to everyone and your kind remarks about my safety.

Believe it or not, as I mentioned before it didn't feel like much more than a true 357mag round. The only thing I noticed was I hit the sand behind my target about 2ft high. I looked at my gun as I went to set it down and the cylinder was gone. I had no idea it happened. Didn't feel any powder spray, nothing.

This really wasn't a double charge as most would think. I didn't convert correctly the grain weight to the Lee adjustable powder measure disk. It was a coincidence that after I pulled bullet from the remaining 9 I loaded that it weighed out to 14.2gr.

Lesson here, always weigh a charge when changing your setup. And always take your time and don’t ever feel your being to cautious or careful. I had all 10 wrong, so when I looked into them they were all the same, put the lead in and pressed. Reloading is and should be very gratifying to anyone that does it. Be careful, double check everything, take nothing for granted and happy shooting!

Nickelboy
 
Dude, I have been doing this a long time and just ALMOST (I caught it, thank GOD) screwed up a batch of 50 .38 specials one day loading them with Bullseye using the bushing I normally use to load Unique. I had a .61 Lee bushing (tosses 5.0 grains Unique) in the powder measure instead of the .32 I normally use with wadcutter loads and bullseye. That would have been near a double charge! :eek: I probably would have kaboomed had I not caught it. I've never had a problem, but I don't delude myself into thinking I can relax my concentration when I reload or that I'm infallible just because I haven't had a major reloading problem in all those years. We should all consider such incidents a warning when they happen to us or others. Thank you for the reminder. We all need reminding occasionally.
 
The lesson to be learned here is to always without fail weigh your charges when you do your powder measure set up, make any adjustments, and periodically durring the loading process. Also keep a strong light over your press to visually verrify the charge on the loads you do not weigh.

This is why it makes me nervous when I hear folks asking which lee dipper to use or which cavity to use for a given charge.
You really do need a scale and you really do need to calibrate the scale and check your charge weights.
 
RCBS Powder-Check

The lesson to be learned here is to always without fail weigh your charges when you do your powder measure set up, make any adjustments, and periodically durring the loading process. Also keep a strong light over your press to visually verrify the charge on the loads you do not weigh.
Click to expand...

Thats why I like having the RCBS Powder-Check die on station 3 of my 650. Peace of mind.

And 10 fingers and 2 eyes.
 
I wonder if that's a function of the cast rather than forged production process?
Click to expand...

I think it's a common confusion that Ruger casts their revolver cylinders...as far as I know, they've always been machined from bar stock.
 
Lessons learned:

Always look into the case before you seat a bullet. You would have caught that charge discrepancy. 14gr of HS6 is very noticible.

Never rush when loading.

Complacency is very real.
 
Seen a guy get a squib load in the same model. it was the first shot he then shot the remaining rounds in rapid fire mode. realed in his target and not a single bullet hole. Looked at his gun and all the bullets were in the barrel stacked like Rolo candy. Ruger replaced the barrel free I think then he had the gunsmith mill off half of the barrel. That makes for a conversation starter at the shooting range.

Glad your OK. I seen this happen to a Smith and it suffered much more damage than your Ruger. The top strap came apart from the frame and the cylander blew into about 100 different chunks.

That is why station 3 in my 550 has an RCBS powder cop die in it and each round get a visual check before I pull the handle.
 
Las Vegas Range, loads too hot.

In Vegas a few years back when I noticed a shooter firing off a really powerful revolver, thing was a cannon.

After he had shot six rounds, he couldn't open the cylinder. Myself and others walked over to check out his gun.

All the cylinders were buldging, basically he destroyed his S&W.

Blowing up your guns blows away all savings from relaoding your own ammo.

Nicki
 
When loading on a single stage press. I do all my charging with a Lee powder through die. I then take the 50 rounds (load 50 at a time) and hold them in the tray under a good light and compare levels. Yep, even a double charge of Bullseye would be blatantly obvious.

There is no need to constantly check weights with the Lee auto disc measure after the first few rounds to verify the charge. You cannot adjust the measure, it's a fixed bushing. Initial charge weight verification is easy with an electronic balance. I tare the first case, toss the first charge, put the case on the balance, and read the powder weight. Charge verified for the next 50 rounds. Yeah, with adjustable powder measures, I verify about every fifth round, especially with heavy loads. My heavy loads are loaded with bulky powders like 2400 which make a double charge impossible. I worry more about light loads with Bullseye, frankly.

I don't let fear keep me from handloading, been doing it my whole life. I just KNOW that I must concentrate and keep my mind on things and follow safe routines when I load, like the powder level/case inspection after charging or checking each case on the progressive. You don't HAVE to have a problem like this. It isn't like riding a motorcycle where there are two types of riders, those that have crashed and those that are going to. I know lots of handloaders that have loaded many years without a single problem.
 
