How do you measure powder?

Janeau said:
Pistol and semi auto ( 5.56MM ) - large volume -Dillon Scale to adjust the dillon powder mesure. Hunting ammo - 30-06, 35 Rem Mag, 45-70 ect, I weight each charge on the same Dillon digital scale.
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same my dillon 550b throws VERY consistant weights with wc-735 powder for .223 and with win 231 for 9mm I weigh the 1st one then every 150 rnds or so
 
For short course of fire, I thow charges. For long range, i.e. anything >400 yards, I weigh and use a trickler to ensure equal weight down to an individual granule, unless of course I get lazy, or suffer from time shortages, which as I age, both seem to be more commonplace. Honestly, I don't really know if it makes a damn bit of difference on the long range accuracy front, but it make me feel better when I weigh. I've never taken the pepsi challenge and done a blind "shootoff" of the two methods.

When throwing powder, I use a Harrell's powder measure. The tough part is to make it within one's budget to acquire one - they ain't cheap. For each type of powder, throw many charges until one is satisfied that the powder is metering accurately. With a Harrell's, it's an extreme precision piece of kit, and in my experience, is good enough that one can simply dial up the correct pre-determined number of culvers (clicks) to precisely repeat an established charge of a given powder at some future point in time. Simply wonderful!!
 
I use a lyman 55 powder drop. I can get very consistent drops from 2-70 grains depending on the powder with the dual sliding gates. I weigh as I set up, drop 5 charges and check for consistency, then weigh every 50 charges.

I don't shoot long range rifle, but I have good results with my handguns (touch wood).
 
For rifle I throw all my charges from a Redding measure; I'm using WW-748 it meters like water, very consistent and fast.

For most pistol charges I throw Unique from the fixed volume charge rotors for the RCBS Little Dandy Measure, secure and fast. For full on magnum loads I do an initial scoop of WW-296 on to my Redding scale, then finnish trickle to weight.
 
I use an RCBS Uniflow for both rifle and pistol. they are obviously volume measures, but of course they are set by weight. In the hundreds of thousands of rounds I've loaded for pistol I've only had to recalibrate my Uniflow a couple times (other than when going to a new powder, ie 231 to Tightgroup). For rifle I use my other Uniflow, which also has the micrometer metering screw in it (just like the pistol one), and again, I never need to adjust it. Of the top of my head I can't remember how much Ball C 32 (god I am tired is that even the right powder?) I use, but I do know that I don't weight it anymore. Well not quite, I'll randomly inspect cases during the loading procedure and weigh them, but have yet to have one off more than what the scale (RCBS 10-10) will read. So it's simply stick the case up to the powder drop, rotate the cylinder on the powder measure and drop in the powder. Into the loaded block goes the case, and so on, until the empty case block is, well, empty. Now I seat bullets, reversing the direction of travel of the cases. This works well for me and accuracy hasn't suffered at all. I've tried weighing them individually, but it makes zero difference out to 600 meters with my TRG-22.
 
Redding powder measure and RCBS 505 scale to calibrate and periodically check the measure. I also use a loading block so I can check and compare powder levels before seating. I have a Hornady trickler for those max loads that get individual attention.
 
I use mostly IMR powders and have had poor luck with powder measurers, so I tried the Lee measuring spoons. I now use them for all my loading. Take a scoop dump it in the pan and trickle up the the rest. I use both a Lyman beam scale and a Pact BBK.
 
Dillon powder measure for high-volume reloading and Lyman DPSII for precision reloading and for powders that do not meters well in a volumetrix powder measure
 
For shotgun, I only weigh buckshot loads or loads in which I am trying to duplicate a load or compare/achieve a desired result. For my rifle loads, everything is thrown, then trickled up to weight using a beam scale.
 
So the real question is Volume verses weight, I would say volume is more important in loading. I wish I had the formula to back that up but for now just trust me on this one. :D
My theory is the space in the case is more important than the weight of the powder. And that the weight of powder varies the space in the case enough to make for in consistant burning.:eek: :rolleyes: :D
Frank
 
Is it not said that black powder should be done by volume not weight?
If so why would that be?

I use a uniflow and check it every 5-10 or if one feels gritty, more if it's pistol. I have found that it has to be mounted really good (I screw mine into the RockChucker) if not you get a real spread. Also, I've found that you must move the lever the same way every time and if you let it hit hard on one stroke the next charge is a little bit heavy because it settles in the chamber more.
 
Like Ted said, I have a lot of better things to do with my time than weigh every powder charge. I just set up the measure, and load away, checking every 20 rounds or so. I also visually check each charged case before seating the bullet. The only rounds I weigh every charge for are those I shoot in 1000 yard matches. Otherwise, volumetric measuring systems work just fine. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Eagleye said:
Like Ted said, I have a lot of better things to do with my time than weigh every powder charge. I just set up the measure, and load away, checking every 20 rounds or so. I also visually check each charged case before seating the bullet..
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X3:D Less loading time more Range time :D
 
When loading 308s for ranges longer than 300m, I used the dipper for volume then I weigh. However, for the rounds that I make for 100-300m (mostly what I am shooting), I would rather just go bulk and make many using the double disk (hence the question of whether I should pick one up, I have a turret press from lee). I am also waiting for my stag arms 556/223 ar to get approved from the cfo, which means that soon I will need to also be reloading 223 en masse.

I know that some of you may say that I should ditch the lee and go with dillon or rcbs but, Can't afford it. Lee does the job fine so far, and with 308 reloads sub moa at the bench at 100m, is good enough for me. plus, I doubt I will be shooting out to more than 100 with the 223, that's what a bolt action is for.

And here I thought everybody was anal about weighing every charge...
I tried doing a search for Lee double disk kits on here for reviews, but seems no one has yet. Besides the already helpful experience of those who responded to this thread, has anybody else have experiences with a double disk kit they could share?
 
nathanenge said:
I tried doing a search for Lee double disk kits on here for reviews, but seems no one has yet. Besides the already helpful experience of those who responded to this thread, has anybody else have experiences with a double disk kit they could share?
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I use one for loading .50AE with a fine ball powder. Works fine. A bit of powder leaks, vacuum it up after you're done. I'm dropping 26.1 grains, works fine, quite consistent.

The longer bolts that came with it were a bit too short, so I had to get longer ones from a hardware store and dremel them down. Reported this to Higginson and he said he'd check his inventory. No big deal, especially given the purchase price...

I posted a link to the double disk volume chart - make sure that, with your powder and load, you will have enough capacity. With some 308 powders and loads you'll come quite near the limit of the double disk system. 223 will be fine.
 
I use a volume measure for my pistol reloads and weight my rifle reloads.

I suspect an accurate and consistent volume measure should actually be better than a weight measure since the moisture content* of a powder can vary quite a bit I suspect and have a fair effect on the weight in a given volume.

Anyways as was mentioned many benchresters use a volume powder throw. I bet that co-axial loading and bullet alignment have more effect on accuracy than the last fraction of a grain of powder. Seeing as most of them use special dies.


*I know you're supposed to keep it dry but how many of us use purged containers and dessicant packs once we open the powder???? Do you ever leave it in the measure overnight?
 
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