Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Whoops.....

Whoops is the one thing you don't want to hear your surgeon say. Maybe that's why they have general anesthesia...

I'm a careful reloader with 50+ years experience. Last weekend, I had an incident that I'm going to report, just as a FYI for other experienced, careful reloaders.

I had loaded a series of test rounds for my FN 98 Mauser/Shilen 6.5x55. I was weighing loads on my Ohaus 10-10 as always. That scale had a problem with the weight jumping a notch and I had Superglued a pencil eraser where the beam hits bottom, just to keep the weight from jumping. That has worked pretty well.

I was shooting 100 NPT's with JB's 42 gr. RL-15 load, when the chrono read 3,577 fps and the bolt froze. I managed to open the action without a mallet, but it took some muscle. The primer was blown, but I got no blow back, even with an "H" type (not a "C" type) 98 Mauser. I had no idea what had happened until I was able to open the action.

I pulled bullets on the other rounds and weighed the RL-15. Yep, 52 gr., not 42. The weight had jump a notch, 42 to 52 gr. A 100 gr. Partitions at 3,577 fps is a bit more than one would expect from a 6.5x55, even with Campfire loads...

So, word to the wise. Be careful. These things can happen. And I was at my deer lease, a remote 6,000 property with only faint cell phone coverage. And, I was the only one out there. Sorta scary when you think of what could have happened. Guess my angel was working overtime...

DF

Dang. Weight jumping is a new one on me, but will certainly keep a eye out.

DF: Ouch!

We are all vulnerable and prone to mistakes.

One thing I always liked about powders and loads that mostly fill the case is that a 10 gr error will show right away because it'll be spill in' all over the place

Wow! Glad you're still in one piece man.

Not too many Fire contributors pushing 100 gr. NPT's at 3,500+ fps out of a 6.5x55, not a .264 WM...

And, hope that never happens again.

DF

I wonder what the cup pressure was on that load? Years ago there was a bad batch of RL22, and was a recall. I was told from a tech at Allaint that loads that ran 52000 to 54000 cup's with RL22 and with this powder would go as high as 85000 cup with the same loads, I had 15 pounds of it, they told me not to use it and sent me 20 pounds and told me to spread the rest of the bad lot on my yard. I took it and put it in a 5 gallon metal bucket and put the fuse to it. Awsome light show, never lite that much powder off at one time.

I think you win the "Swede Speed" race.

Glad you still have facial features and a sense of humor left to tell the story.

Yep...

I'll put my Swede up against anyone's Swede...

Who ever welded this bolt handle did good. It's STRONG.

And, below, one can see the 50's FN with "H" configuration, that is, both raceways cut thru. Older Mausers and CZ's have only the extractor cut (referred to as "C" configuration) and reportedly are better at gas deflection. I had no gas in my face even with a blown primer.

No telling what the pressure was, maybe 80-90K...??

DF

Dang, I'm gonna go check my scale and make sure the eraser is still firmly glued on!

Mine is still there, but it sure did let me down...

Or almost lit me up, depends on how you want to look at it...

DF

Well, you're no worse for the wear, which is the important thing.

A testament to the action, too.

Glad you are ok.. Scary what can happen from a moments in attention..

Yep.

Seems like a bigger deal now, thinking back on it, that it seemed at the moment.

DF

So when you removed the pan from the scale and the pointer bottomed out it caused the weight adjustment to jump out the notch to the next one? I use an old Rcbs made by Ohaus thanks for the heads up. A lot of guys wouldn't share an accident like that. Thanks.

Neat looking rifle, DF. Glad you're ok!

Thanks, twice...

DF

+1 for full cases.

I agree.

But, sometimes the best load, especially with light weight bullets, isn't with the slowest powder and a full case. RL-15 is a good 6.5x55 powder and I was using JB's load of 42 gr. with the 100 NPT, just to see what it would do. So, even with a 10 gr. over charge (52 gr.) the case wasn't full.

BTW, this gun favors 139 Scenars above all and Norma MRP seems to be one of the top performing powders. I just happen to have a big jug of MRP, so that's the current hunting load. MRP fills to case enough that a 10 gr. overcharge won't happen.

DF

DF -

I'm certainly glad YOU weren't injured too.

I have an old 5-10 scale that 'sometimes' the tenth's balance has jumped 1 or 2 notches- no big deal.

I also have a 10-10 scale that is a 'pain' to adjust up/down with the rotor....

BUT so far I've never seen either one jump in 10 gr. increments and I'm GLAD.

Several years ago I moved to digital scales and actually just replaced the first one last Winter. I still use a balance beam for checking wts. but much prefer the digital.

Continued Good Luck.

I may in the market for a digital.

I've never had one. What's your preference?

DF