First squib

[tdwhite03]

I have been reloading for a while now and I had my first squib Friday. It was a .40 reload with 5.2 grains of unique and a 180 cast lead bullet. Thankfully I was able to drive it out with one hit of the hammer on my punch.

Not sure what caused it as it was one of a group of 200 and the rest of them worked just fine.

 

[Dcav]

I had 2 with .38's when I first started loading them, generally caused by a low powder charge.

 

[Dawico]

Yes, probably low or no powder. It happens.

 

[Bultx1215]

Yup. Had my first one last summer. I think its a matter of when it will happen, not if. Seems like everyone has at least one.

 

[Dawico]

My only squibs have been self inflicted. When I started out, I was trying to load 44 Magnums down to say, .22 lr power. That little pinch of powder didn't like to burn too well in that big case. After three in a row, I figured I had found the new minimum powder charge.

 

[Dcav]

Yup. Had my first one last summer. I think its a matter of when it will happen, not if. Seems like everyone has at least one.

Good learning tool as long as no one gets hurt. IMO, I check way more often now and sit up higher so I can see into the cases as I load them.

 

[jfrey]

Haven't had any squibs yet but the last bunch of CCI primers I bought have had a lot of duds in them. Some need a second strike and some just don't go off at all.

 

[PopsXD9sc]

My squibs have always been from no powder; getting interrupted while reloading and not checking each case. Since the last one I always stop the press in the same position if interrupted so I know where I am when I start back. Looking in each case for powder doesn't hurt either.

Any primer issues I've had have been self induced as well. I don't remember ever having an issue with CCI primers in probably 20k rds reloading with small and large pistol primers. If the primer is sufficiently seated it will go bang. Wolf primers are another story. They seem incredibly hard to seat and I get several bad 1st hits out of 100. Still more of a operator issue than product.

 

[cleric]

You can always get a powder cop die to help detect squib loads

 

[RetArmySgt]

Powder Cop Die?

 

[Dawico]

Powder Cop Die?

Hornady makes one that gives you a visual view of the powder level. I have it and love it, but you do have to look. RCBS makes a lockout die that stops your press if the powder is too high or low. I hear good things about it also.

 

[PopsXD9sc]

I have one on my LNL and still look in every case for powder level.

 

[Outbreak]

I've got the powder level alarm detector thingy on my Dillon 650. I use it, but it gives false alarms (whenever it makes a peep, I weigh the charge. They're always spot on) and I always look in the cases.

 

[cleric]

Hornady makes one that gives you a visual view of the powder level. I have it and love it, but you do have to look. RCBS makes a lockout die that stops your press if the powder is too high or low. I hear good things about it also.

I have a lock out but use it has a powder cop.

 

[ROGER4314]

When I load, I place all of my charged cases in a loading block and shine a light down each one to check the charge. You can easily spot a short or long charge.

On a turret press, I slow down the process and check each one. On the turrets, the powder will "bridge" which shorts one round and overcharges the next one. If you disassemble the powder measure, clean it with brake clean then rub down each part with a dryer sheet (Bounce etc), it will keep the bridging to a minimum.

The Brake clean will tear up the plastic parts....be careful. Also, you remove every bit of oil from the parts doing this. Rust will come quickly.

Flash

 

[zfields]

The 3rd round I made was a squib. Drove out over an hour to that range, just to go home after the 3rd shot.

Since then, a few thousand after, not another one. I dont use a powder cop or anything ( 4 turret set up, no room ), so I just mounted a flexiable desk lamp so I can see down the casing before I seat the bullet.

 

[Rum Runner]

The 3rd round I made was a squib. Drove out over an hour to that range, just to go home after the 3rd shot.

Thats a drag, but probably a good lesson to learn early.

That is one of the advantages to a single stage, like Roger, with all the cases in a holder, its easy to do a quick inspection. I am switching to a turret mainly so I can keep all my dies set between loadings. I think zfields has the right idea and thats what I will implement. Check the powder before seating the bullet.

I also like to use powders that take up more than half the volume of the case so its really obvious to spot a double.

 

[Bultx1215]

I am not sure how mine happened. I was using my LCT at the time. I may have had an obstruction in the powder drop, dunno. It has happened before, but with rifle. Found a hunk of plastic in the powder. Whatever it was, it must have cleared itself. Several thousand rounds before and after and no repeat. Now I use my Loadmaster for pistol rounds. I have a light set to look right down in the case at the powder level. It shouldn't happen again.

 

[zfields]

Thats a drag, but probably a good lesson to learn early.

That is one of the advantages to a single stage, like Roger, with all the cases in a holder, its easy to do a quick inspection. I am switching to a turret mainly so I can keep all my dies set between loadings. I think zfields has the right idea and thats what I will implement. Check the powder before seating the bullet.

I also like to use powders that take up more than half the volume of the case so its really obvious to spot a double.

Yup, was a crappy lesson, but taken to heart.

Fully agree with the powder. w231 for both .45 and 9mm. Pretty damn hard to double charge. Also keep a dryer sheet wrapped around the powder hopper to help keep from static build up and getting light charges.

 

[cleric]

Thats a drag, but probably a good lesson to learn early.

That is one of the advantages to a single stage, like Roger, with all the cases in a holder, its easy to do a quick inspection. I am switching to a turret mainly so I can keep all my dies set between loadings. I think zfields has the right idea and thats what I will implement. Check the powder before seating the bullet.

I also like to use powders that take up more than half the volume of the case so its really obvious to spot a double.

I bought the lnl ap for the 5 stages and I can easily check powder level. I run mine through a die to verify but if I removed the die I could look at every case to validate the load