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Thread: Need suggestions for a small charge powder measure that is accurate.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

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    Need suggestions for a small charge powder measure that is accurate.

    I am using a Uniflow with the small hole drum, it is good down to about 2.5 grains of most powders. But, with a new found love of shooting a couple of 32acp pistols I would really like to measure 1.8 to 2.2-2.3 grains of stuff like bullseye, 231 and titegroup. Bullseye cuts power grains and will vary from 1.7 to 2.3 with the target set at 2.1 Titegroup is the easiest of the three.

    I have briefly thought about the Little Dandy, but the rotors are not really where I need them and I am not a machinist so making more is not going to happen.

    I have tried dippers and they spent most time trying my patience... again... not for me.

    Am I just asking for to much?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master sawinredneck's Avatar
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    A Redding “master powder measure”, the old one with brown wrinkle finish, will do this. You can find them on evilbay and I recall someone on here had a couple in the swap and sell section a while back. This will do what you want.
    The other suggestion, don’t laugh, Lee’s perfect powder measure will work for this as well.
    Quote Originally Posted by sniper View Post
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    I have read that the Lee would do it... but that it leaks! Is the deluxe (non-plastic) model really better?

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Look for one of the rcbs Little Dandies or one of the bushing type measures, They are desighned for the small charges and once the bushing size is determined write the number in your reloading manual and its repeatable. Draw back is changing charges requires new rotor or bushings. Rotors / bushings can be adjusted to exact charge with a piece of tape in the cavity easily. Epoxy can also be used to fine tune them. I believe there is even an adjustable after market rotor available for them.


    Another work around is to make a dipper to throw the small charges from a cartridge case. a 25 acp case with a wire handle soldered or glued to it and cut to size for the charge. With some practice and use they can be very accurate.

    I also know a couple guys using a Dillon measure with the die in single stage presses to powder cases with decent results. One plus to this is the press operates the measure very consistently each time. Here you could powder and bell in one pass.

    Last is to experiment with your RCBS Uniflow and the small drum. Try a baffle with 2 small holes ( 1/4"- 3/8") 180* apart and just inside the edges by .030-.060. ( a thin piece of aluminum, plastic pop bottle or even index card or playing card can be cut to the size of the drum) This keeps the weight of the powder in the drum consistant on the cavity.

    A second drum would allow experimenting with cavity size with tubing and hardware store pieces parts. Sizing the drums cavity down from the 1/2" or so to 5/16" or 1/4" with a piece of tubing. This depends on the thread insert your local store has. glue in to full length of cavity hole and file sand to match radius. A bolt 5/16 dia fine threads and a thread insert to size down the threads in the drum. glue the insert in and cut head off the bolt square and true. In this way a "micro drum can be made that will give easier adjustment of small charges. Be smaller and deeper than the small drum.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master sawinredneck's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mattw View Post
    I have read that the Lee would do it... but that it leaks! Is the deluxe (non-plastic) model really better?
    I honestly know nothing about the deluxe version, and yes, the PPM leaks, but it works, so....
    Quote Originally Posted by sniper View Post
    Irish Proverb: Never approach a Bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or an Idiot from any direction!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    The Lyman 55’s are good at small powder drops.

  7. #7
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    I bought the micrometer for my uniflow.. Works great!
    Tom
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I sometimes us the Lee dippers-- they go down to 0.3 cc. Its the same idea as using a cut down case customized. They work fine-- but the drawback is that the available sizes may not measure the exact number of grains you want. They're made of plastic, though, so if you have some amount you measure a lot you could easily cut one down to exactly what you want.
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  9. #9
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    I have the plastic drum measure on my turrent and love it for small charges of 231, hs-6, autocomp and cfe pistol for 380. Leaks some with hs-6 and cfe, but it is like 3 or 4 granules per charge. Not enough to notice to me.
    "In God we trust, in all others, check the manual!"

  10. #10
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    I like the dippers for load development but for anything more than a few dozen rounds they're a little tedious.
    I still have my Lee PPM (not the deluxe model) but leakage was too much and the action wasn't anywhere near smooth, even after Lee reworked it for me.
    Warning: I know Judo. If you force me to prove it I'll shoot you.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    I have had good luck with the Lee PPM - but I double check every so often with my RCBS 505.

    I was using one of my Lyman 55s the other day to drop small drops of powder for my 38 Colt Short loads. I was using 1.9 grains of Bulls Eye and 2.0 of Red Dot for my particular boolit. My 55 did well with the Bulls Eye - Red Dot was not so good and I just ended up using a dipper and the 505 scale - wasn't loading a lot of 'em so it went fairly fast.

    For RD, my Lee PPM seems to work better - go figure. As they say, your mileage may vary and I'm thinking it's up to your individual powder measure. Those are the only two I have experience with.

