What would you consider an accurate powder measurement?

[Dinglenutz]

I wonder if the rest of the reloading world are forced to use imperial units?

Grams are common everywhere else, as might be expected.

 

[Ridge Walker]

I know that, but my balances are only measuring in grams

Look into digital scales instead. Also digital calipers for cartridge OAL and neck thickness.

Crimp is important. So is sorting your brass by weight and volume.

The list is endless. Everything in the process matters. Uniformity, precision and consistency are your friends.

Good luck and enjoy! You will soon be a reloader addict...

Here is a start:

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[ddjchemist]

I will ask my relative in Europe if he uses grams or grains when re-loading his hunting cartridges. Problem is, every time I get in touch with him, he asks me to borrow him some money. He thinks money grows on trees in America.

 

[oremike]

If you use Shooters World Powders it's made by Lovex and Lovex load data in grams is on the Shooters World web site.

 

[ddjchemist]

If you use Shooters World Powders it's made by Lovex and Lovex load data in grams is on the Shooters World web site.

I am looking at their website. Funny, they forgot to indicate units in their reloading data tables.

 

[quneur]

I see Canadian and Australian stores selling USA componants and they're all in grains. Too bad they won't sell it back to the US.

 

[oremike]

I am looking at their website. Funny, they forgot to indicate units in their reloading data tables.

It's there: https://explosia.cz/app/uploads/2019/07/EXPLOSIA_reloading2019_en_new.pdf

 

[po18guy]

Also, don't forget, powder is measured in GRAINS - not GRAMS.

Well said! This metric system focus can be downright dangerous at times.
189.8 grains (12.3 grams) would be an overload - pretty sure of that.
And how about shotgun payloads? DRAMS!

OP: Go slowly. Read the boring part of the loading manual first. Don't overthink, but do ask questions.

Get a balance beam scale. A good one. You will be amazed at how closely you can meaure, since it is analog and not digital. Splitting the line on the beam, you should be able to measure to 0.01 grains.

 

[ddjchemist]

It's there: https://explosia.cz/app/uploads/2019/07/EXPLOSIA_reloading2019_en_new.pdf

Fantastic. I am printing this manual.

 

[Used To Hunt]

Lots of great advice given in this thread but I personally feel the biggest problem for most shooters can't be fixed by fancy equipment. Trigger time is usually our weakest link in accuracy. Unless you are shooting thousands of rounds a year or doing dry fire practice a couple days a week.

 

[Horatius]

Lots of great advice given in this thread but I personally feel the biggest problem for most shooters can't be fixed by fancy equipment. Trigger time is usually our weakest link in accuracy. Unless you are shooting thousands of rounds a year or doing dry fire practice a couple days a week.

old eyes don't help either!

 

[Mark W.]

My experiance with reloading (now coming up on 52 years) is that the accuracy of the reload is not as important as the consistency or the shooters ability. If you as a shooter can not shoot a Quarter sized 5 shot group at 100 yards better ammo will not help. Same as Photography people think if they buy a better came they become a better photographer. Not so their eye or skill level hasn't changed just their budget.

As a shooter load up a LOT of ammo that's consistent. Then when you learn to shoot that as well as it can possibly group. Then worry about the tiny details.

 

[Ridge Walker]

Lots of great advice given in this thread but I personally feel the biggest problem for most shooters can't be fixed by fancy equipment. Trigger time is usually our weakest link in accuracy. Unless you are shooting thousands of rounds a year or doing dry fire practice a couple days a week.

I don't reload just to improve accuracy. I enjoy it. It isn't really cheaper because you just shoot more which leads to more trigger time which you rightfully suggest is important too. So reloading helps me to get more bullets (thousands per year) down range.

As for my fancy equipment. I use a single stage that came with my , a digital scale from Amazon that I researched for $40.00. I started with Lee Dies and Universal Holders, I still use most of them. I added, a Lee Powder Measure Set, a Press Stand and precision cartridge funnels.

My setup isn't fancy by any means, and wasn't that expensive in the scheme of things. It provides hours enjoyment, more hours shooting and definitely improves accuracy of all of my firearms over even the best factory ammo.

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This kit is now $549.00 MSRP. When I bought it years ago I think I paid $139.00 on sale. I certainly feel it was money well spent in my case.

@OP I didn't mention manuals, but I can tell you, get as many as you can, they are gold!

 

[Dinglenutz]

FWIW, chronos I've used say that a good powder drop with the right powder can produce really consistent velocities. In the end that's probably the main thing.

 

[Ridge Walker]

FWIW, chronos I've used say that a good powder drop with the right powder can produce really consistent velocities. In the end that's probably the main thing.

Yep. What ever it takes to get 'em to single digit SD. Neck tension, powder, drop, primers and case uniformity. Then there is run out and jump...

None of it helps if you don't have the drive to put in the time on the gun, as has been said. It doesn't matter how well the ammo is tuned to the weapon, if the shooter isn't. GIGO.

 

[Mikej]

GIGO.

? GIGO ? Is that that weird clown guy crossed with a mime and some kind of monkey? I think he might have been French?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Get a good set of Lee dippers.
Careful though, they're calibrated in cc's.







lorl

 

[tac]

The US of A and UK find that GRAINS are just fine. Ammunition manufactured by the CIP nations and others is measured in grams because they use the Metric system.

Regardless what you might read elsewhere, the UK is about as 'metricated' as the US of A. The money - the pounds sterling - is broken down into 100 pence. And that's just about it.

Sure, gas is sold by the litre, but here we pay absolutely no attention whatsoever to that carp. I just fill up, like everybody else does. And when I need to figure it out, I calculate miles per gallon, not how many litres it uses to go 100km. All our road signs are in miles, except in Wales, where they use the Welsh word for miles - Milltir - and Llath for yards.

If you live in the US of A, you'd have to be crazy to do your reloading in anything except grains.* After all, you weigh stuff in pounds, and grains are 1/7000th of a pound - and 1/10 of a grain is about the weight of the ink in a printed full-stop. How exact do you want to be?

*Everybody I know who loads here, and that is about 95% of the 450 fellow club members, uses grains, too. Why schlep?

 

[03A3Sporter]

You should be fine with a lab scale. The tolerance of .002 grams converts to .031 grains. Most reloading beams scale tolerance are .1 grains. Again, make sure you don't get confused with untis. Everyone will list weights in grains. Books will use grains. I wonder if the rest of the reloading world are forced to use imperial units?

Just make sure you write down every load because trying to work up a load using the ladder method is going to require different powder weights.

I've heard of people who load to maximum use lab scales because of the precision.

Actually many European Reloading References are in metric not imperial measurements.

 

[Ridge Walker]

? GIGO ? Is that that weird clown guy crossed with a mime and some kind of monkey? I think he might have been French?

LOL

GIGO= Garbage In, Garbage Out