Do you weigh every charge?

[FlyinBryan]

i mostly load on a progressive press with auto indexing, automatic powder drop, case feeder,,,,,,,the whole nine yds with all the bells and whistles, but for the last few weeks ive become interested in loading small batches (25rds or so) with precision that ive not employed before.

i have set my powder measure a few 10ths shy of the load i want, remove the case guide so i can pull the case after the measure, and pulling the charged cases out of the shell plate after charging (before the seating die) and stacking them in a ammo box with the mouths up.

then i just weigh each one and use a trickler to bring each one up to exactly where i want to be. (i then just seat the bullets on my little s.s. partner press)

i find it very relaxing and im excited to see my results at the range.

(i also find that with medium length stick like 4895 that my initial charges vary up to 2-3 tenths)

anyone else ever weigh every single charge?

 

[James2]

I set up the powder measure to throw the desired charge, and check every 15 or twenty rounds. It doesn't vary enough for me to get concerned about.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I marked that I sometimes weigh them, because sometimes I do. Most times I don't, especially when loading a batch of a couple thousand handgun rounds.

I'll weigh charges with a difficult to meter powder, such as IMR 800X, but that's about it for pistol ammunition. With some rifle powders, such as one of the long stick powders, I'll weigh them. If it's a good metering powder, like Winchester 748, it would be a waste of time to weigh them.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[R.W.Dale]

I meter everything nowadays. In the past I've measured and have tested against thrown charges and could not come up with a measurable diffrence in group size.

IMO the real magic of making individually loaded rounds is in the bullet seating and brass size operations. Charging not so much.

 

[wanderinwalker]

I flatly refuse to weigh every charge. If I am shooting a powder/bullet/barrel combination that has that narrow of a sweet spot, I'm going to try something else! :banghead:

Besides, thrown charges have always shot well for me. As long as the group size out of any given rifle and load is acceptable for the intended use, I load a bunch and go practice shooting it. Like my .30-30; it will shoot about 1.5" at 100 yards with H4895 and a 150gr Sierra Prohunter. Good enough, I'm not putting any more work into that load. Or my AR-15 Service Rifle; as long as it will shoot inside the 10/X ring at any given range (generally 2-MOA), it will do. Even at 600 yards, this is possible to do with thrown charges.

And pistol ammo? I burn too much of it too fast to weigh charges. Just set the progressive press and make ammo. I think crimp tension and bullet selection are more important than having every charge spot on XX.1 gr in a handgun.

 

[BacSi67]

weighed charges

My RCBS Chargemaster weighs every throw for me.
BacSi

 

[Walkalong]

Check it when starting. Eyeball the setting on the measure every once in a while. Check it at the end. It's always OK at the end.

If I am shooting a powder/bullet/barrel combination that has that narrow of a sweet spot, I'm going to try something else!

Amen

If I ever try the long distance stuff, and that is what it takes, so be it, but for anything else, nah.

 

[RugerBob]

For my lower charged handgun loads I have a powder dump set up as I use them the most. 45 acp and 45 colt have there owns dumps and I wiegh the 1st few to make sure all is still good, then load em up. For my larger laods, 30-06 or 45/70 I hand wiegh each case as I only load up 40 or so at a time.

 

[possum]

i don't weigh every charge, normally one out of 50-100.

 

[NCsmitty]

I weigh every rifle load because that is a variable that I control. I check pistol loads randomly.
I'm fortunate in using one of the most accurate measures available, IMO, the Lyman #55.
For many, reloading is a necessary labor, and for others, the love of reloading and experimenting keeps it interesting.



NCsmitty

 

[dagger dog]

Some Batches? We no need no Stinking Batches!

But thats where I cast my vote, if I want to judge accuracy I weigh each charge, once I get the perfect round then I will go to the dispenser or dippers.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I weigh EVERY powder charge that is dumped into a case......Rifle or handgun.

 

[jerkface11]

I get better groups when I just throw the charges.

