Pistol Powder in a Rifle Cartridge — The Handloader’s Nightmare
This is a grim tale. A man almost lost the use of his right hand, and did suffer terrible injuries to his fingers. All because he picked the wrong bottle of powder off the shelf.
Similar Labels, Disasterous Consequences
The shooter, Denny K., was assembling some rounds for his brand new 7mm-08 Savage hunting rifle. He thought he was loading with Hodgdon Varget. Instead he had filled his powder measure with Hodgdon TiteGroup, a fast-burning pistol powder. The labels are similar, so the mistake is understandable. But the results were devastating. Here’s what 41 grains of TiteGroup can do in a 7mm-08:
Posting on the Firing Line, in a thread entitled “Lucky to Be Alive”, Denny writes:
“This is the hardest post to post. I know if I had read it a week ago my comment would have been: ‘You have no business reloading’. I had everything perfect, except pouring the wrong powder in the powder measure. I type this slowly with my left hand, embarrassed but … possibly saving someone else a tragedy or, like me, a long drive to the Emergency Room and surgery to save my finger.”
CLICK HERE for bigger, more graphic photo of injury.
The Still-Sealed Bottle of Varget
Denny did not initially comprehend exactly why the kaboom happened. He thought maybe his new Savage rifle was at fault. Then, on his return home, he discovered something…
Denny wrote: “The seven-hour period it took to go to ER, transport to Trauma Center and surgery made me think it was a Savage rifle issue. Brand new rifle, new brass, triple-checked loading data. The next day I was humbled when I realized the Varget powder was still sealed.
I knew what powder to use. I thought [Varget] was what I used. Not until the following day did I realize the Varget was still sealed.”
At that point, Denny realized what caused the accident — “operator error”. He knew he had to warn others about using the wrong powder: “I knew I needed to share my mistake, even though it is embarrassing, just to remind people. I’ve been reloading for 30 years…”
Editor’s Comment: Denny was not a novice reloader. His experience demonstrates that this kind of mistake can be made by any hand-loader, even one with decades of experience. Be safe guys, take your time when you load your ammo. Remove powders from measures after your loading sessions (pistol powders can look very similar to rifle powders). And by all means CHECK the LABEL on the jug. As the TiteGroup label says: “A little goes a long way.”
It’s not a bad idea to separate your pistol powders from your rifle powders, or perhaps even load for pistol in a separate part of your workshop.
Similar Posts:
- What Happens When You Load Pistol Powder in a Rifle Cartridge
- Bloody Disaster — Loading Pistol Powder in Rifle Case
- Blood and Gore — Injury After Pistol Powder Loaded in Rifle Case
- Hodgdon and ADI Powder Equivalents
- Hodgdon Equivalents for ADI Powder Codes
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Tags: Kaboom, Label, Nightmare, Pistol Powder, Reloading, safety, Safety Tip, TiteGroup, Varget, Warning
I did the autopsy for a customer,s Rem M700 in .270 Win that was loaded with 62 grains of 2400. He was a new reloader who thought powder was powder. Remington’s “three rings of steel” held! There was no gas leakage or injury, although the rear of the chamber was egg-shaped and the stock shattered from the recoil. The brass cartridge case expanded to fill and crack the bolt lip but but did not rupture due to the bolt lip being encircled by the barrel counterbore.
Between this and the Bulletin photos of a Savage .338 Lapua magnum fired with a cleaning rod in the barrel at a Florida gun range, credit Savage for a design that kept both shooters alive. That bolt and its face are intact, and thanks to the secured bolt knob, it didn’t drive rearward when the action’s front split apart, releasing its contact on the bolt lugs. Then again, we don’t know what is not reported, and these could just be two of the luckiest shooters around. But, a strong bolt handle, ideally one milled into the bolt from a single billet, but also Savage’s ringed design, is your face’s final safeguard, and who has ever seen one of these fall off from a shooter’s mallet abuse.
Powder Manufactures. Use the Braille system for your containers. Square for one type powder (Rifle or Pistol) and round for another (the opposite use powder).
Yes I know some powders can go both ways. This just might help grabbing the wrong can/bottle/jug/container etc (to be politically correct).
This is (partly) why the bottle for whatever powder is in the measure is left on the bench, sorta in the way. If I read the label wrong the first time moving the bottle out of my way regularly may force me to read it a second or third time until I get it right.
Great points all around gentlemen. I agree with STW. I too keep my powder bottle on my work area to have another reminder. I also have been lucky to have my rifle powders all be stick powder any my pistol powders be all ball type. This may not always be the case, but it is another method I use to double check.
I also like to add a label or use a silver sharpie to mark the top cap of the powder containers because you tend to look at it as you open the top and it is another check.
One of the reasons i keep my powder lined up on my storage shelf from fast burning on left to slow burning on right. Several powders between tite group and varget. I know bad things can happen to anybody, but I always check the label twice before putting in measure and keep one bottle at a time on the bench and right by the measure during a session. I also NEVER leave powder in the measure, even if I plan on coming back in an hour or two.Just glad you are alive, not blind and still have both hands!!
Yup, one powder ONLY on the bench.
To me it seems hard to confuse the powders, the names are large and contrasting.
How about IMR’s with just numbers?
This is one of the reasons why I have separate press areas for rifle and pistol reloading (i.e. brass, bullets, primers, powders, dies, presses, etc. are all together in their respective areas).
Thank God is wasn’t any worse. 41grs…yikes!
Thanks for sharing your story it could help avoiding injuries or worst… heal back fast !
I have to second or third what others have said about leaving the bottle out and triple checking the load. I would disagree with the contention that the labels look alike and that was the cause. I don’t think they look near enough alike to be a danger, complacency is the danger! I am guilty of it too! I have a S&W Model 14-3 sitting in the safe with 6 bullets stuck in the barrel because I got lazy checking what my measure was throwing. I could have it fixed easily, but have left it as a reminder of my stupidity!