Longtime Bullseye user with Bullseye questions

[tcoz]

I've been loading 9mm and 45acp with Bullseye through the Lee Pro Auto-Disk for a long time with great results. I've just recently gone to a Chargemaster also with great results, but I've noticed a couple of things happening and I wonder if they're due to using Bullseye specifically. Neither one occurs with either H110 or H335 loading 300 BLK and 5.56....

First, when emptying the Chargemaster reservoir, Bullseye doesn't want to just flow right out when I open the drain port. I have to stick something long and thin through from the outside to get it to flow, then it starts and stops. This isn't a big deal, but both of the other powders I mentioned completely flow right out. I know it isn't static because it's been pretty humid and I take static precautions anyway.

Second, I charge the cases on the LCT press by pouring the charge through a funnel, sitting in the funnel attachment which is screwed onto the powder through expander die. As the die is indexed to the next couple of positions after charging, a very small amount of residual powder drops from it. I've collected and weighed it and it only amounts to about 2 grains in every 50 rounds loaded which is 0.04gr/charge but it still ticks me off because I have to constantly clean it up and I'm reloading in a carpeted room where a very very small amount makes it onto the floor so I'm constantly running the vacuum cleaner to pick it up. This never happened when I used the PAD and never occurs even now with the other powders.

I know that Bullseye is one of the worst powders for degrading and pitting the polycarbonate powder resevoirs, but I wondered if it has any properties that cause these other minor issues.

I appreciate insight that anyone can offer.

 

[Dewey 68]

Is it overly dry in the room? Wondering if you could have some static electricity building up on your equipment causing the powder to cling to surfaces.

 

[tcoz]

As I mentioned, it's definitely not static. The weather is pretty humid now and I also take static precautions.

 

[Dewey 68]

I missed that in your first post. You could try some Novus 3 plastic polish on your funnel, but that wouldn't explain why it's not flowing through your Chargemaster. Sorry.

 

[tcoz]

Nothing is getting hung up in/on the plastic funnel. Something inside the die must be catching it. Bullseye is a flake powder and the other two are spherical so I guess that may be why a little is hanging up in the die. I don't know why that would account for it not flowing well out of the Chargemaster especially since it metered so well out of my PAD.

 

[vaalpens]

I can't comment on how Bullseye flow out of a reservoir since I pour each weighted load from the scale pan into my cases. What I can comment on is the stickiness or ability to pour these powders out of the scale pan. These are the powders I currently have rated based on the ability to pour easily:
1) 700X - Easy to pour and no kernels left in pan
2) Longshot - Nearly a tie for first. Also easy to pour and no kernels left in pan
3) Unique - Nearly a tie for first. Also easy to pour and normally no kernels left in pan
4) PowerPistol - Doesn't flow as easy as 700X and Longshot, but similar to Unique. Will stick once in a while probably because the kernels are smaller.
5) Autocomp - Easy to pour but it seems to bounce a bit (small ball powder) so a few kernels will always fall outside the case.
6) Bullseye - The worst. I can never get the complete charge poured into the case. Always a few kernels stuck to the scale pan.

 

[rmelton]

Lean it over on it's side a little bit, you may have to tap the flow cap with your finger to get it started. Once it starts it will flow.

 

[tcoz]

I always lean it over but it doesn't begin to flow until I stick a small dowel rod in through the drain port and work it back and forth. Vaalpens post describes it as stickiness and his point #6 pretty much validates it.

 

[noylj]

Some powders, due to kernel size, clump.
Some powders, due to residual solvent, clump/stick.
Bullseye may suffer from both.
The worst powder I have was one can of Power Pistol. It would actually clump up in the hopper and I would have to break it up occasionally. Next few cans had no problem.
I don't have any pistol powders that will just flow out of my ChargeMaster and all have to be brushed out, with a brush run through the chute to get all the powder out.