Hornaday powder measure issue
- Thread starter Reeferman
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Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
That sounds reasonable. Thread lock may leach and stick powder. Alternatively a small rubber o-ring to tighten into may work. Has it always done this?
Blue68f100
Member
I think I put mine in a vice so I could tighten it with some pliers. Thread locker or sealant will work just fine, you do not need or want a hard set one. The Vibra-Tite would be good option as it always says soft and allows multiple use without reapplying . Since the outside is never in contact with the powder your free to use most anything. Teflon tape should work just fine.
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Reeferman
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I was loading some 296 in .357 yesterday and started to get a .2 grain difference. With Unique it would be less than that but with 296 it has always been whatever I set it for and never off.
Anyways today is tear press all down for maintenance day.
CKweigand
Member
Nothing wrong with blue loctite either apply conservatively to a few threads and let it sit and dry before re installation
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
My blue Loc-tite may be bad, is it supposed to dry?
I was thinking of putting a small dimple in the spout to act as a crush tab against the measure body. No extra parts that way.
I was thinking of putting a small dimple in the spout to act as a crush tab against the measure body. No extra parts that way.
CKweigand
Member
That’s not a bad idea, just stick with the dimple and not a crater and all should be well. Loctite if I’m not mistaken is an anaerobic sealant. All that means it activates faster when oxygen is not present. Just works real slow out in the open. Yours probably isn’t bad unless you can tell it has seperated.
RealGun
Member
The only "drop tube" I know is the lower assembly, the actual powder die,
if we're talking LnL AP.
Hornady provides a set of shims to keep the LnL adapter tight. I don't recall having to pay anything for mine when I called.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
Dang.
Seems to still hold, but makes a mess every where. Oh well. Cheap insurance to get a new tube. I find it invaluable.
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Reeferman
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The drop tube #15 in the manual that screws into the bottom of the powder measure is what comes loose.
Anything that will increase the turning resistance of the drop tube relative to the powder measure should prevent the tube from unscrewing. The idea is to make it more difficult for the vibration from operation to allow the drop tube to turn.
If you want to use Loctite or a bit of silicone seal, use it sparingly so that it does not get into the powder channel. Then let it dry/cure.
Teflon tape should work as well but make sure to torque the tube down more than hand tight.
I cannot remember my drop tubes ever coming loose and I use the Hornady L-N-L, RCBS Uniflow, and a modified Redding 10-X powder measures with the Hornady case activated system on my progressive presses. I do snug up the drop tube more than hand tight but I am careful not to mar the drop tube.
If you want to use Loctite or a bit of silicone seal, use it sparingly so that it does not get into the powder channel. Then let it dry/cure.
Teflon tape should work as well but make sure to torque the tube down more than hand tight.
I cannot remember my drop tubes ever coming loose and I use the Hornady L-N-L, RCBS Uniflow, and a modified Redding 10-X powder measures with the Hornady case activated system on my progressive presses. I do snug up the drop tube more than hand tight but I am careful not to mar the drop tube.
RealGun
Member
When I got is straight which "tube" we were talking about, I looked at one of mine that was not mounted and wondered what force would ever cause it to turn and why would it need to be so secure. Two were finger tight, and I have never checked them before. I have a tube of GunTite handy and would probably use that, if this was an issue. .
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Reeferman
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A little pipe tape and it seems to be ok now and will see if it loosens again. As far as why it may get loose the only thing I can think is I change lower assemblies and use ptx a lot and I don’t have anywhere near the strength in my hands as I did before.
It’s just something that one should be aware of.
It’s just something that one should be aware of.
I figured the subject of this thread is the tube that screws into the bottom of the powder measure.
It is amazing what can make a threaded connection loosen. With the powder measure and the drop tube, as the powder measure goes up and down, it is not perfectly straight up and down. The linkage imparts a bit of back and forth rotation in the powder measure.
The drop tube has various loads on it as the powder measure is raised and lowered that could resist it from rotating with the powder measure
Over many up and down cycles with a little rotation back and forth, it can be possible for the tube to loosen.
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