Had my first squib today

[rocket500]

148gr wadcutter loaded in a .357 mag case. Bullseye powder. Pistol is a S&W 686+.

Pulled the trigger got click. Seemed like a dud and not a squib. Pistol is locked up though. Bullet exited the case but just got into the forcing cone. Didn’t even engage the rifling.

Didn’t have a rod so I ended my session and knocked the bullet back into the case with a brass rod at home.

Pulled the bullet and no powder in there. This was a test batch and I weighed these charges and filled the cases by hand so clearly I missed one.

Case was bulged slightly.

 

[greencobra]

don't know if i'd come on the internet and tell everyone but a good cautionary tale nonetheless.

 

[meh]

The case could have been deformed by pounding the bullet back in. It'll want to crease outwards then, same as if the press "squatted" on it (due to maladjustment of the seating die).

 

[rocket500]

The case could have been deformed by pounding the bullet back in. It'll want to crease outwards then, same as if the press "squatted" on it (due to maladjustment of the seating die).

Could be, yes.

 

[WanMan99]

I had one squib out of 30k+ rounds produced and it was a .38 as well. Mine was a S&W 686 w/5" barrel and I had to force the bullet back into the cylinder/case as well.
Squibs happen when you have gotten too comfortable reloading... It's a nice wake up call to keep your attention and when something changes in the production process, to stop and re-assess.
Glad it wasn't a double charge.

 

[rocket500]

don't know if i'd come on the internet and tell everyone but a good cautionary tale nonetheless.

Cautionary tale is I quickly whipped up a small test batch of ammo and didn’t pay enough attention to it. Fortunately no harm done.

 

[45collector]

I have had two in the only 4 years I’ve been reloading. They were both .45acp made on the single stage press, and my wife was distracting me in my gun room both times. She’s not allowed in there while I’m reloading anymore.

Only other squib I’ve experienced in my entire shooting life was last year, a factory Santa Barbara 7.62 NATO round through my .308 Garand. I’d shot thousands of rounds of that stuff through my FAL, and that squib was about the 5th or 6th round through the Garand in my first range trip with it. I was pissed. Had to go home to clear it.

 

[DW357]

Very similar load when I had squibs. It’s happened twice actually out of the tens of thousands of rounds I loaded.

357 case
4.2 gr Bullseye
158 gr coated SWC and a 158 gr plated RN

Both cleared the forcing cone and were about halfway down the bore.

I still to this day don’t know how I managed it.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I still to this day don’t know how I managed it.

I had several in a batch where I wet tumbled, and maybe didn't wait until all the cases were 100% dry.

I've since eliminated the possibility of that problem recurring.

 

[SgtHal75]

I actually had my 1 and only squib load with my new Sig Legion 226 with a 9mm Winchester whitebox. Never ever buy that shit!!!

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Very similar load when I had squibs. It’s happened twice actually out of the tens of thousands of rounds I loaded.

357 case
4.2 gr Bullseye
158 gr coated SWC and a 158 gr plated RN

Both cleared the forcing cone and were about halfway down the bore.

I still to this day don’t know how I managed it.

Pretty much the same experience for me but with 38 special cases, should have been 3.5 bullseye and a 158 SWC.
tons of debris flew back and hit my face and the bullets were in the bore.
Also 1 time with 45 ACP should have been 5 grains of bullseye with a 200 grain lead HP. My brother was shooting. Just a pop and the bullet didn't even leave the case. It's like the case wasn't sized and all the gasses leaked out of something. Weird. I could spin the bullet in the case and pulled it right out.

 

[DW357]

I had several in a batch where I wet tumbled, and maybe didn't wait until all the cases were 100% dry.

I've since eliminated the possibility of that problem recurring.

I don’t wet tumble but would corn cob media crammed in the flash hole cause a squib? I feel like it should blast it out.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I don’t wet tumble but would corn cob media crammed in the flash hole cause a squib? I feel like it should blast it out.

I seriously doubt it.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

I don’t wet tumble but would corn cob media crammed in the flash hole cause a squib? I feel like it should blast it out.

I doubt it would.
I loaded a whole bunch of rifle ammo back when. Tumbled after the sizing to remove the lube. Primed, powder and bulled on the Dillon and good to go.
Looking back I now know that were was definitely media stuck in the primer pockets and never had an issue with any of the ammo. There was a lot of it too.
Now I do the same process but with a universal decapper in the first station to pop any stuck media out. I'm sure it doesn't help accuracy the same way an off center or burred up primer pocket doesn't help

 

[DW357]

Pretty much the same experience for me but with 38 special cases, should have been 3.5 bullseye and a 158 SWC.
tons of debris flew back and hit my face and the bullets were in the bore.
Also 1 time with 45 ACP should have been 5 grains of bullseye with a 200 grain lead HP. My brother was shooting. Just a pop and the bullet didn't even leave the case. It's like the case wasn't sized and all the gasses leaked out of something. Weird. I could spin the bullet in the case and pulled it right out.

