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Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:35 pm
by Gazza
Are under levers prone to squib rounds for some reason?
Tonight at the club I witnessed another 44 bullet stuck up the barrel. This isn't the first I've seen at this club and it was same at my previous club, always the under levers any????

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:46 pm
by 69chris
my rossi has been faultless but thats 38s/357m

could the issue be with reloading with a (too much) reduced powder load for gallery shooting ??

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:50 pm
by Gazza
This could be the case as I know our club reloads for the under levers

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:59 pm
by TomH
I would say volume and probability have a lot to do with it. Under Levers combined with reduced power loads and cast boolits are cheaper to shoot. People load and shoot more rounds then the probability of the odd squib is greater.

On "precision" rifles such as 308 then people load expensive bullets with heavier finely calibrated charges of powder. They are more expensive to shoot and people fire them less. More care and less rounds fired equals fewer squibs observed.

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:13 pm
by Alpha1
Its down to the reloader in my opinion in all the years I have been shooting and its been a few I have never had a problem with reloads in underlevers and I must of fired thousands of rounds over the years.

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:27 pm
by Grifff
I agree it's almost always the guy doing the reloading. I've put 1000s of rounds through my marlin and never had a squib and plenty of others that don't. However I have seen a couple of shooters have plenty!

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:11 am
by the running man
Some of the gr boys put through tremendous volumes of 38 or 44 rounds, I myself would take 1200 rounds to bisley on a gr weekend event, with that much volume then the chance of missing a powder fill on one of them is going to be greater, there are two ways to combat this, 1.get a proper progressive press,the Dillon works without issues and if left ten years will still work,you don't get that with Lee.....there are also powder alarm dies....the second combat option is to simply be able to recognise that the round did not fire,there was no kick and there was no hole in the target,u have a problem,deal with it (that's if u get one)

With regards to reduced power loads, I will just say that from my point of view and that of many shooters, all you need is enough powder to get the bullet to the target accurately at 25 or 50,anything more than that is a waste of time money and just wears your barrell out quicker....

I often come across folk shooting full 357 or 44 magnums and there's absolutely no need of it whatsoever at a 50 meter range.

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:12 am
by dromia
Bad reloading practice pure and simple.

Nothing to do with the gun, nothing to do with the load, nothing to do with the volume just reloading operator error.

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:37 am
by Blackstuff
The buck does stop with the reloader however its the way such guns are used (i.e. rapidly which gives less chance to notice the squib) and the amount of care that goes into making the round. If you're shooting a precision .30cal round in low volumes that costs £1-2 to put together you're going to be more exacting with your measurements and technique, as opposed to someone who is banging out 20p rounds in their thousands.

Please read first sentence before commenting on the last, if you must. teanews

Re: Squib rounds and under levers

Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:00 am
by dromia
You should put the same care into loading any round regardless of its use, it still comes down to the reloader.

I suspect part of the problem might be in some cases that the reloader isn't really into reloading but sees it as a necessity to allow him to feed his high volume shooting more cheaply, that along with familiarity breeding contempt is a recipe for disaster