powders that are difficult to meter

[243winxb]

Some powder can be dangerous in some measures 800X & Bluedot

800X & Bluedot can bridge in the powder measure giving one light and one heavy overload. As for Alliant Unique powder, a 2nd double bump when filling the measures chamber can give more uniform power drops. In other words, the lever has hit the stop and filled the chamber with powder, move the lever a very short distance back and bump the stop for the 2nd time, this may give you more uniform drops. Use the small pistol chamber for small amounts of powder. A variation of .3gr is ok using Unigue. Just stay away from maximum loads if not weighting each and ever charge of powder. Don't expect the powder drops to be as close as Bullseye or ball powders.

 

[armoredman]

Ditto on the Accurate Arms powders metering perfectly , use #2 and #7 almost exclusively.
700X is horrible in the RCBS Uniflow, or the Lee PPM. I had weigh each charge, just to use it up. That being said, 700X is a good shooting powder for my cast loads, and if it metered well, I'd use more of it!

 

[Halo]

I will try the "double bump" method and see how that goes. Ultimately I think going to the small pistol chamber will help too. I'm usually throwing 5-6 grains of Unique.

 

[Bringsteen]

JDS Quick Measure

I load 800-X, which is known to meter "like paper plates."

The JDS Quick Measure solves the problem of working with difficult-to-meter powders. If you do not work much with the difficult powders, do whatever you need to get by. But if you consistently work with them, check out www.quick-measure.com.

I don't work for JDS.

 

[bobotech]

I used to use Red Dot and Unique but have moved to using Win 231. Win231 meters MUCH better in my powder bar style measures on my Dillon Square Deal presses. I have gotten squibs out of 38spcl and even 40S&W when using Unique. Now that I use Win231 in my Dillons, no more squibs or low charges.

Now Unique does seem to meter fine though my Hornady rotor style powder measure so i load up 45acp and 45colt using Unique on the Hornady with no problems.

I probably won't go back to Unique once I finish using it all up though (half pound left) and just stick with Win 231.

 

[bobotech]

JDS Quick Measure
I load 800-X, which is known to meter "like paper plates."

The JDS Quick Measure solves the problem of working with difficult-to-meter powders. If you do not work much with the difficult powders, do whatever you need to get by. But if you consistently work with them, check out www.quick-measure.com.

I don't work for JDS.

Neato. I have seen those powder measures being displayed and tested at my local gun shows. They look rather cool but are a tad bit pricey but they do appear to work well.

 

[Halo]

Yes, prior to getting Unique the pistol powders I've used are Win 231, HS-6, and Vihtavuori 3N37. Those meter almost like water they're so smooth.

As long as I can get the Unique to consistently drop within 3 tenths of a grain I think that'll be fine for middle of the road practice loads. I was just pretty surprised by it since I am more accustomed to the smooth ball powders. How well my test loads shoot will determine how much effort I'm going to invest in using Unique!

 

[mkl]

Unique is a more difficult powder to volume drop than ball powders, but I think the performance of Unique in some 38 Special and 45 Colt loads justifies the extra trouble.

Should you decide to stay with Unique, the small RCBS cylinder is very much worth the cost.

I have an RCBS Uniflow that's older than the hills (circa about 1970) that still works wonderfully. It came with both the small and large cylinder, and I don't think I have ever used the large one.

I normally drop between 1.5 and 9.0 grains for my handguns. The small cylinder will hold those weights to +/- 0.1 grains on almost any powder, including extruded which it will cut to fit. I can't remember which extruded powder I used long ago, but I was impressed the way the Uniflow cut the grains. Maybe +/- 0.2, but not much more.

The small cylinder for the Uniflow will be worth it if the current version is as accurate as my 35 year old one is.

Since I don't shoot that much, I use the RCBS Uniflow only for my handgun loads, loading about 50 to 200 per month. For my rifle loads, I weigh all of the loads since I do 20 to 100 every three months on the average.

 

[Halo]

So is this small cylinder a whole different rotor drum, or is it the screw-in adjuster part only?

 

[mkl]

Whole different rotor drum (cylinder).

It has a much smaller diameter cavity, so that the screw adjustment displaces much less volume for each revolution.

Very accurate for handgun loads; can't speak to the large drum accuracy since I have never used it in 35 years.

 

[Halo]

I will definitely have to get one of those. I do very little rifle loading so most of my powder charges are under 10 grains.

 

[Matt Dillon]

I use Unique for several calibers, including .380 ACP and mild .357 Magnum loads. What I do is drop powder for 50 cases, then hold the loading tray underneath a fluorescent light, with the case slightly tilted, so that I can look up and down the tray and compare the height of the powder in the cases. Any cases that vary slightly from the "norm" for the row get pulled out and weighed manually. This may be tedious, but I must have consistency, and this method provides it.

 

[GP100man]

i take powdered graphite on a small peice of fluffy towel & put it in the measure then shakeit until the hopper is black pour in my HERCO or 800x & set the measure & go +/- .1gr.. i also use this same technique on a lee autodisc the cyls. are`nt big enuff for top end loads some times.

GP100man

 

[loplop]

I loaded up another hundred 45acp rounds with Unique last night--out of 100 throws, I had 2 that exhibited the "plowing" feel. That's really not bad.

If you end up really liking Unique, as I do, maybe look into the Hornady thrower. It seems to work really well with it once it has some good use on it (needs to get a little graphite in there).

 

[ForneyRider]

IMR powders: 3031, 4064, 4350.
But they are started to make short cut and super short cut than should help.

I use a Lee dipper to get me close and RCBS trickler to get it the rest of the way. Precise measurements but slow as molasses.

W231, Power Pistol, H110(after some time), RL 19,22 and H-Varget have metered pretty well in Lee Perfect Powder and Lee Auto Disk.

For the large rifle magnums, trickling is okay by me. But for semi-auto rifle and pistol, I want the powder measure to drop +- .1 gr.

I make plinkers, but don't mind going extra measure for something consistent and accurate. With the heat this summer, I have more time to reload than shoot.