[oldshotgunner]

I'm loading on a Hornady 366, 7/8 oz. load using Downrange DR-XXl 7/8 wads. I cut open my mistakes to salvage components and notice a problem with the wads, so I cut open a good shell and see the same thing. The wad fingers are good, adjustments seem to be correct so I'm baffled. Last loading session I noticed the same thing but thought it an anomaly and paid no attention.
Anyone ever see this before? Any ideas? I'm stumped.

T/I/A
Bill J.

 

[Dustydoo]

It looks like your wad is catching the top of the case on insertion.
I had this problem with my Ponsness Warren until I installed a case expander on the depriming station..
Mine mostly did it on gun club hulls

 

[Bill Hom]

Check your wad fingers, looks like one of the fingers is missing

 

[Chase]

Grab an empty hull and seat a wad in it like you normally do, but go slow and see if it is catching on the mouth of the hull. Not sure if you are getting full centering when the wad guide swings over.

 

[Ajax]

I would say your wad fingers are not good. The wad fingers on a 366 have enough spring to hold the wad up until the fingers go into the mouth of the case and then allow the wad to slip by.
It appears yours is not doing that.
Put a new wad guide in it and see how it goes.

 

[oldshotgunner]

Thanks to all. I am loading Gun Clubs and it does appear that my wad guide wasn't properly positioned, a bit high and not centered over the case mouth. I put a half a dozen wads in after making some adjustments and they were all good. I wonder if that's why my scores have been crummy lately??? Doubt it but I'll run with it anyway.

 

[doc64]

I have a piece of sandpaper and smooth if it gets caught up.

 

[Dave S]

If your not reloading in a warm place, over 68"F, warm the hulls and the reloader with a hair dryer a bit. I would keep the wads cold.

 

[waverider]

I load on a MEC 9000 and I can feel if my wad catches on the hull. I stop, pull up the wad and start over. Sometimes even manually starting the wad.
I learned early; not to force the down stroke. I learned what the feel is when everything is going right.

Oldshotgunner,

That may indeed be why you are missing. Especially if you are not getting the usual bang.

Jason

 

[bt-99mm]

Same thing happened to me but on 9000g. Wad fingers where just set a tiny bit too high and the wad would just catch the hull every once in a while.

I set all those wads aside to use for sporting clays. Too paranoid to use them for trap scores hahaha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nebs]

Adjust the wad guide down so it is ~1/8"* above the mouth of the hull. You should notice this when it happens because you can hear it and feel it through the handle.

And I just press that divot in the skirt back into place and use the wad.

*Very tricky adjustment because you don't want to screw up the swing-out timing by accidentally rotating the wad guide-rod before you tighten down the wad guide.

 

[ashwood]

A damaged wad skirt could lead to some off-sounding or blooper shells.

 

[Nebs]

A damaged wad skirt could lead to some off-sounding or blooper shells.

You're right, it "could," but in my experience, it doesn't.

 

[Nebs]

Thanks to all. I am loading Gun Clubs and it does appear that my wad guide wasn't properly positioned, a bit high and not centered over the case mouth. I put a half a dozen wads in after making some adjustments and they were all good. I wonder if that's why my scores have been crummy lately??? Doubt it but I'll run with it anyway.

On the 366, the swing-out wad guide is the most complex adjustment. If involves at least 3 different setting: (1) the height of the wad guide above the hulls, (2) the rotational position of the wad guide rod and (3) the adjustment of the spring. And, there is the issue of the e-clip on the wad guide rod under the platen (very hard to see). I recently went through this agony and if anyone is interested in the way I solved it, let me know.

 

[shotgunpeople]

Either make one of these or have a buddy with a lathe make one.

Install on the Powder drop tube so the largest portion of this goes into the shell you to the crimp length.

See attachment for a print of the mouth opener.

I did this many years ago and it saved many wads from being caught on the crimp.