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Joined: Oct 2007
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 411 |
Currently I use a RCBS Uniflow powder measure for reloading for my rifles. Can it also be used effectively for a handgun, or should I buy a powder measure designed specifically for handguns. I ask this, because I see that there is considerably less powder used in handgun cartridges and perhaps I would be asking my RCBS uniflow too much to be measuring such small amounts at a time.
I am asking, because I have zero experience with loading for handguns. If it matters, it will be for 9mm and .38 special.
Patrick
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die,
I want to go where they went."
Will Rogers
And on the 8th day, God created the Border Collie.
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2008
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It will work, as mine has for many years. Just use a baffle insert from RCBS for consistent charges with flake powder.
Swifty
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Campfire Regular
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Patrick:
Handgun loading is far more delicate, and " I don't like to say dangerous". than rifles.
Handguns have either straight or slightly tapered cases. They head space either on the back rim or front case mouth.
You will need to be very certain that loading data is for your guns. The nomenclature is NOT complete using only the caliber. There are many wildcats and proprietary cases numbering, some say, 10,000 all told.
Things to look out for:
1. Barrel length, short medium, long.
2. Powder type and burn rate.
3. Bullet type, construction, weight.
4. Age, pressure rating of your guns.
Pistol powder is in the upper fast range. Some loads for your pistols may take only as little as 3 grains and produce really big pressures. You will need a powder scale and a trickler. 3 grains is surely at the bottom of your powder measures capacity.
The cases can hold as little as 1/3 capacity. It's easy to throw a double charge.
In short barrels lots of powder will blow out unburned, confounding velocity and pressure expectations.
Since cases can be so empty some loaders stuff various items in the case as spacers and use a dial caliper to measure depth as a cross check.
There is lots more to consider. I don't want to sound like an alarmist. There is a very BIG safety margin inherently built in. Just saying proceed smartly with all due precautions and all will be just fine.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Campfire Outfitter
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Nothing you said had anything to do with the OP's question. Funny.
The the OP, try your current powder measure with pistol powder before dropping the money on a new one. If it throws consistent charges in the 5 grain range, call it good!
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
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Yes, your Uniflow will work just fine.
My RCBS Uniflow has been used to load handgun cartridges for decades now, going down to 2.8 grs. of Bullseye. I have a large and small hopper but have used the large hopper for everything all these years, to be honest I'm too lazy to keep switching hoppers back and forth.
Even with the large hopper and tiny amounts of flake powder it throws consistent charges. In my experience with this, a Lyman 55 and even the Lee powder dippers a consistent technique is the biggest factor to getting consistent charges.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Joined: Oct 2007
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2007
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I want to thank everyone for taking the time to reply to my post.
I will give measuring handgun charges with the appropriate powder in my Uniflow a try to see if it is practical. If some people are doing it, I don't see why I can't. Just so that you know, I am anal about weighing every single charge I load.
I will order a baffle from RCBS .
The handgun will be a new Ruger .357 Magnum revolver with an extra cylinder for 9 mm, so it should be up to the task.
If anyone has a favourite powder(s) for a 9mm shooting 115 grain bullets or .38 special shooting 125 grain bullets, I would really appreciate your advice.
Patrick
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die,
I want to go where they went."
Will Rogers
And on the 8th day, God created the Border Collie.
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Joined: May 2002
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Campfire Outfitter
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I load .45 ACP with 5.4 grains 238/HP38. I have found the Uniflow to be very consistent.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I've always like the Uniflow for pistol powders (with the bigger rotor, the only one I have for it). It works better than the Hornady measures IMO. Never had a problem loading 38 Special, 41, 44, 45, 480, Hornet, or whatever with it.
The single most important thing you can do regardless what you use to measure is to inspect all the cases in the block or try before you start seating bullets. A quick visual inspection readily shows anything that's off.
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Patrick:
Handgun loading is far more delicate, and " I don't like to say dangerous". than rifles.
Handguns have either straight or slightly tapered cases. They head space either on the back rim or front case mouth.
You will need to be very certain that loading data is for your guns. The nomenclature is NOT complete using only the caliber. There are many wildcats and proprietary cases numbering, some say, 10,000 all told.
Things to look out for:
1. Barrel length, short medium, long.
2. Powder type and burn rate.
3. Bullet type, construction, weight.
4. Age, pressure rating of your guns.
Pistol powder is in the upper fast range. Some loads for your pistols may take only as little as 3 grains and produce really big pressures. You will need a powder scale and a trickler. 3 grains is surely at the bottom of your powder measures capacity.
The cases can hold as little as 1/3 capacity. It's easy to throw a double charge.
In short barrels lots of powder will blow out unburned, confounding velocity and pressure expectations.
Since cases can be so empty some loaders stuff various items in the case as spacers and use a dial caliper to measure depth as a cross check.
There is lots more to consider. I don't want to sound like an alarmist. There is a very BIG safety margin inherently built in. Just saying proceed smartly with all due precautions and all will be just fine. Do you have a brother named Bob?
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Don't overlook Lee's Dipper Set. It's a very quick way to measure powder, it's quite accurate once you practice a bit, and it's the least expensive new measure you can get.
Think about it: a drum measure fills a cylindrical cavity with powder, scrapes it level and then dumps it out. A Lee dipper fills a cylindrical cavity with powder, scrapes it level and then dumps it out. No real difference.
