Powder measure

When shooting a muzzle loading rifle at the range I use a volumetric measure, i.e.. 60 grains of FFg for a .54 calibre Hawken.
When reloading cartridges I weight my charges, i.e., 33 grains of FFFg for a .44-40.
 
I do the same, but I only use Goex. Volume & weight seem right about equal (for Goex) when I'm loading cartridges. I understand some of the subs & some other brands don't match between volume & weight.

Just something to read up on, if you're using Pyrodex, 777 etc
 
Yeah i know to use a measure for volume I was just wondering what ones y'all use. I know some likely arnt as accurate as others.
 
? I believe them all to be fairly accurate, BP is not however a 1-2 grains make or break sport though. I personally own a few, The "pencil" type with internal gauge and swing funnel is handy as it's gauge is from 20 grains in 10 grain increments up to 120 grains. Good for a variety of pistols and rifles. I will also use 2 different telescoping cylinder type measures, one starts at 60 grains, the other starts at 80 grains. Rifle caliber depending, these are used as a quick dump load. All of my measures are brass. Some here prefer to hollow out horn to specific loads as quick dump measures. It's a "too each their own" type of thing really.
 
tylerjwitty said:
How does one determine how much powder to use , what kind and what bullet goes w.how much powder.
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you have min and max charges given to use in the owners manual of most muzzleloaders you start at the min and work you're way up till you have a load that shoots well. real black powder(goex,swiss,ect) can be measured by weight or volume. substitute powders(pyrodex,777,american pioneer/jim shockey's gold,goex clear shot) on the other hand are volume only using it in any other way you may end up with a Darwin award
 
antiqueguy said:
you have min and max charges given to use in the owners manual of most muzzleloaders you start at the min and work you're way up till you have a load that shoots well. real black powder(goex,swiss,ect) can be measured by weight or volume. substitute powders(pyrodex,777,american pioneer/jim shockey's gold,goex clear shot) on the other hand are volume only using it in any other way you may end up with a Darwin award
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The black powder substitutes may be loaded volume for volume with black powder, using a volumetric measure.
The amount of substitute as measured using a black powder measure could be weighed. Once the weight of the volume of substitute powder was determined, why could it not be measured by weight? If the substitute has any degree of consistency whatsoever, the weight of a given volume of the powder is going to be uniform. If there is no consistency in its volume to weight ratio, then loading it by volume would result in wildly variable charges.
Please explain exactly how this would be an attempt to qualify for a Darwin Award.
 
For 70 grains of holy black an empty 375H&H cartridge works like a hot damn, just pour in your powder tell its full, then pour it down the muzzle of yur charcoal burner. Make your measure out of deer antler, buy a brass variable measure from Track of the Wolf. Never ever and I repeat myself here, never ever pour powder directly from yur horn into the muzzle of your flinter or cap lock. If U got a hot spark left over from your last shot anywhere in the barrel yur gonna be in deep kimchee my son when the contents of your powder horn explode in your hands and face. Fake black powder IE, Trip 7 is 15-20% more reactive than holy black. Adjust your charge accordingly. If U are just getting started in smoke poles, I would recommend getting a variable brass powder measure from Track of the Wolf. U will not know initially what your ideal load of powder will be in your rifle. Every smoke pole is different and they can be quite finicky as to powder charge, ball diameter, patch thickness, even how aggressively you tamp your shot on top of your charge. These brass variable powder measures are not expensive I have and use one and I am quite satisfied with its performance both in the field and on the range.
 
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I have a Lyman 55 and a Harrell's Precision BP measure. The Harrell's was quite expensive bit is really accurate for weighing FFg and FFFg. It's quite easy to stay within a tenth or two of a grain with FFFg Express. It does not work with Fg at all. The Lyman is far less friendly to adjust and less precise than the Harrell's, but works with Fg.

Chris.
 
tiriaq said:
The black powder substitutes may be loaded volume for volume with black powder, using a volumetric measure.
The amount of substitute as measured using a black powder measure could be weighed. Once the weight of the volume of substitute powder was determined, why could it not be measured by weight? If the substitute has any degree of consistency whatsoever, the weight of a given volume of the powder is going to be uniform. If there is no consistency in its volume to weight ratio, then loading it by volume would result in wildly variable charges.
Please explain exactly how this would be an attempt to qualify for a Darwin Award.
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Because a lot of folks get confused over the concept of "equivalent volume and weight" along with the torturous path from weight of proper black to final weight of the volume equivalent in the subs.

NBK, I've got a Lyman telescoping measure that's good for 50 to 100gns by volume in 10gn steps. But I don't use it anymore. Instead I measured out the right weight I'm after for my flinter then trimmed a S&W .500 casing until it held the volume. I marked it for the volume and that's what I use. I haven't done it yet but a small spring lock washer filed and sanded to remove the plating or black oxide and soldered to the head over top of the primer would provide a very nice lanyard ring for this measure. Or different sizes could be made and marked and the lot of them looped onto a ring or lanyard loop to keep them in one place.

The longer and fatter rifle casings would also work like a charm once the cases are trimmed down to remove the shoulder and then some until the desired charge just fills the casing. I prefer this fixed size solution because a) I didn't like the 10gn steps and b) I didn't want to worry about the measure getting bumped between uses and skipping to one less or one more click stop.
 
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I don't shoot substitute powders, but yea, depending on what your barrel is proofed for you've only begun to reach "kick potential". My guns begin to lose accuracy above 80 grains {not to mention, the recoil becomes uncomfortable} so I don't actually shoot at proof.
 
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