Issue throwing Unique

[gonoles_1980]

I was loading up 44 mag brass to set in 240 grain xtrme lead flat points. I was tossing 8 grains of unique. During my flashlight check, I found two overweight tosses and two underweight tosses. I am not sure that happened, except I did have happen twice, the handle on the powder dispenser pushed down hard. I'm suspecting that had to do with the light weight tosses, and the following heavy weight.

I guess the lesson learned here is if the handle on the dispenser feels funny, stop and weight your load. Based on visual checking of the brass, I'm guessing I had load 6 gr in one and 10 gr in the other.

Anyone one else have this happen? I am using Lee's Perfect Powder dispenser.

 

[osprey176]

I've run into the same issue with Unique in my Lyman thrower. Recently had a kaboom in my 1911 I believe was caused by this, and mostly, my failure to check each charge. The moral of the story is don't let yourself be distracted while loading. Unique is a very versatile powder, but I much prefer spherical powder.

 

[PapaG]

I have never had a problem getting uniform drops of Unique from any of the following: either of two Lyman 55s, a RCBS Uniflow, or three Lee Auto Disc measures. I have not tried the Perfect measure but would guess that the design might be a problem. I do have some uniformity issues with the stick type powders and normally set the measure a little light and trickle up to desired charge weight. Usually a sticky handle means you are cutting grains but it is not normal with flake powder. Could there be a wad of powder building up or even bridging in the drop tube?

 

[gonoles_1980]

I probably should look for the damper design someone built for the Lee Perfect Powder dispenser. Haven't had issues before, but it was obviously hard to pull the handle down, so there must have been a clump. I think I'll relook that damper.

 

[243winxb]

Perfect Powder dispenser

http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

Knowledgebase: Perfect Powder Measure





Perfect Powder Measure Consistency

Posted by on 20 October 2011 04:00 PM


Bumping against the stops when dumping and filling the metering chamber usually causes inconsistent loads with the Perfect Powder Measure. Be gentle at both ends of the stop when charging powder.

Also failure to condition the measure by running a pound of powder through the unit will cause inconsistent charges. You can speed the conditioning by dusting the metering surfaces with powdered graphite. Powdered graphite is available at most hardware stores (often used as a dry lubricant for locks). Empty the powder from the hopper of your perfect powder measure. Remove the screw from the crank plate and remove the rotor from the body. Apply some powdered graphite to the inside of the body and work it in with the rotor. Repeat this until you get an even coating of graphite on both the rotor and the body. Re-assemble the the powder measure. The powdered graphite will make the mating parts slide past each other a lot easier.

Lastly some powders do not meter well, Unique powder is one example that meters with "casual uniformity."

Unique should not vari by more than .3 grs.

[/URL][/IMG] When dropping any powder from the measure, bridging may happen. The speed that the measure is operated at has an effect. Fast dropping of the powder may bridge at times. Slower moverment of the measure handle will have more of a trickle affect, no bridging. Some measures have a Handgun Metering Drum for loading small amounts of powder. The optional drum will give less weight variations & slower drop. A drop tube for 22 caliber can restrict the powder drop more then the larger caliber one. Lube remaining in the case neck (223 Rem) can slow powder drop if the expander has not removed the wet lube. Undersize brass neck wall thickness will not let the expander drag the excess lube out of the mouth. Do not lube with a Qtip, use a nylon brush or a dry lube. Powders that have bridged for me are 800X & Blue Dot when loading 45 acp. Other Example > When it happens, the first case gets less then the required amount, but enough to work the action of a 40 S&W. The next case gets the normal powder change, plus the remaining bridged powder. The maximun load of 11.2 gr of Blue Dot goes into the case, plus the bridged amount of 3.5 gr. When fired, KABOOM. Always look into the case to check powder levels before seating a bullet. Not easy to do using a progressive press. A single stage press, use loading blocks. Very easy to check the powder levels this way. I have not used Lee.

 

[Steve C]

Rotating powder measures with large drop tubes to accommodate charges up to 100gr like the Lee Perfect Powder measure really have difficultly metering flake powder in my experience.

Most similar dispensing measures of greater expense will have a small charge tube made for pistol charges and up along with a large charge tube for large charge throws. With the small charge "pistol" metering set up installed on my Hornady Powder Measure I can throw repeatable charges of Unique 10 grs and under all day. I'm sure the RCBS Uniflow Meter works the same as it comes with 2 tubes for large and small charge throws.

With any powder measure consistent operation of the handle is necessary to get consistent charges. When using a measure that makes metering small charges of flake powder more difficult sometimes vibrating the measure to make sure the powder settles helps. I used to give my old Herter powder measure a rap with a screw driver handle to shake the powder down to get it to work with small charges.

 

[Shaq]

When I first started handloading, I used Unique but never bought a second can of it. It never meters consistently & the flakes frequently caused the handle to get stuck. No problems with Win231 or AA#5.

 

[RPegram]

I have bought one pound of Unique. It was a great shooting powder, but I had issues with consistent metering. I used the whole pound, but measured every drop individually.

 

[GBExpat]

I would bet that each Heavy occurred right after each Light ... some of the Unique was hanging up and being dislodged with the next drop.

That potential issue this type of propellant (Unique, 700X, 800X, etc) is why I keep what I think of as my Tap-Tap rod on my reloading bench.