 

[barnetmill]

If I am not using a progressive reloading press I normally do not weigh my charges for most ammo. But, I will visually inspect the level of the powder in the cases to one make sure there is powder and the levels are similar. It is possible for part of a powder charge to hang up in powder measure so that one case is over filled and the other has a low charge. Never had it happen, but I still look. I have forgotten many years ago to throw a powder charge. My technique has gotten a lot better but I still look.
I have had people claim sub MOA groups with thrown charges that were not weighed. I only weigh if I am approaching max loads which I have learn are not normally good loads to use for a lot of reasons. An extra 100 fps more normally does not matter that much.

 

[jpwilly]

When working up accuracy loads (rifle) I check everything that I can including weighing each load, weighing each piece of brass and bullets etc so that I know I've got as many as the variables out and no spoilers.

But once the sweetspot of the rifle has been found I just throw the charges and check every 5 or 10 loads. Measureing each load is, IMO, uneeded to keep it in the sweet spot provided the components are of good consistant quality.

 

[GCBurner]

For target rifle loads with expensive match grade bullets, I weigh every load. Also for small pistol cases with fast powders like Bullseye or HP38, where a tenth of a grain can make a difference.

 

[cheygriz]

Since bench rest shooters don't weigh charges, I see no reason to.

I've also "tested" this be loading 50 rounds, (five each ten shot groups) with every charge carefully weighed, and 50 identical rounds with the powder thrown straight from the measure.

With a very accurate, custom heavy barrel 6MM Remington varming rifle, capable of .3 inch 10 shot groups, I could detect no difference in the average size of the groups.

 

[MovedWest]

I've got the RCBS Chargemaster 1500 and a single stage press. I can't avoid weighing every single charge. I don't mind it though - it actually gives me peace of mind.

I have a friend that argues with me about it saying the components aren't even that consistent. To which I respond, "Even more reason to introduce fewer variables."

-MW

 

[jerkface11]

Powder volume matters more than weight. So weighing it introduces an extra variable.

 

[LRS_Ranger]

For handgun (and rifles like my 45-70), I check about one per 50. For precision rifle I throw half a grain light, put it on the scale, and trickle to the tenth.

 

[buck460XVR]

I marked that I sometimes do. Very seldom, but I do. When working up new loads with difficult powder I do. With certain rifle loads I do. Whether it helps or not, I dunno. But I do. The majority, once I get the measure set up, get thrown.

 

[rcmodel]

Couldn't vote, as there was nothing to fit what I do.

I weigh and trickle powder into the pan when working up new varmint rifle loads.
Later on, after a load is found and I'm tired of playing with it, I usually just set the measure and go for it.

I do weigh every charge when loading very small handgun calibers like .25 & .32 ACP. Normal powder measure variations can get you in trouble real fast at max load level with those.

For normal handgun & rifle calibers, I use a powder measure and drop a charge on the scale every 10-15 loads or so, just to insure the measure hasn't changed settings in mid-stream.

Checking weight three or four times in a 50 round loading block is much easier & faster then pulling 50 bullets from potentially over-charged cases!
BTDT years ago!

rc

 

[Offfhand]

Post from above:

"Powder volume matters more than weight. So weighing it introduces an extra variable."

Wow! this certainly is news. Please explain why.

Thank you, and Merry Christmas to everyone, with high hopes that your new year will be filled with shooting successes.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Plinking stuff, and handgun ammo, I weigh one every 10-15 rounds.
Hunting ammo, I weigh every load.
I know that the difference that it might produce would likely show no measurable difference in the field, but I just like to take the extra precaution when it counts.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I have had powders actually change weight per same unit of volume from one day to the next. I first stumbled across this phenomena one day when I left my micrometer equipped uniflow loaded with Unique while I slept. The next morning when I got up and resumed my .32acp loading I noticed the weight being thrown wasn't the same anymore even though the measure hadn't been touched. All of which took place in a climate controlled room.