Safety Issues

[Charles Z]

Using a faulty scale I managed to produce 50 rounds of .38 special ammo that cannot safely be shot from my snubnose .38. The first 5 rounds required some tool work to remove from the cylinder. Some of the cases broke apart. The bullets were way too hot. Now that I have these rounds what do I do with them? How dangerous is it to use a bullet puller on a live primered round?
Finally, in producing some bullets, I've destroyed the cases. So now I have a destroyed case with a primer seated. What is the proper method for disposing primed cases that are cut or dented and cannot be used any further?

 

[rcmodel]

Just use an impact bullet puller and pull them.

There is no danger of one going off.

If you can get the damaged cases in your reloading die, they can be de-primed normally and the primers re-used.

If you can get them to chamber, fire them off in the gun.

If none of that works, I'd probably dump them in an empty coke can, sqush it shut so they can't get out, and put it in the garbage.

Or, an empty soda bottle with some oil in it and drop them in.
The oil will eventually kill the primers.
But it's harder to get rid of a bottle of oil then a coke can full of primed cases!

Or, stand them up in a pan or something and hose them full of WD-40. Let them stand for a few days and toss them.

rc

 

[kludge]

1. Kinetic bullet puller.

2a. Place primed cases in gun and fire. Safety glasses, safe direction all apply.

2b. Deprime on the press. Go slow. Safety glasses, keep your head back.

 

[ants]

3. Take a deep breath, go back and review the fundamentals of reloading.



Get two or more reloading books and educate yourself. Plan ahead. Be safe. Make wise decisions. Check your work as you go. If in doubt, throw it out. Start low and work up. Never exceed max load. Never load shorter than minimum OAL. Don't take oral or internet advice from anyone without checking against published sources. If it seems like you're taking a chance at something, it ain't worth taking a chance. Your goals are accuracy and economy, not explosions and broken guns.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I would also have the gun checked before firing again.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

kludge and others have it right. go slow and easy take nothing for granted.
re-use those primers I say. load lightly with them.

 

[Charles Z]

Am I hearing that once the bullet is removed and the powder dumped I can de-prime the case in the reloading press the way I pop out used primers?

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Yup. Go easy with the pressure and be ready in case one goes bang. I don't attack them if the wife is home. No need for her to get upset!

 

[Six]

Yes.

Go slow and easy, wear eye protection.

 

[RedHawk357Mag]

Faulty scale. That's gotta suck! Look up Check weights at midway. I will not ever reload without breaking those hummers out and using every time I change powders or calibers. a couple years ago I loaded some spirited Alliant 2400 44 Mags once due to scale/human/math (grams to grains)error, no cases broke but it scared me enough to get a real scale, RCBS 10-10 and check weights been smooth sailing ever since. Good luck.

 

[qajaq59]

It's best to check the scales each and every time before you start loading. It doesn't take any time at all. And even if it did, it would be quicker then getting 50 rounds apart. And yes, you can slowly press the primers out.

 

[JimKirk]

If you don't have check weights, a "Good" brand of bullet can serve as check weight, while not as accurate as check weghts, they can "do" until you get real check weights. Take a Sierra .224 69 grain HPBT MatchKing, it will be so close to 69 grains, that you should be able to judge if your scale is within reasonable accuracy. I know that they, the bullets will vary, but my trials of weighing those type bullets have come up that they are very close to the 69 grains, very very close.
I would take a part those "over loads" with a impact puller, size, pull the depriming pin(depending on your type die), leave those primers in, expand and reload them safely.

Jimmy K

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Finally, in producing some bullets, I've destroyed the cases. So now I have a destroyed case with a primer seated. What is the proper method for disposing primed cases that are cut or dented and cannot be used any further?

How'd ya do that?

 

[Charles Z]

I would have never thought, in a million years, that a scale's reading (balance scale) would be incorrect. I bought a new scale and those rounds came out fine.
The overly "hot" loads were 5grains of Unique. But with the new scale, I was using 5.7 grains and those rounds were fine. Clearly, the "5" grain load, was not 5 grains.
I'm going to get some "check weights". It makes sense.

 

[RandyP]

which also begs the question - what kind/make of scale? If you are a new reloader, perhaps you read a beam scale wrong, rather than the scale itself was crap, or had a double powder load?

Not a slam, just sayin'.

If it is a product fault it helps us all to share the info.

 

[ants]

Good advice, Randy P. Judging by his previous posts, he is certainly struggling with shooting sports and reloading. His questions are very basic and elementary. He's making mistakes.

