Lyman/Ideal #55 powder measure - slide use chart?

[Mk42gunner]

Since you record everything in a notebook, you could use the depth measuring feature on a set of dial calipers to record how much of each slide protrudes from the body.

I really like the Lyman 55 for small charges, it really makes loading for the various .32's easy.

Robert

[Bmi48219]

This may be going against the grain but I set mine with all three slides opened evenly so the wall of charge chamber is smooth, top to bottom. Mine is the older model w/o the micro screw adjuster. I open the slides together to get a little over the desired weight, then gently Tap them in together to get down to what I want. Also, I alway dump the first load after a tap, figure I may be compressing the charge in the chamber & getting a little more than on subsequent charges. I find it's a lot easier to tap in in small increments than to pull the slides out a micro amount. Sounds like a lot of work but it usually only takes a minute.
one other thing is the rapper weight.
I bounce the rapper weight once, then tap the charge handle twice against the top stop to fill & tap handle twice again at bottom when dropping the charge. Bounce the rapper more than once & the charge weight goes up a little.
If I keep the powder hopper near full, the charge weights are +\- .05 grains ( one half of a tenth of a grain) every time. That's with using Unique or Herco. The 55 is even more consistent with finer powder like Titegroup. I have two, one set at 13.7 grains 4227 (30 carbine) & one at 5.4 grains Unique (9 mm & 45 acp). Great measure for the $$.

[44magLeo]

I set mine by setting all the slides to zero. I then open all three most of the way. I then use my scale to get a charge. I pour this charge in the hopper and turn the slides up so the powder gets into the opening. Move the measure around to get all the powder down into the open slides. Now I push the slides in till the powder rises up to the top of the slides and is rounded up to about match the curve of the slides.
If your powder charge is small enough to have the opening to narrow try again with just the two top slides.
Once you get this preliminary setting Mount the measure as you use it. Fill hopper with your powder. Dump 2 or 3 charges to settle the powder. Now weigh a charge. It should be very close. Make any small adjustments with the top slides.
It takes longer to describe than to do.
I was looing through my stuff for something else and found an old instruction sheet for a 55 measure and it had an adjustment chart. The chart covers powders. 6 of the powders I don't think exist anymore.
The Herecles Bullseye, Unique and 2400 might still be close. It has 8 Dupont powders that may be close for IMR powders. A few Hodgen powders and 1 Winchester powder.
I think if I wanted to have a chart I would make one for myself. Take what ever powder you want to use and start with all three slides set at say 35. weigh out enough charges to determine what that setting gives you. Open out to say 65, repeat the charges. out to 95 repeat. Using these weights you can figure out how much each marking will change the charge weight.
Now do the same with just the top two slides. For these two use the small rear markings. 12, 24 and 36 should give you the figures for two slides.
Just the top slide you use the large front markings. 4,8,12 should work for that one.
Do this for each powder you use.
Some powders using just the top slide won't work well, like course powders like 4831 and such.
For fast burning pistol powders you won't use charges big enough to use all three.
I just never desired a chart that much.
Now if the graduations on the slides could be in cc's then you could use Lee's powder density calculations to set the slides. But even that sound like to much work.
Leo

[onelight]

My method is very ugh like 44magleo it is as quick as I have found to get it set.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve always set my 55s by trial and error. When you get used to, it doesn’t take long.

[Winnie1886-4065TC]

I just got one of these from a friend who has stopped reloading. I like its features and is in really good shape. like some of the others have said on here its really a trial and error style of setup, don't trust the numbers. but the same can be said for the old workhorse that I have been using before I got the lyman. especially on 4320 or other like stick powders I get close with the measure and trickle in the rest on the scale. at this moment in time I cannot justify the $400 automeasure machines, and if I am truly honest with myself speed wasn't what I got into reloading for it just helps on the rounds I shoot a lot of (45acp and 223).

