Powder Measure
 

imwanting totry loose powder( 777 )instead of pellets
so heres my question to you in the know
when you guys measure your powder do you just
pour it in to your measuring divice and scrape the
top or do you tap it so the powder settels and then top it
off and scrape??
im thinking it would be better to tap the divice
what do you think????

RE: Powder Measure
 

I just fill the measure. If you get into tapping the measure be sure you always tap it the same number of times. This can change the number of grains per shot,so if you use either way see how each prints on paper and then stick with the best load for your gun. If you weigh each charge on a grain scale you will see there is a weight difference depending on how tight the granuales of powder will pack down.
Rock Lock

RE: Powder Measure
 

You will find that there are a lot of different procedures, your choice of them is not near as important as doing it exactly the same every time. I have also found that powder measures very more than you would believe not only from brand to brand but sometimes two in the same brand. So it is a good idea to get out the powder scale and some 3F and find out just what your particular scale is throwing so you have a comparision if you should lose it or have to replace it. Lee

RE: Powder Measure
 

scrape the top off !!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Powder Measure
 

"scrape the top off !!!!!!!!!!!!"

Works for me.

RE: Powder Measure
 

To tap or not to tap... that is the question. I think Will Shakespeare once wrote that.

I fill the powder measure and give it #1 finger tap on the side, to basically level the load. Then on the funnel measures I turn the funnel to cut the charge. On an open measure, your patch knife is pulled over the top to cut the charge.

Actually some rifles you do not have to be all that fussy. Even 5 extra grains of powder will not be the end of the world in accuracy. Other rifles through, demand a certain charge to achieve their best accuracy and you have to be a little more careful with them. It seems the traditional rifles with patch and ball are not the fussy ones for some reason.

I have a nice brass hunting measure with a sliding plastic funnel on the top. That is my favorite when I hunt. Although tomorrow I will be taking five premeasured charges and a loaded rifle is all....

RE: Powder Measure
 

I'm a tapper...My flintlocks both have brass chargers that are not adjustable tied to a leather thong with the loading block...As long as you are consistant it doesn't matter...I'm also a tapper after I dump the charge in the barrel...

RE: Powder Measure
 

Yep, consistancy is the goal. It doesn't really matter if a 90 grain measure throws 88 or 92 grains, just so it comes close to the same chargeevery time.
Personally, I fill the measure from a flask trying to just fill it to the top so I don't waste much powder.

RE: Powder Measure
 

Thanks for the info!! :)
I think ill try it both ways and check thegroups compared to each other ;)

RE: Powder Measure
 

I'm a tapper as well. I'll fill the measure, tap it twice then top it off. Swing the swivel and pour down the barrel. As nchawkeye said, I also do the barrel tap to level the load in the barrel prior to seating the projectile.

I wonder what the difference would be in a tapped load and an untaped load over the chrony?:eek:That sounds like a project after the deer season.:)Which one is more consistent (velocity wise) will be the main focus. Velocity consistency should relate directly to accuracy consistency. Test date is mid Dec....stay tuned folks.

When they do ballistic loads for books, I wonder what they do?????

RE: Powder Measure
 

Most of the profesionals if we can call them that, will average the weight of a volume measure on a reloading scale then weigh the loads to that amount, this is supposed to reduce the variation in fps .
In actuality I dont believe it has a lot of effect, I am a reloader and have the equipment and tried weighing loads and did not get any tighter groups by doing it. I just hold my measure over a can I keep for the purpose and pour till it runs off on all sides, this was the method that showed theminimum differance when I was testing volume thrown loads[ 25 sample ] the tapping worked the worst for me, and the cut off type measure did not work quite as well as the overflow method. This I am sure will not be the same for every one as we each handle things different. Lee

RE: Powder Measure
 

When I load my pre loads for any of my ML rifles or C&B revolvers I will back it up with a scale mostly to get as consistent loads that I can.
My rifle measure "with swinging funnel" to the scale is the most consistent, I simply pour the powder into the measure till it over flows a bit then swing the funnel cutting the charge to the right level.
With my C&B revolver loads I can conistently keep a 34 grain "for hot loads" & 29 grain "for normal target" charge every time "as measured by the scale."
For my Zouave I can keep 59 grain pre loads at the ready using my method...

Tapping has allways made the most inconsistent loads for me, maybe I'm not that good at it but I've yet to get the same load twice by tapping.

RE: Powder Measure
 

"Most of the profesionals if we can call them that, will average the weight of a volume measure on a reloading scale then weigh the loads to that amount, this is supposed to reduce the variation in fps .
In actuality I dont believe it has a lot of effect, I am a reloader and have the equipment and tried weighing loads and did not get any tighter groups by doing it."

i have had the same experience. Went back to over-filling the measure and then striking it level with my finger. When i am having a good day i can shoot1"-1.5" three shot groupsusing this method-one right after the other. That is better thanmany centerfire rifles will do. Good enough for me.

RE: Powder Measure
 

Wal-Mart here where i live ( CARLSBAD N.M. ) IS CLEARING OUT there BP stock
i bought some 777 ff im gona try this week hopefully today if i dont work late
also got some Hornady 240 and 300 grain xtps i wanted some t/c shock waves
but they were sold out, all the PB,s were sold out also

RE: Powder Measure
 

I'm with Cayugad... I "tap" my measure a few times to settle the load and then top off the measure again and just "dust" what little excess there may be from the top. I always use the same measure and I always write down the load data for each gun...powder, grains, type of cap used , patch thickness, roundball or conical (with or without a bore button)and type of patch or bullet lubeused. I haven't weighed any of my charges yet, although I've considered doing so just to see how close I am, but I try to do everything the same...every time. Including how I seat the projectile albeit conical or ball and I ALWAYS carry pre-measured loads for the gun I'm using measured the same way I sighted in.....BPS

RE: Powder Measure
 

after trying both tapping and not tapping my Encore did"nt show
much of a differece in accuracy,,, so now i just pour it in and level it..