Farm Project #11 Reloading Debacle

 Farm Project #11: Reloading Debacle

I went up to the farm and set up my jig, arranged all materials and spent parts of three hot days reloading 29 boxes, well on my way to completing the bag of hulls I had previously primed.  My hands were extremely sore because the wads were difficult to start in the shells and I had to do the extra step of removing the powdered shell from the slot and start the wad in around the stiff crimps.  This made me rethink priming and resizing as a separate activity.  Perhaps it would be smarter to do the whole process and perhaps drop the wad in while the hull is still expanded and not subject to gradual reduction of shape.

But my problems were only beginning.  It was at this time that I noticed that my feed jars were reversed on the bar and I was mortified to realize that I was metering the amount of propellant into each shell that was the amount needed for shot.  And vice versa.  I had used up a pound of propellant and gotten only 8 boxes!  There is way too much, possibly three times as much, propellant as desired!  Conversely there is a light load of shot.

These shells all have to be pulled apart and done over.  About 700 of them!

After I recovered from the initial dismay, I secured a bent long-nose plier and small screwdriver.  Pulling the crimp out of a handful of shells, I was able to pour out the shot, then grab the wad and work it out, enabling me to pour out the powder.  It is a lengthly process.

I set up the jig properly and reloaded 13 boxes before putting away a bag of available hulls and materials to continue.

I boxed up the tnearly three cases and taped them, marking them "DO NOT SHOOT".  One case will come with me to Madison and I will try and butcher a box per week.  I have enough good shells for the first months of next season, so I should be able to recover slowly without much pain.

What a disaster!