Rifle destroyed by wrong powder

[Doubleplay]

I'm glad he's ok. Lesson to be learned for reloaders.

 

[wswolf]

Many years ago, my father father finished loading a batch of .44 Magnum with 296. He then emptied his powder measure into a can of 760 that was also on his bench. I borrowed said can of 760 to try some loads in my M77 .220 Swift. The floor plate was blown off and wrecked, the stock split and splintered and the extractor sent into orbit next to Russell's Teapot. The rear half of the cartridge case was dissolved. The shooter got a face full of hot gas and brass particles. He was not wearing glasses. His corneas were pitted like the craters of the moon and peppered with pieces of brass and powder. He had to wear bandages over both eyes for two weeks. Fortunately he recovered completely except for a scar on his nose.

After that I never had more than one container of powder on the bench at a time or borrowed any powder from my father.

 

[C.W. Richter]

There is no wrong powder. Only wrongful reloaders. (much like guns) The error is ALL human.

 

[Inline6]

There is no wrong powder. Only wrongful reloaders. (much like guns) The error is ALL human.

I know what you are trying to say, maybe the better way to say it is...not all powders are for every cartridge.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I know what you are trying to say, maybe the better way to say it is...not all powders are for every cartridge.

Powder itself, is never wrong.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Powder itself, is never wrong.

Gun powder is exactly the same as a gun, it’ll sit there and do nothing until someone comes along and does something with it….. you are correct.

 

[Goose Cracker]

I do like others say here - only one powder on the bench at a time.

I've made one mistake reloading in about 15 years - wrong powder weight (transposed weight for one powder with a different one). Max was supposed to be 38 grains, I loaded 41 accidentally. I knew it when I pulled the trigger - luckily all it did was blow the primer, imprint the case head info onto the bolt face (it came off with next cleaning), and present a sticky bolt. Definitely got my attention and made me tighten up my process a bit.

 

[tarbe]

Always appreciate a graphic reminder....especially when no one was hurt!

I have 42 different powders on my shelves...so like many others, only one is out and near the scale/powder measure when loading.

This gives multiple opportunities to catch an error.

In 49 years of loading, I grabbed the wrong powder once. Fortunately I caught the error before loading any ammo.

Scares the crap out of you and definitely makes you more careful!!

 

[Newboomer]

Always appreciate a graphic reminder....especially when no one was hurt!

I have 42 different powders on my shelves...so like many others, only one is out and near the scale/powder measure when loading.

This gives multiple opportunities to catch an error.

In 49 years of loading, I grabbed the wrong powder once. Fortunately I caught the error before loading any ammo.

Scares the crap out of you and definitely makes you more careful!!

A few years ago when I was shooting quite bit I invested in a popular progressive press. It did OK for a while but on one occasion, not so good. I loaded up a batch of 7RM for a class at FTW Ranch. They worked great for a bit then one sounded a little funny. Too loud and too much recoil. I couldn't get the bolt open no matter what we tried. They sent it to a smith who finally got it open. That round had sprung the receiver, battered the bolt and done other damage to the innards beyond repair. I finished the course with a borrowed rifle.

When I got home I pulled all the bullets in that batch. Some had correct loads and others ranged from a couple grains over to a charge and a half and more. Just for kicks I loaded some more and it did the same thing, threw charges all over the place even after recalibrating. Needless to say I ripped that garbage off my bench and went to a plain old simple single stage. No more problems.

I called the company and explained the situation and all I got was, "Gee, that was a heavy load." So much for a lifetime no hassle warranty.

 

[tarbe]

Well, I am with you 'boomer. Single stage only for this old Luddite!!

I am too much of a control/inspection freak to use any sort of progressive - that's my story and I am sticking to it...like the old dog who won't learn new tricks!!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Something interesting happened Saturday. I was loading my thirty declared 404 Jeffery for upcoming trip to Africa. I use an older Lyman electronic scale/dispenser. It kept acting up and had to reset to zero constantly. After pouring the load into case the scale would not return to zero. Usually reading 0.4 grains. The weighing platform was clean (when lifting the pan from platform, must be careful not to bump trickle tube and drop powder on the platform). I was nearly finished when I discovered a tiny kernel of A4350 wedged between the edge of the weighing platform and scale housing. I had to pull all the bullets and recharge each cartridge. Oh well.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Well, I am with you 'boomer. Single stage only for this old Luddite!!

I am too much of a control/inspection freak to use any sort of progressive - that's my story and I am sticking to it...like the old dog who won't learn new tricks!!

I picked up a deceased club member's progressive shotshell loader and gave away my old MEC single stage. Wish I'd kept it. Too easy for something to go haywire and get missed in the progression. Getting it sorted out can be a challenge.

