Powder Drop Consistency

Hey Gang:

I have a cheapo RCBS powder measure. Trying to driop a consistent 50 grains of VVN 160 (tubular grains). Would get an extreme spread of almost 1 full grain, with a sd of .16 grains.

'Not Good Enough.'

Purchased a $200+ Harrell Precision Benchrest quality powder measure. Getting an extreme spread of almost 1 full grain, with a sd of .15 grains.

What now? i suppose I could use the 'trickle up' method- but with a Dillon D-Terminator scale, this doesn't work. Scale is designed to measure a static load one time; I would have to weigh, trickle, reset, reweigh, trickle . . .

I suppose I could shell out another $300 for an autotrickler rig. What can I do short of that in order to get +- 0.1 grain consistency in my loads?

# Hey Gang: # # I have a cheapo RCBS powder measure. Trying to driop a consistent 50 # grains of VVN 160 (tubular grains). Would get an extreme spread of almost 1 # full grain, with a sd of .16 grains. # # 'Not Good Enough.' # Why is it 'Not Good Enough'? Have you tried shooting it? Are there accuracy or pressure issues?

If you answered yes to either of the above, you need to find an different loading method.

# I have a cheapo RCBS powder measure. Trying to driop a consistent 50 # grains of VVN 160 (tubular grains). Would get an extreme spread of almost 1 # full grain, with a sd of .16 grains. # # 'Not Good Enough.' # # Purchased a $200+ Harrell Precision Benchrest quality powder measure. # Getting an extreme spread of almost 1 full grain, with a sd of .15 grains. # # What now? i suppose I could use the 'trickle up' method- but with a # Dillon D-Terminator scale, this doesn't work. Scale is designed to measure # a static load one time; I would have to weigh, trickle, reset, reweigh, # trickle . . . # # I suppose I could shell out another $300 for an autotrickler rig. What # can I do short of that in order to get +- 0.1 grain consistency in my loads? # Buy the mechanical scales and a trickler, or switch to a ball type powder. Stick powder is difficult to dump from a measure.

'Leslie Swartz' asked:

# Hey Gang: # # I have a cheapo RCBS powder measure. Trying to driop a consistent 50 # grains of VVN 160 (tubular grains). Would get an extreme spread of almost 1 # full grain, with a sd of .16 grains. # # 'Not Good Enough.' # # Purchased a $200+ Harrell Precision Benchrest quality powder measure. # Getting an extreme spread of almost 1 full grain, with a sd of .15 grains. # # What now? i suppose I could use the 'trickle up' method- but with a # Dillon D-Terminator scale, this doesn't work. Scale is designed to measure # a static load one time; I would have to weigh, trickle, reset, reweigh, # trickle . . . # # I suppose I could shell out another $300 for an autotrickler rig. What # can I do short of that in order to get +- 0.1 grain consistency in my loads?

Trickle. It's the only thing that works with long-grain powder. And you CAN do it with an electronic scale, you just have to develop an eye for it. You can watch the grains fall from the trickler and judge how much you need, then tap the pan and let the scale resettle. It works.

Kevin

Change powder.

Throw your charge a bit shirt. Then using a good scale, sneak up on it using a trickler. It is the only way to go.

Joe Portale Tucson, AZ

> ... 1 > ... measure > ... loads? > ...

Dear L: I started with an RCBS Uniflow measure and still use it exclusively it to this day. I find even with the most difficult stick powders, e.g., IMR4064 and H4831, I can still keep variation in the plus or minus 1/2 grain or less. Since these powders are used in large rifle cases, I don't believe they make that enough variation to matter. In special cases were I want to achieve the very best accuracy, I weigh each charge, but most of the time I just go by volume on the Uniflow (micrometer stem) and leave it at that. With smaller cases, such as pistol cartridges, I typically use flake or ball powders that meter much more smoothly and produce very little variation. In the case of ball powders, the variation is practically nil. I suggest you pick the powder measure you like best and practice consistent technique to hold variation to a minumum, then live with it. Trickling each charge is a waste of time for most purposes. Just my opinion, of course. - CW

> ... 1 > ... measure > ... loads? > ...

Bill Smith

My Terminator scale is around ten years old, so I don't know if the newer ones prohibit trickling up to a weight or not. Mine is capable of this, and I do it frequently. Usually, I just allow the powder to go through the Dillon powder measure, and if it isn't enough, trickle in a little. If too much, then take the pan and 'trickle' a little powder out of it, and re weigh. I've yet to find a powder measure that measures exactly on the money. Depending upon what type of powder I use, sometimes it is off more than a grain. If I use ball powder, then they can be rather close. For me, close is not close enough. I can become pretty anal about this, and prefer to decrease the variable of inconsistent powder charges by weighing every charge for rifle loads. If I'm going to go to all of the trouble of loading up rifle ammo, then I'm going to make it the best I can . I choose powder for my rifle loads by what works, and not what meters well through a powder measure. One can always find 'something' that will measure accurately with the powder measure, but then have disappointing results on the firing line. I prefer accurate ammo, and do not mind the extra time it takes me to ensure that it is.

I have an El Cheapo Lee powder measure and it does +/- .1 with just both H380 and RE-15. Yes when doing load development I trickle up using a Dillon D-terminator electronic scale. Works for me. > ...