best way to measure powder

[bruno]

Just curious which is the proper way to measure powder, by weight or by volume. would like info on rifle and blackpowder. thanks

 

[p-17]

Personally, I throw every charge out of a Lee Perfect Powder Measure (about $25) into the case and then pour it from the case onto my scale. When I'm on a roll, its almost always perfect. Occasionally, I need to put in a couple of extra granules or take a couple out.

Once you get the hang of this, it's quite fast. It also means that every rifle cartridge I load -- be it for plinking, hunting or match competition -- has its powder charge individually confirmed on the scale.

 

[Levi Garrett]

Black is by Volume , smokeless by weight

 

[303carbine]

I weigh every charge

 

[smak_daddy]

I drop the charges into the brass. I intentionally make the charge low. Then I pour the charge onto the scale and trickle in powder until it is exactly right.

Takes some time but the results are worth it.

 

[qballs]

Smak_Daddy - Why are you throwing the charges into the brass first? I throw my charges right onto the scale, and then bring it up. Once it is good, THEN I pour it into the brass.
Seems like an unnecessary step.

 

[martinbns]

With larger calibres I either throw or dip about 90% of my intended charge and then trickly in the rest. With my 223 and 308 I just dump the powder out of the measure directly into the case measuring every 5th load.

 

[dizzy dan 1]

I measure every one I load.DAN>>>

 

[bigbull]

Just curious which is the proper way to measure powder, by weight or by volume. would like info on rifle and blackpowder. thanks

Smokeless is by weight and black powder is by volume. Of coarse smokeless can be thrown by volune if you set up a powder measure for the proper load, but the verification is made by a weight scale, this is not the case with black powder.
bigbull

 

[acrashb]

You guys are working too hard. Throwing is perfectly adequate up to about 300 yards. Benchrest guys don't weigh, they throw, because weighing is lots of additional work without gain within that range.

Past that range, velocity variance becomes a bigger factor in group size.

So Bruno, what do you want to do? Plink? Throw. Accuracy up to about 300 yards? Throw. Accuracy past that? Weigh, if you want to be competitive.

Of course you have to weigh a bunch of charges to ensure that your throw (and your technique in using it) is accurate and repeatable. Then throw away

 

[kodiak1]

I go with acrashb on that one get your throw working right then pick a number, be it 5 or 10 and check after that many rounds to see that your throw is still on track. You will find it is so damn close that it won't matter a bunch.
Ken.

 

[sambr]

I weigh every rifle load. However with my pistol loads I have a Dillion progressive press and I weigh every 50 loads.

 

[ben hunchak]

Black powder can be thrown by volume but it is not recommended for accuracy in black powder cartridge shooting......verticle stringing is almost guaranteed if you don't weigh and trickle every charge.....in addition black powder should be drop tubed 3' or more into your case for consistant ignition......this is all a given...case neck tension is not however and there are 2 very diff. schools of thought on this, pouring down the barrel of a muzzeloader by volume may be okay, but for MOA or better BPCRs its a no-no!

 

[mikeelliot]

Scale and trickle every load.

 

[Boomer]

I weigh all loads which use extruded powder. I throw ball powder loads, but check every 5th round, and need to adjust the micrometer on the measure about every 10th round as a rule.

 

[444shooter]

So what thrower do you throwers use?

 

[prosper]

RCBS 1500. Fast enough that the next charge is ready by the time I'm fininshed seating the previous one. Accurate +/- 0.1 grains, with any powder.

 

[444shooter]

RCBS 1500. Fast enough that the next charge is ready by the time I'm fininshed seating the previous one. Accurate +/- 0.1 grains, with any powder.

You use a Charge Master combo, or just the scale and drop by hand?

 

[bearhunter]

acrashb is right, if you have a decent powder measure with baffles and a micro adjustable volume control, after a very little practice and proper tapping of the throw lever technique at the top and bottom of the stroke, all of your charges will have less than 1/10 grain difference, less with flake or ball powder. I personoally know of at least a half dozen individuals that use only LEE powder dippers as measures. After much chideing on my part, I was proven wrong after weighing several dipped charges, none varied more than 1/10 grain. It's all in developing a technique, if you only handload for one firearm, don't be afraid to go the dipper route. The dippers can either be bought individually or in packages of varying sizes as well as load range for specific powders. Look them up on the Lee website for more details. bearhunter

 

[ben hunchak]

I use the Lyman 55 Black powder measure for both black and smokeless in conjunction with an RCBS powder trickler and an electronic scale, I'm sure there are faster setups but I'm comfortable with this.