Possible double charge in 45acp

Terry Schultz

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It is possible that I double charged 2 .45acp cartridges. The recipe calls for 4gr of Promo and I think I got two of them with 8gr. I am shooing a Ruger 1911 full size. I tried weighing each suspect round but when I did find one that was 4gr over I took it apart and found that it was the lead bullet that was over weight not the powder. I have about 500 cartridges made up and don’t know where or if there are 2 that are double charged. It’s a light load already but do you think it would pose a danger to shoot then? I really don’t want to take 500 cartridges apart.
 
You loaded 500 and ‘think’ you overloaded two?
I think you should unload all 500. Don’t play roulette.

How did you figure there were 2 overcharges after loading 500?


You’ll learn never to do that again.
 
You know, every time I go to the local gun store, and buy 308 or 6.5 Grendel, the guys there always say “you should save the brass and start reloading”

And you can absolutely save money doing it. Especially when the rounds are a buck a piece.

And every time I tell them “I don’t clean my guns after every use, my underwear draw is a shambles, and when I need a pen, I have to hunt for 20 minutes. I am not the demographic that should be reloading.”

And this post just reinforces that.
 
Yeah, there's too much variation between the cases and bullets for weighing to work. Don't do it. It "will" blow the gun apart. Ask me how I know. I've since gone to separating loading in smaller batches so if I do suspect I screwed up I'm only tossing 50 or a hundred.
 
Ya know, everyone at a gun club should be involved in safety. I've asked other members to put on eye protection before I'll shoot. And I've taken some crap for it. So be it.

A double charged .45 is exactly why I fear shooting without eye protection. That can ruin your day and the day of others nearby. And it can happen easily as the powder takes up so little space in the brass.
 
i recently 'bit the bullet' and upgraded to an auto indexing press for pistol rounds so that I don't really even have the opportunity to double charge. all the rifle that I do, if i double charge in a haze, it overflows the top of the case and i get powder everywhere...so not much danger of that happening without me noticing.
 
If you can't check them by weight you are going to have to take them all apart to check. An over charge will defiantly ruin your day and it is not worth the consequences of damaging the gun or you.
 
you can try shaking them next to your ear. Take one you know is charged properly and shake it listening carefully. There's enough space with only 4gr that you should hear some serious powder movement. Any you shake that do not sound the same, open up to check for double charge. It should be really obvious if you truly have double charged one since you'll hear very little movement. It will also tell you if there's any squibs since you'll hear no powder moving.

1gr = 1/7000th of a pound, so weighing each cartridge won't tell you much. The case could vary by more than a few gr as could the bullet.
 
Break them all down unless its cheaper to buy a new $1k pistol. If not then shoot away with a glove, ear pro and a welding mask.

Start by doing 100 at a time and checking each 100. Better when there is a problem to pull 100 than 500.

My top was pulling 200 with a kinetic puller over several sessions. Sucks but still cheaper than a new pistol.
 
OK, I get it I think I know which batch of 100 the questionable cartridges are. I will have to open all 100 until I find the two that are doubled, if I really have a double. I do a lot of shotgun reloading but I am kinda new to metalic.
 
You loaded 500 and ‘think’ you overloaded two?
I think you should unload all 500. Don’t play roulette.

How did you figure there were 2 overcharges after loading 500?


You’ll learn never to do that again.

I was having a problem with my primer station on my Dillon 650 and remember looking at the two shells in question. I just glanced at them and in the back of my mind noticed that there seamed to be enough powder for me to see the level. Later I got to thinking about it and looked at a shell that had just been filled with powder and realized that it did not come up to the same level as the ones I did when I was having problems with the primer station. The more I though about it the more I figured I may have too much powder in thoes two cases. I am going to open and weigh each of the 100 untill I find an over charge. Thank you all that posted.
 
I have a friend who reloads 9mm. He shoots A LOT! It makes sense for him.

He gave me a tour of his basement one day. Where he reloads.

I’ve had surgery in filthier places than his basement. In fact, If pressed into surgery, I want it done in his basement.

He’s ocd. I’m not sure that anyone who isn’t ocd should be loading bullets. But YMMV
 
I was having a problem with my primer station on my Dillon 650 and remember looking at the two shells in question. I just glanced at them and in the back of my mind noticed that there seamed to be enough powder for me to see the level. Later I got to thinking about it and looked at a shell that had just been filled with powder and realized that it did not come up to the same level as the ones I did when I was having problems with the primer station. The more I though about it the more I figured I may have too much powder in thoes two cases. I am going to open and weigh each of the 100 untill I find an over charge. Thank you all that posted.