Glad you were OK - makes me feel good about my SP101 seeing how it held up. And reminds me to be very careful in reloading.
 
Some of you are Killing me.
This example is not a Good reason to stay away from reloading IMO. Here is an example of what Factory Ammo can do. The Case gave way and Gas Cut my Cylinder.
DSCN4933.jpg

Here is the case where the Burning Gas Escaped.
DSCN4935.jpg Although the pic dont do the Justice,there is a Hole near the rim from which the crack extends from. Look at the rim erosion on the Case where the Hot Gas was going towards the rim. Ruger fixed my gun free of Charge.

I'm Glad you was not hurt and I would like to hear what Ruger decides.
I told Ruger that I Handload and I even told them what my exact Load was and they were Less then interested.

'Nitro
 
Anybody see Guns & Ammo TV this week? They put a huge charge of Bullseye into a .300 Magnum and loaded it into a T/C Encore.

Blew the gun to hell.

I love those torture test segments.
 
I load .44 special and .45 acp.
One reason I use unique is that it is VERY obvious if it double charges.
I use the lee discs for reloading, however I dont pay any attention to the chart for powder vs disc hole.
I weigh a string of ctgs loaded with the discs and use that as my guide.
And whenever I go back and use that hole in that disc again, I reweigh another string of ctgs just to be safe.
Glad you were OK.


Jim
 
I believe the cylinder split in three pieces do to the location of the bolt notches vs. the chambers. That's the second one I've seen blown, and the other one did the EXACT same thing.

Glad you're OK, thanks for the reminder, and sorry about your gun. That sucks.
 
Glad that was in a Ruger. Had that been an airweight S&W.....
Click to expand...
I fired 8 grains of Bullseye (3.9 is max) under a 158 grain bullet in a 442. The gun held together and is on its way to be checked for a bulged chamber. RidgwayCO can you run that through QuickLOAD?
 
its a ruger, it should buff right out :)

sorry I couldn't help myself, I'd send it off to ruger and see if there is anychance they can repair (even if it means salvaging parts to put in a new frame/ cylinder) if not like a previous poster said they may sell you another at cost.

The fact that the top strap bent without braking really does show you how tough those revolvers are.

Bottom line is though the solid build of that revolver saved you from a potentially serious injury, I'm glad to hear you are alright.

I'd hang the gun over my reloading station as a reminder so that history may not repeat itself.
 
Yes, the good news is,

1. You are OK; medical treatment for gun injuries is a pain.

2. It was just a cheap little Ruger; imagine if you'd blown apart a vintage Colt Officer's Model Target!

In fairness, the soft Ruger stainless steel in the topstrap may have kept it from breaking in two, and the extra metal behind the cylinder must have been comforting.
 
WOW I recomend mounting the pieces on a good piece of maghony and hanging it up as on hell of a life lesson trophy
 
"Wow I'm glad you are alright, This is the only reason I never started reloading. I'm so afraid I would get distracted. On a lighter note this should end the cast versus forged debate once and for all."

I doubt a forged 5 shot would have handled this any better, let alone how this might have turned out with one of the light weight revolvers on the Market. For a $400 Revolver, this Ruger showed it's strength. As another suggests, I don't think the Ruger cylinders are cast, but milled from solid bar stock.
 
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Powder specs drift over time. That's why it's important to have a manual from the same era as the powder you are using. Every few years, replace your manuals, or at least verify recipes for your favorite powders against a current publication. A 15-yr old manual with 2009 powder is dicey.

Also, I found the powder density tables in the Lee manual to be way off.
I typically use a Lyman manual and Hodgdon's website (they own all my powders). Then I make notes in a binder about which powders match to which auto disc volumes for which weights. Then I verify that I got it right when I set up to load.

The Lee auto disc is quite good for consistent charges. I weigh a bunch at the beginning of my 50 and then a couple times in the middle to make sure nothing has backed up.

My main concern is accidentally running a case through the powder station twice (turret press). With 9mm a double charge of W231 would be obvious when you go to seat the bullet. The same double-charge in a .38spl would be harder to catch. I think Trail Boss is a great idea for that reason. Titegroup is so touchy that I swore off it after only loading a box or two, but in reality I don't think it's that much faster than W231. At least with magnum powders you're sure to make a mess if you double-charge, and catch your error. But don't grab the wrong powder off the shelf! I worry about that kind of thing.

-Daizee
 
Sure factory ammo could be suspect and cause catastrophic failure. But I don't care to reload. More power to those that do but I will use factory ammo.

I'm glad the OP is okay.
 
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