Reloading your own ammunition can be both a practical and fulfilling choice. Not only do you get the satisfaction of knowing that the rounds you are using were actually created by you, which you can be sure that they are going to be more accurate and will save you money in the long run.
While it is a good choice to make, and one that many gun enthusiasts, there are those mistakes that people commonly make when reloading their cartridges and cases. Here are 10 that you should seek to avoid.
#1 Powder Charge Errors
This is probably the most common mistake that people make. They either load the wrong powder or they put too much powder in. Either way, it puts you at risk for serious injury. This usually happens because the powder can come out of your ammunition, putting you at risk.
To avoid this, the best thing that you can do is to make sure that you follow the directions that are included with the reloading press you purchase for your cartridge, and accurately way out the amount of gunpowder you need in each instance. If you are reloading multiple cartridges at one time, make sure that you keep your powders separate from one another so that you don’t have an issue of loading the wrong powder.
#2 Cracked Case
This is another common mistake that people make. They do not properly check to make sure that there are not small cracks in the neck, body, or other area of the cartridge. This can lead to an explosion if this kind of mistake is allowed to occur. To avoid this, make sure that you check every case before reloading.
#3 Primer Seating
When you are seating the primer in the case or cartridge, two primary things can occur that can cause an issue. The first of these is that the primer is not seated deep enough within the cartridge itself. This causes it to stick to the back end of the cartridge which is extremely dangerous. If it winds up sticking out too far, it can ignite earlier than expected.
The other issue is that the primer is ceded to deep. This can become even more sensitive than the other mistake, which could cause issues whenever you are firing the weapon.
To avoid these kind of mistakes, inspect the cartridge before you actually put the primer inside the cartridge. Make sure that the primer is seating no further than just below the surface in the back of the cartridge casing.
#4 Dented Cases
Cracked cases are not the only issue. A dented case can be just as much of a problem. This can cause an inadequate amount of ammunition were powder to be able to be placed inside the cartridge, which can cause it to misfire or not fire at all. They are likely to become less accurate, and can actually become a danger.
As with the cracked case, you should do a thorough search of every cartridge to make sure that it is not dented in any way. If it is, you will either need to try to repair it or not use it all.
#5 Untrimmed Cases
There are many people who like to use untrimmed cases. That is a bad mistake. That can make the cases to long, and when that occurs it starts to crush the end of the chamber. This will greatly decrease accuracy.
It makes good sense for you to trim your cases each and every time. This will help to keep you accurate and extend the life of your cartridges and your weapons as well.
#6 Crimping Mistakes
This is another extremely common mistake. When this mistake occurs, it can cause serious issues with the cycling of your weapon. What this does is create a bulge in the cartridge which can cause it to get stuck in the chamber or not adequately fire.
To avoid this kind of mistake you want to make sure that you develop a process of how you will crimp and inspect each cartridge. Take a close look at your ammunition each and every time you reload and make sure you follow the same procedure every time.
#7 Extra Crimping
Another common mistake related to crimping is doing too much of it. Any time you do something excessively in the reloading process you can be sure that that will be bad. While crimping is important, you don’t want to over crimp. This causes the bullet to bulge, making it so that it will misfire.
To avoid this, if you have crimped around too much, it is simply better to not use it all. This will help to avoid problems that may arise.
#8 Not Enough Crimping
The reverse of this is true as well. If you have not crimped the round enough this can also cause problems, especially during the loading and cycling of your weapon. When a cartridge is not crimped enough, the bullet may actually come out of the cartridge, which can be dangerous. Before loading around, make sure that it is properly crimped so that the bullet is seated properly.
#9 Shaved Bullets
Whenever you put bullets into a new rifle, you may find little pieces of copper may be shaved away from the innermost edge of the cartridge mouth. This occurs just as you are entering the bullet. When this occurs, it can lead to a big accident and decreases the life of your cartridge. To avoid this, you may need to change the angular dimension of how you enter the cartridge.
#10 Inadequate Seating
This is not as common of a problem but when it is a problem is a huge one. This kind of mistake can completely change the direction of your bullet, which may cause it to hit someone. Obviously, that is not something that should sit well with you at all. Make sure you check your bullet during the reloading process so that no such accident can occur. Don’t act hastily, but make sure you are being very methodical.
These are common mistakes that can lead to big accidents. Making sure that you do a careful job in reloading your rounds and positioning them inside your weapon can help you to avoid these kinds of mistakes.
