Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mule Deer's Article on Powder Measuring

MD, do you know if the BR Culver type drop charges anymore precise than an RCBS or Redding ?

Anybody know if the RCBS powder baffle will work with the RCBS Chargemaster?

No, I haven't tried one of the Culver-style Harrel measures. They might work even better than the Redding, but the Harrel is designed to throw anything up to 120-grain loads. Redding has found through testing that a measure specifically designed for a smaller range is more accurate. My tests indicated they're right.

Besides, if you need 120 grains, just throw 40 three times.

So now I'm a rifle looney and an anal handloader.

Off to my support group meet.

I work hard to stay below 76 grs....my shoulder thanks me!

I have been using the "Ron Popeil" method for 10's of thousands of loads, it has never let me down; "Just set it and forget it"...

Don't forget your wallet.

Neat shop.

I thought I had a bunch of stuff. I believe you have more Dillon tool heads with dies than I do. And I have only one blue press, but three green ones. Had four, but gave one to a good bud who is getting into reloading. My stack of die boxes is about the same.

Those photos should warm the heart of any real Loony worth his salt...

DF

Warm my heart yes; pisses me off too cuz I have far less stuff yet a far bigger mess!

Sweet man cave there Shrapnel; I want to be like you when I grow up!

For my 15 yrs of reloading I've measured each charge. I had a measure early on but am not terribly patient in learning to operate such equipment. Furthermore, I like to have time at my bench... I even sometimes cleaned primer pockets... But over the last few years have upped my volume of shooting and cut back on such work. I got an OLD Lyman Ideal recently and have run Ramshot Hunter, Verminator, H-335, IMR-4895, and RL-15 through it. Only the RL-15 has needed to be checked.... actually it didn't "need" checking, I only did so because those loads were not for me but for a friend.

I look forward to Jon's article. I have much to learn about tossing charges!

If charge weight accuracy is meaningless, why is everybody asking which powder measures throw the most accurate charges?!?!

LOL!

I haven't cleaned primer pockets since the '70's, but still weigh charges out of a powder measure. If I'm using Ramshot or a similar smooth metering powder, I check a few and then load direct, as the charges seem to be real consistent. With stick powders, loading precision rifle loads, I still weigh. Most charges are on the money, a few need minor adjustments.

If I'm going to check concentricity and straighten to less than .002" run out, why not weigh stick powder. I'm not in that big a hurry and don't load huge quantities of rifle ammo at a setting. For pistol rounds, I use a Dillon and load a bunch at a time.

DF

You guys are nutz. I count the number of kernels in each grain. For example there are 4 kernels in .10 gr of H4350, 40 kernels per grain. So for my .280AI it would be 58x40 = 2320 kernels.

Just be sure to use a good pair of tweezers. Recounting is NO fun.

I see you list Texas and W. Va. as locations. Do you adjust your count based on relative humidity? I noticed my kernel counts changed after I moved from humid South Florida to Idaho where it is much drier.

JB - What was Brand X ?

Because getting concentricity under control gives a better ROI.

I don't have to since the lids on my 8lb jugs are hermetically sealed. I really don't want to over complicate things either-nice and simple is always the way to go.

I do have to raise the elevation on my rigs in WV. I'm pretty sure it's because there are a whole lot more trees which cause shade and cooler temperatures than down in TX. That slows the bullets down.

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But doesn't weighing every charge to less than 0.01 grains build character ?

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I found my RCBS powder thrower gave about the same results and it drove me potty..my OCD simply does do well knowing such variations might exist!

I don't load or shoot in large volumes, so I used to to trickle and weigh each charge. These days I use a ChargeMaster which has speeded up the process quite a bit and still keeps the variation down to what I term acceptable levels..

Regards,

Peter

Have you ever worked with the Johnson Quick Measure? Ken Howell and Rocky Raab have said good things about it.