And the idea behind that is to step up just a notch in speed/quality to see if it meets your needs before making a much bigger investment. Good or bad, tell us how your ammo making goes.
Weighing powder - How do I speed up the process?
- Thread starter Mount Sweetness
- Start date
And the idea behind that is to step up just a notch in speed/quality to see if it meets your needs before making a much bigger investment. Good or bad, tell us how your ammo making goes.
I do things the same way, only with a Lee volume meter/powder throw. I charge the next round while the first round's powder is balancing on the scale. Works fast enough for me, but I typically load for rare milsurp stuff in batches of 50 or 60.
Having pulled a few commercial rounds (and some milsurp) to determine powder variances, I found some significant differences in weights of the commercial stuff (out to a few grains or more), yet it still shot accurately in my rifles at the ranges I was using them at (under 400m).
If you're worrying about minute differences, I hope you're shooting at extreme ranges, otherwise you are wasting your time and money on an expensive set up.
Cameron SS
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ground Zero
Soviet milsurp is brutal, particularly in larger calibres. I have seen differences in whole GRAMS, both in powder weight, and projectile weight.
OP, I am holding you responsible for this!
I just ordered one of these: http://www.targetmasteruk.com/
Actually, both OP and (FRAUD ALERT) are responsible: OP for starting this thread and (FRAUD ALERT) because I found an unexpected balance on my account that went towards the trickler.
There are a bunch of videos on YouTube about this thing.
After watching those, I think this will help for the very small charges I use for my Swiss 1881 Ordnance and 38 S&W loads. This thing should be able to trickle those out entirely.
For larger cartridges, I'll drop the bulk with a powder measure or a scoop and use this to trickle up.
Will be interesting to see how loads from this compare to loads from the Lee Auto Drum.
I just cannot resist an interesting gadget.
I just ordered one of these: http://www.targetmasteruk.com/
Actually, both OP and (FRAUD ALERT) are responsible: OP for starting this thread and (FRAUD ALERT) because I found an unexpected balance on my account that went towards the trickler.
There are a bunch of videos on YouTube about this thing.
After watching those, I think this will help for the very small charges I use for my Swiss 1881 Ordnance and 38 S&W loads. This thing should be able to trickle those out entirely.
For larger cartridges, I'll drop the bulk with a powder measure or a scoop and use this to trickle up.
Will be interesting to see how loads from this compare to loads from the Lee Auto Drum.
I just cannot resist an interesting gadget.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
I played around with my Lee powder measure last night, I don't like it much. It does the job, but it seems messy, splashes powder and doesn't speed up the process for me at all, possibly slows me down a bit. I had it sitting here unused for 10 years, so I guess it was worth a shot.
I am going to stick to using a Lee Dipper set and my Lee scale for now. I can do maybe 30 rounds in an hour.
I am going to stick to using a Lee Dipper set and my Lee scale for now. I can do maybe 30 rounds in an hour.
#### what a terrible video... but like you I am curious.
What was the end damage with shipping?
Wow - they are very quick on email response - $120+24=$144 British Pounds. Now that is $238.36 cnd +credit card fees +import fees.
_____
Hi
Thanks for the interest in the Targetmaster. I’d be pleased to send one out to you in Canada, as you may know there are a few out there already, in fact I have one to post to Keswick, Ontario in the morning. Other recent machines going to Victoria BC, Chestermere, Alberta and Calgary. I’ve now sold them to 26 different countries. All Targetmasters are handmade by me.
The Targetmaster cost £119 British pounds and shipping by Royal Mail airmail in £23.80 British pounds. I’m running just two or three days behind with my orders at the moment but if you want to go ahead just email me back and I will send you a (FRAUD ALERT) invoice for the total including airmail shipping. Or we could arrange a bank transfer if you prefer.
Unfortunately not able to send it as a gift – the customs declaration is marked “Powder dispenser” value £119 – it goes by Royal Mail (Airmail, tracked, insured and signed)
The Targetmaster runs off four AA batteries so no power problems. A typical set of AA batteries should last 2-3,000 cycles at around 10 seconds per cycle. I make a point of changing my batteries every year but always still going well at the end of the year.
Regards
Allan
_____
Cheers,
What was the end damage with shipping?
Wow - they are very quick on email response - $120+24=$144 British Pounds. Now that is $238.36 cnd +credit card fees +import fees.
_____
Hi
Thanks for the interest in the Targetmaster. I’d be pleased to send one out to you in Canada, as you may know there are a few out there already, in fact I have one to post to Keswick, Ontario in the morning. Other recent machines going to Victoria BC, Chestermere, Alberta and Calgary. I’ve now sold them to 26 different countries. All Targetmasters are handmade by me.
The Targetmaster cost £119 British pounds and shipping by Royal Mail airmail in £23.80 British pounds. I’m running just two or three days behind with my orders at the moment but if you want to go ahead just email me back and I will send you a (FRAUD ALERT) invoice for the total including airmail shipping. Or we could arrange a bank transfer if you prefer.
Unfortunately not able to send it as a gift – the customs declaration is marked “Powder dispenser” value £119 – it goes by Royal Mail (Airmail, tracked, insured and signed)
The Targetmaster runs off four AA batteries so no power problems. A typical set of AA batteries should last 2-3,000 cycles at around 10 seconds per cycle. I make a point of changing my batteries every year but always still going well at the end of the year.
Regards
Allan
_____
Cheers,
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Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
I'll try that, thanks.
But it saves me no time, If I still weigh to confirm.
But it saves me no time, If I still weigh to confirm.
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That is really neat. But I giggled where the video zooms in to show how spot on the while the bloody arm is holding it down. Of course it will read 100% accurate. But what would it read if you took the arm off and reweighed the final charge? I assume it would be a few tenths heavy. Probably adjustable.
