How do you return powder from hopper back to container when finished?

[waldens]

Lee is coming out with a handy-looking powder measure bottle adapter for use with its powder measures:



$8 from Lee, doesn't seem available yet from retailers.

 

[higgite]

That ^^^ looks pretty handy, but I'd rather see how much powder is in the hopper.

 

[waldens]

That ^^^ looks pretty handy, but I'd rather see how much powder is in the hopper.

Well, the adapter's clear, so you can see through it to know you have some powder, but you gotta pay attention to that smaller area, or just know you started with plenty. So yeah, not perfect.

Edit: Ugh, just realized: you can't just dump a test drop back in the top!

Also, the red hoppers have been discontinued, at least as a replacement part, and this adapter is the new part going forward.

 

[GW Staar]

I do it like cfullgraf when using an old Uniflow.......except when I'm using the newer Quick Change model of the RCBS Uniflow.( like what came on my Pro Chucker 5 (and Pro Chucker 5 to 7 conversion kit which comes with the big one that holds a whole lb o powder.....)

For the new ones, I pull the button on the cylinder, pull out the pre-set charge stem (pictured below bottom-middle or right), and replace it with the powder-empty-spout (pictured below bottom-left) and rotate the spout down into the powder container. Easy Smeazy.

I buy charge stems for my favorite loads, adjust them only once, and have an extra one for one-zies.

Charge stem in the middle is for large rifle charges, the one on the right is for small charges.

If you like the concept you can buy Quick Change Uniflows, or buy the parts pictured below, to convert your old Uniflow to Quick Change.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I always clear the hopper and return extra powder to the original bottle after reloading. Whether that's removing and dumping the Auto-disk hopper from the Turret press or using the "dump" valve built into the Chargemaster Lite, I clean them out.

 

[edwardware]

Was wondering how those of you who have the measure mounted on the press and setup for auto-drop. . .

I siphon it back into the bottle.

 

[Series70]

Edit: Ugh, just realized: you can't just dump a test drop back in the top!

Also, the red hoppers have been discontinued, at least as a replacement part, and this adapter is the new part going forward.

The link https://leeprecision.com/powder-measure-bottle-adapter.html says that the adapter "Includes a crystal clear bottle that holds over a half a pound of ball powder." So you can just dump the test drops into the clear bottle and dump the clear bottle into the original bottle after a reloading session.

Also "Adapter is manufactured from Polypropylene, resistant to attack from all types of powder." Hopefully that also applies to the crystal clear bottle in addition to the adapter itself.

 

[MikeInOr]

I remove the head from my Dillon 650 and dump the powder from the measure back into the jug with the head still attached. While inverted I actuate the powder bar by hand a couple times to clear out all of the powder... I like the old Dillon powder measures MUCH better than the new powder measures with the extra lever.

It seems like the Lee powder bottle adapter needs to be 2" - 3" taller with a clear section for checking for a low powder level. The adapter looks like you could go from "have powder" to "don't have powder" in a few powder throws... seems like it would be too easy to accidentally load squibs.

My Dillon measures have a 45 degree baffle at the bottom to keep the powder charge more consistant between a full hopper and an empty hopper. It doesn't look like the Lee adapter has anything simular? The Lee adapter also seems like you would have to remove the measure from the press with the bottle attached to prevent a powder spill when removing a partially filled bottle? I like the innovative thinking though... it just seems like it needs a little tweaking.

Maybe put the measure in a Lock-n-load bushing so it can be quickly removed in one piece and emptied without making a powder mess???

 

[Jim Watson]

I ate up a cheap acrylic hopper nearly as bad as the one in post 6.
I don't think a warning to empty the measure when not in use is an adequate excuse for using a material that you KNOW will be attacked.

My Dillons are discolored, but not etched. I have homemade indicator rods to show powder level, don't need the factory buzzer.
I have a QD similar to the one shown above but I don't like the way it lets the measure rotate on the powder die. The pull rod does not keep it lined up.

My old CH Autochamp started discoloring so fast, I went down to the glassblowing shop at work and scrounged a piece of glass tubing the right size for a liner.
I see there are Pyrex hoppers available for popular measures now.

 

[mdi]

Depends on which powder measure I'm using. My C-H powder measure is on a stand so I remove it from the stand and dump it back into the bottle it came out of. For my Lee PPM, I can twist the hopper, run the drum a few times then remove the hopper and dump it back into the jug. I have a plastic "oil filling" funnel I use because my powder funnels were slow and sometimes spilled (large mouth with a 1/2"-5/8" spout which lets powder flow through quickly). As with the fellers above, all my powder gets poured back into the original bottle and it goes back into the cabinet, every time I reload...

 

[GBExpat]

... Was wondering how those of you who have the measure mounted on the press and setup for auto-drop, do you just leave the power in the hopper for extended periods of time?

I never leave propellant in a hopper for more than the time that I am actively using it to load ammunition. Never overnight.

