Harrel's Schuetzen Measure and Unique?

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I love hand loading for .32 ACP but it is challenging...starting loads at 2 gr of Unique working up to 3 gr for hot loads with a 75 gr bullet.

I have been throwing all the charges by hand - measuring every charge on my GemPro digital and an RCBS beam scale....I'm real close to my final preferred load but loading 100 or 200 rounds this way is very tedious and time consuming. I made up a custom dipper that is adjustable and that works fine for throwing charges to <.1 gr accuracy.

I'm looking at the Harrells Schuetzen Pistol measure....kinda pricy but it is designed to throw very accurate charges in the 2 - 25 gr range. If it is accurate with Unique I'm wanting to try one out.

Has anyone use this measure with Unique and small charges? I'm gonna be doing 9mm and .45 ACP soon and the thought of measuring all of them via dipper or weighing every charge is daunting. I use Unique exclusively at this time and Unique is known for being the hardest to measure consistently and is hard on measures for this reason.

Any advice and fresh discussion would be appreciated and *Thank You* in advance!!

VooDoo

 

[warhwkbb]

I would recommend using a ball powder with such small cases. I load the 32ACP with either 231 or Bullseye. Both these powders should measure appreciably better than flake powders like Unique.
I use an RCBS UniFlo and can easily keep to within 1\10 gr of either.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I appreciate the suggestion. Unfortunately I'm really a Unique fan and have been using it to reload a bunch of different calibers with pretty good success...including the .32 ACP. I have been working up a load for a couple months now using Unique and I'm finally got it *just* where I envisioned it.

So changing powders and starting over again kinda would bum me. :banghead:

If I can find no way to get Unique to meter accurately I'll have to stay with the adjustable dipper as I have that concept dropping the charge I calibrate it for to about .05 gr consistently. It's accurate - it's just slow and tedious.

Then again, maybe it's time I tried other powders...

VooDoo

 

[ArchAngelCD]

While I respect your choice of powders I could not see myself using a powder I have to hand charge cases with. It's just not right for me when loading handgun cartridges should be easier and faster than dipping every charge.

I use mostly W231/HP-38 for my handgun loading and I load a handful of cartridges right now including the 32 ACP, 9mm, .38 Special, 45 ACP and the 45 Colt. I do use other powders for special applications within those rounds but for range and practice ammo it's always W231. It meters like water BTW.

I'm only saying this because I know of no measure that meters Unique well without working at it, especially with small charge weights.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, but that doesn't mean you can't load Unique in .32 ACP using a measure, you can. Adjust the measure so the max throw is your target weight, not the average throw. If it still shoots well, your golden. Unique does not need to meter perfectly to shoot well.

AA #2, Bullseye, and W-231 are all good choices. I even tried True Blue, which meters perfectly, but it is almost too slow.

 

[cfullgraf]

I'm looking at the Harrells Schuetzen Pistol measure....kinda pricy but it is designed to throw very accurate charges in the 2 - 25 gr range.

I have a Harrells Culver 90 measure and it does meter difficult to meter powder well. I have used it with stick powders.

There are a number of things to consider when operating at the limits of a powder measure. The powder measure may not actually meter Unique at a small enough charge that you are looking for. Same with other powders as well.

Not all powders are the same density and only Harrells knows how they arrived at the 2 grain figure.

Hopefully someone with experience with the Schuetzen Powder measure will chime in, I would be interested in hearing as well.

 

[steve4102]

I have this powder measure. I use it for all my handgun ammo and small rifle ammo. It works great.

That said, no powder measure will drop Unique "accurately" at 2gr. I charge my 25 ACP cases with this unit and it works well down to 1.3gr. Of the right powder that is, AA #2, Unique for get it. If you insist on using Unique plan on a substantial variation or weigh each charge.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I have this powder measure. I use it for all my handgun ammo and small rifle ammo. It works great.

That said, no powder measure will drop Unique "accurately" at 2gr. I charge my 25 ACP cases with this unit and it works well down to 1.3gr. Of the right powder that is, AA #2, Unique for get it. If you insist on using Unique plan on a substantial variation or weigh each charge.

*Thank You* for that perspective!! This is exactly what I'm looking to hear before I plunk down hundreds of $ on a piece of equipment that won't do what I need.

I'm not loading in huge volumes and actually enjoy getting very "into" the ammo making reloading process. I'd like to be able to throw charges very accurately and more quickly *but* it's not a show stopper for me. I have made custom adjustable powder dippers and can calibrate them (have calibrated them) to throw consistent 2.5 gr, 2.6 gr. 2.7 gr, etc. charges all day long.

Dip, tap, tap,tap, scrape the top off flat and dump it. Always within .05 gr which is close enough for jazz in .32 ACP with Unique. I measure every 10th round and it works fine...if it throws off a little it is always slightly low on the throw. Took me 16 minutes to throw 100 charges last night.

I'll pass on the Schuetzen...not because I don't think it's worth the money. Just because I think that my love affair with Unique has painted me into a corner I won't leave.

Thanks for the help, you guys!!

VooDoo

 

[daboone]

As a result of OP question I arbitrarily set the Harrells Schuetzen for 2.6g of Unique. I did 5 initial drops with out measuring. Then measured the next 20 drops. 14 were +/-0.1 and 6 were anywhere from 1.2 to 2.1g. Thus the Harrells Schuetzen and Unique aren't the best combination.

 

[fguffey]

http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/schuetzen-pistol-measure

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/545386/rcbs-little-dandy-handgun-powder-measure

A powder measure is an investment. The RCBS Little Dandy with 25 rotors with out shipping cost close to $338.00. The little Dandy is my first choice, like everyone else I have other powder measures, one is an adjustable measure that goes back to the late 1880s. Dippers, factory and home made, some are so old the qualify as folk art, then there is Lee, black, yellow and red.

The last old powder measure I acquired was a large heavy Hollywood Gun Shop model complete with a micrometer adjusting screw. Cutting grains does not slow it down.

F. Guffey

 

[johnandersonoutdoors]

da Vinci,

I would bet that you would be happy with the one of the Redding powder measures. I picked up the https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0007603200. It is a measure that comes with two metering chambers. The one for pistol meters 0 to 10 grains and the second chamber allows you to range from 5 to 100 grains.

I am a Unique guy up to now. I have been reloading for 1 year and using only Unique in 9mm the whole time. I have been working up recipes and every time I dial in either 5.0, or 5.2, or 5.7, or whatever it is this powder measure is basically throwing that exact charge. It barely varies by +/- .1 grain. It is usually more accurate than 1/10th of a grain (I use a dillon beam scale to check my powder throw)

Again, I would bet you would be pleased and I am not a betting man.

 

[fguffey]

Then the conversation gets around to other powder measures like the 'Visible'.

Another measure never talked about is the Ohaus, when comparing the finished surface with other measures nothing compares with the Ohaus. Like the 'Visible' Ohaus powder measures are no longer available.

F. Guffey