After reloading for over thirty years, I just pulleld the dumbest stunt ever this morning. I was resizing 300 WSM brass and had been conservative on the amount of case lube I had used. They were going in die rather hard. So instead of applying a little more, I reached down to support the bottom of the press ( RCBS Rockchucker)came down hard on the handle, and MASHED the end on left middle finger flat. Mercy, don't ever do that. They talk about the leverage of a Rockchucker trust me it has a bunch! My dad always told if you are going to be dumb you have to be tough. I know I am not tough enough, or dumb enough to do that again. Time for more pain medicine! I am going to be doing more reading than posting on this site till my finger heals!

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight.....RiverRat

If it makes you feel better, I have done similar, more than once too.

My press, an old RCBS (don't remember model, very old) is on a stand so that it can be moved around the shop more easily. I lifted it by the top of the press one time and the handle had been up. of course in moving the handle swung down and my finger happened to be in the way of the ram YOUCH!!! At a later date it happened again.

Now I not only make sure the handle is down when moving it, I don't even hold it in a way that I could get squished when I move it.

Red

I had a die in the press that had a slight, barely noticeable burr on the screw slot to adjust the seater stem. I reached past the die to get something off the shelf behind the bench and dragged the bottom of my forearm back across the top of the die.

Damn, cut hell out of my arm. The skin laid open about a half inch wide by about two inches long. Didn't cut the meat, just the hide. Looked like some had started skinning my arm. Last time for that.

And they say reloading ain't dangerous! HA! Anyone else ever deprime a finger? It happens now & then when I really get to going on a single stage Sure hurts! Won't mention clipping off small pieces of fingernail while resizing.>>>>>>>Bug

Something about steel on steel with a little meat between does make a blood blister sandwich. My favorite is catching a little skin between the bullet the die and a well chamfered brass. Snips AND blood blisters in one easy step.

I've trimmed more than one fingernail while reloading .223 Remington brass. It always happens with the small stuff, doesn't it?

'Ya thunked I'd lerned by now...

Pinched my fingers a bunch seating those little ones in the 17REM.

Chuckle.
I thought I was the only damn fool to have done all of the above.
Did you know that a freshly chamfered 375 Whelen case makes one hell of a hole punch, in your thumb when caught between the case mouth and the seating die? I was seating bullets and talking at the same time.
The ultimate for pain is seating your index finger in a 45-70 case, rather then the 45 caliber bullet. With the possible exception catching your left index finger between the case mouth and the Lee universal decapping die.
I painted my new bench top in a nice dark red, good healthy blood color, that way I won't have to wash it down as often.
Jim

45-70s seem to be my weakness. I can't count the # of times I have caught my finger between case mouth and the bottom of the sizing die and cut a half circle out of the pad of my index finger. Sean

You have to add the weight of your body parts left inside the case to the weight of the bullet when you're working up a charge weight or you could run into pressure problems.

Paul

That was a very stupid thing to do. Next time, have your wife support the bottom of the press

I've done the same more than once (does this make me dumber than dumb?). Usually happens to me on small stuff like .223 and .22 Hornet. If you do it just right, you can make the blood squirt a good distance .

Dennis

How about the RCBS casetrimmer??? That little dinky knob it has on it makes it a great finger de-tipper if you slip while cranking it.

I MUST BE LUCKY I'VE NEVER DONE ANY OF THAT STUFF WHILE RELOADING.

THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTS DUMB RELOADERS TOO............................................