I guess I messed up.

**valerko** · 04-14-2012, 07:46 PM

Pictures by Valerko - Photobucket
My first 5.56 reloads didn't work out as expected. Thank god for safety glasses. Lol

**usmcveteran** · 04-14-2012, 07:48 PM

Wow, glad your ok. Any idea what went wrong? Man those were some expensive reloads lol. Sorry for your loss.

**bockerSV** · 04-14-2012, 08:00 PM

whoa..... i guess its back to the drawing board. glad your alrite!

**timmyp** · 04-14-2012, 08:03 PM

YEASH!!! Glad you are ok!

**Evild** · 04-14-2012, 08:08 PM

ouch, what did yo load?

**Spydermonkey** · 04-14-2012, 08:13 PM

Did you use pistol instead of rifle powder? Ouch

**valerko** · 04-14-2012, 08:22 PM

I haven't figure out what happened yet.Boughtn lee turret press with bunch of powder ,brass,bullets.... Guy had it all set up. I used his data sheet to load some 9 mm and worked like a charm. I did 5.56 and must have mixed up VArget pawed with LOngshot , I'll know once my bullet puller arrives and I'll take bullets apart.
I guess I have to get some manuals and start reading. Lol.

Got rifle all stripped out. Used to be my 3G upper..Looks worse then it is. Upper receiver bolt carrier and barrel extension are gone .But barrel and hand guard is Ok. Gonna call stag and get replacement parts.

**usmcveteran** · 04-14-2012, 08:24 PM

Atleast only your rifle was damaged which can be replaced and not your eyes or extremities which cant.

**meketrefe** · 04-14-2012, 08:38 PM

I guess I have to get some manuals and start reading. Lol.

I would not be laughing. you are lucky you didn't end up like Stevie Wonder or worse.
Keep powders separate and even used different hopper between pistol and rifle. Sometimes you think you emptied a universal powder measure and pistol powder still there stuck at the bottom ready to build a bomb. That's what that round did, a little bomb. Reloading you also check, double check and then check again. There is no such a thing as being paranoid when it comes to reloading. Read a good book, see if you can find someone locally that is a veteran reloader as a mentor. Load a few then read the book again.
You might thing the barrel is ok but you do not know right? stress cracks are not always visible. I would not even try it and put it in the trash. The handguar should be ok.
But the most important thing is that you didn't get hurt.

**DystruktoBoi1** · 04-14-2012, 09:06 PM

O my, this makes me very nervous to reload my own ammo now. When you find out what happened please share it, I would like to learn from the mistakes of others rather then my own because if I blew up an AR that would be a few years of saving up to get it fixed, that was no cheap explosion.

On the flip side no matter how much money you have you cannot replace eyes, limbs or life, so be lucky you are ok, someone was watching out for you, I cried when I saw a blown apart AR though, that kind of damage would end my shooting career for a long time, I don't make much money

**meketrefe** · 04-14-2012, 09:50 PM

No need to be afraid of reloading if you are following the steps by the book.

**varmint** · 04-14-2012, 10:19 PM

Sit down with someone that you know is safety conscious and ask them to teach you.

Killing another individual is something you might not be able to deal with.

Most people dislike being next to someone blowing up a weapon.

I have been shot on 3 different occasions and it hurt every single time.

I spent many a night going over the what not to do's with more than 1 person and they still screwed up because they were not safety conscious.

The last time I went over the "never do this this and this" the guy brings his gun back with the bolt stuck. It was a 30-06 he wanted to sling 168 grainers out of it, I told him not to exceed 56.5 grains of IMR 4350 and 56 would probably shoot better...well he figured he would fill the case. I was able to get the bolt open and I gave him back his rifle and told him he was no longer welcome to shoot with me.

I was at a range a few years ago when a 300 magnum drove the bolt into a gentleman's face. I was two stations down and had to go to the hospital to get what looked like a piece of the safety taken out of my left cheek. He was using 844t a surplus 5.56 tracer powder to light surplus 7.62 bullets. I am a very easy going guy...I was worried for the kids life not because of his stupid accident but my wife was there and if she had have seen me before the kid went to the hospital she probably would have shot him. If you don't value your life at least think of the people in the general vicinity.

**valerko** · 04-14-2012, 11:20 PM

I wouldn't dream of putting anybody else of danger. All this was done on private property with nobody around. Actually , next time I should have somebody in safe distance to drive me to hospital. Lol

All joking aside , I do take this seriously.I also realize this was Gods way to tell me to pay more attention.
As for the barrel,casing was still in it with back blown off , I don't see how there could be anything wrong with it ,but I guess better safe then sorry.