This time, he overcharges some cartridges. And like all us humans, blames the equipment. I'm not going to be too hard on him, but we very quickly blame the equipment for everything that goes wrong. The operator is the biggest variable, not the equipment.

It would behoove Charles to get some check weights, but also to get himself up to speed mentally. Safety in reloading is entirely a mental game. When it comes to safety, the equipment won't do it for you.

 

[snuffy]

Here's the Lyman scale check weights.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=212586

Use these to check the scale. If it doesn't read what the weights are marked, then the scale is defective. Stop using it until you can either fix or replace it.

 

[qajaq59]

Guys often take a ribbing in here for over-checking or even checking to an extreme at times. But somehow they never seem to be the ones that have problems. Hmm, they may have something there?

 

[Charles Z]

Here's the deal--
Reloaded alot 20 yrs ago. Recently started shooting again and subsequently, reloading. Took all the old equipment out of mothballs. Had to relearn everything and had to deal with equipment issues.
I plead guilty to being too eager to get some loads cooked up for my .38. The old scale was not balancing properly and I felt that if I worked on it I could get it up to speed.
The new scale arrived and 100 rds were produced without fault.
Some of you guys should be able to relate w/o judging. Started shooting again, got the old juices flowing and then hit the crossroads of producing my own ammo. Yes or no? Well, before I start investing and spending alot of money on new stuff, let me see if I really want to go down this road again.
That's pretty much the story. For all those who gave advice I'm indebted.
Thanks.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I can certainly relate with you. The last time I had pulled a press handle was almost 30 years ago. I kept shooting, but had bought ammo. I recently got tired of not being able to buy ammo and bought my own press.

Good luck with your renewed hobby. Just don't take anything for granted. You got off easy with one mistake, and were willing to share. Hopefully this will help keep someone else from trying to cut corners, because that's when mistakes happen.

This is a great bunch here. Willing to help at the drop of a hat. Like any other forum, some start throwing rocks a little too soon. Duck, but don't let them bother you.

 

[Gadzooks Mike]

Finally, in producing some bullets, I've destroyed the cases.

I'm still quite curious about this. I don't see where the scale fits into this problem. Is there more to this story?

 

[Steve C]

You should pull the bullets and powder, use a bullet puller of choice.

No need to deprime the cases. Remove the decaping pin from the die, size the case and reload normally.

 

[rfwobbly]

The old scale was not balancing properly and I felt that if I worked on it I could get it up to speed.

Perhaps if we had more info about the scale that came out of storage then we could help you get it working properly. If it's a balance scale, and assuming it's not a "ball of rust", then there should be no issues after a proper cleaning.

 

[JimKirk]

Charles
I don't think anybody here choses to dump on you "with out cause", forums are noted for lack of emotions and nuance, the typed word is "flat". Sometimes we perceive someone to be a rookie, it is because of the way your post were worded, not a sentence, but just a judgment and sometimes we do it with haste.
Not withstanding that haste... there are a boat load of green rookiescoming to this forum everyday now, some who display the lack of understanding or even a disregard for know facts of reloading, some who are so cautious that they confuse themselves and then there are the "average Joe" who listens and applies what they learn here. I think that we all learn from others mistakes and I know even with my forty plus years of experience I learn something almost every time I log on to the THR. It is the best place I know of to learn reloading and guns.

Now how about telling us what kind of scale you're using!

Jimmy K

 

[Charles Z]

The old scale is moot. I bought a new one from Dillon Precision and everything is working fine. The check weights are on the way. The old scale served me well for a few years but being packed away for a long time took a toll. It might have been rusted or possibly bent. Don't know. Irregardless, the hot batch was all my fault.
As to the "destroyed" cases. The first few loads, half the cases were being crumpled, dimpled and torn. Adjustments on belling the case mouths and seating dies fixed the problem.
The reason for my post,"safey issues" had to deal with disposing of unusable cases with live primers. I felt tossing them in the trash wouldn't be right. Some here have suggested I get a reloading guide . I have several manuals and have read them all and not one, NOT ONE, advises you to de-cap live primers. That was why I posted. I will de-cap them, gingerly, but I get it.
Rein in the urge to judge too harshly. You have newbies asking questions and the life blood of any hobby, sport, avocation is new people coming in. Without new interest components will become hard to find and very expensive. Where I live, gunstores don't carry reloading tools. It's all mail order. Thanks for all the help.