suggestions for powder measuring

[duckslayer]

Try a lee perfect powder measure. Mine throws very consistent charges with Varget and other stick powders. Just one warning it looks like a piece of junk but it works.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I use a digital scale to find my starting grain weight ( $10.00 ebay works like a charm ) I have two scales and I also have grain weights to calibrate my scales if the need ever arises. Then I convert that to use with my Lee Dipper set. Within 1-3 grains I can always work up a load using the dippers for the rounds I reload. Some guys like to be anal and get right down to the .5 grain, but, it makes no difference in the end.

I like the Dipper process because I can note which dipper I used for which round and not have to fight readjusting a screw powder measure each time which will make you that 1 to .5 grains off each time any way.

For example, my 12 gauge shotshells I use the 4.3cc dipper to measure my Clays powder. I use the .5cc dipper to measure my powder for my .38 Special reloads and .7cc dipper to measure my reloads for .357 mag. I use the same specific dipper each time for doing any of my .44 Mag, .45 Colt, 30-06, 300 Win Mag, .270 etc.

Each round has it own specified dipper that will get you within 1 to 2 grains of bibles, books, and suggest reloading data. It all depends on what you learn how to use and what Mr. Jones you wish to keep up with.

As a side note to the video below I do not scrape my dipper with a business card. I simply scrape it off using the lip edge of the powder bottle. same effect with one less process than what's shown in this video.

Here's a good YT video of the dippers
if you are not familiar with them:


​

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

The issue with BL(C)-2 is that it is very temperature sensitive. Hot weather ups pressure and velocity.

H4895 is a good powder, used by many for accuracy, it is just that Varget is newer and seems to be well liked by many also.

I developed my hunting load last summer using BL-C(2). I used it in Novermber. No problems with accuracy or POI changing. GI's used it during the Korean War, and in Viet Nam. So it was good enough for them.

Varget is the first of Hodgon's extreme extruded powders. So it's by no means "new" at all.

 

[Pinecone]

If you develop the load in the winter and then shoot it in the summer, it can get interesting.

 

[Melnic]

Thx all,

ok, on my last midway purchase, I got a the full set of Lee dippers and have one that gets me darn close to the 47gr I have been using and my measuring is much faster now with more experience. I think I'll look to add a scale to my next order. I'm sure a better scale is not going to be a waste.

 

[trickg]

I just quickly perused this thread and there's some great suggestions in here.

Are you sure you mean .5 grain, and not .05 of a grain? Half a grain isn't very accurate at all and most powder charges are measured to the 10th of a grain - for instance, a common load for me for .45 ACP is 4.5 grains of Bullseye under a 200 gr LSWC. A variance of .5 grain either way takes that from 4.0 to 5.0, which is a substantial difference.

I second the Lee Perfect Powder measure - it's an inexpensive piece of gear, but it works really well.

The next thing I would suggest is to make sure you've got a decent scale, and even the cheap Lee magnetic scale isn't bad - what you are looking for as much as correct measure is consistency, and I checked my Lee scale against the Frankford Arsenal digital scale I got for Christmas and found it to be pretty much right on the money.

Lastly, and this has already been suggested, if you are looking to get really accurate and consistent charges, get a trickler - throw the charge slighly low, put it on the scale, and then trickle it up to the perfect measure. I remember my Dad reloading for benchrest rounds toward the end of his time as a competition marksman, and that's how he did it.

So, boiled down:

1.) Get a decent powder measure
2.) Make sure you have an accurate and consistent scale (.1 is pretty accurate)
3.) Use a trickler and trickle the charge up to as close to an exact measure as possible.

That's what I'd do.

 

[BenL]

RCBS Chargemaster with a trickle will get you +/- 0.1gr. That's the setup I use.

 

[sxs]

You should be able to throw charges within .5gr. from any decent powder measure. If you want to be more precise, throw the charge a little under the desired weight and then use a powder trickler to bring it up to the correct weight on your scale. I have been using RCBS for years.

+1 on the other comments regarding extruded powders. dist1646 does it like I do. Rather than creating or buying 'dippers', I just use my RCBS Uniflow thrower to throw a charge just short of what I want, then trickle the last few extruded granules to get to the weight I want. My 5-0-5works well, but I purchased an inexpensive digital that I actually use more often these days. It works to about .1 gn. I have one similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-205...46356&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+scale+750+grain and also a Digi-weigh with 750 grain capacity. Both work well. However, they are only a little faster than a 5-0-5 scale when a charge is dropped into them as the scale doesn't 'dampen' the sudden drop of powder much better than the balance scale. However, they do work every bit as fast when using my drop, then trickle technique. Be aware, the higher the max capacity of most electronic scales, the less precise they tend to be...unless you spend a LOT more money.

 

[Pinecone]

The problem is, with large extruded powder, most measures cut grains.

So the dipper avoids this and gets you close.

 

[Melnic]

powder trickler like this?:
http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-E-Zee-U...id=1368560662&sr=8-1&keywords=powder+trickler

 

[Pinecone]

Yeap, one like that. I picked up an RCBS as it ia metal, mainly for the weight so it doesn't get knocked over as easily.

 

[Melnic]

frankford scale came in from Amazon today.
I checked it against my other scale and they are within .2grains of each other.
The big difference is if I cut a piece of paper, the frankford can tell the difference of .1 grain as advertised. I made a 50grain lead weight and weighted it a couple times, turning it off then on and comming back after 20 mins or so and it's always at 50g or 49.9. ITs much faster reacting too which will save more time. Not bad for $30 scale.

I'll get some more reloading done this weekend when the trickler comes in. I think I'm going to be good after that, this seems like it will be much faster now.

My Dad got an AR and I'll probably reload the 223 brass eventually so a volumetric powder measuring device will be in my future. We've already started saving brass and gonna have him start asking for primers as he goes to gun shops browsing.

thx