Lee Dippers

[J_McLeod]

I was excited about using the Lee Dippers because it's much easier than using the Perfect powder measure with my turret. Tonight I tried loading some MBC 147 LFN with HS-6. Scooped up a .3 CC dipper and put it on the scale to check and I got 4.6 gr. Lee's slide card said It should have been 4.2gr, so I did it two more times with the same result. It was still with the acceptable range for the bullet, so I loaded a test batch anyways, but it's not good to be so far off. I had similar results the last time I weighed dipped charges with Varget and HP-38 too.

 

[ljnowell]

Dippers are never accurate to the chart. You just have to experiment with it until you find the right one. I have yet to see one that threw a heavy charge, usually they throw lighter than the card.

 

[ljnowell]

......

 

[Quoheleth]

If you have a little time and access to a few tools, you can make your own custom dipper.

Find an empty brass cartridge that is approximately the size of the dipper in question. With a file, brass trimmer, or grinder cut the brass down until it's closer in size, checking frequently with dips of powder, until it's cut down to exactly that size scoop you need.

Silver solder a handle to the scoop. On the brass or handle, mark what your scoop is for, charge weight and powder.

Bingo!

Q

 

[earlthegoat2]

If you have a little time and access to a few tools, you can make your own custom dipper.

Find an empty brass cartridge that is approximately the size of the dipper in question. With a file, brass trimmer, or grinder cut the brass down until it's closer in size, checking frequently with dips of powder, until it's cut down to exactly that size scoop you need.

Silver solder a handle to the scoop. On the brass or handle, mark what your scoop is for, charge weight and powder.

Bingo!

Q

Marshall Stanton does a walkthrough on this. Have a look.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/41

 

[BADUNAME37]

I purchased the box of Lee Dippers just so I could first throw almost the exact amount into the scale pan, then dribble up to the scale's line. I would never use them to throw the complete charge as my Powder Measure with Micrometer Adjustment works perfectly!

 

[FROGO207]

I make my own custom dippers also. I use a full sized/belled case and add epoxy to fill the extra space and a drill to get it fine tuned. I also own the Lee set and the chart. I find if you scoop the propellant foward you compact it in the measure. This will give you a different amount as opposed to their chart. If you slide it in backwards and let the propellant flow in it and scrape it off with a straight edge you will get closer to the published amount. The repeatability of your dipping will depend on your ability to duplicate the same motion each time. Practice with a scale will work wonders.

 

[loadedround]

Please remember that different lots of powder will have different densities, therefore slightly different weights when loaded by a volume system like a dipper or powder measure. Factory powders are "blended" in manufacture to achieve specific properties (i.e. burning rates). Therefore every new lot of powder should be checked against an accurate balance if you are loading by volume. That is what happened here.

 

[RandyP]

I installed the Lee Pro Disk powder dispenser on my 4-hole Classic turret with their adjustable charge bar. Works great, costs little, and throws consistent charges.

The Perfect bench mounted powder dispenser is great if you batch load on a single stage press though.

The dippers are made to throw a 'safe' charge and the chart's inaccuracies with some density powders reflects this. Most reloaders verify the correct size to use with their powder of choice with a scale. It is worth noting that once you have the right size for your needed charge weight, the Dippers do actually work pretty well.

 

[cfullgraf]

Scooped up a .3 CC dipper and put it on the scale to check and I got 4.6 gr. Lee's slide card said It should have been 4.2gr, so I did it two more times with the same result.

That is why better powder measures are adjustable and it is advised to always check the weight of powder thrown.

As loadedround said, powder densities change.

 

[rfwobbly]

Please remember that different lots of powder will have different densities, therefore slightly different weights when loaded by a volume system like a dipper or powder measure. Factory powders are "blended" in manufacture to achieve specific properties (i.e. burning rates). Therefore every new lot of powder should be checked against an accurate balance if you are loading by volume. That is what happened here.

+1

Furthermore....
Better mechanical powder measures achieve a uniform density by imparting a steady, repeating vibration during operation. The big problem with dippers is that humans aren't constant. You might scoop head-on one time, slightly rotated the next, and bump the side of the container on the way out on the third.

 

[J_McLeod]

I think I'll eventually end up getting an auto disk, but for now I prefer using the dippers, as long as they yield an acceptable charge, which is not often. I do make sure to do it the same way every time.

 

[supercalvin56]

I use the Lee Dippers all the time. I've eliminated the trickler from the process by tapping the handle of the dipper. I think I load faster by tapping rather than trickling. I use them from 204 to 30-06 plus 5 cartridges in between using any number of different brand powders. After I develop a load I use a powder measure...that really speeds up the process.

 

[jhansman]

I've used the Lee dippers for many of my loads with results consistent results, and yes, the actual weights of various powders varied a bit from the chart. Now I used custom made dippers fabricated per the instructions from the link provided above. Soldering can be a bit of a challenge, but it was fun working with metals.

 

[Lost Sheep]

A no-solder handle

I've used the Lee dippers for many of my loads with results consistent results, and yes, the actual weights of various powders varied a bit from the chart. Now I used custom made dippers fabricated per the instructions from the link provided above. Soldering can be a bit of a challenge, but it was fun working with metals.

I found a nice little dipper in a box of miscellaneous loading gear. It was a .380 Auto casing with a plastic cable tie fastened tightly around the base of the cartridge.

No soldering and the cable tie was tight enough that the shell was stuck tight. I have no idea if any kind of adhesive was involved, but I did not see any.

The cable tie was stiff enough to be a decent handle and had been wrapped with electrician's tape to make it large enough to grip easily.

Perhaps not as elegant as soldering, but dead simple.

Lost Sheep

 

[EddieNFL]

Safety wire wrapped around the extraction groove and twisted works well, also.

 

[GLOOB]

My first custom dippers were made by soldering on a permanent handle. But it's hard to test exactly how a dipper will throw until after after the handle is attached. This is one reason I went with detachable handles. You also save on time, storage space, and material cost.

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/scoop003.jpg

All you need is a bit of music wire, bent to the right shape. Then push the loose ends through some brass tubing for a handle.

The smaller dippers are made from 1/4" brass tubing, turned in a drill. The bottom is created by soldering the end of the tube to a thin sheet of brass, using a propane torch. The excess sheet is trimmed off then turned against a file. A groove is cut with a Dremel disk. Then the mouth is turned down with an outside chamfer, until the desired throw is attained.