hard time measuring powder

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Voland

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Ive reloaded about 200 rounds of .45 over the last few weeks. I am using a Lee perfect powder measure and a lee safety powder scale. Granted I am not using the best powder for the PPM but I just cant seem to throw a consistent charge to save my life. I have to muck around with each throw and add a few more or take a little away. Will the RCBS one work any better or should I just get a different powder and not worry about it?

Also, is there a scale that you can configure up to measure in grains vs cc/grams? The lee powder scale is about as much of a pain as the PPM if you want to measure every single charge. :fire:

Thanks!
V.

p.s. I am trying to stay away from spending $300 on a powder measure setup. :)
 
Voland, some powders meter better and more consistently than others. What kind are you using?

I also started with a Lee Safety scale. While I don't doubt its accuracy, I found that the use of it was very tedious. I was fortunate to acquire an RCBS 5-0-5 powder scale in a trade with another reloader. I really like this scale, and have loaded many rounds with it. It is accurate to ~.1 grain.

CP
 
I recently got the Perfect Powder Measure and it's working pretty well so far. I did heed the instructions and ran a good hopper worth of powder through it before actually settling down to reloading with it. They say you need to do that to eliminate the static charge that will make it throw inconsistant charges.
Now when I use it, I throw and weigh about 10 charges until it settles down. I find that after about 10 throws, it gets pretty consistant. I've used it so far with H-355, SR7625, HP-38 & Bullseye, and they all settle down pretty quicky in the Perfect Powder Measure.
 
Sorry about that, I got carried away for a bit... :confused:

I am using HP38. It throws +- .2 grains and I am already at 5.8 with 5.9 being the do not exceed limit. I had to get up to 5.8 because at 7yards i was about 6" too low...

Maybe I do need to run some more powder through it. I ran about half the bottle before I started. I even checked to make sure that it was on an even surface...

Thanks!

V.
 
With a consistent motion every time, I believe you should be able to throw W-231 at +/- .1 grain, or a tad better with that measure. If the Lee measure won't do that, a different measure would be a good investment, because there are measures that can. :)

Always run 10 or so charges through a measure before starting to weigh charges, and especially before charging cases if you don't weigh every one, which I do not.
 
I doubt VERY much if going up to the max load is going to raise your POI (Point of impact) 6 inches at 21 feet.


Not to be smart a$$ but I believe you should read some reloading manuals at this point. Suggest the Lyman #49.
 
Thats probably a good advice on the manuals. I'm sure there is more to it than just pure statistics. :) I did quite a bit of research before I started. Case length, seating depth, primer seating. With commercial rounds I hit POA no problem. Perhaps there is something else going on.

V.
 
I was using Winchester .45 230 Grain JHP white box ammo. The bullet I used was Berrys 230 grain RN. I was shooting out of a 1911 kimber. I did not have any ftf's or fte's during all the rounds I fired.

Thanks!
V.
 
Voland, What Walkalong says HP38 , W231 has a very stable drop.
And I have found this stable day to day which is great for reloading "repeatable".

Look at the way you verify...

And for "With commercial rounds I hit POA no problem. Perhaps there is something else going on" that is where the fun comes into reloading.
making as good or better :)
.
 
Voland do you have a way to mic. the dia. of the berry bullets. Something wierd going on here for sure.

Bullet undersized letting gases by? Thats just a guess. Just another thought, are you perchance pulling down in anticaption of recoil? Altho that should go down and left on target.

Sumpen ain't rite.
 
I had to get up to 5.8 because at 7yards i was about 6" too low...
Click to expand...
Voland
Shooting a bullet faster will not make it go higher. It will make it go lower. You didn't (or I missed it) say what bullet weight you are using. If you are loading 230 gr use less powder and the bullet will raise.
The faster a bullet goes the flatter it shoots.
good luck

sorry you did say that you are using 230 gr
 
Last edited:
Yep, agreed. Assuming the same powder charge being equal, seating depth is really the only thing. BTW, my previous post was wrong. The Winchester was FMJ...

V.
 
.45in to .452in in a sampling of 10 bullets. I did not crimp when I loaded this batch. Ill see if I can lower the charge to 5.4 and 5.6 to see if it does any better. I can also try to put a very light crimp to see if the gasses are escaping.

Any other thoughts?

Thank you all for the help! I really appreciate it.

V.
 
I am not familiar with Berry bullets (only shoot cast, not mine). Are they copper washed or jacketed? Jacketed should measure .451 lead .452. You're bullets are about the right size. You really should put a light crimp on 45 bullets. They do headspace on the case mouth. If you still have some factory rounds feel them where the crimp is and you will know when yours are about right. You really only need to straighten out the bell.
good luck
 
I just went around and around aweek ago with feedings problems with regards to a Kimber with an Ed Brown barrel on it. Finally got it resolved by just strainghting out the bell on the case when seating the bullet. Hardly any crimp or non at all.

Now with that being said I'm using a slightly faster powder than you, Rex 2, this is in the same area as Green Dot & International on the burn rate charts. Max load with my powder is 4.8 grains, but I'm only loading to 4 grains, in my case to protect my wrists as I'm old and have joint problems ie; arthrist (sp).

Anyway accuracy has improved a whole bunch, clay pigeons at 30 yards if I do my part, and no problem with feeding. What I'm trying to say is max. or hot loads may not be your answer.

Google gun powder burn rate and you can find charts that list almost all powders with their respective rates. Hope this helps and come back and let us know.

One other thing, I would use std. cast lead bullets with lube rather than copper flash covered bullets. Just my opinion.
 
The Berry 230 Gr RN plated bullet is a very good bullet. It is not the cause of the POI problem. They usually mic out at .4515 /.452. I have shot many of them with excellent results.
 
rickomatic, i ran about two hoppers worth through the Lee PPM and it did get a lot better. I also picked up a Dillon balance scale at my local gun shop and its soooo much easier over the Lee its not even funny...

again, thank you all for the advice!

v.
 
dave from mesa said:
Shooting a bullet faster will not make it go higher. It will make it go lower. ... use less powder and the bullet will raise. The faster a bullet goes the flatter it shoots.
Click to expand...

That seems counter intuitive ... could you explain that .... preferably with a picture.

Isn't bullet drop a function of time-of-flight? If the TOF is less, wouldn't the bullet drop less, therefore impacting the target "higher" than a lower velocity bullet (assuming the same point-of-aim for each).

Thanks.
:)
 
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