Lee Auto-Drum w/ 4895

[D.B. Cooper]

I'm trying to load 30-06 cases w/ 4895 using a Lee Auto-Drum on a LCT press. I'm setting up for 44.8 grns. I'm weighing 10 charges and getting an average before adjusting. I've got it down to a 10 charge of avg of 44.8 +/- 0.1 grn, however, I'm seeing wild swings that cancel each other out to get that tolerance. (0.3 grns high followed by 0.3 grns low) I can't expect any accuracy with that, even though I'm really just loading "plinking" ammo.

Is this normal for this powder with this measure? Do I need to just load it all by hand on my RCBS chargemaster? I was hoping to just load up a bunch of ammo and be done, but I've never had that luck in the reloading room.

 

[1KPerDay]

Have you actually shot them to see if they’re accurate with that kind of swing

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Have you actually shot them to see if they’re accurate with that kind of swing

No, I'm just getting set up to load the first batch with the Auto-Drum. I usually do rife bullets one at a time, weighing every single charge, but this isn't match ammo, so I was hoping to just churn out a batch.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Consider this: With a 44.3gr charge, a 0.3gr swing is a 0.6% difference in powder charge.

Six tenths of one percent.

I've pulled apart factory ammo with larger powder charge variations.

 

[drband]

You should load them up and shoot a few. I bet you'll be fine with that setting.

Question: Is the LAD and drum well-used or is it brand new? I ask because sometimes new ones need to be used enough to get a graphite coating (from the powder) before they drop as consistently as possible. I've never used 4895, so I don't know it's characteristics, though. All of my LADs (4) seemed to drop more consistently after 50-100 drops. After that, good to go.

 

[sparkyv]

I too, get a wild swing from time to time. I can sometimes explain a low charge, but not so easy to rationalize a high charge??? Sadly, I had expected better performance from this measure, so much so that I have two. For handguns, not a concern unless I'm on the ragged edge. For rifle target loads, I'll stick with the trusty Lee Perfect Powder Measure. Now if I could just get the dern thing from leaking H110 all over my bench...

however, I'm seeing wild swings that cancel each other out to get that tolerance. (0.3 grns high followed by 0.3 grns low) I can't expect any accuracy with that, even though I'm really just loading "plinking" ammo.

Is this normal for this powder with this measure?

 

[Laphroaig]

By experience I know that IMR4895 is a difficult powder to throw. But its still doable if you can live with a .3 grain variance.

I'd shoot a batch first before I made any assumptions and I bet the accuracy will be acceptable for a Garand. 4895 has been the go to Garand propellant since WWII, match ammo included.

 

[GT1]

I will wager there is no other case activated set up that will do better. As mentioned, as long as you keep the margins in the safe zone you will likely get performance at least on par with factory ammo.

 

[Charlie98]

Consider this: With a 44.3gr charge, a 0.3gr swing is a 0.6% difference in powder charge.

Six tenths of one percent.

I've pulled apart factory ammo with larger powder charge variations.

Hooda beat me to it. I used to be OCD about powder charges, but after doing the math on it, I'm not so bad about it any longer. That is not to say I don't hand weight each charge for accuracy rounds... that's a different story... but for generic ammos, drop away. The caveat to that is... on generic blasting ammo, I'm rarely at max load. If the safety margin isn't there, then I might not be able to live with even a .6% swing.

 

[1KPerDay]

No, I'm just getting set up to load the first batch with the Auto-Drum. I usually do rife bullets one at a time, weighing every single charge, but this isn't match ammo, so I was hoping to just churn out a batch.

In that case I recommend just throwing what your powder measure throws, assuming it's not going OVER max. I bet you'll be fine with .3 grain variance.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Okay, well, thanks everyone for the input.

It's not a new measure. I've laded thousands of rounds of 44 Special with it. Mostly Clays and Unique. I does quite well with Clays. I'm no where near max load at 44 grains; I think Hornady's Garand page lists max at something like 46.4 grns and Master Po lists 49. I deliberately chose a mid-range load just to ease wear on the op-rod. Since this is just for practice shooting from the standing position at 100 yrds, and the consensus is that this is mostly a non-issue, I think I'll run it and see what happens.

Thanks

 

[Charlie98]

Which '4895' are you using?

My standard M1 load is 47grn IMR4895 and any ~150grn FMJ. I had some leftover H4895 I wanted to burn up, instead of working up for about 1/2# of powder, I just dropped the charge to 46grn and loaded it up. The lower charge of H gave me higher velocities than IMR4895. Granted, this was some years ago, I don't know if H and IMR is the same, now, or not.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Which '4895' are you using?

IMR

 

[Charlie98]

The Hornady M1 data with a 150grn bullet lists 46.4grn H4895 as max... not necessarily IMR4895. If you move to 168grn bullets, the max load for IMR4895 is 47grn...

With 47grn IMR4895 and a 150grn bullet, I get 2650-2680fps and reliable cycling without beating the oprod to death. I think I started at 45grn IMR4895 and had problems with short cycle; working up to 47grns gave me what I have now. Just FYI.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

The Hornady M1 data with a 150grn bullet lists 46.4grn H4895 as max... not necessarily IMR4895. If you move to 168grn bullets, the max load for IMR4895 is 47grn...

With 47grn IMR4895 and a 150grn bullet, I get 2650-2680fps and reliable cycling without beating the oprod to death. I think I started at 45grn IMR4895 and had problems with short cycle; working up to 47grns gave me what I have now. Just FYI.

Thanks for the info. I'll make some adjustments.

 

[74shooter]

I'm trying to load 30-06 cases w/ 4895 using a Lee Auto-Drum on a LCT press. I'm setting up for 44.8 grns. I'm weighing 10 charges and getting an average before adjusting. I've got it down to a 10 charge of avg of 44.8 +/- 0.1 grn, however, I'm seeing wild swings that cancel each other out to get that tolerance. (0.3 grns high followed by 0.3 grns low) I can't expect any accuracy with that, even though I'm really just loading "plinking" ammo.

Is this normal for this powder with this measure? Do I need to just load it all by hand on my RCBS chargemaster? I was hoping to just load up a bunch of ammo and be done, but I've never had that luck in the reloading room.

Are you weighing your charges with a digital scale?

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Are you weighing your charges with a digital scale?

No. I only do that with ammo I'm going to hunt with, or actually use in a competition. This is just practice ammo.

However, I am checking the charge throws from the scale using a Redding beam scale.