Powder measure

Back in the day when I loaded for accuracy I would use a powder measure to dump powder in all of the cases and then trickle each charge on a scale.

Might not be the most time efficient method but I got wicked accurate loads using that method.

For my 223 I am using 2 dies on a turret. 1st is a Lee Powder thru die with an auto drum 2nd is the seating die.
In my case I prime on the press, drop powder, weigh check powder and trickle if needed then seat bullet.

RKRCPA said:

Back in the day when I loaded for accuracy I would use a powder measure to dump powder in all of the cases and then trickle each charge on a scale.

Might not be the most time efficient method but I got wicked accurate loads using that method.

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That is how I still do it when I really want uniform charges. I use an old Lyman M5 beam. I also use an RCBS Charge Master which works well but came along well after I used my older method.

Ron

As long as your powder drops are consistent and withing where you want them all I would be doing with a prepped case is powder drop and bullet seat. That's it.

Ron

I have used an Ideal/Lyman 55 for years and a couple loading blocks on a SS press. Out to 500 YDS it has worked fine. Other measures are fine as well. Unless you are trying to squeek out that last possible bit of accuracy. Then drop low and trickle up on a mecanical scale is how I do it.

Do you check concentricity? How is your neck tension? How accurate are you trying to be?

Its not uncommon to focus too much on charge weight when a powder drop from a measure is usually well within the margin.

Many Competition shooters load and charge on a Dillon. Even a smaller cartridge with stick powder can be dropped accurate enough to not effect the accuracy of your load.

For rifle cartridges I decap on the Lee APP, size, flare, seat, and crimp on a SS RCBS Partner. I’m not going for volume, so I weigh every load. I use a Lee dipper to get close then trickle up. Everything gets weighed on an RCBS 505, and every 5 or so get x-checked on a Lyman electric pocket scale. If the two scales disagree - which doesn’t happen typically - I calibrate both, dump that load and x-check the previous 4 or 5.
Like I said, I’m not going for volume.

FWIW a better quality bullet will make your ammo more accurate than a difference in drops from a powder measure will affect it. Depending on what you want to spend on a round as to your final results is the real answer.

What powder are you using?

With a good drum style powder measure and the proper, consistsnt way of operating it, you can achieve excellent accuracy at minimum fuss.

When I was shooting Service Rifle competition, I used an RCBS Uniflow for charging the cases.

Some of the more precise shooting disiplines like Bench Rest or long range shooting probably require more precise load weights.

But if you feel the need to have the powder charges exactly the same, by all means do so. You will feel better about your reloads and you will shoot better. Never under estimate the physcological factor.

One of the auto scale powder charge systems or trickling up a powder charge is a good way to get exactly the same charge csse to case.

cfullgraf said:

Never under estimate the physcological factor.

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I learned years ago; If you think it helps then it does.

This applies to almost everything.

blackd24 said:

My process is as follows:

1. resize on SS press
2. Trim, chamfer, debur, swage off press
3. Prime off press
4. Powder measure
5. Seat bullet on press

223 for an AR. Step 4 - I’m currently hand measuring each charge. I’d like to measure each one and measure off press. Should I go electronic with charge master lite? Or use a manual PM mounted to my bench?

These are ‘match’ rounds with 69 grain bullets. I’m looking for pretty good accuracy but it’s just me and paper as the judge. No competition or anything like that.

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What is a - Measure off Press & a Swage off Press ?

This:

RKRCPA said:

I would use a powder measure to dump powder in all of the cases and then trickle each charge on a scale.

Click to expand...

RKRCPA said:

Back in the day when I loaded for accuracy I would use a powder measure to dump powder in all of the cases and then trickle each charge on a scale.

Might not be the most time efficient method but I got wicked accurate loads using that method.

Click to expand...

This gets a little fuzzy for me.
Step by step- we have a powder thrown ( not exact) then poured into a case that may or may not be the same weight or have the same volume as the previous case. Then weigh the imaginary difference on a scale then pour that remainder into the case that is on the scale or sitting near by ? This is were things get fuzzy......

Why not throw a charge into the scale pan then trickle up to the desired weight prior to pouring into the case?

South Prairie Jim said:

This gets a little fuzzy for me.
Step by step- we have a powder thrown ( not exact) then poured into a case that may or may not be the same weight or have the same volume as the previous case. Then weigh the imaginary difference on a scale then pour that remainder into the case that is on the scale or sitting near by ? This is were things get fuzzy......

Why not throw a charge into the scale pan then trickle up to the desired weight prior to pouring into the case?

Click to expand...

Exactly -

On the Lee loadmaster you can loosen the retaining finger in station #3 which is used as the charge station. Place your prepped and primed case on your electronic scale to zero the scale according to that case. Insert the case into station #3 and drop the charge. Then remove the case to verify the charge weight. Works great but if your over or under the process must be repeated until you dial in the charge adjustment.

Even though is seems less efficient dropping into a powder pan and trickling up will produce the desired result without the need to repeat as often. If slight variances are acceptable the first method works.

blackd24 said:

I don’t want to measure the powder through a mechanical device such as a Lee auto drum. I use those for pistol on the LCT but I want to measure powder using a throw lever or digital.

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A powder throw like for example a RCBS Uniflow or any similar is a mechanical device and works in the same fashion as a Lee Auto Drum. Both are mechanical and both are based on VMD (Volume Metered Density). A powder dispenser like the RCBS Chargemaster or similar work on a different principal in that powder is trickled onto an electronic digital scale until a set point is achieved. Throwing a charge with a lever dispenser is a mechanical device.

Ron

Wasn't going to comment but I too use a Lee Auto Drum and an Auto Disk on my turret press for my 223 loading because that is all I have. I could just use a dipper and funnel into the Lee Drop Thru Die But I feel the measure is more consistent than me scooping a dipper. As I am only loading 10-50 charges of 223 at a time on the turret press it is very easy to remove the case and drop the charge into the scale pan, verify weight, trickle if needed and then pour it back into the case. Also it is much easier to remove and insert cases into the turret press than it is into my RCBS JR press.

The biggest factor in all this is I am enjoying myself and that is all that matters!

I set up my RCBS or Harrel's stand alone powder measure for the appropriate number of grains and measure a few powder drops from it on the balance scale before I start.

Then I weigh each empty shell before and zero the RCBS scale. I throw the powder and then re-weigh each. It will usually reflect the desired grains that I dialed in.

Yep probably overkill and OCD but I have nothing but time.

I started reloading with a hornady progressive press in 1990 and using their powder drop. I sold it (I know, I regret now) and took a few years off, bought a lee turret press when I got back into it. I didn't use the lee's powder drop and measured all my powder by hand on my scale. With that said, even hand measuring it depends on how precise you want to be. Do you only except a dead on reading of 0 or do you except the grey area, just above or below the 0, before the .1 reading. The range could be almost .1 grs between rounds. I recently bought a hornady auto charge pro and imo, is better or just as good as my hand measuring.

I use a LCT for loading my 223. I have been weighing every charge. Station 1: Rifle charging die with a powder funnel. Station 2, empty. Station 3: seating die. Station 4: Lee Factory Crimp Die. I start with a fully prepped and primed case and a charge set slightly under target weight on the scale (5-0-5), I trickle it up then pour into the case through the die, I then throw a charge from my Uniflow into the pan and place it on the scale. This gives the scale time to settle. The next station I set the bullet on the case, the next seats and the last crimps the round. This is how I generally load 223.