Ugggg new caliber issues. Powder funnel recommendations.

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Muddydogs

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Who would have thunk adding a new caliber would cause so many issues, minor at best. Picked up a Ruger 204 and first thing I realized was I don't have a cleaning rod small enough or patches a jag. Got the cleaning figured out then went to reloading, happened to find a .17 spout to attach to my Midway funnel system after digging around in my loot for a while and managed to get a test load loaded.
Never really liked the Midway funnel kit but it works so I use it. It's always been sloppy on the case mouth no matter what caliber I'm loading but with the .17 insert on a 204 case the funnel won't stay put without holding it which messes up my whole loading routine. I powder a case then move the funnel to the next before weighing the next charge to keep track of where i'm at.

So what's a good powder funnel that will set on the case mouth without tipping to the side or falling off the case?
 
Xtreme Powder Funnels
Expensive for a funnel but I think it is worth the expense. I used to end up with stray grains of powder on the bench after loading, now nothing is on the bench.
 
I took a regular funnel,cut the bottom down, and used epoxy putty packed around the 22 Hornet brass mandrel after it was inserted in the funnel. I used a 22 Hornet brass with several coats of wax as a mandrel. When it was almost cured I moved the case around slightly to increase the diameter of the center hole so it would slide off easily.
 
My lyman ez funnel is small enough to use on 204 and if using a turret press I just buy the lee powder thru die and lee funnel. I think a lee funnel might also be small enough to use on brass but not sure.
 
A cleaning rod made for .177 airguns works well for patches for my .22's and .223's. I would think it would work well for a .204 also. I have an RCBS funnel for calibers down to .17 that I use for BL-C(2), but use the .22 one for stick powders like Varget, and watch very carefully how I hold it over the neck.
 
I'm thinking about picking up a Satern or two though I do like the ones from Area 419. http://www.area419.com/product-category/reloading/funnels/ The 419 stuff seems expensive and it is for one or two calibers but if your looking to upgrade a few calibers then the price evens out and comes out about the same as a few Satern funnels. Nice thing about the 419 funnel kits is I wouldn't have a bunch of funnels laying around and there funnel heads would fit in my reloading box in each of my caliber slots. I'm still having a hard time getting over the 419 initial funnel price of $40 just to start the ball rolling plus they don't have a .257 head.

I have 2 Satern's setting in a Midway cart plus a couple boxes of 45 grain SP's for the 204 Ruger, if the 45's shoot good this morning I'll probably be pushing the buy button on the cart.later today.
 
These are by no means cheap but they work remarkably well. You can order just the funnel and the heads you want.

I have the kit which covers every caliber I shoot for, for now :)

http://www.area419.com/product-category/reloading/funnels/

The only observation I have that's worth mentioning is the fit is so good, it's important to lift the funnel straight up off the charged case, if you lift it at an angle the case may come up with it, and we all know that doesn't end well :(
 
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