Loading Accident

[DaveS]

I really, really hate to even mention this accident to my fellow TGO'rs as I don't feel like taking a verbal beating here. However, I have decided to share this experience with each of you. If I can prevent said accident from happening to anyone of you, then I suppose it would be worth the beating!

 

Around 11am this past Monday I was hand loading some .45 Long Colt with Black Powder for a friend of mine. I filled some casings with BP and set them on my work bench. I got up, went into the house, got a drink, picked up my cell phone and walked back out into the shop. I sat down in my chair at my bench and reached over and picked up a casing to load with a bullet. The second I picked it up, it exploded in my hand, causing injury and burns. The brass casing broke into pieces and imbedded in my leg and hand. Long story short, two deputies showed up just before the EMT's and the accident was explained numerous times to them (and later to an investigator). It was/is determined that a static spark detonated the round. I'm no scientist, but the injuries are painful and very real! I DO NOT KNOW what happened!

 

The SD said I should have been using a ESD Mat while loading Black Powder. I've never heard of this before!

 

After 2 1/2 hours of surgery to put my broken middle finger back together and stitch the skin back to my fingers and thumb, I'm on my road to recovery!

 

My hand after initial treatment in the ER prior to surgery.

 

My hand as of yesterday...

 

 

My right thigh...

 

 

I get to get my stitches out next week, and the Orthopedic Surgeon doesn't anticipate any further surgeries.

 

My message to each of my fellow TGO reloaders is PLEASE, PLEASE buy an ESD MAT and use it! Especially if you load Blackpowder!

 

DaveS

[UncleJak]

Accidents happen. Glad you are okay.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[RED333]

WOW, Glad your are doing OK, thanks for the post and warning.

No butt chewing from me, you have had enough.

 

ETA, static discharge most likely set off the primer.

Edited August 24, 2013 by RED333

[TripleDigitRide]

Holy smokes! Glad it wasn't any worse. I don't currently reload, but I do appreciate you sharing your story. I would have never thought about the possibility of static electricity causing an issue. 

 

Here's to hoping for a swift recovery.  :cheers: 

[Guest Riciticky]

I don't know anything about reloading but I didn't think the brass would fragment with the open space in the top of the  brass. Hope ya get to feeling better..

[mikegideon]

Damn Dave. I looked at loading 45 LC using black powder, and basically got scared off. I bought some Goex loaded ammo for my smoke fix, but will reload with smokeless. Static can cause a big spark, but isn't such a big problem with high humidity. 

[Trekbike]

WOW says it.   Like Red said, no butt chewing here either since I haven't heard of that either.  For clarification, did the static discharge flash the powder or set off the primer?   Also, since the case didn't have a bullet to build any pressure why so much damage?

[DaveS]

I don't know anything about reloading but I didn't think the brass would fragment with the open space in the top of the  brass. Hope ya get to feeling better..

It probably wouldn't have with "smokeless" powder, but black powder explodes and doesn't burn like smokeless does.

At least that's me theory based on my knowledge of the two.

 

DaveS

[NRA]

My :hat: off, thanks for the learning experience.

[DaveS]

WOW says it.   Like Red said, no butt chewing here either since I haven't heard of that either.  For clarification, did the static discharge flash the powder or set off the primer?   Also, since the case didn't have a bullet to build any pressure why so much damage?

It kind of was explained to me that the explosive properties of BP caused the casing to fragment. I'm not going to experiment to figure out why. I'll take their word for it!

 

DaveS

[gregintenn]

Wow! Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry this happened to you. I've never heard of that before. Do you think it was static electricity from your fingers, or something from the cell phone?

 

Hope you get better soon!

[safeandsecure]

Always heard that a smart man learns from his own mistakes, but a wise man learns from others' mistakes.

Thanks, Dave, for sharing ... hope you heal quickly and completely.

[Fourtyfive]

Wow , that's painful to look at , glad it didn't damage your eyes. Thanks for sharing.

[Garufa]

Glad you're ok Danger Dave.  It's a good thing it wasn't worse.

 

I had no idea static could set off BP like that.

[Lumber_Jack]

Damn Dave, definitely glad your aren't permanently damaged, especially your eyes.

I would have ever thought loading black powder was so dangerous.

Hope you heal up soon!

[DaveS]

Glad you're ok Danger Dave.  It's a good thing it wasn't worse.

 

I had no idea static could set off BP like that.

Thanks for the new nick name. My wife had one for me too!

 

DaveS

[DaveTN]

Wow, I never would have thought an open casing would have done that. Did they give you good pain drugs?

[RichardR]

Yikes man! Very glad that you didn't get hurt worse, would have sucked if your neither regions had been shredded!

Heal up quick & be more careful next-time dude, oh and get your ass back to work ... those cases ain't going to load themselves!

[leroy]

Glad you are ok... . Sorry for the accident.  My guess (...as others have opined...) is that static electricity set this one off too.  I've loaded my share of black powder loads; i like to shoot them in a 45 colt myself.  I made up a bunch of cut off brass powder measures with brass handles to charge the powder.  I always keep my cel phone away from the reloading bench because of the static electricity thing.  

 

Were ya using plastic loading blocks? ...  The ESD mat is a great idea.

 

leroy

[TripleDigitRide]

I know this may not be a time for funny stuff, but remember that picture you posted a while back where you and your dog looked ot have been in some sort of explosion? 

[DaveS]

Wow, I never would have thought an open casing would have done that. Did they give you good pain drugs?

Pain drugs were awesome! At least when they took effect they were!

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

I know this may not be a time for funny stuff, but remember that picture you posted a while back where you and your dog looked ot have been in some sort of explosion? 

Awe man...I forgot about that! Karma?

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

Glad you are ok... . Sorry for the accident.  My guess (...as others have opined...) is that static electricity set this one off too.  I've loaded my share of black powder loads; i like to shoot them in a 45 colt myself.  I made up a bunch of cut off brass powder measures with brass handles to charge the powder.  I always keep my cel phone away from the reloading bench because of the static electricity thing.  

 

Were ya using plastic loading blocks? ...  The ESD mat is a great idea.

 

leroy

I didn't have loading blocks. I just set them down on the bench.

 

DaveS

[DaveS]

Yikes man! Very glad that you didn't get hurt worse, would have sucked if your neither regions had been shredded!

Heal up quick & be more careful next-time dude, oh and get your ass back to work ... those cases ain't going to load themselves!

Oh hell no! I'm done. The rest of my reloading gear, press and all is heading for the classifieds! If I need ammo, I'll buy it!

 

DaveS

[R_Bert]

Crud.  That kinda raises the overall pucker factor......

 

What kind of primers, and what brand/type of powder ? 

 

What is the work surface of your bench? 

 

Leather, vinyl, fabric, or metal chair? 

 

I recall it raining here late Monday evening (I was mowing), so probably rained down there earlier in the day ? Was there any rain in the area (or thunderstorms, either of these produce static charges in the local air) ? 

 

Bert