[44magLeo]

I have this set of instructions. It has a hole where it was creased. This hole is by the Hodgen 4831 powder. I found another set of instructions online and it wasn't any easier to read, poor copy.
I don't know if this is good or not.
Leo

[Conditor22]

[44magLeo]

GRMPS, Your copy looks much better than mine. From the look of the pic on the front it looks like it was for a more recent version than the one mine came with.
The knocker in the pic looks to be made with a flat steel strap curled for the pivot pin and wrapped around the knocker. On two of mine the knocker is a cast item. The third one is missing the knocker. Looks easy enough to make one.
Leo

[Leoparddog]

I have an older #55 and have used it a lot for rifle and larger handgun loads like .357 and .45LC but recently when trying to throw 7.5 gr loads of flake powder for .45ACP it gave me complete fits. Sometimes it would throw 6gr and sometimes 8 gr(over max load). I tried closing all three and just using the top slide and tried working with the middle slide and adjusting it. I never could get it to throw exactly the right charge and ended up weighing and trickling each one. Argh.

[gwpercle]

I just got one of these from a friend who has stopped reloading. I like its features and is in really good shape. like some of the others have said on here its really a trial and error style of setup, don't trust the numbers. but the same can be said for the old workhorse that I have been using before I got the lyman. especially on 4320 or other like stick powders I get close with the measure and trickle in the rest on the scale. at this moment in time I cannot justify the $400 automeasure machines, and if I am truly honest with myself speed wasn't what I got into reloading for it just helps on the rounds I shoot a lot of (45acp and 223).

The secrete is to set the slides to form a deep narrow cavity and practice until you get a consistent powder handle operation every time , set and operated like this it will get you consistent drops with flake powders (Bullseye and Unique) and stick rifle powders (like H4895).
The 55 will measure anything if you set the cavity correctly and operate it consistently !
I bought my first one in 1968 so have had some working time with it .
Gary

[Leoparddog]

The secrete is to set the slides to form a deep narrow cavity and practice until you get a consistent powder handle operation every time , set and operated like this it will get you consistent drops with flake powders (Bullseye and Unique) and stick rifle powders (like H4895).
The 55 will measure anything if you set the cavity correctly and operate it consistently !
I bought my first one in 1968 so have had some working time with it .
Gary

Thanks! Mine didn't come with any instructions. Never had any trouble throwing consistent loads until these light 45 ACP loads.

[str8wal]

I use the small slide until it runs out of range, then return it and go to the next slide and so-forth and so-on. A deep narrow cavity and stick or bulky powders will not yield the most consistent results.

[robg]

used minr since 82 adjust by trial and error doesnt to long ,i try to use fine powder in it as i dont like the crunching of some powders so i use a lee ppm for them

[C.F.Plinker]

The charts posted above in posts 27 & 28 are saying that slide #3 (which is the one printed on the body of the rotor) goes from either 0 or 30 up to 100 in steps of 5. This is used for large charges generally for rifle. The first question I have is does the scale go from 0 -100 or from 30 - 100 and how long is the scale in inches.

The reason I ask is that my recently purchased 55 has a different #3 scale. It goes from 0 - 8 in steps of 1 and is 0.8 inches long. The manual does not give any indication of how to use it. I did figure out that each step is 0.95 cc and corresponds to going from 0 to 14 on the #1 scale.

In going through other threads I learned that there are also D (for drams?) and G scales. Does anyone have data on these scales (Range, steps, and length)?

As always, thanks in advance.

[44magLeo]

On the three I have the main slide Is marked with two scales. One starts at 10 and goes to 140 in increments of 5 with a G at the end.
The other scale reads from 1/2 to 5 in 1/4 increments with a D at the end.
The D stands for Drams, as in measuring black powder. The G is Grains. Probably in black powder too.
These scales don't start at zero. They start at an opening that gives you a usable charge of powder accurately. The length of the scale covers charges that are usable in most firearms of the period.
Those charts were made when there were just a few powders available. I think even then they were not supposed to be exact but close enough so you could use a scale to fine tune from there.
Nowadays most of us Kinda ignore them to set up the measure for a particular charge of powder then write down the scale markings to easier set the measure for that powder charge.
I think you are overthinking how to use this fine measure.
Leo

[C.F.Plinker]

Thanks for your information. It was very helpful to me.

Overthinking things has been a lifelong trait of mine. I don't know if I could stop even if I wanted to.

I had fun coming up with a spreadsheet that shows the starting setting for the powders and charges that I use. We both got to the same destination but by different paths.

Thanks again for your help.