Budget trickler ...

[P95Carry]

Doubt this is very new - or even original but ... for some newer reloaders it might be of interest.

I was digging thru a draw in reload bench and found my misplaced trickler .... an accessory which for real critical rifle loads is near a must.

Thing is here ... this one is home made and real simple.. hardly even a need for a pic.

Take one 44 mag case .. and one 45 acp case.

Size down the 44 mag and put a slight roll crimp on it .. as if bullet seating. With the 45 acp case .. put a small bell mouth flare on it.

You should then find that the 44 will just, with persuasion, fit into the 45 case a ways... remove the primer from one or other.

Then, put in the still used primered case some powder of type you need to trickle ... put both cases together and then ... with empty primer pocket end as ''business'' end .. tap on the whole thing gently with a finger, and minute amounts of powder will come out ...... almost one strand or flake at a time ..... into your scales pan.

Worked well for me over many years .. and no cost!!

Just mentioning FWIW.

 

[Mylhouse]

Thank you, P95.

I don't need a powder trickler, because I already have a $5.00 Hornady trickler. However, I appreciate people like you posting their innovative ideas to make the shooting sports easier (and cheaper!).

I might just look into your idea for a mini salt and pepper shaker to have when camping (and as a conversation piece).

 

[Bob C]

The ultimate budget trickler is to take a pinch of powder between thumb and forefinger, and dribble it out until you balance the scale.

Before the flames, the guy who told me that was shooting in international competition from the '50's forward, and I've done it for a few years myself.

Obviously your hands have to be clean!

 

[P95Carry]

You are quite right Bob . and done it myself. The advantage I found with this lil gizmo of mine was (is) that the amount coming out each time you tap is so small that you are unlikely to over do it.

The finger/thumb method has in past taken me just over what my target weight was. It'll do tho .. for sure.

 

[bogie]

With all due respect, the volume that the powder, even if it is slightly off in weight, occupies in the case is far more important to uniformity of ignition, resulting in uniform velocities and barrel harmonics.

 

[Steve Smith]

I like Bogie's answer to this. There is a lot of evidence that shows that volume consistency matters more than weight consistency. However, I haven't done any testing to prove or disprove it.

I have a powder check die on my 550. When I am loading my 600 yard ammo I will get an occasional alarm. When I check that load on the scale, it is perfect weight-wise. Volumetrically, it was different than the rest. The powder goes back in the hopper, not back in the case.

 

[P95Carry]

Very valid point bogie ... have to agree. In fact for utmost consistency it is good to volume check all cases before use eh.

I think here I am working as much as anything with non bench rest stuff .. average use rifles loads .... heavy handgun loads etc .... in fact .... it's just a gizzmo that does the job when needed, with minimal cost!

 

[dodgestdshift]

I use two tops from pressurized cans(like cooking spray etc). I pour a little powder into one and keep the other empty. When it comes time to trickle into my scale pan, I slowly tap and tip the powder out of the top with powder in it. When it balances I stop.

Now the tricky part. If I go over, I take the scale pan, and dump a small amount into the empty container. Then I use this one to trickle. This insures I will never get worse than I was the first time. If I go over again, I empty the 2nd container into the first and dump a little out of the scale pan into the empty 2nd container. And continue until it balances.

It sounds worse and more complicated than it is, and you will find that it works fast and is easily learned.