Talk about humbling on how stupid you can be, this may be little long but posting for those that reload to TRIPLE CHECK you set up (this may get long but please learn from my stupidity). As we always say GOD looks after FOOLS and IDIOTS and right now I feel like BOTH
I use Nosler Ballistic Tips in my 270, 7 mag, 308 and 300 WBY Mag and have for at least 30 yrs Like the bullets (nothing is perfect that I know but these work well for me ) and to be honest very easy to look at color to distinguish .
For most part I use 270 or 7 mag 90% of time. Back last fall was climbing in 10’ box blind and (rifle unloaded naturally ) and strap broke and gun hit the ground. Scary enough as many times as I have climbed in and out of stands I have never had anything like that happen (not going to debate using a rope to pull gun up, entirely different topic ) . Well always keep my savage 270 in truck for back up so go swap guns and back in stand.
Worried more about scope than gun to be honest, got home pulled bolt out (Browning Stainless Stalker A Bolt) and checked barrel and all was well. Next day went to range to see if scope was even close on 7 Mag
Shot first round and bad “blow back” and noticed case had split. Have seen this a few times over the years when I had reloaded a case too much but bullet hit target to my surprise and was pretty close . Popped another round in and same thing. Split case. YEP should have STOPPED then but this bullet also hit target . Well my dumb ass shot one more and same thing but this time could not open bolt Knew SOMETHING bad was wrong since 3 cases in a row split, no way that should ever happen. Called buddy of mine and he was headed to Greenville and said he would run it by gunsmith he knew to check it out, no big deal and we talked and really thought when gun hit ground maybe something was out of line or bent
Actually forgot about it and was eating breakfast with my friend Tuesday and he said gunsmith found problem, “YOUR DUMB ASS shot a 270 in a 7 mag. My response was NO WAY. I KNOW BETTER and I only had my cartridge case with 7 mag at the range.
He sent me this picture yesterday and I went home and looked, apparently in my haste of reloading I some how had a 3 270 shells mixed in with 7 mag. Stuck first 2 rounds in the case and I guess due being stumped at case splitting I NEVER EVEN noticed no belt on cartridge. I sat in my garage yesterday dumbfounded and SHOCKED that I did something like this
When I reload I only do ONE caliber at a time and that is ALL that is on my reloading bench. I check and double check in my loading block all powder charges and every thing . However I do recall last time I reloaded some 7 mags I already was set up for that and just loaded a half dozen or so to hunt with so I guess I broke cardinal rule and got in a hurry, overconfidence I guess got the best of me .
So when you THINK it can NOT HAPPEN TO YOU trust me IT CAN. Felt I needed to post this on here and hopefully nobody else will be as stupid as I was. In fact when I told my Wife about it should told me it was time to QUIT reloading
By way gun has been repaired and sighted in by gunsmith , Leupold Scope held up fine to a drop from 6-8’
And yes my hunting buddies have already started giving me a hard time on this one, I am sure it will never end LOL
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