Metric anyone?

[kentuckyshooter]

Hi all. I know all of our measurements are in standard inches but I was wondering if there were folks out there running the metric system for their reloading. Where I work everything is measured in mm so it would not be a big jump for me but all data would have to be converted to make it work. Just was my thoughts. Would love to hear outhers opinions.

[fishhawk]

Well remember what happened when some one didn't use the right numbers with the one mars probe. Switching back and forth to me sounds like a accident waiting to happen. I say stick with the published units. And they WERE rocket scientist's!

[GLL]

I use grams/kilograms when mixing up alloys since I have two very nice metric balances. It is much easier for me to calculate in units of ten to produce the percentages of Pb, Sn, and Sb in an alloy.
I stick with grains for powders though. As fishhawk implies it only takes one misconversion to produce undesirable results !

Jerry

[bangerjim]

I hate the metric system.

All the industrial process products I now sell are sourced from other countries these days (Germany, France, Sweden, Japan, etc) and I am constantly converting back to our good old English measurements!

Best converter I have found:

https://joshmadison.com/convert-for-windows/


banger

[TenTea]

I was ready in 1976...in the fourth grade!

[DonMountain]

I was ready in 1976...in the fourth grade!

I was ready in the 60's in high school! And I still feel comfortable using either set of measurements. But I think you have to go one system or the other and have all of your loading manuals, scales and measuring devices in one system or the other. And not to switch back and forth. The conversion process is where the errors take place. And I am getting too old now to buy all new scales and loading manuals. Does Lyman even print loading manuals using the metric system?

[runfiverun]

nope but LEE does only it's in CC's and nobody gets it.

[bedbugbilly]

I was in college in the very early 70s - at WMU. Western was supposed to be the new "metric learning center". I can remember having to put up listening to Dr. John Lindbeck "preach" on all of it . . . EVERYBODY was going to be using metric and the U.S. was "behind the times". After graduating, I worked in the engineering department of a local Kalamazoo industry . . . we had one product that was licensed through the German company we dealt with. Any drawing I ever did had to be "dual dimensioned" - what a PIA. I always found it interesting that the college was to be the "leader in metrics" . . . but in the machine shop, we were still learning on old WWII "lend/lease" equipment - LaBloind lathes, Bridgeport mills, etc. - ALL set up in English measurement. Now, I'm "old" and retired. Thank goodness I don't have to worry about measuring in metric . . . I hate it and personally . . . consider it "un-American". LOL But then, I sometimes have problems turning my computer on and off too . . . . so I have a lot o respect for those that can "interpret metric". And, oh . . . in those days, we had "slide rules" too . . . I don't know what ever happened to mine but if I still had it, I'd probably be using it for a "straight edge" or put it under the shortest leg of a table to level it out.

[Jack Stanley]

I'd rather not use metric in any method except cash .

Jack

[LuckyDog]

I prefer metric. I know a butt ton of imperial measurements. Oz lbs gal acres fathoms feet inch mile angstroms etc.
I HATE switching back and forth!

It switching / converting units that will get ya. Even switching between feet inches and yards can cause problems.

[Red River Rick]

Years ago, Canada switched over to the metric system to satisify it's European buddies.........

The Automotive industry was the driving force so everyone had to change, weather you liked it or not. And you didn't have much input, only more expenses.

The one incident which was a direct result of mis-calculations, converting imperial to metric, that sticks in my mind the most is this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimli_Glider

I work with metric dimensions all the time, makes no difference to me, imperial or metric. As long as you know how too converct correctly, you'll be fine. However, make one small error.........

RRR

[BattleRife]

I do. I started by checking cartridge overall lengths in mm, then extended to measuring group sizes the same way. I find that 0.1mm on COAL and whole millimeters for group size is just about the ideal level of precision for everyday use.

Then I managed to find a scale dealer that had a bunch of Ohaus 5-0-5 metric beam scales he was trying to get rid of, and I bought him out. I have done all my powder measurements in grams since. I also set my Shooting Chrony to measure velocities in m/s. It takes a while to get used to, I spend 20 years listening to and reading the numbers in obsolescent units, but now I am very much to the point that I know that the standard muzzle velocity of a .270 Winchester is 930m/s. I would have to think about it to know the equivalent in fps. I also find it very convenient that my velocity goals for .38 Special, .40 S&W and 9mm are 250, 300 and 350m/s, respectively.

The only application where I haven't wrapped my head around metric is bullet weights. Those .270 bullets I mentioned earlier are still 130 grains in my head.

I will agree you do have to dedicate your operation to either metric or imperial, you don't want to be routinely converting back and forth. When I am starting a new load, I use my manuals to look up what starting load I want in grains, then immediately convert that to grams and write it down. From that point forward all notes and measurements are in grams.

I can remember having to put up listening to Dr. John Lindbeck "preach" on all of it . . . EVERYBODY was going to be using metric and the U.S. was "behind the times".

Everybody is going to be using metric. Even in the US, a big chunk of industry is operating in metric and has been for years. Virtually all research work has been done exclusively in metric for decades. I don't see how anyone could argue that is not the case.

[William Yanda]

"The Automotive industry was the driving force so everyone had to change, weather you liked it or not."

So now I have 2 sets of sockets, fractional and metric, all in 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 INCH drive.

[kentuckyshooter]

Thanks for the input. I admit i have been reloading in standard measurements except my lee powder measure witch is in cc's. The reason i was curious was all the measuring I do at work is metric. I work for an automotive dicast facility. Shure would be nice not to have to think in 2 difrent systems between home and work

[McFred]

I'm "old" and retired. Thank goodness I don't have to worry about measuring in metric . . . I hate it and personally . . . consider it "un-American".

Better pray your heathcare practitioners don't have the same attitude... Look up "death by decimal" and how it relates to mathematical illiteracy.

[olafhardt]

I retired after years in the chemical manufacturing business. We used many measurment systems. There are gillions of tables of conversion factors. We in shooting have some strange ones like dram equivalents in shotshells,shotgun gauges, 38-40 ammunition, etc. Metric sorta rules labs but it is hard to count cattle in metric. We had a method called dementional analysis which we used to keep this stuff straight. In my career I never ran into a chemist that used it. Most had not heard of it. Lots of engineers don't seem to use it. It is too difficult for me to explain it here. In fact I have no Idea how to use it on a key board. I have to put it on paper. It has helped me for decades.

[robg]

in the uk we use both .I think in imperial. temp we use both, hot in degrees f, when cold degrees c .don't ask ive no idea why.

[JeffinNZ]

I can work in both. Given that most shooting literature is imperial that's what I use for handloading. The rest of time I am metric. It's not unusual for me to mix them. Put 60 litres of petrol in the car that does 35mpg.

[Mal Paso]

"The Automotive industry was the driving force so everyone had to change, weather you liked it or not."

So now I have 2 sets of sockets, fractional and metric, all in 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2 INCH drive.

My last 2 trucks were Metric And Standard depending on which part you were working on.

The METRIC ENGINEERS being True Communists are constantly inventing NEW SIZES. Where the hell did 18mm come from, we already had 17mm and 19mm. Now they are inventing Half Sizes. WHY have a 4.5mm Hex wrench? We should have nipped this in the bud and outlawed metrics.

Metric is a communist plot and should be Systematically Eliminated.

[44man]

Metric is easier but conversion sucks. One or the other, not both. But I am happy with standard. I can live with feet, yards and miles. I do not want KM's on my speedometer. FPS is better them meters per second.
The worst ever is to work on an American car or truck to find metric bolts alongside standard.
I can live with 6.5 or 7mm because I know standard for them and bullets are sold standard.