Reloading at the range/inside minivan - Hefty and sturdy powder measure stand from Lee Precision

[LiveLife]

Houston, we have another problem ... I guess I am an "imperfect human" after all. Oh my, this thread is becoming a "real world" thread pretty quick

... while installing the Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure (PPM) on the 2023 Breech Lock Pro 1000, I noticed lever handle contacting the top frame head on the down stroke that prevented full cycling of the lever handle. (Good grief) ... I already got powder measure stand on order to allow unrestricted cycling of lever handle for future tests.

When I was doing 50 drop measurements on Deluxe PPM, I introduced an "operator error" variable I did not realize until AFTER I did quite a few 50 drop measurements (Oh my, I get to repeat those hundreds of powder charge drops again, Yay ) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ct-powder-measure.922834/page-3#post-12751870

Yes, I guess I am human and as often as wife likes to point out, "imperfect human". (Don't know how she managed to stay with such an "imperfect" husband for 29 years ... Must be love )

Received the powder measure stand and did not realize how hefty and sturdy the stand was (That's going to help when I am reloading at the range, likely inside the Pacifica minivan if raining).

It's made from 1/4" plate steel and weighs 2 lbs and 13 oz. With three rubber feet, it gripped the Husky bench top and was rock solid, even with a pound of H335 screwed to the bottle adapter of Deluxe PPM. Of course, it allows free cycling of DPPM lever handle. (Maybe now my 50 drop charges will be more consistent )

 

[LiveLife]

Black color matches C-H 502 micrometer powder measure which meters most powder pretty well - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ee-powder-measure.921920/page-2#post-12691785

Maybe I will take it off Dillon 550 for .223 62 gr SS109 / RMR 69/75 gr BTHP load development.

I got Lee hand press coming to conduct 0.1 gr incremental powder work up at the range using processed and primed cases (So I just need to powder charge and seat the bullet). I will do side-by-side comparison and see which meters H335/BL-C(2) better.

 

[Walkalong]

Yea, those stands are beasts.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Yea, those stands are beasts.

Sure looks like it, but...it will never have the style of the RCBS one

 

[LiveLife]

Sure looks like it, but...it will never have the style of the RCBS one

One of reasons why I wanted this mount was so I could use it at the BLM shooting area to conduct 0.1 gr increment powder work up.

Heavy weight won't tip over regardless where in the Pacifica minivan I place it (Seats fold into the floor to provide larger than 4'x8' area with likely one rear seat up for me to seat in).

If not raining, I am planning to shoot/reload (Essentially powder charge and seating bullet with hand press using processed and primed brass) on the table under the rear hatch. If raining, I am planning to shoot/reload inside the minivan likely shooting prone on the floor with rear hatch up.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I’ve been using that stand with my Uniflow for a few years and like it secure but removable hence the wing nuts.

 

[Walkalong]

I almost bought of of the Lee stands, but went with the cheaper Lyman for for powder measure/trickler/scale setup for PRS. I’ve had an RCBS stand since forever. All three are very solid

 

[Bobaloo22]

I’m poor so I made this

 

[Walkalong]

Love it!

 

[CQB45ACP]

I’m poor so I made this
View attachment 1180192

Show off

 

[LiveLife]

Sure looks like it, but...it will never have the style of the RCBS one

I’m poor so I made this

For rifle load development (And maybe for carbine/pistol loads too), I needed powder measure stand with heavy base that would not tip over for portable reloading at the range/BLM shooting area on shooting table or inside Pacifica minivan. Hefty 1/4" plate with three feet contact points is rock solid stable even with factory one pound container screwed to the bottle adapter.

I almost bought of of the Lee stands, but went with the cheaper Lyman for for powder measure/trickler/scale setup for PRS. I’ve had an RCBS stand since forever. All three are very solid

Instead of traditional ladder/OCW process to identify accuracy nodes, I am planning to use "Brute Force/Exhaustive" 0.1 gr increment approach where beginning with start charge, shoot as many rounds as I need to verify POI deviation from POA with velocity verification due to being able to reload on the spot with processed primed brass that just need powder charge and seating of bullet.

