Hi, just bought some reloading supplies to load a 8mm Mauser(js) and bought some of the new Lee dippers . Wondering whether these are going to work well. I do have a scale and can weigh each charge if need be but curious as to peoples experience with the dippers and if they will be good enough to use for developing and loading rounds for hunting . I will be using H4895. Thanks,Craig
The idea of using volume instruments for rapid loading is not new. Using a dipper is not really different than other powder throwers that rely on volume instead of mass or weight.
I'd use the scale while doing development, just to make sure you're not going to blow yourself up. Then figure out which dipper corresponds to your best charge.
Just make your process repeatable and you'll be good (i.e. don't scoop one time, then pack the dipper the next)
I recall one time watching a gentleman reload and his magic formula was "3 scoops with the small, or 1 and about a half of the bigger one". He never blew up and had no problems killing things.
Last edited by RWE; 03/09/10. Reason: add anecdote
I use and like them. If I'm only loading 50 or so rounds for handgun, and a dipper gives me a medium charge weight, I prefer them to any other method.
I use a bar whiskey glass that followed me home (!) and always back the scoop into the powder. Never pull it through; back it in and allow the powder to flow into the scoop. You can scrape it level or allow it to mound naturally - either way is accurate.
I use them have for years, but I use them to get my charge close and then I always trickle the rest. I've seen too much variation to them to ever just use the dipper without checking the weight via a scale!
Dober
"True respect starts with the way you treat others, and it is earned over a lifetime of demonstrating kindness, honor and dignity"....Tony Dungy
With the old Lee Loaders the one dipper they supplied would always throw a fairly mid-level charge of the recommended powder, so a little variation wasn't going to get you in trouble.
Follow Rocky's method of backing the dipper through the powder. Don't shake or settle it. I always scraped it off even with a straight edge, never tried leaving it piled up but that seems to work well too.
When you think about it, the dippers aren't going to be any worse than a powder measure - a cavity of a certain volume is filled by gravity and packed to some extent by the weight of the powder column above it. A measure scrapes off the top of the cavity. And even with a powder measure consistent technique is important to get the same fill density every time.
Practice a bit, weigh your charges with your scale to check yourself and I'd bet within a short time you will get very comfortable using the dippers and confident of their accuracy.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
I use them have for years, but I use them to get my charge close and then I always trickle the rest. I've seen too much variation to them to ever just use the dipper without checking the weight via a scale!
Dober
Pretty much my experiance too. Dip and trickle is my perfered method of use with them
I must confess, I was born at a very early age. --Groucho Marx
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when they deserve it. --Mark Twain
What Jim said. A volume measure is a volume measure, whether it uses a drum or a scoop. Practice DOES improve consistency.
The dippers are spot on with some powders, and a bit light with others. I haven't found a combo of powder and scoop yet that "throws" heavy per their chart - but there might be one. If I were unsure enough that I'd want to dip and trickle, I'd use my digital dispenser/scale instead.
I started out using them, measuring every load on a scale. I got tired of it within a few months and paid $25 for a Lee Perfect Powder measure. I love it. The loads are very consistent when I measure them on the scale. I could never get a consistent charge from the dippers. I always had to add or subtract a little which took time.
I have measured every charge on a scale, and my accuracy and consistency was no better or worse than when I use the dippers. Now I use dippers exclusively.
True, for powders that meter well, but for stick powders, Dober's method of dipping and trickling into the scale is faster for me. Trying to meter IMR powders or RE-19 & RE-22 through a measure is a pain in the azz.
Bcraig: I often use the Lee Powder Dippers for my Rifle loading. I think though that I am using them differently than other folks may be. I use them to throw consistently "short or light charges"! Then I use my Powder Trickler to bring the charge up to EXACTLY the weight I want on my powder scale. I personally would never trust the Powder Dipper ALONE to bring about the exact powder charges I want! I make notes in my loading log as to which of the Powder Dippers will give the "light charge" I want for that particular Rifle. Then of course I bring the charge up to "snuff" with my Powder Trickler. They save time and finger work for me. I hope they work out for you. Hold into the wind VarmintGuy
I'm sure there is a reason to use powders that don't meter well these days but I'm just as sure I don't know what it is.
One reason would be having a large stockpile of stick powders on hand.
Another would be that a poor metering powder happens to give you the best performance, by a wide margin, in a particular cartridge. In my case, this would be RE-22 in the 6.5x55.
Every other cartridge that I currently load for, I have switched over to ball powder.
i used dippers for about a week when i first started loading I never just dipped and loaded i always a scale and a tickler to top of charge weight .
if you want to get serious about your hobby nothing beats an RCBS dispenser scale combo i have RCBS droppers and it works great in high volume reloading with ball powder but i only use it for practice loads in my 223 .
the dippers were trashed long ago just not constant enough
