Metering extruded powders (ie: Varget)

[Rule3]

Are you shooting for big money and trophies in major competition?

If not does a cut kernel/stick of powder really make a difference in the overall scheme of things?

Are all your bullets exactly the same, each case perfect volume wise, etc etc.??

 

[hdwhit]

I get my powder measure adjusted "close" but a little light, dump into the scale's pan and the trickle up to weight. I don't load more than 50 or 100 rounds at a time so this works fine for me and it allows me to easily catch those charges that come out of the measure half as large as they should be.

 

[Jack B.]

@Jack B. I honestly don't load enough to make it worth buying an Auto Charge, but people like you keep showing stuff like this, and I know that it is going to push me over the edge one of these days. For well under $200, it looks like it would be a great addition.

That's a great deal for under $200

 

[pert near]

Charge weight variance becomes more critical the smaller the case capacity. On a 25gr load a few tenths is a large percentage & can have an effect. On a magnum, a few tenths has minimal effect. An interesting experiment is to deliberately & as accurately as possible load 10 rounds of each 1 tenth grain above & below your pet load. Note that +/- .1gr is usually the promised accuracy for most powder scales. Shoot a group with each. Shoot a group mixed. Note POI changes as well as group size. You may get what you expect or maybe a real surprise. For hunting rifles at least, the goal for any ideal load, besides its accuracy, is tolerance to slight variances (including muzzle velocity).

All that being said, thank you powder makers for introducing ball powders!!

 

[Jack B.]

From what I'm reading here it looks like an automated powder dispenser would save some of these people a lot of extra steps and time. Once I started using one it made my mind up for me anyway . I'll never be without one.

 

[blue32]

I used to have bridging nonstop on my Dillon 550b powder through die. The only thing which has consistently worked is giving the die body three or four raps with a rubber mallet when the case is inside the die. I can almost always hear the powder drop when I do it this way and haven't had an issue in several hundred rounds of 223. It seemed like a chore at first but it has become another automatic step for me when reloading 223 on a progressive.

 

[daboone]

Outta most reloaders price range but simply the best PM that can be used stand alone or attached to a progressive press for any and every stick/extruded powder is the Quick Measure. It will consistently give +/-.2 grain measurement from 20 to 50 grain drops I tested it with IMR 4350, 4064 and dead on with Varget. and IMR 4895.

 

[TheDomFather]

Are you shooting for big money and trophies in major competition?

If not does a cut kernel/stick of powder really make a difference in the overall scheme of things?

Are all your bullets exactly the same, each case perfect volume wise, etc etc.??

I can deal with a variance in loads but the damn powder measure barely works with Varget in it. It sticks mid throw every time where it has to cut the stick. Therefore I cant use it in a progressive press and have to hand load every round as I am testing a variety of different loads, powders, projectiles, velocity etc. If I dont start with accurate loads then I have variances in all my tests. I am going with an automated powder measurer I got on sale from Mid south which I posted earlier. My goal here is to determine what loads, powders and projectiles shoot the best and the most reliably in my rifle.

Yesterday I loaded a few hundred rounds of 9mm through the same powder measurer with Bullseye which is a spherical powder and it meters flawlessly, yes there is variance throw to throw of +/- .1 - .2 grains which Is why I load in the middle of the range for pistol but I also loaded 370 rounds in 2 hours. I cannot load that many rifle rounds by hand if I have to trickle every single load. I have a solid 8lb container of Varget which will be relegated to trickle loading only. I have CFE 223 which is a ball powder which I am sure I will be able to use on a progressive press with far more consistency than Varget.

 

[Gtscotty]

I bought a Redding 3BR in an attempt to try and speed up my extruded powder measuring. It works well enough for practice rounds with H4350, but was a little less reliable with Varget. Since I got my Chargemaster Lite, I haven't thrown any more extruded powders, the Chargemaster is reasonably quick, and is almost always spot on. Loaded 80 6.5 CM rounds last night, no fuss, no muss.