So let's say start/max charge range is 2.0 gr from 22 to 24 gr:

• I start by loading "one" round from 22 gr in 0.1 gr increment while watching POI deviation from POA trend and any additional rounds as needed
• As I identify POI approaching POA, I can load however many additional rounds of same powder charge to verify extreme spread of group size to determine low/high accuracy nodes

Reason why I want to use "Brute Force/Exhaustive" approach is after watching all 15 Johnny's Reloading Bench Youtube channel videos on duplicating/cloning Mk 262/Black Hills 77 gr OTM for my RMR 69/75 gr BTHP load development (Along with many other .223 load development videos), he was limited by larger 0.3-0.5 gr increment jumps in powder charges and other reloading/shooting variables to perhaps overlook an accuracy node (He talks about this and points it out when it occurs during range test ... "Was that flyer induced by shooter/wind or powder?") having to redo/repeat range session with same powder/charges.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTTrjvDib94ly8_5jqnedzK6bhXWzZyVl

To me, this "Hunt and Peck" approach of using 3-5 rounds of same powder charge in 0.3-0.5 increments is limiting whereas having a portable reloading set up to accurately meter powder in 0.1 gr increment (I am working on wind-proof clear cover set up with bubble level to do this) using processed primed brass allows me to not hunt/peck or guess rather be precise in determining accuracy nodes by shooting as many rounds as I need to in order to verify group size extremes when I see perhaps shooter/wind induced "flyers".

I will start a new thread for "Brute Force/Exhaustive" 0.1 gr increment load development at the range.

 

[Bobaloo22]

You know I jest, that’s an awesome stand. The guys bought me the RCBS one when I retired in June.

 

[LiveLife]

You know I jest, that’s an awesome stand. The guys bought me the RCBS one when I retired in June.

I have been retired since July 4th 2019 (My day of independence from work) but no one told me about wife becoming my 24/7 whip cracking slave driver of endless "honey do" projects without days off, sick days or even union breaks. I mean I have never worked so hard to where I am passing out on the couch after lunch and dogs often have to bring me back to life.

Seriously, I am glad to be doing things I have always wanted like 12,000+ round 22LR comparison/accuracy testing now at 47 brands/weights/lots and next 0.1 gr exhaustive incremental load development reloading at the range while beta testing for Lee Precision (That I did not anticipate for retirement) and having input on product development (Like stepped "M" style "Square Starting" powder through expander part of all new Lee die set was my doing and our THR discussions likely having driven new 5 tube case feeder with gate for case retension).

Life should be enjoyed and hence why I changed my THR ID from "bds" (From our passed on doggies Blaze, Daisy and Steffi) to "Live Life" for retirement as we all should enjoy and live our reloading life with heavy dose of "Pay It Forward" to spread goodwill to all mankind.

 

[Bobaloo22]

Very nice!

 

[41 Mag]

Years ago I would load up 20-50 rounds with different charges and head to the range for testing. At the time it just seemed logical to work loads up that way.

Then I began shooting at a particular range that had numerous BR shooters who regularly showed up during the week to practice or develop loads. Seeing how they worked somewhat inspired me to do similar. I mean how hard is it really to dump powder and seat bullets?

So with a few tools I came up with these little set ups,

It'll all fit in that grey tote and can be clamped down just about to anything, anywhere. I've loaded from 30 Carbine through 300 RUM with them.

Setting the measure was a concern at first. I quickly found that by weighing the start charge, and noting the main number on the stem, then adding the additional turns my load might look like 3+2 turns or 4 + 2 3/4 turns. Having the start and max loads weighed, I simply stayed in between the noted amounts. At the range, I started low and worked up incrementally in 1/8 turn of the stem. Once I found the velocity range and/or the max load I recorded it and weighed it out at home.

I still use these up at our country place to work up a load for whatever purpose. I have even mounted them on my receiver hitch at a friend's place.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I have been retired since July 4th 2019 (My day of independence from work) but no one told me about wife becoming my 24/7 whip cracking slave driver of endless "honey do" projects without days off, sick days or even union breaks. I mean I have never worked so hard to where I am passing out on the couch after lunch and dogs often have to bring me back to life.

My Dad is in his 94th year. He is still very active; works out daily, walks 20+ miles a week, plays sports - golf, pickleball, etc.

He has been retired for about 30 years. After about 10 years of retirement he told me "I don't know how I ever found time to go to work!"

He's also the man that said, at retirement, "If you sit down, you die."

Go Dad!

 

[Howa 9700]

I bought the Lee stand when I bought the Lee Deluxe PPM. It is heavy, and for normal use, can simply be placed on the bench. However, with some of the very fine textured powders and the PPM, the rotating drum has to mate perfectly and tight to the cone of the measure, which is a friction fit. You keep drawing the drum tighter into the cone to eliminate any space between them to eliminate the powder leaks.

At some point, if tight enough to prevent leakage, the force required to rotate the drum is enough to lift the whole works off the bench. So Lee thoughtfully included holes in the base, so it can be screwed down. I have mine screwed down to a small wooden base, which is then also clamped to edge of the bench. As I have it now, one could lift the bench with it and nothing is going to move. Rock solid.

 

[CQB45ACP]

My Dad is in his 94th year. He is still very active; works out daily, walks 20+ miles a week, plays sports - golf, pickleball, etc.

He has been retired for about 30 years. After about 10 years of retirement he told me "I don't know how I ever found time to go to work!"

He's also the man that said, at retirement, "If you sit down, you die."

Go Dad!

Inspiring!