Focus on making rounds, not pulling the handle.

[thorn]

A couple weeks ago i was loading some 9mm, and somehow along the way failed to get a primer seated - which led to powder making it's way under the shellplate, which led to the press eventually being unhappy and failing to index.

I stopped in mid-production to deal with it. Thought it was ok, made a few more rounds, and damned if it didn't happen again. Stopped AGAIN, and found that the first diagnosis hadn't solved all the problems. After a ton of cursing and yelling, FINALLY got it resolved and went back to making rounds.

When my session was over, I looked at those last 35 rds and realized i didn't have that "satisfied and accomplished" feeling... some inner voice was telling me something was wrong. I debated for a few mins, and decided to pull all the bullets.

2-3 of them were squibs. I'd been paying more attention to the press than the rounds, and the "fix the jamming" problem had led to some cases bypassed the charging station without me noticing.

Stay focused on your cases... not just correct operation of the press. :)

thorn

[MullahElRon]

Gots to know when to stop and come back another day. Or week...

[TwoShot]

Damn good advice.
I hate to get intrupted during a reloading session. With a malfunction or a wife calling me.
I've got in of the habit to stop at the same point every time, but can't tell when sh-it happens.
Glad all worked out for ya.

[webyourbusiness]

it's a hard habit to get into - I'm trying to always stop right AFTER priming a case on my 650 and then check all stations are as they should be - then, after coming back from any interruption, start by checking each station again - ie, that station 1 has a casing, station 2 has a PRIMED and UNCHARGED case - 3 has a primed, and powder at the correct level, 4 has a primed, powdered and has a bullet sat on top ready for seating, and 5 has a correctly seated bullet.

If I get off stride it's normally a primer failing to seat in some stupid S&B casing and I have to do all my checks again... if I fail to run my checks I'm taking the loaded ammo out and finding a casing without primer in the akro and powder everywhere - it's a bad feeling time...

[TwoShot]

Power on the floor it Still better than a double charge.
It is like a bad day shooting is Still better than a good day at work.:wink5:
But as stated sh-it happens.:cheers2:

[Shovel66]

Yes!! Great advice, Thorn. Good thing you had the "inner voice" telling you to pull the last 35 to check.

I too stop at the same spot each interruption on my 550. I check each station and make sure it is ready to pull the handle. I have a detached work shop in the back yard so I usually don't have any human interruptions. But hearing the low primer alarm is a stopper every 100 rounds. Now I have 5 primer pickup tubes for each size so my "stops" are a lot shorter.
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