Blew a primer, me and my Savage 16FHSS seem to be OK

I'm a veteran handloader so I'm a little embarassed about what I did.

I've been working up a load for my 16FHSS 257 Roberts and the load I settled on is 47 gr of 3100, Nosler 110 Accubond, W-W +p cases and CCI LR primers. This load is half a grain over max load in Nosler manual. The fact that I'm using +P cases and pressure signs looked OK everything was a Go.

The day I loaded up some of this load I also was loading up a load for a 7mm-08 using Varget. Well you guessed it, I grabbed the Varget by mistake, measured out 47 grs of what I thought was 3100 and poured it into the Roberts case. The manual has a load for Varget in the Roberts but max load is 37 grs. I over charged the Roberts by 10 grs.

Varget is a finer grain powder than the 3100 and the extra 10 grains filled case to about base of the neck.

When I touched off the first and only shot that day I knew something was different. It rocked that little rifle. I don't remember noticing any gas blowback. I couldn't open the bolt. I took rifle back to the truck where I could get some leverage on the bolt and with a lot of effort got the bolt open. The case stayed in the chamber. The primer was stuck to bolt face and fell out when I touched it. The BB which is normally under the extractor also fell off bolt face. I could never find the extractor as it probably fell into the gravel next to my truck and was gone. The case fell out of the chamber with a tap from a cleaning rod.

I hope the bolt is not damaged other than needing a new extractor. I called Savage and even though it was my fault they are sending me a new extractor, BB and spring at no charge.

I guess the moral of this story is that no matter how long you've spent at the reloading bench you gotta be careful and double check every move. I've learned a lesson I thought I already knew.

Thanks for the reminder, and for sharing the experience. Good to hear you are OK!!

Still consider my self a 'new' reloader and watch pretty close...will watch even closer now, good reminder

No matter how hard you try it can happen.

I never have done that but I have come close.

I have my powder stored away from my load table, and now I keep the jar that I am loading
from and have in my RCBS loadmaster on the desk next to the loadmaster.

That way I always know what is in it and hopefully I wont get mixed up.

The big boomer is pistol powder in a rifle cartridge and thats the one that worries me.

Squibs too. Had one of those a while back and thats a bad one if you dont catch it.

Watched a program the other day and in the old black powder days the way you tested a barrel
was with a triple load and if it did not blow up you were good to go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tammons

.
I have my powder stored away from my load table, and now I keep the jar that I am loading
from and have in my RCBS loadmaster on the desk next to the loadmaster.

---

I do the same, only one bottle on the bench at a time. NO question as to what is in the dispenser if I walk away and come back later.

the savage has been good to me when I blow a primer. with the exception of the ball getting lost, no damage to the gun and more importantly non to me!

Thank goodness your ok.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lucy123

Thank goodness your ok.

---

no doubt

We had a saying in my squadron, "Those who have and those who will". It can happen to anyone.

Glad you didn't get hurt.

Good reminder for all of us. I have been reloading for 18 years and up untill 2 years ago I could say "never done that."

I think I have gotten "too" comfortable with the process because i have made several mistakes that could have turned out bad but luckally didnt. Wrong powder grabbed off the shelf, Powder dumped back into the wrong can, and using the wrong load data "off the data base in my head" without checking my notes just to name a few.


Maybe I'm just getting old, or forgetful, or...........What were we talking about?



Steve

What do you figure your chamber pressures were on that one shot? 85,000 PPI?? And what is your guestimit on FPS?? around 5,000?? Sounds like a great one time only long distance varmint round.

Glad your alright and not much damage done.

Pete. ;D

Savage's are like a Timex they just keep ticking.
I read not long a go that a mans friend that knew nothing about guns.
while the man went out to his truck the friend fired a 308 in his 25-06
the gun was sent to Savage and checked it was not hurt one bit.
BUT DO NOT TRY THIS !

A friend of mine buys the colored electrical tape and wraps a different color around each kind of powder on the rim of the lid. That way you can't open it without touching and seeing the tape. Then he checks his paper hung up above his bench for caliber and powder match to the color on the lid. Kind of anal but its a good idea and a safe way to double check!
Glad you are ok.