I've reloaded shotgun and rifle ammo in the past years, but forgot most of what I learned.
I decided to reload some .45 ACP. Got all the stuff I needed from a recipe in the reloading handbook.
Lesson........the numbers on a powder measure are nowhere close to the numbers you get when you weigh gunpowder on a digital scale.
Long story mak'a short...I put 10 grains of powder in a casing that was supposed to get 5 grains. This is before I went and bought a digital scale.
Everything went fine until I pulled the trigger. Blew the magazine out into pieces, bruised my hand, bulged the pistol body. Lucky it wasn't worse.
I expect to get some well-deserved ribbing, but I hope it helps someone else out there from doing the same stupid thing I did!
I'm learning though.....

Wow! Glad it wasn't worse. Sounds like a digital scale and weighing every 10th powder charge may be a good idea.

Chris

I sold my digital scale. I prefer any of my beam scales

Glad you are ok. That could have really been bad.

Gary , I declare no ribbing allowed.

You made a mistake , you came clean on it , posted it to keep others from the same fate.
Glad you didn't get hurt worse.

No ribbing allowed.

A buddy of mine forgot to zero his scale when he loaded some 9mm. His first shot the slide held open and second round the casing swelled in the chamber. Good thing it was a Ruger P89. They are built like a tank

I went and bought a digital scale while the hand was still stinging.
I have an old beam scale but it only goes down to 10 gn. I needed 5.
I'm going back for seconds, but man, the range is busy today!

I like to use a bulky powder in rifle and pistol that would be spilling out much past max

my 9mm load with Power Pistol spills out on a double charge I use a beam scale that will weigh down to 0.1gr and always zero first

I don't weigh every charge , the powder measure drops on press , I check them and I wear a head lamp so I can see down the case that it has the right level start out checking the first several then check less often once I am sure the measure is dropping the same but watch the level

I also have a powder measure set for each caliber and my load for that caliber once I find a load I seldom change if I can avoid it , in my 223 and 308 loads the powder fills right up to the base of the neck I check the cases with a light to make sure they are in the same place.

no ribbing , it seems tedious to check but as you found out it is painful or worse to mess one up.

Thanks for posting, it may help someone else and make other relook at how they are doing things.

Glad you did not get hurt bad

Here is a picture of my scales. Notice the reminder behind them.

Did you hit what you were aiming at?

Couple of tips on your digital scale. Don't have a fan running anywhere around and if it's battery powered always make sure you have good batteries in it. Many years ago I bought a digital scale and both things mention made false readings. Got rid of it and went back to my balance beam scales. If you use the right powder you can use a Lee dipper of the right size and can make very accurate and repeatable charges. I have made thousands of them for the .45 acp over the years, after you get the hang of it you'll shock yourself how accurate you can dip a charge. No matter what you end up using you always want to check with a balance beam.

Glad you didnt get hurt worse.
i was just going to ask if anyone uses the lee dipper. I use one for 380 but measure it also first to make sure its the right weight. I never used a digital scale and dont trust them

Well duh...they don't call me Deadeye for nothing. Plus, I was 10' away.
K52, I tried to make my old balance beam scale work after a successful measure with the digital. It's going in the trash. It a done deal.
I fired a load tonight measured by the digital and it went well. Back in bidness!

Kerblooey

Ohhh....that is a scary sight. Glad you didn't get hurt worse.

Great post , you may have saved a life or someone from serious injury. Kudos.
I always reload with no distractions , need to concentrate on what you are doing.

Stay safe out there fellow reloaders.
( Dillon 550RB + Dillon digital scale sits on my bench.)

And I'm 64. Should've known better. Be safe out there.

Gary,
What model/make is your balance beam scale? Was that 5.0 grs of Bullseye powder x 2 then?

A good case for bulkier powders.