Million to one shot squib load

[Johnny in Texas]

See pics look at the muzzle
a first for me
my reload seems had no powder or very little but pushed bullet to the end of the barrel
I tapped it out with a cleaning rod and will be weighting the rest of that lot of reloads just in case their are more.

[JohnMOhio]

That situation is why I don't use loading blocks. As soon as I place the powder in the case, it goes directly to my single press and the bullet is seated. Takes a bit longer but it is my way of avoiding a squib. I know others will disagree with me in the use of a loading block.

[older than dirt]

I use reloading blocks & after loading with powder, I always check looking down in case with flash-light before I start seating bullets.

[joem]

I use reloading blocks & after loading with powder, I always check looking down in case with flash-light before I start seating bullets.

I do it prety much the same way. Cases are in plastic tub, pick one and charge then to the loading block. I don't need a flashlight because I have three two tube, 4 foot fluorescent lights above loading bench.

[emmagee1917]

Yep , same way I do it .
With pistol / ball powders , the primed and ready cases are in a plastic box on one side of the measure . I grab one , charge it , then put it in the tray.
With 30-06 and IMR4895 , I dump the powder in a pan , weigh it , trickle up to spec. , grab my funnel with a case in it , flip it right-side-up , add powder , slip it into tray , flip funnel back over , add next case from box into it neck down , return empty pan back under the measure. My reloading set up is in a "U" shape with a swivel chair . When all three trays are full ( 180 rds ) , I recheck them and move over to the press table.
Never give the squib an even chance.
Chris

[Johnny in Texas]

I know how squibs occur the point of the post was that a squib load bullet from a .308 round moved to the end of the barrel and stopped with 3/16ths protruding.

[Jim in Salt Lake]

I just got done taking 14 pellets out of the barrel of an air rifle. The kid who did it, a pretty decent shot, told me that "there's something wrong, I keep missing the whole target." We had a little talk about looking for the source of a problem and not just keep thinking the problem would go away by loading the next pellet. I'm glad he called me when he did or he would have had the whole barrel full of pellets. As it was, it took 3 hours to get them all out. I'm also very glad it wasn't a squib load in a firearm, it was a good teaching moment.

[Johnny in Texas]

When I said first I meant 308 squib my first was 4 .30 carb bullets in a Ruger single action 1 squib 3 hot rounds. I was 17 then and Ruger replaced the barrel for 30 dollars. This time it was just a Phoof sound so I new not to chamber another round.

[Maury Krupp]

It does look pretty strange with the bullet kinda-sorta "prairie dogging" its nose out the muzzle. As you say, probably couldn't do it again in a million tries.

But are you sure it was a squib (ie, short charge)?

Could there have been some other culprit (eg, contaminated primer or powder)? Any unburned powder or excessive soot/fouling?

Or are you sure it was a flaw in your loading technique/brain cramp?

Maury

PS - I've seen a range's rental 6in S&W Model 10 filled with wadcutters from forcing cone to muzzle :icon_rolleyes:

[Johnny in Texas]

It was a NO powder round as best I can tell. Thanks, the case came out ease only went PHEWF no Boom when I pulled the trigger.

[bd1]

It was a NO powder round as best I can tell. Thanks, the case came out ease only went PHEWF no Boom when I pulled the trigger.

By all indications no harm done to shooter(s) or eqpt. That's the good news.

[Maury Krupp]

I wouldn't think just a primer would push a bullet that far down a standard rifle barrel. I'd also expect more of a "pop" than "pewf."

So it sounds more like a short charge to me :icon_scratch:

What powder? Loaded on what press? Progressive? Any powder fail-safe procedures in your loading process (eg, powder check die, looking down in to the case with a bright light, etc)?

When I throw charges of IMR4064 with my Dillon most are within +/-.2gr but once in a while there's one that's way high or low. I know because I check each one off press.

With BL-C(2) or other ball powders I just pull the crank. Haven't had any problems yet but I do have a powder check die sitting on the shelf. It's worthless for 4064 but maybe I'll re-think it for ball powders.

Maury

[Crashyoung]

I had a pistol round do the same, it was a factory load too.

It was said that after a civil war battle, you could pick up rifles
that were overloaded because the first round failed to fire, and
the soldier kept reloading.

Strange, as the ramrod would give you a visual that there was
a load still in the barrel.

[CMP Shooter]

I've had 2 or 3 squibs where only the primer went off. In each case, there was only enough ooomph to push the bullet just out of the chamber but where there wasn't enough room to chamber the next round, fortunately. So I agree with Maury that there was probably just enough powder to push the bullet to the end of the barrel. The way that bullet was sticking out of the end of the barrel, I do believe you discovered another type of hangfire.
One time I was shooting reduced loads out of a Krag in a CMP match. In the rapid phase, I had a squib and wasn't aware of it until I realized I couldn't chamber the next round. Had I been able to fire the next round, it might've ruined my whole day.
Murphy's Law says if anything is wrong with a particular round of ammo, it'll be discovered in rapid fire.

[Andouille]

Murphy's Law says if anything is wrong with a particular round of ammo, it'll be discovered in rapid fire.

That's for sure. Do not ask me how I know this.

And that's also why you never go to the range or on a hunting trip without a cleaning rod.

[free1954]

i wouldn't think that only a primer could push a bullet that far down the barrel

[Johnny in Texas]

It was probably just a short charge
The bullet tap out easily
It is a hart 308 barrel 6 groove 1-12 twist
bullet 175 SMK MOLY COATED

[bruce]

Re: OP. Glad things worked out for you. Very thankful you were not injured and your rifle was not damaged. I've not ever had a squib/hand fire w/ a handloaded rifle round. Have had a few instances of problems w/ factory rifle rounds. Had some Winchester Q3131 that gave problems w/ popped primers. No damage to rifle. Winchester replaced all the ammo, fired and unfired and paid all shipping to get the problem ammo to them and the replacement ammo to me.

Started handloading for rifles and handguns in 1980. Have had exactly two squibs. One back about 1985... stuck a lead bullet in a pistol barrel. Tapped it out w/ a pencil. The other week I went to shoot a batch of .38 Special ammo I'd loaded after church on Sunday evening. Little pop... but nothing else. Bullet was pressing against the throat of the barrel. Tapped it back into the case w/ a wood dowel, opened the cylinder and ejected the rounds. Took them home and broke them down. Out of 500 rounds, 50 had gotten bullets w/ no powder. Not good. Lesson... never load when you are really really tired. Get some sleep.

[oldtirediron]

I once went to a range where a guy was shooting old 303 british ammo that didn't sound right --First thought he was shooting blanks or training ammunition-After not hitting the target and then he was having a terrible hangfire problem He quit for the day! I went to pull a couple targets and walked out downrange from his firing point-- Less than 100 feet out there there was a pile of bullets lying in the grass!! When we went back he told me that he bought the ammunition at a gun show and the fella he bought it from said it was in a flood!!