My reloading accident [gross pics warning]

Dayum! That looks AND sounds quite painful.

I rotate my shell plate with my left hand, as the 550 does not self-index. Particularly with the tall, skinny .223 cases and the compressed charge in my .38 Super loads, I have to index carefully, yet I've never dinged any part of my left hand.

What kind of press were you using?
 
Mr.T said:
As EC said, the short answer is yes, it will heal fine, but it will take time. I've busted up a couple myself, once by shutting a van door on it [shocked]. The nail will probably fall off in time and then slowly grow back, perhaps a little "off" in shape, but otherwise normal. What you will learn is that fingertip will be REALLY sensitive to the touch for at least six months or so, but after enough time you won't even notice it. Hang in there and chalk it up to being one of those "lessons" in life we all have.
Click to expand...
Yea i'm hoping it isnt too sensitive. as far as losing the nail, i already have.
it was surgically removed from both ends. it was replaced because the nail bed needs something against it otherwise it wont heal right.
 
Scrivener said:
Dayum! That looks AND sounds quite painful.

I rotate my shell plate with my left hand, as the 550 does not self-index. Particularly with the tall, skinny .223 cases and the compressed charge in my .38 Super loads, I have to index carefully, yet I've never dinged any part of my left hand.

What kind of press were you using?
Click to expand...

i was using a dillon 650
 
Underwhere said:
A hand surgeon was called in from home to operate. he removed the 2 pieces of nail. If you can imagine how you'd do that, that is exactly how he did. No special tools. pliers, knife, scissors. Painful? yes
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WTF? Did they decide against local anesthesia for some reason?
 
Heal fast! That sucks.

drgrant said:
Glad it wasn't as bad as I thought it was when reading the subject line and the first sentence. When you said "typing with one hand" I was like... "OMG, wtf did he do to blow off a hand?" [laugh]
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I thought.
 
This brings me back to my childhood. I fired a Daisy lever action BB gun with the lever still in the open position (don't ask why). When I pulled the trigger, the lever snapped shut and took the tip of my trigger finger off in the process. Hurt like hell and I still have the scar.
 
Wow, man. I hope you heal quickly without complications. If you get hooked on the painkillers you can hang out with Patrick Kennedy at the rehab clinic - wouldn't that be fun?

It's amazing how such a small body part so far from the core can generate so much pain.
 
Am I really going to be the first one to say, after 41 posts, that......

It's a good thing you have so much practice typing one handed!!!!!!! [smile][smile][laugh]
 
+ reps for drawing a smiley face in blood = THAT'S BADASS. [shocked] [smile]

Don't do it again, alright ? [hmmm]

I took the tip off the middle finger (right down to the bone) of my left hand with a jointer four years ago. To my surprise it grew back. Its' round again now. My wife says I must be part lizard. [thinking]
 
Wait a minute... Both De and Jim F. did this... where's the cry for a class action suit? Sounds like a product defect liability.

Scriv? Jesse? Bueller? Where's the outcry for pain and suffering? Your honor, my client has lost his ability to pick his nose and satisfy his girlfriend. Your honor, he is reduced to typing with one hand. Your honor, Mr. Eddie Coyle is now forced to shoot left handed.

Damn... this has to be way more valuable than the $9 Million Walmart case! The poor lad is deformed for life!!!

Hope you feel better, De. OUCH!!!
 
richc said:
Wait a minute... Both De and Jim F. did this... where's the cry for a class action suit? Sounds like a product defect liability.

Scriv? Jesse? Bueller? Where's the outcry for pain and suffering? Your honor, my client has lost his ability to pick his nose and satisfy his girlfriend. Your honor, he is reduced to typing with one hand. Your honor, Mr. Eddie Coyle is now forced to shoot left handed.

Damn... this has to be way more valuable than the $9 Million Walmart case! The poor lad is deformed for life!!!

Hope you feel better, De. OUCH!!!
Click to expand...

I know you're joking, but I didn't do mine on a reloading press. I had a run-in with a chain and sprocket.
 
Stef said:
WTF? Did they decide against local anesthesia for some reason?
Click to expand...

There was a lidocaine shot in my palm area...but believe me when someone is actively cutting your fingernail off your finger and yanking it from the bed YOU WILL FEEL IT.
 
Jose said:
Buff out, that will not.

How's the pain level now?
Click to expand...

I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. Only for a few minutes after it happened and during the surgery did the pain bother me.

i'm mostly worried about whether it will heal properly, get infected etc. since the press isn't the cleanest thing in the world and it did make it all the way through the bone, I am very nervous of bone infection. It's stll bleeding. I may go back to the hospital if it doesn't stop. i'm ice packing and elevating. Even did that in my sleep.

Its funny how debilitating this is. Not being able to bend one finger renders my entire hand useless. I never thought it would. They are just so intricately connected. When you move one, the rest move and if I do that I can feel my bone move.
 
Man, that sucks. I hope it heals up ok. Finger injuries unbelievably painful. Any one that has even smashed their finger with a hammer will never forget how much it throbs.

I have been thinking about getting into reloading and will remember the painful lesson you learned and try not to repeat it.

If that happened to me I would try to convince my wife that there was only one thing that made me forget the pain, and it rhymes with slow slob. Top that off with a couple of percs and you might have a decent weekend yet.
 

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