Newbie question on compression..........

[Knarley]

The question to ponder is where is zero?
If you just pour powder into the case you have one level.
If you drop tube you have another level.
If you dump the powder into a drop tube, you have a level, if you trickle it into the drop tube you will have yet another.
I'm going to imagine that different lengths of drop tubes will also give you a different level of powder in the case of your choice.

I have been asked how much compression do I use. But first I need to know where is zero, or where does one start to measure from seeing as how there seem to be so many starting points? Or again, use X amount of compression. OK, from where?
Just curious,
Thanks,
Knarley

[country gent]

I measure from the case mouth down to the powder with a wad hand seated to it. Then after compressing to the depth of the seated bullet subtract first from second and that's the amount of compression. I place the wad in as it gives a better surface to measure to and is actually a constant when there as its the same on both compressed and uncompressed.This works for me and is a repeatable measurement. May not be the very best way but its repeatable for me so...

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Compress so that your boolit base sits on the wad so that your crimp groove is lined up, or your COL is correct, or so that your loaded cartridge will chamber.

You are over thinking the height of the powder difference between pouring and drop tubing.

I seem to remember Mike Ventrino saying, just fill 'er up.

Now they're saying drop tubes aren't so important any more, I still use one for competition beyond 200 yards. What is important is consistency. So that each one of your rounds are the same as the other.

[rfd]

drop tube into the case to compact the powder, add a wad or wads, compress.

the variables of case volume, powder granulation, powder compaction, wad(s), compression die setting, and desired OAL (if an OAL is a requirement), are all up for experimentation.

loading the PPB way with bore riders, it can be as simple as what was already posted - load 'er full up, push in a wad, compress 1/8" or so to allow the patched slick to push into the case mouth and seat.

[Bent Ramrod]

You should learn fairly quickly how to do a three-second pour of powder into the funnel on your drop tube. The tube will help the settling to the extent that the charge is further separated and slowed as it trickles down the tube.

I imagine there is more settling potential in a ten-foot drop tube than a two-foot one, but unless you want to go upstairs for every charge, a reasonably consistent trickle from a 24" tube seems to be all that's needed.

Set your compression die like Country Gent suggests. The more powder, the more compression to the same height in the case until your groups close up.

[greenjoytj]

I think the zero point starts with how much powder weight you want to burn per cartridge and you get that from known load recipes. Not from a height measurement.
Yes you will get different powder colum heights using different pour methods and their all irrelevant. You need to pour into the cartridge case a measured weight of powder.
The space taken up the powder column will change but the powder weight will not.

So begin load development with weighed powder charges. Compress the charge with a compression plug installed in the expander die body, not the bullet.
The main reason to compress the powder is to get more fuel into the case and you don't want loose powder rattling around in the case slowly grinding its self to dust. The surface of the compressed powder is hard enough to support the tail of your vernier calliper so an accurate measurement of length to the case mouth can be made. Now you can apply his measurement to your bullet, from its base to crimp point. Now you have determined the powder charge weight that when compressed, will allow you to seat the bullet to the height you require.