I used to put powder in a whiskey tumbler. I'd back the dipper in (open end up) until the powder flowed into it, and then lift it straight up. If the charge is a bit heavy (determined beforehand with a scale) I'd scrape off the slightly rounded mound. If the charge was a bit light in that dipper, I'd leave the mound. Spherical powders always mounded exactly the same, and were incredibly consistent in charge weight using a dipper. Flakes almost as good and kernels not so much.
Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
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Moby - I use a powder that mostly fills the case so that there is NO chance of getting a double charge of powder.
My S W 9mm like 6.7 grs of Herco with a standard small pistol primer. The velocity is +/- 1200 fps with 115 HPs.
I've shot 6.5, 6.7, & 7 grs. and 6.7 works best in MY pistol.
You can experiment with yours.
Even at 7 grs/charge and 7000 grs/lb of powder it is an economical load.
Good loading & shooting
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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I just got done loading about 400 rounds of .38 special using my uniflow. I haven't tried to throw powder for a rifle yet. It is my own experience that using the baffle is well worth the expense. I usually check about 1 powder throw in 10 or 15 to make sure I am getting the correct amount. It sure beats weighing out each and every load of powder on my scale. Just take your time and you will be fine.
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 908
Campfire Regular
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For 9mm and 38 special I find Unique powder to be the most flexible. Works well with everything from light cast bullet loads to maximum jacketed bullet loads. Measures decently with a Lee dipper or rotary measure. Probably not the "best" for any application but I have a lifetime supply because it works well enough for all the pistol loading I do: 9mm,38 spec, 44 mag cast bullet, and 45/70 cast bullet plinking loads.
If you can't be a good example, may you at least serve as a dreadful warning
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Guys N Gals: Just a quickie to chastise. A .38 special IS NOT a .357 Magnum, is NOT a 9 mm. Moby scrambled nomenclature first stating a .38 special then stating a .357 magnum. Load data came in from posters. Achtung !!! Here's a vide of the Ruger .357 Magnum - 9mm convertible two in one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_4DzyUxS_wI have owned a Ruger Blackhawk .357 for 50 years. I also own the New York City police special old, obsolete .38 special, 5 shot. Here too is the Hodgdon load data. http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/Typically it is conservative. Liability issue !!! The new Ruger convertible named is one of the new super strong probably up in the 60,000 psi category. So there is plenty of wiggle room. But I will interject. Why push the envelope? It's just lead on paper. Probably best to not be so adventuresome. That means stay away from Max. Your hand will thank you for it. I'm a very big fan of Rugers, rifles and hand guns. Got lots of both. They are second only to Mausers, but that's me. ____________________________________ I'm sayin' again - look out for nomenclature. Use ALL numbers and letters. Positive ID your gun, caliber, bullet, powder and everything else. Be meticulous.
Last edited by William_E_Tibbe; 08/12/15.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I will order a baffle from RCBS .
If you have a cat and heavy duty scissors, you can cut out a powder reservoir baffle from an aluminum pop-top cat food can lid.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
Guys N Gals: Just a quickie to chastise. A .38 special IS NOT a .357 Magnum, is NOT a 9 mm. Moby scrambled nomenclature first stating a .38 special then stating a .357 magnum. Load data came in from posters. Achtung !!! Here's a vide of the Ruger .357 Magnum - 9mm convertible two in one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_4DzyUxS_wI have owned a Ruger Blackhawk .357 for 50 years. I also own the New York City police special old, obsolete .38 special, 5 shot. Here too is the Hodgdon load data. http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/Typically it is conservative. Liability issue !!! The new Ruger convertible named is one of the new super strong probably up in the 60,000 psi category. So there is plenty of wiggle room. But I will interject. Why push the envelope? It's just lead on paper. Probably best to not be so adventuresome. That means stay away from Max. Your hand will thank you for it. I'm a very big fan of Rugers, rifles and hand guns. Got lots of both. They are second only to Mausers, but that's me. ____________________________________ I'm sayin' again - look out for nomenclature. Use ALL numbers and letters. Positive ID your gun, caliber, bullet, powder and everything else. Be meticulous. In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary, come again?
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: May 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Moby1; Good morning to you sir, I trust this finds you well. I'm sorry I'm a wee bit late to the table here sir, but in the event that you've not ordered the baffle yet perhaps don't bother and we'll make one up for you in 10 minutes over a cup of coffee. I was going to order one too, but after PMing back and forth with JB he suggested I build one and yes it is that easy and I've got more material in the garage. Oh, before you order a new measure too I've got one of these with a few different insert bushings with your name on it right beside the your .38Spl dies. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/545386/rcbs-little-dandy-handgun-powder-measureGive me a shout sometime and we'll get you hooked up sir. I was unhappy to hear about the bear incident in your area as I know the folks a wee bit, but glad to hear they found the bear responsible. Long story on that bear I'll share when we next meet. All the best and we'll be in touch. Dwayne
The most important stuff in life isn't "stuff"
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
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Currently I use a RCBS Uniflow powder measure for reloading for my rifles. Can it also be used effectively for a handgun, or should I buy a powder measure designed specifically for handguns. I ask this, because I see that there is considerably less powder used in handgun cartridges and perhaps I would be asking my RCBS uniflow too much to be measuring such small amounts at a time.
I am asking, because I have zero experience with loading for handguns. If it matters, it will be for 9mm and .38 special. same one i use for loading rifle ammo, Redding
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Your Uniflow should work fine. I have learned to like the Little Dandy for charging pistol cases. Once you find a rotor that drops the correct charge it is pretty fast to use a loading block and allows an easy visual inspection as a double check.
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