Powder won’t stay in measuring pan

[markr6754]

I’m having a problem that is new to me after 15 months of loading. I’m using a Hornady powder drop with pistol rotor. It’s been a very good actor, and spot on drops (according to my electronic scales), but suddenly, powder is spraying out of the metallic pan I use with my scale.
In the past 15 months, I’d have a stray grain or flake fly out of the pan, no more than 15 total in a session. But suddenly, every charge I drop spews powder in all directions. It’s not a stray flake or granule, but much more per drop than I’d see over a complete session. I’ve started dropping charges directly into the case to eliminate this issue. That works....except when I’m trying out a new load and need to measure often. I’m trying to weigh a case, drop a charge, weight the case, then empty and adjust. It’s a real pain in the tuches.

My problem starting out was eliminating static cling...how do I get some back?

 

[Ebfatmer]

I hold the pan all the way against the drop tube when I throw the charge, then lower the pan to let the powder out of the tube and into the pan. This works for me, if I am understanding your problem correctly.

 

[rpenmanparker]

No, static is your problem. Static cling is just another embodiment of static flyaway. You need less static, not more. Higher humidity would help. If you are near the kitchen, you could put a pot of water on the stove or a hot plate in your loading room. Or buy a humidifier.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Also store your powders in a moister area.

 

[ATLDave]

Get a dryer sheet. Wipe down the measure, the rotor, and your pan.

 

[Gary D. Gross]

I prefer to measure the weight of the primed case, tare, add the powder directly into the case from the powder drop, re-weigh, and add or remove tiny amounts of powder as/if needed (and immediately thereafter insert bullet).

 

[edwardware]

Pan goes hard against the drop nose at the first, and backs off after the first couple drops cover the pan, but not too far.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I’ve started dropping charges directly into the case to eliminate this issue. That works....except when I’m trying out a new load and need to measure often. I’m trying to weigh a case, drop a charge, weight the case, then empty and adjust. It’s a real pain in the tuches.

How odd...that is how I have always weighed my charges when setting my powder measure.

Usually, to get in the neighborhood, I'll drop powder into a case and pour that powder into the pan to make it faster

 

[tightgroup tiger]

To me it sounds like what rpenmanparker said. Your pan has a same static charge that the powder has and it is repelling as like poles on magnets do.
Winter in North Carolina is awful for static, it usually gets dry as a desert with a relative humidity in the low teens. Summers are humid as hell.
This year we haven't had 3 days in a row of sunshine all winter long so everything has been soaked since all the hurricanes came in last fall.
No static problem this year. (bliss)
When I am having static problems I will take my measures and put them either in the garage or outside for about half an hour before I use them. If that doesn't work I go raid the wife's Static Guard and spray some in the measure and let it dry in the garage.
All it does is makes the measure attract what little moisture is still in the air.
Humidity is your friend when dealing with static.

 

[markr6754]

Thanks for all of the helpful responses. Looks like I’ve got lots of things to try. For sure, things have been pretty dry. I was of the opinion that you wanted powder far from moisture, and that is definitely the case with my loading room.

I have plenty of dryer sheets. I’ll wipe everything down, including powder drop, hopper, pan and everything else while I’m at it.

As to dropping the charge directly into the case...I could have explained that better. I use a Hornady loading tray to load...once I’m satisfied with the drop. I start by dropping in the pan, weighing, pouring back in the hopper, adjust rotor as needed, drop, weigh, pour back, etc. Once the drop is spot on I set 50 primed and belled cases in the loading tray, drop powder and set a bullet, checking powder weight at spot points to ensure the drop hasn’t drifted. I find it easier to start out using the pour tray from my scale, as it doesn’t vary...while cases often do. My current issue is just a nuisance, but doesn’t stop me from loading.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Oops, it didn't even occur to me that you'd be loading 9mm on a single stage

 

[markr6754]

Oops, it didn't even occur to me that you'd be loading 9mm on a single stage

Well, all I have is a Hornady Lock-n-Load Classic...which I love. So everything I load is on a single stage. But...I’m getting pretty good at it. I’ll likely do a turret before I’d do a progressive. That said...when I’m cranking out a load that my pistols love, I do envy the guys that can get a bullet a pull...but I’m still new at this...and still testing and developing loads. Give me a couple more years. Oh...and I load on a converted Black & Decker Workmate. I couldn’t imagine setting a progressive on that! New load bench in the garage waiting for my son to move out...and since he’s doing final walk through on a condo, I think my reloading room will be getting a lot bigger.

 

[Varminterror]

Discharge the static around your world, and add a drop tube which releases in the pan at an angle.

 

[jmorris]

Did you change powders? I figure if things changed, I locate what I changed.

I use a section of box tube to drop into the pan out of a measure. It’s open so I can see what’s going on but has an end baffle to retard speed.

It’s made from 3/4” box tubing and is pretty simple.




Looks like it hits in the photo but it doesn’t.

 

[murf]

why don't you just ground your powder drop?

murf

 

[tightgroup tiger]

That's the problem with static, the powder drop probably already has a negative charge, things on your bench usually do and most of the time the powder should be neutral or may have a positive charge which the positive charge will make it stick.
If you powder also has a negative charge it will repel like like poles of a magnet and powder will go flying.
Humidity is the only thing that will mitigate static.
Where I work we have spent Ten's of Thousands of dollars trying to control static and it is tough. We have static arresters and static generators both to make our plastic film do what we want.
In my reloading room in most winters when it's like a desert I can fill the powder measure half full and wrap my middle finger and my thumb around the outside of the hopper and quickly slide it up and a good bit of the powder inside will jump up with my fingers.
Don't try this with the lid off your measure. Use the other hand to hold the lid down.
That's how I check to see if I'm going to have a good day loading.
I like 35% relative humidity and up for handling powder. Life is good then.

 

[Walkalong]

No, static is your problem.

Yep.

 

[Walkalong]

I like 35% relative humidity and up for handling powder. Life is good then.

Like most of the time here in Bama.

 

[JimKirk]

Yes .... We run 25% in May up to....97% in August.... back to 25% in October ..... Most the other months we run 20% to 25% ....January being the lowest ....

In the tobacco patch it is about 150%....