Perhaps a strange product request

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Stefan A

Stefan A

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Not sure if something like this exists and not sure what to call it. One thing I like to do sometimes is pre-measure powder in order to dump it in a funnel directly into a case. I have these little mini plastic shot glasses that are just the right size. Maybe 12-15 pre-measured cups. They do the job, but it's a bit of a hassle and I am always looking for ways to keep the reloading process moving. 2 problems. One - bits of powder stick to the plastic, so I have to flick the cup a a few times to jostle the powder out. Two - they all have slightly different weights. So, I have to keep zeroing each cup. I know - first world problems here. But, is there such a thing as little mini cups that are all precisely the same weight and are made of a material that won't allow pieces of powder to stick?

Stefan
 
I don't follow why you want to pre-measure the powder, but I assume you have a good reason.

Anyway, all I can think of off the top of my head would be sewing thimbles. They are metal and the powder may not stick as much.

For the second problem, could you find the one that weighs the least, then dremel/shave material off the others until they all weigh the same? It may take some work, but you would only have to do it once, versus zeroing every time.
 
irving said:
I don't follow why you want to pre-measure the powder, but I assume you have a good reason.
Click to expand...
It's because I have 2 powder measures. A Lee, which is case activated on the press, and a RCBS that is stand alone. I have the stand alone because I just don't trust the accuracy of my Lee powder measure. So, I like to manually measure from the RCBS.

BTW, I really don't want to get into a discussion about Lee - been there done that here at Highroad.
 
Stefan A said:
One - bits of powder stick to the plastic, so I have to flick the cup a a few times to jostle the powder out. Two - they all have slightly different weights.
Click to expand...
Like irving, I'm not exactly sure what you're asking about either. But wouldn't a set of Lee powder dippers work for you?
I myself have two sets of Lee powder dippers. The first set (the red ones) I bought 40 some odd years ago, and they're the same size as they were originally. The second set (the yellow ones) have several dippers that I've taken a razor knife to and trimmed down so that they hold the right amounts of a specific type of powder for some of my favorite loads - usually favorite handgun loads.
Powder doesn't "stick" to my Lee dippers, and with a little practice you can become quite precise with how much powder you're "dipping" with each dipper. When I'm working up new loads, or when I'm working close to maximum charges, each dipper full of powder goes on the scale before it goes in a case of course. :)
 
.308 Norma said:
Like irving, I'm not exactly sure what you're asking about either. But wouldn't a set of Lee powder dippers work for you?
I myself have two sets of Lee powder dippers. The first set (the red ones) I bought 40 some odd years ago, and they're the same size as they were originally. The second set (the yellow ones) have several dippers that I've taken a razor knife to and trimmed down so that they hold the right amounts of a specific type of powder for some of my favorite loads - usually favorite handgun loads.
Powder doesn't "stick" to my Lee dippers, and with a little practice you can become quite precise with how much powder you're "dipping" with each dipper. When I'm working up new loads, or when I'm working close to maximum charges, each dipper full of powder goes on the scale before it goes in a case of course. :)
Click to expand...
See above for explanation. I have a few dippers that came with dies - but not the set. Thanks for the idea..
 
Stefan A said:
Not sure if something like this exists and not sure what to call it. One thing I like to do sometimes is pre-measure powder in order to dump it in a funnel directly into a case. I have these little mini plastic shot glasses that are just the right size. Maybe 12-15 pre-measured cups. They do the job, but it's a bit of a hassle and I am always looking for ways to keep the reloading process moving. 2 problems. One - bits of powder stick to the plastic, so I have to flick the cup a a few times to jostle the powder out. Two - they all have slightly different weights. So, I have to keep zeroing each cup. I know - first world problems here. But, is there such a thing as little mini cups that are all precisely the same weight and are made of a material that won't allow pieces of powder to stick?

Stefan
Click to expand...
I'm going to suggest the obvious: cartridge cases. Worn out, cracked, loose primer pockets... in short, cases that are no longer usable for loading. The powder won't stick, you can use a regular old trimmer to get them all to the same weight, they sit flat, you can use plain old loading blocks to hold them in place... The only catch is you'd have to make sure you plug up the primer holes and I'm thinking silicon sealant ought to do the trick. Might also want to Sharpie the heck out of them so you know which is which.
 
If your trying to do it in volume some guys use test tubes to load at the range. They use equipment that they don't want to transport.
 
I obviously don't know all of your situation, but am guessing you have a Lee progressive with the Lee powder measure installed? If you have the RCBS stand alone Uniflow powder measure, do you know you can MAKE it case activated and screw it into most any press? Granted it's expensive compared to buying cups, but so much easier on you in the long run....something worth saving up for.

If your press is a Dillon, you'd need RCBS's conversion mount, but if your press just uses a screw-in powder measure this should work.

CaseActivatedLinkageKit.jpg Cheaper than Midway, to just order it direct from RCBS....even no interest time payments available. $109.

RCBS's powderthrough expanders for pistol are awesome too....they even have a built-in "M" style ridge on each one to make bullets stay straight and true around the progressive merry-go-round.

