Drop Check Those Rounds!

[ADulay]

All,

Yes, it's easy to get into a comfortable routine and just load up the magazines and the range bag and head out to shoot. This may work well in "normal" shooting but in any sort of "timed" shooting, having something go wrong will just kill you, both on the streets and on the competition stage.

For awhile there I was drop checking all my ammo into a barrel to make sure the clearances were good to go. After doing that for months, I can of slacked off and never had any problems.

Recently dug into my ammo stash for some 9mm that had been purchased during the big ammo shortage and used that for a rare USPSA Classifier match.

Sure enough, I had one round that was ever so slightly out of tolerance at the base and my trusty Glock 34 had a rare malfunction due to the case lodging in the barrel.

We found the bullet (after I had taken a DNF on that stage) and when I drop checked it, sure enough it was just large enough to NOT be acceptable.

So, in the days following that, I ordered up a set of drop check dies for the 9mm, 380, 40 and 45 rounds.

Yes, I could always just drop check each bullet into a spare barrel (which I used to do) but having a dedicated die for that should make it a bit easier. I hate actually checking bullets, but taking a DNF on a stage is just not worth it moving forward.

AD

 

[daniellawecki]

Good catch on your part. My friend Howard has drop check dies a nice tool for reloads as well.

 

[ADulay]

Guys,

For those of you who don't drop check your carry ammo (or competition ammo) and were wondering what the heck we're talking about, well here's a good example of what I'm talking about.

In an earlier message I explained what had happened due to having a slightly out of tolerance 9mm case which jammed the gun up nicely.

Here's what it looks like when you drop check it. Notice the one bullet sits higher in the box. That's the culprit!

Also, when you turn the box over, that bullet will just stick up in there until you push it out even if all you did was "drop" it into the opening.

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[dogrtst]

Thanks for that heads up. A new one for me. I've only been reloading a couple of years and have never been exposed to one of those drop check devices.

"Ya don't know, what ya don't know" but now I know, and I'll be aware of that now. I never considered 'drop checking' a round in a barrel before. Are these type of dies available for purchase? Is that recommended?

I don't shoot competition with rifles or pistols/handguns, so, I don't shoot large volumes of reloaded ammo; what would you suggest, just to be safer when using reloaded ammo. When I reload, I make every attempt to pay attention to what I am doing, but Mr. Murphy has a habit of biting you in the backside just when you think you have it all under control.

I did compete, for many years in the clay shooting sports - American trap, American Skeet, Sporting Clays, but rifle and pistol/revolver reloading is a new experience - so far, so good - knock on wood!

dogrtst.

 

[ADulay]

I purchased a "set" of EGW bullet check dies. The 7-hole model. About $30 each.

You can search on Midway or any of the internet sites for "EGW" and it will pull them up. There are several makes and brands but this one seems to be working out well for me.

Was checking some 9mm today (about 500 rounds) for an upcoming "BUG" match (back up gun) and came across one bullet that was "suspect" so I left it out of the mix and tossed it in the old ammo box.

AD

 

[dogrtst]

I purchased a "set" of EGW bullet check dies. The 7-hole model. About $30 each.

You can search on Midway or any of the internet sites for "EGW" and it will pull them up. There are several makes and brands but this one seems to be working out well for me.

Was checking some 9mm today (about 500 rounds) for an upcoming "BUG" match (back up gun) and came across one bullet that was "suspect" so I left it out of the mix and tossed it in the old ammo box.

AD

Thanks, for the heads up. I'll check it out on the EGW sites and see.

dogrtst.