Being a first timer at reloading-I;m trying to figure out how everything works-I have a LEE powder dispenser-but somehow I can't get each powder charge equal[I've been told to check every 4 or 5 for accuracy on my scale].Right now I'm just weighing every charge-not a big deal, but time consuming,but if I could get the dispenser working consistently it would be good.Any advice-or what am I doing wrong?
powder dispenser
- Thread starter ratherbefishin
- Start date
- Location
- In the middle of gopher country
In my experience, I haven't found a dispenser that will be completely consistent. Part of the problem is weight of the powder column in the dispenser. It changes as the column moves down the tube.
Cheers
Cheers
Ball powders dispense a lot more accurately & consistently than other powders.
A real key to consistent powder throws is to use the powder measure the same way each time. What I do is a trick shown to me years ago. On the upstroke of the handle be go all the way up every time with the same pressure & on the down stroke, after the powder is dispensed give the measure a little tap to dislodge any loose powder into the case.
A real key to consistent powder throws is to use the powder measure the same way each time. What I do is a trick shown to me years ago. On the upstroke of the handle be go all the way up every time with the same pressure & on the down stroke, after the powder is dispensed give the measure a little tap to dislodge any loose powder into the case.
I have the same frustration with my dispenser and am still looking for a solution. Being consistent with each throw is key as colinjw just said. The tapping trick I have tried too with limited success.
Honestly, I'm about ready to drop the cash on that fancy RCBS rig that measures and dispenses the powder automatically to see if that's the answer.
Honestly, I'm about ready to drop the cash on that fancy RCBS rig that measures and dispenses the powder automatically to see if that's the answer.
I'm using IMR 4064,and tapping the body to settle the powder,but the diferences between charges is still not acceptable.I even took the darn thing apart but it looks pretty simple.My Powder dippers are more consistent-which is a puzzle-the powder dispenser is basically just a powder dipper.
I have a Lee and a RCBS powder measure and I have been dropping IMR4350 and H 4350 and would be glad to sell you the RCBS. The Lee does a great job with these types of powder. I would think the best thing to do with this powder is load load and tickle.
Let you know which one is better with ball powder.
Could buy 3 Lee for the price of 1 RCBS.
One I've been looking at (not endorsing... yet):
http://www.quick-measure.com/index.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~davidawilson/LongRange/QuickMeasure/QM.htm
Supposedly accurate to +/-0.1 gr.
http://www.quick-measure.com/index.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~davidawilson/LongRange/QuickMeasure/QM.htm
Supposedly accurate to +/-0.1 gr.
A powder dispenser throws powder by volume not weight. I use a Hornady that will throw Varget either right on the money or .1-.2 gr under. Since I weigh every charge anyway and top up to the desired weight, I really don't care how much it throws. Even some of the more expensive powder dispensers will not throw right on the money every time.
Three types of smokeless powder: stick, ball and flake. Stick powder is like little 'lincoln logs'; ball is like sand; flake is like tiny frisbees. My RCBS Uniflow measures ball powders very accurately but forget about stick and flake powders. My advice is to rely on ball powders through a powder measure whenever possible. And by the way, you do not have to rely on magnum primers when reloading rifle rounds with a ball powder.
IMR 4064 is a ''stick'' powder,so maybe that explains why I get the variability.I only load a box at a time so its not a big deal to weigh each charge,I picked up an older ''Ohaus10 10 and besides,I'm rather enjoying my new found hobby.What chokes me is I just learned an old friend sold all his reloading equipment for a song-didn't know I was into it...
I would say, at this point, your best bet is to under throw the charge with your Lee and then trickle up to the desire weight.
I can get my Lee dispenser to throw Varget within .1 grains 99% of the time with consistent throwing techniques.
I would NEVER use this method for match loads myself (I Leave that to my RCBS Chargemaster) but for gopher/plinking loads it's a quick and easy method.
Even using the Chargemaster for match loads I check every charge with my beam scale as well for consistency and add or subtract a few granules as needed.
I can get my Lee dispenser to throw Varget within .1 grains 99% of the time with consistent throwing techniques.
I would NEVER use this method for match loads myself (I Leave that to my RCBS Chargemaster) but for gopher/plinking loads it's a quick and easy method.
Even using the Chargemaster for match loads I check every charge with my beam scale as well for consistency and add or subtract a few granules as needed.
I'm here to tell you that in any "hunting" size cartridge case .2 grains either side of zero will make a virtually indiscernable difference in velocity or trajectory. Only when you get down to 222/223 sized cases is it possible to see the difference across a chronograph. I do weigh charges I use for long range competition, but as for hunting, the measure throws any powder [even IMR 4350] plenty accurate enough for that. That being said, the anal reloaders will still waste time weighing all their charges for their hunting rifles. Regards, Eagleye.
Cyan is right. Volumetric dispensers are never ever going to give you 100% consistency from charge to charge. The weight of the column of powder jamming powder into the measure changes, and the extruded kernels are a poor shape for using this method.
I weigh every single charge when I am shooting at the top end of the maximum safe loads, and I also weigh each charge when I am throwing loads for competition.
I got rid of my Dillon 550 when I ended up loading a whole bunch of pistol ammo in which no powder dispensed at all. That was a combination of a mechanical problem and my failure to check.
A properly calibrated scale in which every charge gets weighed is the SAFEST and most accurate way to load ammo. That is proper technique . I would suggest you do it with every round, your firearm and your safety could depend on it.
I weigh every single charge when I am shooting at the top end of the maximum safe loads, and I also weigh each charge when I am throwing loads for competition.
I got rid of my Dillon 550 when I ended up loading a whole bunch of pistol ammo in which no powder dispensed at all. That was a combination of a mechanical problem and my failure to check.
A properly calibrated scale in which every charge gets weighed is the SAFEST and most accurate way to load ammo. That is proper technique . I would suggest you do it with every round, your firearm and your safety could depend on it.
I've heard a lot of first hand complaints from people who have actually bought those fancy digital measures that auto dispense.
- Location
- Calgary, AB
I would have to agree with the quoted above; volumetric charging will suffice for most applications, and gravimetric is fine when you are starting reloading. As experience is gained, the volumetric method will reap dividends in time savings. I first started loading my rifle rounds with IMR 4064, then switched to WW-748 which is a very close ball powder charge & performance analog to 4064. The ball powders meter like water through any of the volumetric measures. I bench rest a .22 PPC which has even less case capacity than the .222/.223 with splendid performance (grouping) results by throwing WW-748 from my measure.
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I measure H4350 through a hornady dispenser, and it's pretty good if you keep the hopper topped up. The odd charge will be off by more than 1 or 2 tenths, so if I'm working up a load I will weigh each charge, and simply toss less accurate charges into a container, and just throw another one. I no longer waste my time weighing charges for my hunting rounds. If you want smoother metering, switch to ball powder.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
I weigh every rifle charge that I load. Weighed on a digital scale and tricked up to equal to the .1 grain.
In new plastic powder dispensers the powder kernels gets an electrostatic charge and stick to the dispenser. In time, a graphite coating will develop and there'll be less sticking.