This Midway page shows the powder through expanders available:

https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=RCBS+Case+Activated+Linkage+kit
 
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GW Staar said:
I obviously don't know all of your situation, but am guessing you have a Lee progressive with the Lee powder measure installed? If you have the RCBS stand alone Uniflow powder measure, do you know you can MAKE it case activated and screw it into most any press? Granted it's expensive compared to buying cups, but so much easier on you in the long run....something worth saving up for.

If your press is a Dillon, you'd need RCBS's conversion mount, but if your press just uses a screw-in powder measure this should work.

View attachment 1113275 Cheaper than Midway, to just order it direct from RCBS....even no interest time payments available. $109.

RCBS's powderthrough expanders for pistol are awesome too....they even have a built-in "M" style ridge on each one to make bullets stay straight and true around the progressive merry-go-round.

This Midway page shows the powder through expanders available:

https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=RCBS+Case+Activated+Linkage+kit
Click to expand...
Actually, I have the Lee Turret Press. Yeah, I am aware of the linkage kit, but decided against it because I really wanted to manually measure each charge. I am finding that the RCBS is pretty accurate, so maybe Ill add the linkage one day. Plus, the Lee auto drum has been behaving lately. I didn't realize I would need the powder through expanders though. I figured if the RCBS was attached to the lee die with the linkage, the lee die would do the expanding.
 
I solved that issue with a Hornady Auto Pro which automatically drops and weighs an exact powder charge every 12 seconds or so. And that works pretty close to me using a single stage Lock and Load press and seating a bullet and grabbing another round for loading. There is no chance of an over charge through an .1 grain auto warning system built into the unit with a manual adjustment override. I like that set-up so I don't have a dozen shot glass charges that can be spilled, or contaminated, etc. while loading. And there are now anti-static plastic powder funnels that immediately drop charges into cases that do not hold onto errant grains while loading. Both Hornady and RBCS make anti-static funnels.
 
edwardware said:
Serious high-volume high-precision reloaders use brass for this purpose. Seat a used primer upside down, trim to iso weight, and viola!
Click to expand...
In my experience, powder does stick inside brass. I always have to tap extra out when I'm measuring with brass. With cups I can easily wipe with a dryer sheet as was suggested above. Although I'm curious, why reseat the used primer upside down? Why not keep it right where it is?
 
edwardware said:
Serious high-volume high-precision reloaders use brass for this purpose. Seat a used primer upside down, trim to iso weight, and viola!
Click to expand...
That would work. I usually just leave the spent primer in the case, dribble a little epoxy into the bottom the case, and let it sit until the epoxy sets up. The epoxy fills the spent primer and flash hole. However, I've seldom dribbled the perfect amount of epoxy in the case so that I don't have to trim the case a little as well. ;)
 
I use a powder cop on my lee turret press for .223 . That way you don't have to look in the case. It's hard to see in them. I mark on the stem in the powder cop. Where the charge should be. It has saved me from a few under charges. Sometime powder will bridge in the auto-drum. Pistol brass it's easy to look in for the charge.
51rtQV6yLCS._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 
Stefan A said:
Actually, I have the Lee Turret Press. Yeah, I am aware of the linkage kit, but decided against it because I really wanted to manually measure each charge. I am finding that the RCBS is pretty accurate, so maybe Ill add the linkage one day. Plus, the Lee auto drum has been behaving lately. I didn't realize I would need the powder through expanders though. I figured if the RCBS was attached to the lee die with the linkage, the lee die would do the expanding.
Click to expand...

I know some people get along with the Lee auto drum ok, but I've never had one. Maybe one of them will show up here and help out with it.

As for the Lee doing the expanding...yes it will, but it's a slope and bullets tend to tilt going to the next station. The "M" step on the RCBS expanders allow the bullets to fall in the case for the first 1/16th inch square and stable. I had trouble with the Lee expanders on my progressive, so I quit them. But now NOE makes expander plugs with "M" shelves for Lee's' expander, but they are solid so not powder thru. Good luck with your quest....what edwareware said is a good option....done that before.
 
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Stefan A said:
Although I'm curious, why reseat the used primer upside down? Why not keep it right where it is?
Click to expand...
Sorry - you posted while I was still typing. If you leave the spent primer in the case, sometimes some powder granules get down into it, and sometimes they don't. If you're a little OCD like I am, that will bother you. That's why I dribble a little epoxy into the cases - the epoxy fills the flash holes and the spent primers. :thumbup:
 
Scintillation vials might work.I use the plastic ones for pre-measured black powder loads the powder doesn’t stick to them but they make glass ones.They come in a lot of sizes.The problem might be finding them in smaller quantities
 
.308 Norma said:
Sorry - you posted while I was still typing. If you leave the spent primer in the case, sometimes some powder granules get down into it, and sometimes they don't. If you're a little OCD like I am, that will bother you. That's why I dribble a little epoxy into the cases - the epoxy fills the flash holes and the spent primers. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Which is why I use silicone gel. It flows through the flash hole and hardens. But, obviously, that’s not an acceptable solution.
 
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