I do not consider it to be a major hassle to return the unused propellant to its original canister ...even when that means that with my ancient, classic Ohaus Duo-Measure (which I use when working up new loads) I must first unbolt the stand from the bench in order to upend it.

 

[Eddy19]

Thanks everyone! it's hard to express how valuable these forums are, to hear so many great views, ideas and tips.

 

[Reeferman]

If its a Hornady Powder drop, you can replace the adjustment plunger with an aluminum powder drain insert that allows the powder to flow back int the bottle.

Here is what I use: https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-050125-Lock-N-Load-Powder-Measure/dp/B005KW4ZT0

Yup me to.

 

[waldens]

The Lee adapter also seems like you would have to remove the measure from the press with the bottle attached to prevent a powder spill when removing a partially filled bottle?

No, the Lee hopper and this new bottle have a twist valve to shut off flow. Twist, lift bottle or hopper out of the measure, dump powder.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Looks like I am in the minority. I have five or six powder measures that are full right now, some have not been used for months.
I have learned to avoid powders with a high nitro content.

 

[kmw1954]

Lee is coming out with a handy-looking powder measure bottle adapter for use with its powder measures:

$8 from Lee, doesn't seem available yet from retailers.

Just went and checked this out and at closer looks it appears to be the same new pcs.that Lee is using on the new press and Sizing lube kits. Guess it's a case of migrate everything over to one size fits all, cover all the bases, reduce inventory.

Looks like Lee is making a lot of business/marketing changes as I have noticed a number of changes to their website. Time to adapt!

 

[Master Blaster]

I have been reloading for 20 + years and for pistol rounds I tend to use the powder up rather than dump it back. I tend to reload 100 rounds at a time so the powder sits in the measures for some time. No problems so far.

Rifle requires a higher volume of powder than pistol so I use it up fast or dump it back.

 

[bob4]

I step out the door onto the lawn and dump whats left back into original container. I have 1 hopper that has a yellow tint to it because of leaving powder in to long. Just forgot about it. I dumped that powder out.

 

[waldens]

Just went and checked this out and at closer looks it appears to be the same new pcs.that Lee is using on the new press and Sizing lube kits.

Yep, the bottle looks the same, but with a different top. Reading the instructions, you move the valve from your original hopper to this new bottle.

I’ll probably get one, when I need a little something to round out a Midway order to get free shipping.

 

[crestoncowboy]

the powder sits in the measures for some time. No problems so far.

I dump my hopper for my single stage rifle setup each use because I most likely will be using another kind of powder the next use. But i have a couple lee hoppers that are on progressives that have only seen one powder type and havent been empty in 15 years. I also have an old uniflow that has had powder in it months at a time.

Looks like I am in the minority.

Minority perhaps but not alone. And I never even looked up the nitro content on any of the powders. Maybe I just got lucky. Idk

 

[Catpop]

On my Dillons, SD, SDB, and 550, I just remove one screw and the linkage(one spring pin) remove and dump. No biggie!
But I do tend to leave powder in my three Dillons most of the time and have noticed very little frosting over the years. First one bought in the late 80s I think. Not sure when they switched from SD to SDB?
I do a few unique things with mine between reloading sessions:
1. I always cover them with an old bath towel for dust/ sun protection and always keep hopper covered with factory tight fitting cover
2. I put a small piece of paper in the hopper with the powder name. It keeps from developing Mystery powder as I call it! It’s a portion of an old envelope folded in middle. It grips side of hopper at top so it doesn’t get lost in powder. Adding powder goes right past it. Yes I also keep only one can of powder behind that particular press from habit.
3. I put a second like piece of paper in hopper with charge weight on it. Yes I always double check the charge x 3 before loading up
4. I have a mark about half way of hopper and try to keep powder around that mark while loading for consistent charges.
That’s just me!

 

[ATLDave]

Unlike many, I frequently leave powder in the dispensers on the press. I use a Lee measure on my Dillon 650, which is a press that just lives set up for my current USPSA load. It spent 2018 with N320 in the hopper all year. It spent 2019 with HS6 in the hopper all year. No degradation of the hopper or the drop die or the powder itself occurred. I just pour more on top when the hopper gets halfway empty.

I do keep the plastic lid on the hopper. I don’t fool with Titegroup.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I have a Uniflow and can't remove the hopper.
So, I unscrew it all the way and just crank the handle until it's empty.

BTW, my Uniflow is rough and pock marked on the inside from me leaving powder in it for a couple weeks when I was a new reloader. It will darn sure damage it.

 

[fotheringill]

I am more worried about what the plastic is doing to the powder rather than the reverse.

To that end, I drop loads into the weighing pan until the hopper is empty. Same with the trickler. The powder goes back into the 1 lb. can I use for dispensing into the hopper at the start of the loading session. I never drop powder in more than 50 round lots. It keeps my sanity in being able to move from one task to another.

 

[Nature Boy]

I have to say that I leave the powder in my hoppers for the cartridges that I load frequently, but I shoot a lot (~5,000 rounds/yr) so it gets turned over frequently.