**varmint** · 04-14-2012, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by valerko

I wouldn't dream of putting anybody else of danger. All this was done on private property with nobody around. Actually , next time I should have somebody in safe distance to drive me to hospital. Lol

All joking aside , I do take this seriously.I also realize this was Gods way to tell me to pay more attention.
As for the barrel,casing was still in it with back blown off , I don't see how there could be anything wrong with it ,but I guess better safe then sorry.

I enjoy reloading as much as shooting.....don't give it up.

**DystruktoBoi1** · 04-15-2012, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by valerko

I wouldn't dream of putting anybody else of danger. All this was done on private property with nobody around. Actually , next time I should have somebody in safe distance to drive me to hospital. Lol

All joking aside , I do take this seriously.I also realize this was Gods way to tell me to pay more attention.
As for the barrel,casing was still in it with back blown off , I don't see how there could be anything wrong with it ,but I guess better safe then sorry.

bringing the barrel to a gunsmith who could properly look at it would be better then just chucking it though, explain what happened and have him examine it for you, it might save you money. I would still like to know how it happened so don't forget to post the results of your investigation.

**meketrefe** · 04-15-2012, 12:50 AM

A reputable gunsmith is going to tell you to put the barrel on the trash. Or call a metallurgic xray service, I think they only charge $1G / hr.

**varmint** · 04-15-2012, 12:54 AM

I was looking for a heavy barrel for my pellet gun....no really

**FishDude** · 04-15-2012, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by valerko

I guess I have to get some manuals and start reading. Lol.

You started reloading without any manuals?

**jonboy 69** · 04-15-2012, 10:19 AM

shouldn't see LOL in this post. your a lucky guy ........ i started reading the speer manual that came with my rockchucker kit over & over and in that first month and had bought maybe the hornady manual too. later a book by john wooters called the practical book of handloading. i won't say i never made a mistake, as over lubed crumpled cases show other wise but no powder errors as yet. it's been a while since i have done any loading and i know when i sit down next time i'll need to put the thinking cap back on all in the name of safety.

**vantrepes** · 04-15-2012, 10:49 AM

Nothing says RTFM like reloading. Read first, then read again THEN load.
Get "Modern Reloading" and "ABCs of Reloading" and start reading.

**meketrefe** · 04-15-2012, 11:00 AM

Here some common sense advice to stay safe and enjoy reloaded ammo....

1st - Read a good reloading book or two.
-Keep your pistol vs rifle powders and primers separate
-When you reload make sure you have all your data in front of you in a sheet of paper and clean well organized working area.
-Make sure the powder measure is 100% clean of any residues from any previous reloading. Best to have two measures one for pistol and one for rifle but this doesn't eliminate the need to empty and clean thoroughly before you start.
-When you buy a powder label it with the day you bought it. Document this in your reloads too. Even same powder changes slightly between batches.
-Keep your brass segregated by headstamp, nr. of firings and well prepared and clean.
-When you load the measure keep the powder container in right next to the measure so you know what powder you nave in there. When you are done the first thing is to put any unused powder back into the very same container. Same original container without altering anything.
-Use powder and bullet manufacturing data. Even when you get a load online compare it to the other data in the books and manufacturer websites
to see if it is beyond the safe margins. Do not assume anything.
- Write everything down, date, powder, coal, temperature. Even if you do not use it right away it is a good practice.
-Make yourself a nice piece of paper of the basic checkpoints in big letters and put it in front of the working area. Same thing as a pilot and copilot going over a checklist before they take off. But in the case you are the copilot too so go over this twice.
-Last read the book/s again before you start. Also there are some good DVDs and online videos.
-See if you can connect with a local experience reloader.

My fear is that you loaded pistol powder in that round that was left in the powder measure. It doesn't take much. You might not find more pistol powder in the 2nd round but even 1 flake found in the 2nd round will tell you that this is what happened.

**kkelley** · 04-15-2012, 01:36 PM

I don't yet have enough time yet to reload, but thank you for your post. Your experience and everyone's responses certainly helped to educate me on how much time and effort I should put into learning about the equipment and the process before I start to reload. I'd guess I'm at least 2 years out before I have enough time and funds to get into reloading, but it is a goal of mine.

I'm glad your safe, and I do hope your able to figure out what happened.

**saiga** · 04-15-2012, 01:53 PM

be safe man

**zeus1gdsm** · 04-15-2012, 02:01 PM

wow! glad your okay man... I dont reload but i would think that it is the same as safety checking a gun. regardless of what the other guys numbers are.. you still work you own.. same way u check a gun allready checked.

def. makes me nervous about starting to reload lol.