Toxic Powder Spill in the Loading Room

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markr6754

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It brings tears to my eyes just retelling this story...which occurred Tuesday evening. It's taken me this long to come to terms with the magnitude of the tragedy.

Brand new bottle of IMR 4227, I used enough for 9 rounds then went to empty my powder dispenser. Took my eyes off the precarious perch that I'd set my now open bottle of powder, and knocked it to the floor. Horror upon horror I could see my life's blood pouring forth from the wide open maw of the 1 lb bottle.

It is, by far, the greatest amount of powder that I've wasted since my loading adventure began....I'm guessing about 2000 gr spilled, and now finding new purpose in my "garden". My initial inclination was to sweep it up and try to save it...but seeing the obvious presence of a variety of other reloading powders...and a decent number of dog hairs from my Rat Terrier, and I poured it onto an empty container for the short trip to the outdoors.

A brief memorial service was held at 7PM, 7/26/2022.
 
Docendo Discimus said:
Good campfire starter.
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I used to scoop my small bits of spilled powder...a 1/2 charge or so...and do a little flash burn. This took two passes of my loading room dustpan to capture...or enough to make a decent mushroom cloud. No...better for the bugs and weeds to consume...and maybe a stray flower here and there.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Dropped my wallet from upper deck at RFK stadium at a Redskins game. I did get it back but it was empty of cash.

Your loss is worse.
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Hopping in the "WayBack Machine" - around '86, I parked my Suzuki Katana outside a beer bar called, "The Brew -n- Cue" around 7PM and proceeded to hustle drinks, eat some really unhealthy fried foods and play pool and darts for some cash until 2AM, last call. Went to leave at closing and found some jackwagon had cut my fuel line and drained the tank. I had to hitch a ride with the barmaid to get home.

This is still worse.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Hopping in the "WayBack Machine" - around '86, I parked my Suzuki Katana outside a beer bar called, "The Brew -n- Cue" around 7PM and proceeded to hustle drinks, eat some really unhealthy fried foods and play pool and darts for some cash until 2AM, last call. Went to leave at closing and found some jackwagon had cut my fuel line and drained the tank. I had to hitch a ride with the barmaid to get home.

This is still worse.
Click to expand...
Back in ‘75ish had an MGB GT with chrome wire wheels. CHROME wire wheels! They were amazing. Went to go to work on a Monday AM and car was sitting on cinder blocks. Nice and neat, no damage, but wheels long gone. Was a $900 loss in the mid 70s that was a ton of dough.

OP’s loss is still worse!
 
I would scope it up, go to dollar tree and get a flour sifter and strain the powder until clean.

I made a powder tube to hold 3/4 pounds of alliant 2400 powder on a star loader...... I used acrylic plastic and it snaps SO EASY.

I dumped that on the saw dust covered floor.

I refuse to throw it away, I will clean it and use it with LEE scoops
 
I forgot to tighten the clamp on the powder measure on my Dillon Square Deal and the first pull of the handle it promptly lifted up off the die and hit the floor spilling ½-¾ lb of Blue Dot all over my floor.

I swept it up and put it back in the bottle.

Then I poured a very little bit at a time on a clean, white paper plate and, using tweezers, proceeded (for 10 days; it was very tedious) to pick out all the dog/cat hair, dead spiders and any other little bits of debris out of it.

After the 2nd day, I got pretty good

I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.
 
Y-T71 said:
I forgot to tighten the clamp on the powder measure on my Dillon Square Deal and the first pull of the handle it promptly lifted up off the die and hit the floor spilling ½-¾ lb of Blue Dot all over my floor.

I swept it up and put it back in the bottle.

Then I poured a very little bit at a time on a clean, white paper plate and, using tweezers, proceeded (for 10 days; it was very tedious) to pick out all the dog/cat hair, dead spiders and any other little bits of debris out of it.

After the 2nd day, I got pretty good

I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.
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Watched something similar in a crime lab. Think it was on NCIS—THR
 
That is why I always clean my floor and loading bench after reloading. If that were to happen to me I would scoop it up and back in the bottle it would go for future reloading. I must be a clean freak but I don't mix powders this way, not even a little bit!! Bet your garden will like you as long and no one throws their ciggy butts in there.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Hopping in the "WayBack Machine" - around '86, I parked my Suzuki Katana outside a beer bar called, "The Brew -n- Cue" around 7PM and proceeded to hustle drinks, eat some really unhealthy fried foods and play pool and darts for some cash until 2AM, last call. Went to leave at closing and found some jackwagon had cut my fuel line and drained the tank. I had to hitch a ride with the barmaid to get home.

This is still worse.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a good night! but barmaid…. never-mind

Condolences to the OP for his lost, celebrating life! and the memories you had with young powder, hopefully he/him she/her will find new life in the garden as a Rose!
 
markr6754 said:
It brings tears to my eyes just retelling this story...which occurred Tuesday evening. It's taken me this long to come to terms with the magnitude of the tragedy.

Brand new bottle of IMR 4227, I used enough for 9 rounds then went to empty my powder dispenser. Took my eyes off the precarious perch that I'd set my now open bottle of powder, and knocked it to the floor. Horror upon horror I could see my life's blood pouring forth from the wide open maw of the 1 lb bottle.

It is, by far, the greatest amount of powder that I've wasted since my loading adventure began....I'm guessing about 2000 gr spilled, and now finding new purpose in my "garden". My initial inclination was to sweep it up and try to save it...but seeing the obvious presence of a variety of other reloading powders...and a decent number of dog hairs from my Rat Terrier, and I poured it onto an empty container for the short trip to the outdoors.

A brief memorial service was held at 7PM, 7/26/2022.
Click to expand...

Please forgive me, I put a like on your post and realized it was not a good thing and went back and unliked it. I'm sure you understand! ;)
 
I'm too cheap, I guess. I would have sifted it through two screens....one fine enough to drop only dirt.....and one course enough to drop the powder and hold on to the dog hair!......but then I don't have animals.....so maybe one screen would work. ;)
 
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