Old Timers May Laugh... Good Tip

[fourdollarbill]

I have loaded pistol and revolver rounds for years and I have always used decent powder measure equipment. When loading lets say 15 gr of Lil'Gun under a 357 180gr JHP I would always weigh each charge for obvious reasons. During which time I never owned a powder trickler and always said I'm going to get one every time I reload but for now I will just use an empty 357 mag case filled half way with that powder and trickle it in myself.

The funny thing is... whats the difference? I always thought I needed one to better my reloads. I can trickle in by hand just as good. So save yourself 25 bucks and grab an empty case.

 

[ranger335v]

Trickling is trickling, no matter the tool used. A simple spoon works too.

 

[fourdollarbill]

You can't roll a spoon in your fingers to coax a few granules out at a time though. But good point.

 

[Remo-99]

I used a trickler for many, many years(basically anything you can trickle powder grannuals with, will serve you that purpose).
But Ah, the light, a power trickler/digital scale.

 

[Jim Watson]

What are the "obvious reasons?" Lilgun is a Spherical powder and I would think it metered well enough for any usual load.

 

[fourdollarbill]

Just a "general" obvious reason for any heavy load is what I meant. I would never load heavy without a scale regardless of the ease of use. But that is just how I do it.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I used to trickle, heck I even own a power trickler. But after awhile I started to figure out that my uniflow was throwing charges so accurately that individualy weighing charges was a waste of my time.

Haven't used it since

 

[something vague]

I have no intention on buying a powder trickler. I have a Lee type dipper measure that is actually made out of a 9mm case with a handle soldered on it. I always use this little gadget to trickle my powder. Much faster and is less bulky stuff to knock over around my scale area. I know damn well I would eventually knock over a trickler filled with powder if I had one, it's inevitable.

 

[offthepaper]

Trickling is trickling, no matter the tool used. A simple spoon works too.

I must confess......
I've (ahem) "borrowed" one of my Granddaughter's baby spoons, with a long handle. Much faster than my trickler, works great.

 

[Walkalong]

I am like Krochus. I just throw the charge, no trickling of any kind. That is what they make good measures for.

 

[Jim Watson]

Yup.
I weigh powder charges for match rifle loads, I have a PACT dispenser for smokeless but the BPCRs get it the old fashioned way.
I don't load pistol ammo so hot as to worry about measure error.

 

[jmorris]

For the most part I don’t load any round very close to “red line”. If I think I need a hot .357 to do the job I’ll just down load a .44. The only exception to this rule would be the ammunition for my 9mm open pistols but they are built for it, the amount of ammunition you consume would make trickling for every round a full time job. Making a good powder choice and having a good measure is perfectly fine for most uses for the others the PACT is very nice.

 

[Bwana John]

Yup.
I weigh powder charges for match rifle loads.
I don't load pistol ammo so hot as to worry about measure error.

+1, I trust volume with well metering powders.

 

[Noveldoc]

Agree with volume. I randomly scale check the loads dropped by the Lee measure on my turret press and they hold up very well.

I do trickle when working up a fine target load but am not sure it really makes a difference. Consistency of case length and crimping are much more important IMHO.

Tom

 

[wild willy]

Used a spoon and a broken handled coffee cup for years when setting the powder measure. I would just dump some of the powder in the cup use it for trickling with the spoon. Decided i needed a trickler use it cause I got it spoon and cup were just as good

 

[MikeS.]

For hanguns, all I load, I'll set the powder dispenser. Then I'll check it after 5 or 6 rounds. Then every 20 after that. It's always been within .1 grain. Almost always still right on.

 

[ljnowell]

I have a set of lee dippers. I just use those to "trickle" with. It seems to work pretty good.