Learned two valuable lessons last week.

[Auslander]

1.  Don’t load cartridges when you are sick.
2. Buy a brass squib rod to keep in bag.

This last weekend, I had a local match; however I had been sick as a dog with a sinus infection. I didn’t have enough ammo for the match so on Thursday I rushed through the last 50. The only thing I can figure is my wife walked in and distracted me when I was verifying my charge weight.(I remember her coming in and being in a hurry).
Apparently after verifying the charge, I dumped the powder back in the powder measure and put the now primed but empty case back on the Dillon. Not blaming my wife, but I did build an excellent squib round.

Of course when the round malfunctioned, I dutifully tried to clear and rammed the projectile good and tight. At least it didn’t allow for the next round to chamber.

Thankfully, in my haste I didn’t double charge a case and the squib only blocked the leade. Bad mojo.

I’m glad one of my fellow shooters had a rod.

Don’t rush and don’t load when your attention isn’t focused.

Peace.


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[Grendel]

I carry a fiberglass driveway marker that I've cut down for this very purpose.

[newageroman]

In a pinch a door hinge pin wrapped in duct tape also works good.

[RSR]

I carry a fiberglass driveway marker that I've cut down for this very purpose.

Now I know what to do with the remnants of those that delivery drivers have broken beyond usability...  Thanks!

[tdogg]

Yeah but if you ever get a squip in the middle of the barrel, having the brass rod is required.  I shattered the fiberglass rod attempting to remove a competitors squib on my squad.  They had to find a brass rod.

I replaced my range bag squib rod with a brass one after that event.

Cheers,
Toby

[dwhite]

After my first (and only) squib, I went out and bought a 1/4" brass rod from Home Depot. I cut it into 12 inch lengths and put them in my range bags. Pretty cheap insurance.

[Ron IL]

I made some brass rods a few years ago when I wanted to slug a barrel and put some in my range bag.  I have one for 9 and one for 45.  Last fall I had my one and only squib and knocked it out with one of my rods.  And hopefully the only time I will have to do that.  I can't have a double charge because the powder I use fills the case level with the top with a double charge.

[Auslander]

I made some brass rods a few years ago when I wanted to slug a barrel and put some in my range bag.  I have one for 9 and one for 45.  Last fall I had my one and only squib and knocked it out with one of my rods.  And hopefully the only time I will have to do that.  I can't have a double charge because the powder I use fills the case level with the top with a double charge.

I use BE-86 and other similar mid range powders that would darn near overflow the case should I double charge. I’d like to think I wouldn’t compress a charge, but….

I would have thought I would have caught the empty case as well.

Anyway, I won’t be loading while I’m sick anymore and I’ll stop on the upstroke of the press when my wife walks in!


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[RSR]

I use BE-86 and other similar mid range powders that would darn near overflow the case should I double charge. I’d like to think I wouldn’t compress a charge, but….

I would have thought I would have caught the empty case as well.

Anyway, I won’t be loading while I’m sick anymore and I’ll stop on the upstroke of the press when my wife walks in!


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Stuff like this happens -- was working on my truck nearly a decade ago now and wife was ready for dinner.  Hurrying, I forgot I left a breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt for manually turning the engine...  Later started the truck (think it was a new distributor install or maybe just setting timing) and knocked the camshaft bolt loose after doing some damage to hard tranny to radiator lines.  Non-interference engine, so got away with just the cost of a new tranny hardline and the time to take everything apart to ensure belt, etc, was all still properly aligned...  Sometimes you're darned if you do, darned if you don't.

[Dan_69GTX]

I carry a fiberglass driveway marker that I've cut down for this very purpose.

Cool - I like that idea a lot!!   Thanks!