Powder measurers?

[WThunter]

I tried to use my powder measurer with IMR 4064 powder. I can't even tell you what brand it is off the top of my head but it is orange in color if that tells you anything. It cuts the powder and most of the time I cannot even pull the lever all the way down. Any suggestions? Does it hurt to cut the powder? I do everything with a scoop and trickler now. Even if I could get the thing to work I would still weigh everything but I think it would go a little faster.

[Deleted User]

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[thndrchiken]

Believe it or not the most consistant measure I have used it the cheapest, the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. 1/2 the price of the next cheapest. It throws the ball and cylindrical powders without any problems. However it don't like to throw 748 for some reason. I set the charge weight at 1/2 a grain under and trickle the rest.

[handloader1]

If you break a few kernels of powder, it will not hurt anything. The way I get around not breaking so many kernels is when I feel one I slightly pick up on the powder measure arm, and the kernel repositions its self. Picking up the powder measure arm dosen't seem to affect the powder measures accuracy too much. My powder measure is a RCBS. Good luck.

[Briman]

1. Use a baffle if you aren't already. They look like a bent piece of tin with a few holes in it- RCBS makes one for around $4. This will help orientate the powder particles and take some of th epressure off the little powder measuring gizmo at the bottom.

2. keep the powder hopper topped off/ or at the same level- this will help with consistancy.

3. Throw each charge the same way- if you do everything right, the first few throws might be a bit stiff, but will get easier. Practice makes perfect.

4. 4064 is a beast of a powder to throw- if you can master this one, you can master any powder.

5. with 4064 don't worry if the weights aren't exactly the same- if you are within +/- .5 gr of your target charge, you will do just fine. I used to weigh each charge of 4064 individually, until an old timer convinced me to retry the powder thrower- he told me that if you allow the powder to be measured volumetrically instead of by weight, accuracy will not suffer, and in fact can get better. I found this to be true.

6. You are going to cut a few grains of powder- this will not hurt anything.

[Vapodog]

IMR 4831 is probably the worst to run thru a powder measure. Then I switched to H-4831 SC which is cut shorter and meters fairly fine.

I cut a few grains of SC as well but no harm done and it is worth the switch.

Most measures will handle ball powders quite accurately but Briman said it very well and it bears repeating.....+/- 1/2 grain of charge is totally accurate enough for hunting loads...weighing every charge just isn't necessary and it doesn't necessarily improve accuracy.

When we get over the idea that every handload must be driven to the maximum that we can drive it we can make a lot of things easier. A 150 grain bullet out of a .30-06 at 2900'/sec is just as good as a 150 grain bullet at 3000'/ sec. If that velocity loss is truly important to us we should invest in a .300 magnum....

I weigh every fifth load just to insure the powder measure hasn't changed and have never seen any accuracy loss for it.

You can weigh and dribble if you wish.....I gave it up a long time ago.

[WThunter]

Thanks a bunch! I don't mind taking time to make bullets but it takes me a while to make bullets. This will save some time.

[Deleted User]

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[Vapodog]

DG, I'm assuming you're young and you will get over it....do you also deburr flashholes, uniform primer pockets, trim to length +/-.0005, O D turn necks on your hunting loads?....these things are equal to the value of weighing every charge to the nearest .1 grain...and yes I gave up these things years ago as well.....

hey.....do it any way you want...

[Solitary Man]

What thndrchiken said.