    And yes, my Lee PPM leaks just like everybody else but in the long run, I don't care as long as it throws consistent charges. I load on a Lee 4 hole turret and I just make sure the area on the bench is clean and the press brushed off before I start - every so often, I'll collect the powder grains and toss them back in the hopper as long as there are no foreign objects in it.

    I be curious to hear how the new Lee powder measures work as well - anyone have one who can give a little review on one? The good, bad & the ugly?

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I have found Titegroup pretty good for really low power 32s. However, small charges do get down to a very small volume of powder that is really not what most measures were optimized for.

    The other way to go at the problem would be a more bulky powder that meters as good as Titegroup.

    The choices get real slim.

    Have you read over:

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...a-Bulky-Powder

    I have poked around at this quite a bit. My new custom contender barrel shoots a 32 ACP length case and does great with 2 gr of titegroup and a 55 gr boolit. A big part of the logic with the smaler than typical case was to reduce free space when using titegroup. However, I am still at only 50% fill for the case.

  13. #13
    Boolit Man
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    With a Chargemaster, you can start at 2.0 and set or trickle up as desired. Anything less than that and I'd suggest the Lee dippers + trickler. Either way, I'm thinking trickler is a good thing in your tool box for this project. I've always been curious about those stand-alone auto-tricklers that work with the A&D scales, but you're talking some bucks for the privilege.
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  14. #14
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    If you play with the Lee ( a smooth file and some wet dry paper on the plunger ) it will throw constant charges below 1 grain. I use .8 grains of bullseye on 25cap and it worked great. If you take it apart and lap it it will leak a lot less. I will admit mine still leaked a small amount when using bullseye. Maybe enough to load one cartridge after about 5 boxes. But it is the only powder that I use that does this.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy daboone's Avatar
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    The Lee Classic, replaced by the Deluxe(both basically the same measure) doesn't leak H110 or Bullseye and is excellent with both flake and ball powders and even stick like IMR 4350. Never tried dispensing below 3.0grains with it.
    "An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out." Will Rogers

  16. #16
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    My Lee Deluxe (metal)works very well on the small charges, 2.5 grains of HP38 showed less than 0.1 variance over the 20 loads I checked over 100 rounds measured. I have an RCBS Uniflow, other Lee measures including the Lee plastic PPM, a Dillon on a 550, Bonanza Pistol Powder Measure(similar to RCBS little Dandy), an old Pacific with a separate powder chamber and an old Herters. The Lee Deluxe also did not leak with 1680, works well with long grain(IMR 4064) and coarse grain (H3831) No Crunching and so far is the most capable powder measure I have used.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom W. View Post
    I bought the micrometer for my uniflow.. Works great!
    I thought about this... but the cavity and grain cutting surfaces are what they are...

  18. #18
    Boolit Master

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    Guys, great input. I load for my bench rifles, so I am set up with a good old cast iron redding trickler and a pretty solid Ohaus 10-10. That was how I loaded the last batch, Uniflow throwing under charge and trickle up to what I wanted. That is fine for a box or 2 but once my load is settled and I want a few hundred set back, this just will not work. I am running the Uniflow with a baffle and it does help, have for years. Maybe the Uniflow is wearing out at the cutting surface, looks good but a little cavitation would make a big difference in the cutting action.

    I guess I will watch Swapin' and Sellin' for a deluxe or standard Lee to try. Will then look for a Redding if I do not like it. Just can't afford the Redding right now.

    Thanks for the input and time to organize your thoughts.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
    Last is to experiment with your RCBS Uniflow and the small drum. Try a baffle with 2 small holes ( 1/4"- 3/8") 180* apart and just inside the edges by .030-.060. ( a thin piece of aluminum, plastic pop bottle or even index card or playing card can be cut to the size of the drum) This keeps the weight of the powder in the drum consistant on the cavity.

    A second drum would allow experimenting with cavity size with tubing and hardware store pieces parts. Sizing the drums cavity down from the 1/2" or so to 5/16" or 1/4" with a piece of tubing. This depends on the thread insert your local store has. glue in to full length of cavity hole and file sand to match radius. A bolt 5/16 dia fine threads and a thread insert to size down the threads in the drum. glue the insert in and cut head off the bolt square and true. In this way a "micro drum can be made that will give easier adjustment of small charges. Be smaller and deeper than the small drum.
    I may try this over winter. I get down time in the winter and get to cast and load in peace. Thanks for the idea.

  20. #20
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    The Lee Pro Auto Disk with the Titan micro disk can do very small charges. The deluxe PPM should be able to handle small charges, it uses drums and I use the Auto Drum and find it very consistent, but haven't tried it on really small charges. My choice for small loads in .32 ACP is the Auto Disk (yes the pro model is worth it) and the 3D printed micro disk that Titan reloading makes and sells.
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