9mm using Clays

[entropy]

I have trouble metering Clays out of my LEE PPM. I ended up using a hand dipper and scale to weigh every charge. It is slow, but I have time.

That's how I do it with all pistol and rifle ammo. Doesn't limit my choice of powders.

 

[Walkalong]

When using Clays and changing powder charge weights, I usually throw 10 -12 charges before weighing the charge weight again. Depending on the humidity level, I might even throw 15 before weighing the charge

I have found a couple of powders that need 15+, while some "settle in" after only a few.

It meters better than 700X, but 700X shoots better than it measures, much like Unique, which also meters "so so".

Just make sure the largest charge one setting will throw is still OK pressure wise, and since most of the pistol game loads aren't particular warm, that's usually not a problem, just like it isn't an issue with my "plinker" and "target" loads.

I've never tried Clays in my LNL measure, I only use it for .458 Win Mag because my Redding BR-30 won't throw that large a charge. (My god that measure is costly these days, I paid around $90 I believe, 40 years ago. Same for my 10X, which I use for pistol)

So, my 10X throws Clays pretty well, but it's going to vary by .1 or so, and Clays is real fast, and "spiky", so I make sure I'm OK at any charge that setting will throw.

That said, N-310 has replaced it for me for many years now. Clays is really good stuff though.

 

[lordpaxman]

How small are the "small amounts" you are talking about?

I've used the Hornady LNL powder measure for several thousand rounds of .38Spl throwing 3.2grs of Clays for a 170gr coated bullet for my competition load. I've used the same charge in .45ACP under a 230gr plated bullet for a revolver as a plinking load. A fairly standard charge for Action Pistol competition with a 1911 is 3.6grs under a 230gr slug.

Are you referring to charges which are a lot smaller?

I was working up loads for .38 and .40 so in the 3-4 grain range. If I recall, the start and max were really close so there wasn’t a comfortable range and I had only started to use Clays.
The LNL measure I have is a pretty good one and very consistent with most powders. Using the pistol rotor and micrometer insert, I had polished everything I could, it wasn’t a bridging issue and Hornady service didn’t seem to think there was a problem and didn’t want to deal with it. I believe it was more of a clearance issue between the rotor and the housing as the rotor would sometimes even hang up in the “up” position. IMR Red and Target would do the same to some degree. The other possibility is the rotor cup rotates downward and against a sloped housing, there isn’t a clean scraping edge. I filled in what I could with epoxy to create one, and that seemed to help consistency but not the hang up issue.
Others who have a LNL didn’t have this issue so I think it was a clearance problem. Anyhow, there are a lot of powders to choose from. I need to go back to Clays for 9mm with the Dillon measure which does well for me with Clays.

 

[JEBruns]

Clays meters just fine out of my chargemaster lite

Same with my RCBS, MEC and Dillon powder measures. Never had clays bridge in any of them, over many 1000's of reloads. Very consistent too.

Now, bring on some Varget while loading .223, yeah, bridging is a thing.

 

[9mmepiphany]

That said, N-310 has replaced it for me for many years now.

I'm really becoming a fan of N310 also...especially since it has become more price competitive. I just wish it came in 8lb jugs as opposed to being limited to 4lbs