Powder measuring...ACCURATELY

[fstdraw]

I've been loading a ton of .45 ACP lately. It is my favorite cartridge to reload because it's easy! Anyway I seem to be getting a tenth of a grain difference both ways when weighing every tenth round. Or if I weigh randomly I get the same tenth or so difference. So to try to keep things consistent, I've started to take my 5.5 gr. of Unique and weigh 10 charges and adjust my thrower to equal the balance beam scale set to 55.0 grains.

Thoughts please on a better way (no pun intended) to get more consistency. All RCBS equipment, single stage press.

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[Member 24198]

What scale are you using? Are you shooting bullseye? If not. I wouldn't worry about 1/10.

 

[TommyFun]

Without measuring each one...

Some of the older powder measures had knockers on the side that would allow you to knock it and get powder to settle. This consistent settle/jiggle was helpful for a more consistent throw. Same with some progressives that have a little vibration built into the press.

IIRC a Lee turret can have very consistent results when used due to the rotation of the turret head allowing for that settling movement.

Having a little dowel to "tap, tap" on the hopper can be substituted for the danglers. You can also after dropping a charge and running the arm back up give the measure a double tap with your knuckle. Lots of ways to simulate.

 

[Mikej]

Without measuring each one...

Some of the older powder measures had knockers on the side that would allow you to knock it and get powder to settle. This consistent settle/jiggle was helpful for a more consistent throw. Same with some progressives that have a little vibration built into the press.

IIRC a Lee turret can have very consistent results when used due to the rotation of the turret head allowing for that settling movement.

Having a little dowel to "tap, tap" on the hopper can be substituted for the danglers.

You said "KNOCKERS"!!


Yes, I am a 70 YO child.

I've been loading a ton of .45 ACP lately. It is my favorite cartridge to reload because it's easy! Anyway I seem to be getting a tenth of a grain difference both ways when weighing every tenth round. Or if I weigh randomly I get the same tenth or so difference. So to try to keep things consistent, I've started to take my 5.5 gr. of Unique and weigh 10 charges and adjust my thrower to equal the balance beam scale set to 55.0 grains.

Thoughts please on a better way (no pun intended) to get more consistency. All RCBS equipment, single stage press.

That's why I didn't like Unique. Same with Bullseye. YES I said that!! I didn't like the "crunch" you get with flake powders. Also, as said above, 1/10 gr isn't going to hurt anything. I'm anal about my powder weights. Just because. I strive to use the same rhythm with every powder drop. I'll weigh every 10 rnds, sometimes 15, if it's feeling good. I use W231 in .45acp and .38 special.
Unique must be the problem.
I'm also running RCBS.

 

[JuglansRegia]

Those flake powders don't meter well, try W231 or a faster ball powder.

 

[Koda]

If your not looking at your beam scale perfectly straight on it can be off up to .1gn.

What is the advertized tolerance of throwers? Iirc, those are for speed not precision.
Im not certain 1/10gn is worth worrying about in pistol ammo?
Weight 1/10gn of kernals 8n your scale for a visual...

 

[Mikej]

Those flake powders don't meter well, try W231 or a faster ball powder.

Dang. Good answer.

If your not looking at your beam scale perfectly straight on it can be off up to .1gn.

What is the advertized tolerance of throwers? Iirc, those are for speed not precision.
Im not certain 1/10gn is worth worrying about in pistol ammo?
Weight 1/10gn of kernals 8n your scale for a visual...

One of the things I do when I set the scale is have the light in a good position, and look at the needle on the scale from the exact same angle as when I adjusted it for desired drop weight.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Use Bullseye, the original .45acp powder.

 

[fstdraw]

I find the RCBS powder thrower to be fairly accurate with other powders. H335, BLC two, AA 1680, all powders that I use it for and it does a superb job. Just some of these stick powders and disc powders are a little more difficult.

 

[Mikej]

I find the RCBS powder thrower to be fairly accurate with other powders. H335, BLC two, AA 1680, all powders that I use it for and it does a superb job. Just some of these stick powders and disc powders are a little more difficult.

Stick powder is a PIA. That WHY, the "Trickler"!

 

[deadeye]

I find the RCBS powder thrower to be fairly accurate with other powders. H335, BLC two, AA 1680, all powders that I use it for and it does a superb job. Just some of these stick powders and disc powders are a little more difficult.

As others have stated 1/10 gr in a pistol round isnt going to matter. If you were say loading 38 or something for match shooting it still wouldn't noticeably matter. The only time I would choose to worry about it would be a rifle round for use beyond 100yrds. Using a dump type measure is just to get close and finish with a trickler if you are going for absolute consistency. Giving the little tap on the side as mentioned helps also but stick or flake powder will always give varied results vs ball type, just nature of the beast.

 

[fstdraw]

I thought I had read somewhere where dumping 10 charges and weighing them and dividing by 10 would give you a pretty accurate measure of where you were at for each powder dump. I am hoping my new way of doing this averages things out a little bit better. And I suppose you guys are right, 1/10 of a grain with a low level pistol charge probably doesn't make much difference.

 

[bionic knees]

overthinking it a bit? for ultimate accuracy in a precision setup, a tenth of a grain might be of concern but .45 acp?

 

[fstdraw]

Agreed. Just checking with the group.

 

[bionic knees]

Agreed. Just checking with the group.

I weigh every single charge but don't load for the autoloaders.

 

[Member 24198]

I weigh every single charge but don't load for the autoloaders.

For precision rifle; absolutely, but general semi is overkill.

 

[aasbra]

Agree with the others, from my experience, I would not worry about a tenth or a grain or two (from highest to lowest) when loading for 45 ACP. I load pistol rounds in a couple Dillon progressive machines. With powders such as unique, I do see more variation, as you describe. Has not been an issue for me for the type of rounds I'm loading based on performance.

As others suggested, switching to a similar burn rate powder in a different consistency (more of a ball powder or smaller granules, vs. a larger flake or disc powder) should yield more consistent charge weights. Hp-38, 231, accurate 2, 5, 7, 9, CFE pistol, HS-6 should give you more consistent charge weights. I load a lot with Alliant Sport Pistol with good results.

 

[fstdraw]

Good to know and thank you. Thanks for all that chimed in.

 

[Koda]

A while ago I was curious what .1 or 1/10 a grain looked like so I measured.
4 granules of rifle powder.

 

[decay]

Powder is more repeatable by volume