Extruded vs. Ball Powder

[HeavyTread]

So, new reloader here.

Is it me, or are ball powders just a pain in the ass the work with?

I'm working through my first batch of powder, and deliberately bought a bunch of different brands and kinds to experiment with.

I've heard no end of complaints about extruded (stick) powders:

* They don't meter well
* They tend to clump
* They stick in powder measures and require some force to cut in half

I experienced some of these issues with my H322 and IMR 3031 powders, but I just finished loading a few hundred rounds in Win 748 (ball powder) and I actually think I prefer the extruded powders for one simple reason: handling and cleanup.

The size of the ball powder kernels is so small that it makes it practically impossible for me to handle it in general without spills. It also loves to fall out of the end of my Chargemaster dispenser with the gentlest touch, and has to be brushed off the platen. Sweeping it up and finding it on the floor or my work bench is much harder, and because it kernel is smaller it seems to stick to powder pans and other surfaces much more. Not to mention that it's small enough to get into little cracks and seams (for instance in the body of my digital scale).

Maybe it's just because I live in an apartment, so I tend to be anal about even the smallest amount of stray powder. Because the kernels of the extruded powder are bigger, they are way easier to find and pick up.

 

[bearhunter]

Ball powder is normally much easier to work with than extruded powder.

It really sounds like you have a bit of a static electricity problem. This does happen on occasion.

As far as your Chargemaster goes, I've never used one but something is wrong if you're losing powder so easily. One big mistake a lot of people make is to drop their powder to far into the pan. Even extruded powder will bounce out if it's dropped to far.

Another thing I commonly see newbies doing is not use funnels when filling the silos. They just pour directly from the can or tub. Funnels are cheap and really easy to use.

I'm still rooted in the past and use a 30 year old RCBS powder throw and trickler over the pan on a Dillon digital scale. Yeah, I'm a bit anal and like my charges to be reasonably consistent. Even with the dispenser I have, it comes with case mouth guides for a reason.

The powder being measured out, needs to be controlled all the way along its route.

One thing to remember, if anything flows, that means it has liquid qualities. This means it has to be treated as such.

Hope this helps.

 

[lister]

Flake powder can be a pain to meter properly, not so much with ball or extruded. Rub the inside of your measure with a dryer sheet to cut down static.

 

[redryder]

I also use the RCBS powder throw and a digital scale. I throw directly into the pan, as in, I hold the pan tight to the outlet on the powder meassure. Throw charge, put pan back on scale. I also have a small open bowl of the powder beside the scale and i either pinch a little out of the pan on the scale or add a few grains pinched in from the bowl. Quickest I have found, at least with extruded. If i'm loading on the progressive, I pretty much try and stick with ball powders or at least very fine extrudeds.

 

[bigedp51]

Remington ran our American Lake City Army Ammunition Plant from 1941 till 1985, and during that time the majority of small arms ammunition was loaded with Winchester ball powders. The military doesn't weigh powder they throw charges by volume and ball powders are more accurate in charge weights using this method.

I prefer ball powders because of their ease of use and charging accuracy and I now use the RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser Combo.

If you are spilling powder try drinking less beer and you wont have the shakes when you are sober and are reloading. If you don't drink then stop listening to Rap music when you load while trying to keep up with the beat.

 

[HeavyTread]

If you are spilling powder try drinking less beer and you wont have the shakes when you are sober and are reloading. If you don't drink then stop listening to Rap music when you load while trying to keep up with the beat.

It's not the booze. Normally I spill a bit when I lean over to put my smoke out and cook some H in the powder pan.

 

[Ganderite]

I find ball powder meter so well I just throw it directly into the case. Only extruded powders (in precision loads) get to go into the Chargemaster.

 

[saskcop]

If I can load with a ball powder, I do. They just meter better and I find them much easier to work with.