If I detect that happening, I initiate Tap-Tap action.

 

[TimSr]

Could there be a wad of powder building up or even bridging in the drop tube?

I've had this happen before. My Lyman powder measure has a weight hanging that your supposed to lift and let drop to shake everything out. I got in the happen of using it and that problem went away.

 

[stu1ritter]

I had quite serious bridging problems with Unique and my LnL measure. I don't use it. There are just too many other choices that meter very well.

Stu

 

[Wildfire]

I have no issues with the RCBS uniflow. 2 taps on the up stroke and 2 taps on the down stroke with the right drop tube and they are never more than .1 off.
One stroke up and one down and an issue will come up. My powder stays in that Uniflow sometimes for weeks at a time.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

The only time i had that problem was with the auto disk using the adjustable charge bar. The problem was in the die adjustment and the charge bar was not getting a full cycle every time because of that.

 

[Mauser69]

I have loaded LOTS and LOTS of Unique, 700-X, Red Dot and other flake powders, using several different powder measures, and I virtually never have a problem with consistent throws. I suspect the main reason why these powders work well for me is that I ALWAYS have my powder measure mounted directly on the press so that it is jostled a bit with every single throw of the handle. Once the powder is added to the measure and settled by some tapping, then I find it still takes about 10 test throws before the dispensed amounts become uniform, but they stay uniform after that. All of my powder measures also have baffles, and I think that this too is important.

On my Lee Pro 1000 and Classic Turret presses, this is just standard procedure since the auto measures mount directly to the expander dies, but even when using my Rock Chucker and RCBS powder measure, I mount the arm of the powder measure under the Expander die where I just take the primed and expanded case from the shell holder and briefly pause it under the powder measure on the way to the loading block.

I regularly see pictures and discussions of powder measures mounted to stands on the bench, but I would NEVER use a measure in this way. IMO the powder measure needs some regular jostling or vibrations from the normal reloading process to throw the most uniform results with any powder, not just flake powders.

 

[Blue68f100]

I have never got Unique to meter worth a crap in any rotary dispenser. Since I load on a AP most of the time I do not use Unique. When I tried I could get 4-6 to fall with in a ±0.1gr then I would get one 0.3gr hi or low. In the long run it averages out but anything greater than ±0.1gr is unacceptable for me.

 

[Dudedog]

and I thought my Lee Pro Disk at + or - .2 or .3 was bad. (.3 with .43 disk gets better as disk hole gets larger, .45 size usually less than + or -.2)

Unique has well Unique metering qualities.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Mauser69 what does your baffle look like? I've seen two types, one is metal with a cut out on each side, bent like a tent. The other I have seen is a medicine bottle lid with four holes evenly spaced on the outside. I think I am going to install a baffle.

 

[Mauser69]

Any type of baffle is better than none - it is important to take the variable weight of the powder stack off the powder on the bottom to throw even charges as the powder gets used.

My very old RCBS Du-O-Measure has a built-in adjustable baffle that is a sliding disk which allows you to change the size of the holes. This is a WONDERFUL design that is unfortunately no longer available anywhere as far as I know. My Lee Autodisk measures have built-in baffles on the bottom that are not adjustable, but they seem to do excellently with all powders I use, even 700-X in relatively light charges for .38 and .40 plinking ammo.

If I had a measure without baffles, I would simply make the tent style from a strip of beer can aluminum - no cost and simple to experiment with different sizes of baffle holes. The idea is to get a uniform and relatively small stack of powder sitting over the charge hole that does not get compressed from the weight of the powder above while the press is being used. You want the replacement powder after each throw to just trickle in and not try to fill the whole cavity under the tent. Finer powders ideally need smaller holes.

If you could find jar lids that were just the same size as your powder hopper ID, that would be ideal - you could make a baffle that worked just like the old Du-0-Measure (except you could not adjust it from the outside while it was loaded with powder).

 

[HOWARD J]

I under throw Unique in my RCBS Uniflo
Then I trickle up to what I want
Works good

 

[VINTAGE-SLOTCARS]

Wildfire has it right, make sure you double tap the down stroke sharply. I've loaded thousands of rounds with Unique and will continue to use it. I started reloading in 1973, and yes there are newer good powders. I still like Unique and will use it in several loads. I have been using cfe pistol recently and have not had metering problems.

 

[Mel1776]

Unique meters just fine though my Pacific (Hornady) Deluxe Powder Measure if I come to a solid, firm, "tap" at top and bottom stops (this is, however, counter to the guidance in the above quoted Lee advice in post #5). I also cut and placed a baffle in the supply tube many years ago.

Unique is measured precisely by all five of my Dillon powder measures. There's probably enough vibration going on to keep the flakes settled and flowing.

 

[Average Joe]

My RCBS Uniflow does a good job with Unique, and also with Red Dot.

 

[mugsie]

I like Unique, but that being said, I always have a problem with it in my Dillon measures. I do not run near the top of the load chart, so if it's off .1 - .2 grains either way that's ok. For the plinking / paper shooting I'm doing, it's fine. I much prefer ball powders for the pistol cartridges.

Of course, for rifle everything is weighed individually. Each in this case needs to be exact so each it weighed on a beam scale prior to filling the case.