 

[fourfive8]

Yep, single stage only here also. Even going slow with new brass prep simply doesn't take that long to load 40 rounds of high power rifle... which is the most I ever load at one time anyway. I used to load shotgun and handgun a lot but it became obvious that for most shotgun and handgun it simply was not worth it when factory ammo can be had for decent prices, especially in quantity. The only time it pays for me to load for handgun is for very specialized ammo for antique guns. I have always avoided progressive presses.

As to wrong or right powders.....? Bullseye in a large capacity overbore cartridge under a heavy jacketed bullet would be a wrong powder. No way to make it a right powder.

OP's example is good reminder- thanks for posting

Wonder if someone with Quick Load would mind entering the numbers and sharing the ballpark of pressure generated by the 66 gr of 4198 under a 175 gr bullet in a 7 mag. Pretty high I imagine. What usually happens in a quality barrel and action is the case fails, the bolt sets back and a huge amount of gas at super high velocity shoots out the rear of the chamber and does the damage.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Something interesting happened Saturday. I was loading my thirty declared 404 Jeffery for upcoming trip to Africa. I use an older Lyman electronic scale/dispenser. It kept acting up and had to reset to zero constantly. After pouring the load into case the scale would not return to zero. Usually reading 0.4 grains. The weighing platform was clean (when lifting the pan from platform, must be careful not to bump trickle tube and drop powder on the platform). I was nearly finished when I discovered a tiny kernel of A4350 wedged between the edge of the weighing platform and scale housing. I had to pull all the bullets and recharge each cartridge. Oh well.

I guess it sounds worse than it actually was. Loads would be light, not heavy. Four tenths of a grain light wouldn't make a huge difference as I was far below the maximum load. About in the middle between "starting" and "maximum." But this new barrel is fussy. Finally have something it likes so wanted to make sure I'm exactly on the same page when I get to Africa. Start over. The gun does NOT like hot loads in 400 gr bullets. Won't group worth beans. I don't like the hot loads either.

 

[Desperatezulu]

Wonder if someone with Quick Load would mind entering the numbers and sharing the ballpark of pressure generated by the 66 gr of 4198 under a 175 gr bullet in a 7 mag. Pretty high I imagine. What usually happens in a quality barrel and action is the case fails, the bolt sets back and a huge amount of gas at super high velocity shoots out the rear of the chamber and does the damage.

160,000 psi

 

[Foxi]

I have 42 different powders

I only have one,thank god.
I use it to load everything I need from .223 to .458 Win Mag.

But loading errors with factory ammunition also happen.
I remember a manufacturer recalling a batch that did not contain powder...............

 

[fourfive8]

160,000 psi

Thanks for posting. Yep, that'll do it!

 

[Newboomer]

Well, I am with you 'boomer. Single stage only for this old Luddite!!

I am too much of a control/inspection freak to use any sort of progressive - that's my story and I am sticking to it...like the old dog who won't learn new tricks!!

Yup. I like to see what I'm doing at every step. Brass is cleaned and inspected. I check every case as soon as I seat a primer to make sure it's right, trickle every load to 1/10 of a grain, measure every 5th or 6th loaded round for length. Then I know each and every round is as near perfect as human hands can make it because I did it with my two hands, no hunk of metal spitting out something I don't know.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I use many powders and have rifles in calibers from 22-250 to 404 Jeffery. I am well aware of the many errors that can creep into the loading process. A clean, organized bench and an organized, focused mind are equally important. I double check everything.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

A long time hunting friend , destroyed his Win 70 7mm REM mag with a charge of the wrong powder, the rifle had just been re barreled wtih a Shillen bbl & the stock refinished. the load of 66 grains of ADI AR22O7 SAME AS H 4198 OVER A 175 GRAIN BULLET destroyed the rifle blew the floor plate open & welded the case into the chamber & bolt face luckily he was not hurt,
The mistake was he should have been using ADI AR2217 same as H1000 A SIMPLE MISTAKE READING THE POWDER LABEL. it all ended well he replaced the mod70 with a Montana Arms 1999 stainless rifle a beautiful rifle. Just a another lesson in how easy it is to have an accident when reloading.

@rdog
A while back people were having guns stolen after the police were on there radio reporting on safe inspections.
They inspected a mates safe and only found one loaded round in his ammo compartment. When questioned he told the police if he got his guns stolen it would be easy to find the criminal. When asked how he replied they would be the one in hospital with a rifle bolt in their head.
He ad loaded a 25-303 with a 120gr bullet and a case full of unique shotgun powder. That would definitely give a very quick lesson in rifle disassembly without tools.

Rule one in reloading
Safety first.
Rule 2 Safety first
And Rule 3 Safety first.
Bob