Listening to that little voice in your head and catching a possible mistake before it bites you = good lesson learned.

If you have to pull all 500 to be 100% confident then so be it....do it. Add better lighting, visually confirm each powder drop, smaller batches, carry on.
 
How I would go about it, put the batch aside and start loading new ones. Whenever you sit down for a session, pull however many you can until you get bored or aggravated. Eventually theyll all be pulled. Better than a marathon bullet pulling session imo.
 
I have a friend who reloads 9mm. He shoots A LOT! It makes sense for him.

He gave me a tour of his basement one day. Where he reloads.

I’ve had surgery in filthier places than his basement. In fact, If pressed into surgery, I want it done in his basement.

He’s ocd. I’m not sure that anyone who isn’t ocd should be loading bullets. But YMMV
idont know how OCD people get loading finished. After all how many times do they pull down the cartridges to be sure theres 4.5 grains of powder vs 4.2 grains.
I have a friend who is very neat and tidy but im not sure I want him reloading.
its all in how well you pay attention in reloading.
Factory ammo can go BOOM only difference is theres some possible liability insurance behind factory ammo.
 
You have to look at this the way that Ford did with the Pinto.

What is your time worth × unloading, checking, reloading 500 rounds
vs.
How much does it cost to replace a Ruger 1911 + HB

HB = potential hospital bill after having your hand blow'd up.

If your time + bullets is worth more... shoot away!
 
Borrow a friends gun to shoot them out of.[smile]
Problem solved..[rofl]

Although you might have a hard time explaining the double eye and ear protection.
Not to mention the slight squint and sigh as each shot goes off..:eek:

Not worth it.

It will take a year to cure that flinch, LOL.

*** *** ***

Pull them. If you decide not to pull, please post where you will be shooting and what you look like to we can all stay clear.

I don't have a progressive press, so I charge all the cases in a batch before seating bullets. I have a precision powder drop set up so that I can reach all cases in a tray of 50, so it goes pretty quickly. Once I am done charging the powder, I have a small lamp that I use to visually inspect every case in the tray before moving on to seating.
 
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idont know how OCD people get loading finished. After all how many times do they pull down the cartridges to be sure theres 4.5 grains of powder vs 4.2 grains.
I have a friend who is very neat and tidy but im not sure I want him reloading.
its all in how well you pay attention in reloading.
Factory ammo can go BOOM only difference is theres some possible liability insurance behind factory ammo.
I use Lee dippers to charge my cases. The set includes a chart with powder type and what each sized dipper will throw. Before each loading session I consult the chart
....then use my digital scale to prove that the dipper I've selected truly throws the desired charge. Once I test about a dozen "dips" for practice I start charging and seating. I've found the chart to be very accurate....within 0.1 grain of what the chart states. In my opinion the dippers are.....more accurate than a powder throw......still fast......and OCD satisfied.
 
Seriously, you did the right thing in taking down those 100 rounds.
Do them in batches and you'll be done in no time.
Time is all you lost.
Much better than loosing an eye and then having an expensive paperweight.
 
I load 5.6 gr of 231 under a 230 gr rn for the subguns. I don't know if 11.2 gr would let me seat the bullet. Never tried. I use the Dillon 550 and have a light looking at the case so that I can see the powder charge before I put the bullet onto the case. Jack.

Amen!

Back in my 550 days, I had a light over the bullet station. I'd look in right before I seated a bullet. Then I upgraded to a 650 and flicked my eyes to the powdercheck to ensure it was moving the proper amount up. Lights and sirens can fail. I'll visually inspect.

Clean your seating die every 1,000 rounds as well. Lube gets in there and will let a bullet stick. There was some guy in a cowboy mag that was either double-charging or double-seating (I think it was double-seating) bullets b/c he hadn't cleaned his seating die in 10's of 1000's of rounds. One bullet stuck in the seater, he loaded the next and double-bulleted the round. Yikes! I think in the magazine article he blew up 3 different 45Colt cowboy guns.

I stopped reloading because it was too many things to watch at once. It was exhausting.
 
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