Close Call

[ditto1958]

The other day I was at the range with my Ruger Blackhawk. We were shooting at paper with it to see how much, if at all, it's point of impact changed when shooting 9mm vs. .357. The 9mm was factory ammo, but the .357 rounds were moderate hand loads I made.

After we finished our "testing" (it didn't make much of a difference at all between the two calibers), I was plinking with some of the hand loads, when suddenly one of them went BOOM! Scared the living daylights out of me. I thought I'd fired a .454 Casull or something.

Anyway, I was okay, and the gun was okay. The empty brass was sticky in the chamber, and the primer blew out the back. Clearly I had somehow double charged that round. Normally I weigh my ammo before taking it to the range. Somehow that one slipped through.

I have gone back and re-weighed the remainder of my .357 hand loads. Meanwhile, what a reminder of how careful one needs to be when loading ammo.

[Henry88]

Glad you're OK Ditto,

Shows what a well made gun that Ruger is.

That is a REALLY cool model BTW

[JEBar]

its a good thing that you were loading with moderate powder charges .... double loading max charges is scary .... as noted, Ruger builds some strong revolvers

[Squatch]

Stop your scaring me! I've been loading Unique all year. Very low density. There is room to QUAD load it in the 45/70.

Glad you are OK.

Sometimes I wonder if the SBH isn't the thing to test ammo in. It's strong and held at arms length. The rifle is in your face! Better a hand than a face.


Thanks for the reminder.

[ditto1958]

I was using Accurate No. 9. The correct charge fills the case to less than half full, so a double charge would have room to fit without spilling over.

In the future, I hope to leave ammo testing to others. I have no desire to be Elmer Keith.

[Vaquero]

Glad to hear your ok.
Those Rugers are built like tanks.
Heck, my lee manual has a (Ruger & Contender)only section in the 45 colt.
Stay safe.

[RetiredSeabee]

Wow, glad you weren't hurt.

[CT_Shooter]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

[ditto1958]

Glad to hear your ok.
Those Rugers are built like tanks.
Heck, my lee manual has a (Ruger & Contender)only section in the 45 colt.
Stay safe.

My flattop convertible does not have a "Ruger and Contender only" strength frame. Still, It's certainly true- Ruger builds strong revolvers.

[Sir Henry]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

Reloading doubles the danger. When I reload I turn the radio and TV off and don't want any distractions.

[ditto1958]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

Reloading doubles the danger. When I reload I turn the radio and TV off and don't want any distractions.

You mean cranking old Van Halen records and killing a 12 pack of beer don't mix with reloading!?

[Sir Henry]

Records? You must be old.

[ditto1958]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

Reloading doubles the danger. When I reload I turn the radio and TV off and don't want any distractions.

Huh? Next are you going to tell me that playing my old Van Halen albums at full volume and drinking a 12 pack of beer don't mix well with reloading!?

[Sir Henry]

Don't spill any beer in the powder and you should be fine.

[ditto1958]

Records? You must be old.

Old as dirt.

[Catherine]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

^^^

What CS said and he took the words out of my mouth.

Thank you.

Cate

[Catherine]

Thanks for sharing that experience with us, Ditto. It's a sobering message about care and safety in a potentially dangerous hobby. I'm glad you're OK and your gun is OK.

Reloading doubles the danger. When I reload I turn the radio and TV off and don't want any distractions.

SH,

I agree with you even though I do not reload and I never did reload.

My MT husband has no radio or tv on when he reloads.

He does not want to be disturbed and he takes a break too.

He has always done that and he has been reloading for over 40 years now.

Good shooting to you and others here.

Cate

[Squatch]

Ditto I had never thought of weighing the loaded cartridges after loading them. That's a great idea. i think I'll go through all my latest handloads and set them on the digital scale and see what I come up with.

I've weighed a bunch of the bullets I'm using and they seem to be very consistent. So I shouldn't have to worry about that throwing off the total by much.

[RanchRoper]

Glad you were not hurt. That could have been bad. I don't reload and just shoot factory ammo. As a rifle novice, I would not know where to begin reloading. I figure if a factory load takes my head off, at least I can haunt somebody at Winchester...

[ditto1958]

Ditto I had never thought of weighing the loaded cartridges after loading them. That's a great idea. i think I'll go through all my latest handloads and set them on the digital scale and see what I come up with.

I've weighed a bunch of the bullets I'm using and they seem to be very consistent. So I shouldn't have to worry about that throwing off the total by much.

Well, it's an easy way to do it. Suppose your completed rounds weigh about 150 grains each. If you weigh one, and it's 149.7, or 150.8, you know it's fine.

Now, let's say your load calls for 7 grains of powder. A round that weighs about 157 grains is double charged. Likewise, if you get one at about 143, it's a squib load- not charged at all.