Metering extruded powders (ie: Varget)

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TheDomFather

TheDomFather

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Anyone have any luck consistently metering extruded powders? Varget works great for my .223 loads however Its bitch in my powder measurer. I have now relegated it to only be used in my Hornady Quick trickler https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/4...jXVq__4vyQFNYl9kYvkOqq-K9few3MpRoCxXEQAvD_BwE

Which works extremely well by the way but it really slows down the process. I have 8lbs of Varget left I need to work through and then I have CFE .223 which is spherical powder which meters flawlessly.
 
For whatever reason, H4895 meters well in my PPM, but no matter what I do, I cannot get IMR4350 to meter, and am forced to weigh each charge on a scale.
 
Ok using a Lyman #55 and I have no problems with most powders. The inexpensive Lee PPM worked very well too with most extruded powders including Varget.
 
I load four different rifle calibers. Their diets are varied, so using one powder is out of the question. I got a RCBS Chargemaster a couple years back and its pretty quick.
I use a lot of Varget.
 
Simple solution: don't use the powder measure. Get a set of Lee dippers and put it right in the scale pan. Choose the dipper that's just below the charge you want (a chart comes with it) and use the smallest one to 'trickle' it to full. It's a little slower, true, but far more consistent.
 
entropy said:
Simple solution: don't use the powder measure. Get a set of Lee dippers and put it right in the scale pan. Choose the dipper that's just below the charge you want (a chart comes with it) and use the smallest one to 'trickle' it to full. It's a little slower, true, but far more consistent.
Click to expand...

this is what i do for rifles as well
 
I think entropy nailed it. I did that for my first year or so of reloading. Eventually I bit the bullet and bought a Chargemaster combo, worth every penny.
 
I use a combination of an older US made RCBS 10-10, a Harrell's Culver and a Dandy 2-speed trickler. Just throw a few 10ths short and trickle the rest in. The little dandy is very quick and pretty precise,literally a kernel at a time drop on slow. Between that and the UBS camera set on 2X I can see the effect of a single kerel of extruded powder.

8wXK1ID.jpg

Chuck
 
I have a baffled and polished uniflow that ain't too bad. It drops IMR 4895, and 3031 pretty close, and even 4198 kinda sorta close. Never used varget....
I drop a tad light, then trickle in with a translucent pill bottle. Goes pretty quick, and I enjoy the method.
 
Speaking of using varget, I've never noticed it to be "more accurate" or not compared to other powders. It's fine, get a few accuracy nodes in the low and high velocities with it, but I think I stick with it more because it works well in 3 different carts I reload.
223
308
6.5 creed
 
I've done the micrometer and polishing mods to my Dillon measures for .22-250, .308 Win, and .223 Rem...which helped a bit. I weigh/trickle Varget in 6mm BR...just because I am more fussy about it, and load it on my T7.

I love Varget, regardless of its metering. Maybe they (ADI) should experiment with a short-cut version, or at least smaller grains like IMR 8208.

Still, it is better than metering IMR 4064, which is like metering twigs. ;)
 
TheDomFather said:
Anyone have any luck consistently metering extruded powders? Varget works great for my .223 loads however Its bitch in my powder measurer....
Click to expand...
How far off are your measure thrown charges? What measure are you using? Do you have a consistent throwing technique?
 
pert near said:
How far off are your measure thrown charges? What measure are you using? Do you have a consistent throwing technique?
Click to expand...
I am using a Hornady powder measure, the problem is getting a consistent throwing technique as the extruded sticks make the powder measure stick mid throw. I was throwing lower charges and then just trickling up but then exclusively moved to using the Hornady quick trickler, now I have a hornady LNL auto charge on the way. Looked hard at the RCBS but the Hornady was on sale from midsouth shooters supply for about $159 so I went with that one.

Basically I am coming to the conclusion that extruded stick powder just doesnt like being metered through a powder measure
 
TheDomFather said:
I am using a Hornady powder measure, the problem is getting a consistent throwing technique as the extruded sticks make the powder measure stick mid throw. I was throwing lower charges and then just trickling up but then exclusively moved to using the Hornady quick trickler, now I have a hornady LNL auto charge on the way. Looked hard at the RCBS but the Hornady was on sale from midsouth shooters supply for about $159 so I went with that one.

Basically I am coming to the conclusion that extruded stick powder just doesnt like being metered through a powder measure
Click to expand...
I've used the Hornady LNL Auto Charge for years now and I've gone to loading everything (pistol & rifle)with it because of it's accuracy. It's a little slower doing pistol but consistent loads are my main goal when experimenting with different powders. Make sure you watch this video so you can easily adjust the auto charge to keep you from having any problems with over charges. It teaches you about all the adjustments.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Ok using a Lyman #55 and I have no problems with most powders. The inexpensive Lee PPM worked very well too with most extruded powders including Varget.
Click to expand...


Yep, my Lee PPM dispensed stick powder BETTER than my RCBS Uniflow. It did not cut powder. Strange but true.
 
Some things ya just gotta accept, the powder that works best in your gun is difficult to measure. I can think of two remedies; change powders or live with it. "Dipping and dribbling" is a well used method for measuring powder charges and fine tuning powder measure methods will help. BTDT, yep my C-H powder measure doesn't like Varget and my Lee PPM is better but not "perfect", but if I wanna use Varget, I'll have to live with it's intricacies, but I like reloading and have never been in a hurry...
 
@Jack B. I honestly don't load enough to make it worth buying an Auto Charge, but people like you keep showing stuff like this, and I know that it is going to push me over the edge one of these days. For well under $200, it looks like it would be a great addition.
 
With extruded powders it's all about the load range that works for you. With some loads you will have a large window of 3-4gr that is very stable. Then on others you only looking at a 1 gr delta or less. For those I went with the Chargmaster 1500 and never looked back. This is only used for my most accurate loads, loaded on a SS press. Since all my high volume rounds are done on a LNL-AP, I generally use Small Flake, Ball powders that meter well. But there are some extruded powders that meter pretty well, too. Just got to find what works for you.
 
For many years I dumped the bulk and trickled the rest on a digital scale. Just fine for my hunting rifles. Then came milsurps. Some bolt some gas, and different calibers. Now reloading time became a PITA.
I did some research and spent my money on the Chargemaster Combo. Happy Trails.
 
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