Load creaping up

[crooked stripe]

I started loading 9 mm 115 gr jhp with 4.4 grains of Bullseye. I was using the Lee powder measure with disk 49. Loaded 200 yesterday and started again today to finish my 400 count. As the day went on my loads started getting heaver. I could see the measuring ring climb on my rcbs powder checker die. As an experiment I continued dropping powder in empty cases through out the afternoon. At 7:00pm I stopped and my final drops where around 4.8-4.9gr.
Is humidity causing this and if so what should I do? This is the first time I have loaded shells of the same caliber and weight that I didn't finish the day I started. Makes me wander about the shells I loaded yesterday. What to do?

 

[Bovice]

If the heaviest drop (the one you got at the end of the day) is above max, you should probably not shoot any of them.

Without seeing the setup myself, I don't really know what's going on.

 

[JamieC]

I was loading some 9mm the other day, Power Pistol. I also am using the Lee set up. Started the first loads, hole # 51, 5.4-5.5gr the first 10 or so, by the time I got to 50, I was at 5.7gr. Humidity was the only thing I could think of. I was loading 25 each of Precision Delta and Bayou Bullets, working up new loads. I have a good idea which end of the box I started at, made a note of it, when I go to the range and shoot, I'm going to watch and see how the velocity comes out. I'm glad to see someone else has this problem, (I think).

 

[BossHogg]

I don't think humidity is an issue. Keep the powder hopper over half full. Check your die adjustments. Once I find out what the disk drops it stays very consistent with Bullseye. I just make a note of disk drops and when I go back to the load it's just the same as it ever was.

 

[Josh45]

If any of those loads are above max, I would pull them and redo it.
Safety first. As for your powder measure, I am not sure. I have used Bullseye before but never had that much of a change in a powder drop.

At most, It was .1 Gr but I didn't load a whole lot of rounds like you did at the time.

 

[bandook]

^This. Keep the hopper at least half full and you will get very consistent loads with most powders.
If this is a new die set, you need to clean the dies. There is a lot of oil in them when new which can cause erratic throws.
Otherwise, the disks are very consistent. They may not throw what Lee says they throw, but they will throw the same charge time after time.

 

[mdi]

Vibration and movement of the press is "settling" the powder. As time/reloading goes on the powder is a bit more "compact" and denser, causing heavier loads...

 

[crooked stripe]

I have never so far had to fill the hopper as I loaded. This is the first large bunch I made. I have heard that but never thought of it. Thanks for the reminder. I have always found Lees set up to be very constant before. One consolation I know where and when the powder started to increase. With the powder checker die I look at every drop. When I first started I loaded a shell that had no powder at all. After I got done beating the bullet out of the barrel and I got to thinking what could have happened I bought the checker die. I never load a single shell without it. What about some dirt on the measure bar, that could slow down the bar just enough to let in more powder. Now I will have more time to recheck things and see what I can find. Thank you for the replies, John

 

[Mike 27]

Just a technique I use with both of my powder measures, but I will weigh about every 10-20 rounds and then add them to another box or section of my load block. I have the LNL AP and leave them in the catch tray till I weigh and then put them in the box. Takes away any doubt when I am loading a few hundred. I would recommend pulling them, it sucks but if you are like me you won't enjoy shooting wondering if you are going to have a problem anyway. I picked up a RCBS collet puller a while back for an issue and pulled about 100 in 10 minutes. Hope this helps....

 

[crooked stripe]

I have the Hornady collet puller myself. The only way to go.They are quite fast and you can reuse the components if you are careful. John