Interesting how many people here reported squibs in 38/357 with bullseye powder. Prob just a coincidence.

I can’t remember if there were any issues with the cases I used. It’s all mixed brass that’s been fired many times.

 

[NavelOfficer]

When reloading on a single stage with charged cases neatly in a loading tray, make a determined look into all cases to verify equal powder amounts. You'll quickly notice any oddities with a glance, even tiny loads in .38 Special cases will be verified.
On a progressive press, just make sure you don't run the powder on empty while cranking out a few hundred rounds.

 

[meh]

I’ve put a bullet to an empty case before. Didn’t seat it, but almost. Was coming to the end and counting cases and bullets while loading straight from the charge master.

 

[richc]

Personally I have to completely focus when reloading. No tv, no radio, no conversation.

I'm just not able to do two things at once very well.

Focus for me is the key.

Glad you're OK!

 

[jek]

Interesting how many people here reported squibs in 38/357 with bullseye powder. Prob just a coincidence

I find I check .38/.357 loaded with Bullseye on the turret press constantly since it's tough to see the powder level unless the inner brass is very clean. I will probably try something like CFE Pistol or Trail Boss which are much easier to see

 

[BrianWilson]

Maybe a dozen. Dillon 550. I blame them on something not working properly in the process, and after "correcting" it I carelessly advance the shell plate with out pulling the handle. I also blew the slide right off a .45 when I didn't advance the shell plate and double charged. This made me much more attentive to the whole process, and also made me think a progressive is probably more safer for us idjits. I also think the LED lights are a great idea.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Interesting how many people here reported squibs in 38/357 with bullseye powder. Prob just a coincidence.

I can’t remember if there were any issues with the cases I used. It’s all mixed brass that’s been fired many times.

It is common and I'm wondering how much has to do with being a numbers game. There is a lot of 38/357 being loaded with bullseye and it's a small charge in a big case. Eventually someone is going to miss it if you roll the dice enough times.
I'm considering moving to something fluffier like clays for my 38 target loads.

 

[pastera]

I had a ton of issues with Speer brass and extreme plated bullets. The bullets were slightly undersized and the cases are thin so they ended up with very little neck tension. If they cleared the barrel, you could watch them hit the ground 10-15 yards out.
Same bullets in thicker cases worked perfectly.
Didn't like the bullets in 9mm so I just tossed them into the pot and cast up some 148g semi-wadcutters (the right stuff to feed your wheel gun)

 

[DW357]

I had a ton of issues with Speer brass and extreme plated bullets. The bullets were slightly undersized and the cases are thin so they ended up with very little neck tension. If they cleared the barrel, you could watch them hit the ground 10-15 yards out.
Same bullets in thicker cases worked perfectly.
Didn't like the bullets in 9mm so I just tossed them into the pot and cast up some 148g semi-wadcutters (the right stuff to feed your wheel gun)

Interesting. One my squibs was with an Xtreme 158 gr bullet but can’t recall the brass headstamp.

 

[DW357]

It is common and I'm wondering how much has to do with being a numbers game. There is a lot of 38/357 being loaded with bullseye and it's a small charge in a big case. Eventually someone is going to miss it if you roll the dice enough times.
I'm considering moving to something fluffier like clays for my 38 target loads.

Good point. Once I’m done with Bullseye (got like 1/8th of pound left), I’ll probably just use Vit N320 since I have so much of it on hand for 9mm. Not as fluffy (small stick powder) but better than bullseye.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Good point. Once I’m done with Bullseye (got like 1/8th of pound left), I’ll probably just use Vit N320 since I have so much of it on hand for 9mm. Not as fluffy (small stick powder) but better than bullseye.

Yeah I need to burn through a few pounds then consider some options. Or just some better lighting for my press. I have one of the Hornsby strip LEDs but it doesn’t mount in a good spot to shine down into the case well. I’m thinking the light that shines down through the hole in the tool head would be perfect. Maybe mod a mag light for that or something.

 

[rocket500]

I loaded up another test batch with Unique that I thought shot well and were less flashy. Managed to get powder in all those cases.

 

[Upland]

I appreciate you sharing the experience. Everyone can use a reminder. That small amount of Bullseye is tough to see in a 357 case.