Finally, after 51 years... - 09/20/19
I seated a primer backwards.
Been hand loading since 1968 and never had a mistake actually make it to the range. Once in a blue moon I've missed filling a case with powder and once charged 50 cases with powder but no primers. But I've adopted routines to check and double check that always catch stuff like that before heading out to shoot. One of those steps is to always look closely at the primers in the hand primer tray to make sure they're all oriented correctly before priming. But apparently not this time.
Was on the next to last round of my last group of the day when it went "click". Counted to 30, extracted the case and sure 'nuff, the primer was in backwards. Funny thing is that it fired but I didn't hear any kind of loud pop, just the click of the firing pin drop. No damage to the bolt face, in fact there isn't even any soot on it at all.
Oh well, just proves you're never too old to make a dumb mistake...
Oops.
Been hand loading since 1968 and never had a mistake actually make it to the range. Once in a blue moon I've missed filling a case with powder and once charged 50 cases with powder but no primers. But I've adopted routines to check and double check that always catch stuff like that before heading out to shoot. One of those steps is to always look closely at the primers in the hand primer tray to make sure they're all oriented correctly before priming. But apparently not this time.
Was on the next to last round of my last group of the day when it went "click". Counted to 30, extracted the case and sure 'nuff, the primer was in backwards. Funny thing is that it fired but I didn't hear any kind of loud pop, just the click of the firing pin drop. No damage to the bolt face, in fact there isn't even any soot on it at all.
Oh well, just proves you're never too old to make a dumb mistake...
Oops.