On May 17, 1:37*am, "Buerste" wrote:
The thing that scares me the most in my reloading endeavors is a squib. *To
visually check every case for the proper amount of powder is inconvenient
and slow. *(but better than two in the tube or a hand grenade) *I load
/shoot about 1k/month. *So, I'm going to mount a small camera that will
display a real-time video that is easy to see from my position operating the
press. *I have a five station progressive press and there are a few
powder-check dies available that work very well, but I don't have a station
to spare between the powder dump and the bullet seating. *I use a separate
crimp die after the bullet seating. (I did start to design an eight station
press but how obsessive CAN I get?) *Get just ONE squib and you'll never
shoot the same, it'll always be in the back of your mind. *Thankfully, I've
never had a double-charge!

I can mount the camera on the ram so it's focus it constant or I can mount
it to the press if the camera will auto focus fast enough to be useful.
Ideally, the camera would have it's own LED lighting source.

Any recommendations on a camera or refinement of my idea?

Imagine if the camera took a still at the bottom of the stroke and instantly
compared the image to a "standard" then sounded an alarm if the image was
too far from the standard and locked the press? *Again, a powder-check die
would do just that but I would not be able to use my bullet feeder or my
separate crimp die.

A simpler method is already out there, an additional die body with a
movable rod in it. Rod checks powder level. Google up "powder-level
check" or "powder check die". Sometimes high-tech isn't the best.

To the other poster that asked, yes, a "squib" is a round with little
or no powder in it, invariably sticks the bullet in the bore. The
classic sequence is a no-charge round followed by a double-charged
round in rapid fire, followed by an orbiting revolver top strap.
Mostly happens with dense powders and light target charges and on semi-
progressive and progressive tools. The tools have been improved over
past units, it's harder to half-stroke and advance the case without
getting a powder charge, but CAN happen. One of those deals where you
need your eyes on the tool, not on a screen.

Stan