Confused!!

[Mal H]

Ok, sounds like you're on the right track. However, you also have me worried when you say, "So far it has only been off +/-1 gr.". It's not totally clear how you are measuring your actual loads used in your rounds, but if you are allowing a plus or minus one grain tolerance then you stand to be in trouble with max loads and/or any load with a faster burn rate such as Bullseye.

Please verify what you mean by "So far it has only been off +/-1 gr." What is "it"?

 

[JimKirk]

I got one simple question for you BPhunter.

Why the hell didn't you move the scale balance to see what the dang powder weighted?

You stated many times that you zeroed the scale and that is what you should have done. But why did you have to carry the charge down to the store to weight it.

You said that you checked the scale with a check weight, which you should have. But again why didn't you weigh it right there on that scale????

No dang dipper or powder measure is going to drop an exact weight with out some adjustment. Just because a chart says something does not mean it will, that is the reason for scales. That is the reason that most powder measures are adjustable.

The dippers are adjustable too, you have to get a bigger dipper, fill the bottom with something to get less or file the top off.

All I can say is ...WOW !!

Jimmy K

 

[Damon555]

I have actually made my first 5 bullets of .45 ACP using 6.4gr of Unique. 230gr Hornady XTP and Federal LP Primer. I seem to be happy with it out of Taurus PT1911.

I suppose load data is a little different from one loading manual to another but I'd say that that load is a little on the high side.....My Speer #14 manual says that 6.5 grains of unique is max. Keep a close eye on your pressure signs.

5.8 grains of unique and a 230 grain fmj is a pretty stout load out of my Kimber 1911.

I'm not saying that load isn't fine in your weapon, I just want you to be safe.

I have to agree with the other members, get yourself a good powder dispenser and be done with it. Loading a bunch of pistol rounds with a hand press and a powder dipper is going to get old really fast.

I have the same scale that you have and have never had any problems with it. Just make sure it's zeroed and properly leveled.

Be safe and enjoy your 1911....They are loads of fun!

 

[BP Hunter]

Jamon:

Thanks for your advise and encouragement. Those are reasurring words for the NEW reloader.

I will take your advise to keep the Unique weight to 5.8gr.

Thanks.

Mr. Jimmy:

I had to reweigh my loads with an electoronic scale at the store. This was only to confirm if my Lee scale was accurate!

Everybody else:

I already have the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. Every throw seems to weigh a little differently on the Lee Scale. I don't know if it is the Perfect Powder Measure or my Lee scale. I will be purcahsing a digital scale soon. Hopefully this answer finally give me the most accurate measurements.

 

[Sport45]

I purchased a Lee Perfect Powder Measure hoping to get exact measurements. I weighed a batch of Unique powder. 3cc divided by the actual weight gave me a VMD. That VMD multiplied by the 6.4gr gave me helped me adjust the volume.

I have a Perfect Powder Measure and Safety Scale too. Here's my trick to solving some of the confusion. - I completely ignore the micrometer scale on the powder measure and forget about VMD. (I ignore these markings on all my measures.) Instead, I will throw a charge and weight it. If I need more or less powder I will adjust the micrometer or charge bar accordingly until it is throwing the right amount. For powders like Unique that don't throw the most consistent weights I'll weigh 5 or more throws at a time and look for a good average. Digital scales are great for setting a powder measure because you can see the +/- 0.1 gr without having to adjust the poise or anything on the scale. It can be done with a balance beam (I have, many times), it just takes a little longer.

If you want to record the micrometer reading to get close for the next time you use that powder, you can. I don't do this as I can normally get in the ballpark by eyeballing it and I'll be checking the weight anyway, right?

 

[BP Hunter]

Sport,

That's good advise! I was thinking about that.

I just bought a Hornady electronic scale. I weighed 5 different measurements of 4cc and got the average and used that average as my VMD. I then adjusted the charge bar to 5.8 gr. and weghed them 10 different throws. 80% of them weighed 5.8gr!! I went ahead and made 25 bullets rechecking the every charges with the electronic scale. I FINALLY GOT IT!!!

 

[LiveLife]

FWIW, I don't have this problem with the Pro Auto Disk.

Along with the load data table I keep for my loads, I also have another column that notes the auto disk hole I used with the verified weight of the powder charge from the scale.

When I switch load/powder/caliber, I select the designated disk hole from the column and BINGO, exact charges with no guess work or any adjustments.

 

[JimKirk]

BP
I don't mean to sound old and cranky, I just can't help it .

Sport said what I was try to get you to understand all the time..

I will throw a charge and weight it. If I need more or less powder I will adjust the micrometer or charge bar accordingly until it is throwing the right amount

I don't worry about no VMD, what I want it X grains of powder every time or as close as I can get within acceptable tolerances.

My acceptable tolerances vary with different powders and different cartridges. If I'm throwing W296, my charge has to be within .1 grain, with Unique or 800X, I may allow more varance, depending on what it is going in.

Give me a good balance beam scale any day over a Digital scale, a good RCBS or Ohaus made one. If I don't have the time to check my charges with a beam scale, then I don't need to be reloading.

Throw that VMD out the window, get the basics down and enjoy reloading as it should be enjoyed.

Jimmy K

 

[Sport45]

80% of them weighed 5.8gr!!

If the other 20% weighed between 5.7 and 5.9gr you're good to go!

Unless, of course, 5.8gr is the maximum published load for the cartridge you are reloading.

 

[BP Hunter]

Jimmy:

No offense taken.

I really like Sports' idea...and yours of course! I will definitely use that idea on the different powders I will eventually use in the near future. But now that I have the hang of it, I will go with what I have on this Unique Powder.

Sport:

The max load for Unique for my set up is 6.1gr, so as my FFL would always say to me after calling NICS, "You're good to go!".