Powder letdown. IMR 700x

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BBQJOE

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I sent the wife to the LGS a couple months ago to see if she could score some Unique, 231, or PP.
Nothing there. The guy sent her home with what he said was a comparable powder.
I thought I'd load up some 9mm today and try it out.
Much to my dismay, I might as well try to load goose down with the Lee auto pro.
There is hangun info for this, but after the fact, I know it's more for shotgun, which I don't load.

Many lessons learned on this one.:mad:
 
Certaindeaf said:
When life gives you goose down, use a scooper.
Click to expand...
This is an option, but when it is the only powder left on the planet.
Much too time consuming for hungry 9's.:D
 
Worked for me in 45 when I first started reloading in the 80s.
 
700x most certainly does not suck as far as making accurate clean 45 ammo. It just meters like corn flakes. I found that .2+/- didnt make much difference in accuracy or feel. Its pretty forgiving.
 
Plenty of load data for 9mm - what's the problem? It works very well for both shotgun and pistol - as do most powders designed for shotgun - like Clays, Universal Clays, Red Dot, Clay Dot and on and on
 
It works so good in the pistol loadings, especially in the 45 ACP that I purchased 4 kegs of it to have.:) In some powder measures it meters poorly but I love the stuff. Excellent with lead bullets as well.
 
700x is my primary powder for 45 ACP. I recently tried it in 44 Special andike the results.

It meters fine in my Little Dandy and Redding 10x powder measures.
 
I like 700X. While it doesn't meter great, it shoots great in many applications. It has shot well for me in .38 Spl and .45 ACP, and very well in .44 Spl.
 
My only regret is that last order I bought a keg of Promo instead of another one of 700-X.:banghead: Well I figured I would get something different instead of having everything I loaded for handguns be basically 2 or 3 propellant dependent. Before that I basically had several kegs each of Blue dot, 700-X, and Bullseye on hand. Never thought the drought would be quite THIS bad.:eek:
 
Sorry it took me a bit to get back.
The problem is that is just won't measure with my lee pro disk.
I was going for 4.9.
1 pull, 4.0, another .05, another 2.5 etc.
No consistency.

I found I could get it more consistent if I rapped on the handle a couple of times each time to settle the powder into the disk, but that whole concept sucks.

A friend suggested what I guess is an old time fix. he said to find or make a tube to extend the powder holder taller, adding a bunch more powder in order to create more weight on the powder itself.
I haven't tried that, as I just went and reset it back up for unique.
 
BBQJOE said:
Sorry it took me a bit to get back.
The problem is that is just won't measure with my lee pro disk.
I was going for 4.9.
1 pull, 4.0, another .05, another 2.5 etc.
No consistency.

I found I could get it more consistent if I rapped on the handle a couple of times each time to settle the powder into the disk, but that whole concept sucks.

A friend suggested what I guess is an old time fix. he said to find or make a tube to extend the powder holder taller, adding a bunch more powder in order to create more weight on the powder itself.
I haven't tried that, as I just went and reset it back up for unique.
Click to expand...
800X will give you the exact same problem, I've been told it's worse than 700X. But I know I'll never buy 800X again if there's ANY other suitable option.
 
That is not a powder issue, but a reloading equipment one - I use a RCBS Uniflow and once dialed in, I have never had an issue with ball, flake or extruded over 35 years

Maybe you want to look at a different powder measure
 
When I use my Pro auto disk I mainly use it on my classic turret press in auto-index mode. I think the indexing around the circuit settles the powder plenty and it's very accurate with all the powders I've tried.
When I remove the rod and use it as a SS with long stick powders for rifle, I'm pretty positive/aggressive when throwing powder as the hopper/measure isn't spinning around four times to get it settled.. I just make sure I'm consistent and then it's consistent throwing those powders in this mode.
 
700-X does not meter well in little quantities, but has been a staple in shotguns and pistols for decades. It is a very good pistol powder and will keep your ammo stock alive during this shortage. As we told you a month ago, it's better than nothing.
 
If you are using your auto disk on a Lee turret and are using it in the auto index mode, make sure to index the measure around four times as if you were actually using it/loading ammo when you check powder throws.. don't just operate the handle enough to throw multiple charges and expect them to be the same as if the measure changed stations four times.
 
700-X does not meter well in little quantities, but has been a staple in shotguns and pistols for decades. It is a very good pistol powder and will keep your ammo stock alive during this shortage. As we told you a month ago, it's better than nothing
Click to expand...

It seems to meter best in pistols when you get over 5.5gr. In 45 colt its absolutely great.

If you are using your auto disk on a Lee turret and are using it in the auto index mode, make sure to index the measure around four times as if you were actually using it/loading ammo when you check powder throws.. don't just operate the handle enough to throw multiple charges and expect them to be the same as if the measure changed stations four times.
Click to expand...
Thats probably why I never had a problem with it metering for me. When using a turret press it would get banged around enough on the way around to settle and meter consistently
 
I had the same problem with the Lee powder loader. Cleaned it good and kept a higher level of powder in it and it worked fine. However I have since gon e to a dipper measure and have eliminated all the "Squidas.
 
700x meters fine with my Redding 10x measure. I have loaded 380 ACP with 700x. Metered just fine with the appropriate technique.

Also I have had good consistent charges crom the RCBS Little Dandy powder measure using 700x. The trouble with the Little Dandy is the fixed cavity rotors. The 10x has worked so well that I never have cooled with adjusting the cavity of a Little Dandy rotor.

I am gearing up to load 25ACP and modifying a Little Dandy rotor is an option. Yes, at times I am a glutton for punishment.
 
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