Providing it's the Lee Perfect Powder Measure we're discussing, what I do is weigh the first few charges to make sure I see the amount/consistency I'm after. Now I charge a handful of cases Without measuring. Now measure a charge to see I'm still good. Now charge another handful of cases Without measuring charges. Now throw a charge and measure again to make sure all is still good. And I keep going in that pattern until all my cases are loaded.
Depends how persnickety you want to be. It doesn't make me an Olympic shooter, but I get 1\2" to 3/4" groups with some same-hole shooting at 100 yards with a CZ527 in .223 . Could be better or worse, just throwing that out there strictly for comparison only.
We don't have 500 yard shooting where I live so this works for me.
I was taught to raise the handle on the powder measure, tap the measure a few times, charge the case, tap the measure a few times without removing case. That's for consistency and making sure all grains have fallen into the case. You may be doing this, if not, doesn't hurt to try it. But the above should speed up your process while adding Some measure of QC.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Thanks, I will give it another go later today.
That "arm" contains a photo sensor and a light source. When the scale beam breaks the light sensor and the light source, it shuts off the tricker. The arm does not come in contact with the scale beam.
The damage was what you quote above -- $238 CAD or so. I paid with a credit card via (FRAUD ALERT). Discovered that I had an unexpected balance on my (FRAUD ALERT) account so I put that towards the trickler -- that forgotten balance on (FRAUD ALERT) really tipped me over to "what the hell, why not?" mode. Not sure I would have ordered it otherwise, to be honest.
No explicit credit card fees that I can see on my account -- just a charge with a note of the exchange rate. Will let you know if there are any duties. I've ordered similarly-priced stuff from Great Britain before and have not been dinged with duty.
Now I know what some of you are thinking. "$240!!?!?! You could have bought an RCBS Chargemaster from Natchez Supply for that!" Yeah, I know. But I wanted something to use with my growing collection of beam scales.
There are other and somewhat better videos of the Targetmaster on YouTube. His modifications to make a Lee scale work with the thing are interesting.
Actually I am not thinking that at all! I already got the RCBS CM and GemPro 250.
I really like him using the beam scale - I wish I knew about it when I was in Eng last month.
Keep me posted on the duties... if there is none. I will order one to play around with.
I really like him using the beam scale - I wish I knew about it when I was in Eng last month.
Keep me posted on the duties... if there is none. I will order one to play around with.
What are your dropping the powder into that it splashes around?
If you're dropping into a case, put the case right up against the drop tube and drop directly into the case. There should be no gap between the case and the drop tube.
If you're dropping into a scale pan, put the bottom of the pan right up against the drop tube and drop onto the pan. Lower the pan away from the drop tube carefully and you should get a nice little mound of powder.
I use my Lee powder measure both ways and have no problems with it. I do, of course, occasionally spill some powder. But I don't get what I would call "splashing" on a regular basis. Any powder splashes I have are due to my own clumsiness rather than any problem with the tools.
If you're having problems with the powder measure leaking powder, tune up the measure.
Take apart the measure and make sure that the soft rubber / elastomer wiper is in place and is not obviously torn or damaged. Lee sells replacements if you need them.
Brush out any obvious cruft that may have accumulated inside the measure.
Reassemble and make sure the screw is tightened so that the drum is not overly loose. The drum should rotate freely but not be wobbly.
Open the micrometer way up and drop loads to run a hopper of powder through the thing. You want to lube up the measure with the graphite residue from the powder.
I've found my Lee measures -- the Perfect and the Auto Drum -- to be surprisingly consistent for the cost. For the Perfect, I usually drop a few tenths below the desired weight and trickle up with a trickler. For the Auto Drum on the turret press, I dial in a test multiple drops before loading. I then weigh every 10th charge or so. It's been very consistent.
Until you get to measuring 1/100th of a grain or counting individual powder granules, I think the Lee stuff works fine. I'd argue that speed and accuracy with that equipment is more about technique than the equipment itself.
I think he meant dropping into the pan. Tried that and some splashes out. Then I began dropping into a case and pour into the pan.
The $50. electronic scales take some criticism sometimes, some of it warranted. Mine is handy alongside the beam scale to help speed things up while adjusting the powder measure in big increments. Zero out an empty case, charge with powder, weigh, adjust. Just using the beam scale as the final word before calling it good. No doubt alot of others do the same.
The $50. electronic scales take some criticism sometimes, some of it warranted. Mine is handy alongside the beam scale to help speed things up while adjusting the powder measure in big increments. Zero out an empty case, charge with powder, weigh, adjust. Just using the beam scale as the final word before calling it good. No doubt alot of others do the same.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Yes, it was splashing when trying to drop into the pan, but I wasn't holding the pan up tight to the spout.
So I then used a funnel to drop from funnel to pan.
It all just seemed to add steps, changing hands often, picking up and putting down.
I wasn't really able to drop directly into a case as the round I was loading for is 204ruger and the fit was a tad loose.
I did up 150 rounds of 204 ruger, I ended up being able to weigh and seat 20rounds per half hour.
I will be doing up a few hundred .222rem, I will play with the Lee measure on these and hopefully get it down pat.
So I then used a funnel to drop from funnel to pan.
It all just seemed to add steps, changing hands often, picking up and putting down.
I wasn't really able to drop directly into a case as the round I was loading for is 204ruger and the fit was a tad loose.
I did up 150 rounds of 204 ruger, I ended up being able to weigh and seat 20rounds per half hour.
I will be doing up a few hundred .222rem, I will play with the Lee measure on these and hopefully get it down pat.
Sounds good. I've never tried using the powder scoops. How much variation are you finding when you weigh your charges? Farly consistent or no? I imagine powder type is a factor...
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