Hornady L-N-L Powder Measure? PITA

[Walks]

I went out to start loading 1000 new Starline .44mag cases today.
My Chiropractor needs COWBOY AMMO in 10 days. Got everything I need, Cases are fully preped & primed, Bullets are sized & lubed, Powder aplenty.

Changed, shellplate,dies, Powder Measure Die from loading .45ACP

Can't get Powder Measure to drop CONSISTENTLY!!!!!!!
I'm trying to drop 5.5grs TiteGroup. Very inconsistent, had to readjust from 6.0grs UNIQUE. It'll throw 2 charges of 3.8grs, then one of 6.0grs. Back and forth, 5.3grs - 4.0grs, 5.7grs - 4.9grs.

I checked my RCBS E-SCALE with scale check weights, broke out the old 10-10 scale. Both Scales matched up. I even booted up my LYMAN Powder Measure/Scale and took my ancient REDDING #1 out of mothballs.

All 4 scales are within .02 tenths of each other.

It's the Same L-N-L Powder Measure I've used for 15yrs on the same HORNADY L-N-L Progressive press I've used for 15yrs.
It's got the small rotor, haven't changed it in 5 years, Loaded 60,000 rds in those 15yrs.
Iv'e only had one problem with a powder measure in 60yrs, That was 25-30yrs ago with HORNADY'S precursor to the L-N-L PM.
What the blasted hell is going on ? Iv'e been using the same lot of TiteGroup for 8-9 yrs. Bought 48lbs back in 2008.
Took it all apart, cleaned it. I do that every time I fill up my " 1lb dispensing can" from an 8lb can or change powders.

Spent an hour loading 68 rounds. Got a heck of a case of HEARTBURN !!!

WHAT THE HELL ??????

[Lloyd Smale]

you may be seeing powder bridge over in the measure. Ive seen the same using aa9 in a small rotor. For grins try your large rotor.

[Moleman-]

Be interested in seeing what the issue turns out to be. I've got both the older Hornady measure that came with the pro-jector press and a newer LNL measure that I bought 10 years ago or so. Haven't used the pistol stem on the older measure in 20+ years, and don't have the pistol stem/drum for the LNL measure. Have had spiders and other insects think the dark tunnel of the powder drop looks like a nice place to make a web or cocoon as well as burs form, stuck/clumpy powder, powder bridging, and case activated limits not correct that caused the powder charges to vary way too much.

[Walks]

Discovered what it was tonight.

Tiny brass shavings from a DULL chamfer/deburr tool left were being dislodged into some of the cases by the expander die, before going up into the powder measure.

Used a new chamfer/deburr tool on 50 cases, cleaned out the shavings very well.

Adjusted the Powder Measure with those cases.
Got it all squared away and loaded 500rds.

So much for not paying attention to what you done tens of THOUSANDS of times, so you get lax in your case prep.

[Carrier]

Discovered what it was tonight.

Tiny brass shavings from a DULL chamfer/deburr tool left were being dislodged into some of the cases by the expander die, before going up into the powder measure.

Used a new chamfer/deburr tool on 50 cases, cleaned out the shavings very well.

Adjusted the Powder Measure with those cases.
Got it all squared away and loaded 500rds.

So much for not paying attention to what you done tens of THOUSANDS of times, so you get lax in your case prep.

There must have been a lot of brass shavings.

[Walks]

Yep, but it doesn't take much at 5.5grs of powder, to go to 5.9grs.

[roysha]

Once again let me say I'm far from the sharpest knife in the drawer so please explain to me how brass shavings in the case CAUSES THE MEASURE to throw random weight charges.

[Walks]

roysha,

The measure is not throwing random charges.

The brass shavings that are dislodged from the Expander die are already in the case when it goes up into the Powder Measure. The difference in thrown charges are a result of random amounts of those brass shavings.

Once you start throwing charges into "clean cases" without any brass shavings residue, the Powder Measure throws " stabilized ? " charges.

[Petander]

Thanks for posting this, I have a L&L and read this out of curiosity.

It's easy to make silly mistakes after decades of routine. Not so long ago I loaded a 50 cal bullet into a 45-70 case. Pushed it in real good with Rock Chucker. I had coated various bullets in one batch...

I do have an extra routine after chamfering,I give the case mouths a couple of turns with steel wool and tap them on my desk,upside-down.