RCBS Powder Measure Cleaning?

[JesterGrin_1]

I have an RCBS Powder Measure and the powder seems as if it melted into the plastic sides of the hopper. How in the world do you clean the plastic back up? Or do you even worry about it? And I would like to ask does the plastic hopper come off of the unit?

Thank You so much and sorry if these are dumb questions lol.

[USARO4]

There are no dumb questions, just learning questions. If you leave the powder in the hopper for length of time it will discolor the plastic and make it look as if it has little indentations the size of the powder granules. If you have powder sticking to the inside of the hopper from static, just blow it out with those little cans of compressed air used for cleaning computer keyboards. Then wipe the inside of the hopper with one of those fabric softener sheets your wife uses in her clothes dryer.

[JesterGrin_1]

There are no dumb questions, just learning questions. If you leave the powder in the hopper for length of time it will discolor the plastic and make it look as if it has little indentations the size of the powder granules. If you have powder sticking to the inside of the hopper from static, just blow it out with those little cans of compressed air used for cleaning computer keyboards. Then wipe the inside of the hopper with one of those fabric softener sheets your wife uses in her clothes dryer.

Thank You for the info but I am sure it is not Static lol. It was hard to remove even with a finger nail. I did even use a piece of round 1/2 wood to run through it with a rag and it still did not remove it all. Then tried just the wood dowel lol. And there is still powder in there. And I know since it is plastic if I use a harsh detergent it could haze the plastic or even crack it. So I am at a loss here.

[45nut]

A call to RCBS should provide dividends promptly.

[JesterGrin_1]

A call to RCBS should provide dividends promptly.


I think it will also. But I also feel it is my fault lol. I did not think it would hurt to leave the hopper full of powder for two days since I was testing loads and reloading. It seems to have etched into the plastic hopper and what it does say in there instructions is that if powder is left for an extended period of time it may etch the hopper. :(.

[BudRow]

I am inclined to think that maybe the Nitroglycerine in double base powders may etch / eat the plastic over time. So I don't leave powder in it for extended periods of time.

[Bret4207]

Mine did the same thing. I'm sure the hopper comes off, just how I don't know. I'd call RCBS and ask. Their supposed to be good on that stuff.

[Pepe Ray]

Powder hoppers are(in general) either pinned or threaded on . Careful observation should show which you have.
I believe you've let time get away from you. Why do I say that?
Well , I too have an etched resivour, but it took a lot longer than 2 days.
I scraped out the stuck particles onto the ground. Wouldn't trust them after chemical reaction w/plastic. So the plastic is now cloudy, so what, you should tag the ID # or name of whatever is in there anyway. Never, NEVER trust your memory with a powder name or charge weight in a load. Live and learn.
Pepe Ray

[Dale53]

Pepe Ray;
I second your suggestion to mark the content of powder measures. I have a bunch of business cards (new ones that were left over when I changed phone numbers or office addresses). I just write on the card what powder is in the hopper and slip it inside the hopper against the plastic sides
.
Jester:
My RCBS powder measure's hopper was held in by friction. No threads, just a VERY tight fit. Call RCBS and see if yours is the made same way (I've had mine for years and they could have changed on the newer production).

[JesterGrin_1]

Thank You everyone for the good information. And I do agree that it would be a very smart move to mark on things what is in them. But for right now for just myself there is no worry. I only have one powder. And every time I get ready to load I also check the weight of the powder thrown on my scale. Too worried about going BOOM lol.

[eka]

I etched my Uniflow as well. I, like you, left some powder in there for no more than a couple of days and was suprised that it happened so fast. Had the powder canister sitting right beside it and just forgot to empty it back in. The measures work better with a good coating from the powders you put through them, so I never clean mine out. I wish I hadn't etched it though and I am more careful. But all in all, no harm done.

Keith

[Swagerman]

The RCBS powder hoppers are easy to take off and replace.

a wide blade screwdriver will pressure the tube off, just keep working at it 360* levering it upwards.

To replace with another new hopper just set it atop the hole with a flat board and mallet it downward to pressure fit the tube into the powder hopper base. (take the lid off first)

I have found that the RCBS hopper tube will fit the Redding No. 3 powder measure as well, applying the same techniques.

Jim

[Pepe Ray]

FYI:
As an inherently lazy cuss, I, over the years have experimented with systems or techniques to make life easier. Some of the info that got thru to my grey cells was that light was the precipitator of the chemical reaction between powder and plastic hoppers. The glass face plate on my Belding/Mull has never etched and it has been full forever.
Anyway, I started using brown paper bags dropped down over the hoppers. At the time I was shooting on a regular basis.(AP). and experimenting with different loads. So I would leave powder in a hopper for several days at a time, COVERED.
It worked up to the point of disregard. At the end of the autumn games I neglected my reloading room for several weeks. On returning to load I needed to change powder in one of my Lymans and found the powder stuck to the walls of the hopper. As posted previously, I scraped it off the walls, disposed of it , refilled with new powder and forged ahead. Some day soon I'll dump my Redding to see how it has faired (while covered).
Brown paper bags come in many sizes, store easily because they fold easily (follow the creases) are environmentally safe and dispose of easily when they die.
I slip large ones over permanent press set ups to keep dust free. As I said, I'm lazy.
FWIW. Pepe Ray

[JesterGrin_1]

FYI:
As an inherently lazy cuss, I, over the years have experimented with systems or techniques to make life easier. Some of the info that got thru to my grey cells was that light was the precipitator of the chemical reaction between powder and plastic hoppers. The glass face plate on my Belding/Mull has never etched and it has been full forever.
Anyway, I started using brown paper bags dropped down over the hoppers. At the time I was shooting on a regular basis.(AP). and experimenting with different loads. So I would leave powder in a hopper for several days at a time, COVERED.
It worked up to the point of disregard. At the end of the autumn games I neglected my reloading room for several weeks. On returning to load I needed to change powder in one of my Lymans and found the powder stuck to the walls of the hopper. As posted previously, I scraped it off the walls, disposed of it , refilled with new powder and forged ahead. Some day soon I'll dump my Redding to see how it has faired (while covered).
Brown paper bags come in many sizes, store easily because they fold easily (follow the creases) are environmentally safe and dispose of easily when they die.
I slip large ones over permanent press set ups to keep dust free. As I said, I'm lazy.
FWIW. Pepe Ray


Pepe Ray I do have them covered with Crown Royal Bags when not in use. :) I wonder if I did replace the hopper if a good coat of wax would help? Just a thought. :)

I just got off of the phone with RCBS and was informed that the people who use Tightgroup should have there own forum lol. As this problem is so wide spread with there hopper and Tightgroup. As I was informed Tightgroup will etch into the hopper in a short period of time. The people at RCBS also informed me to use one of those static cling sheets and fold it in half and put one on the outside of the hopper and one on the inside as it will take away the static and help prevent this in the future. They are also sending out a new hopper. Great people to deal with. :)

[Swagerman]

Someone who wants to make some bucks ought to come up with a clear plastic sleave that will fit inside the different brands of powder measures.

Thus, they can become a disposable item to discard when they get dirty.

Or, just make replacement hoppers out of fairly thick glass.

Jim

[felix]

RCBS had primers (wish we could select any brand) installed into directly usable containers, so why not powder? They could operate the sales on the side from a bulk warehouse, or just contract the whole thing out to Hodgdon, PowerValley, etc. The only thing needed would be a generic hopper system, like that for the primer system. ... felix

[JesterGrin_1]

After I get my new one I may try to make one out of HDPE and see how that holds up. Sure you can not see through it but it is slick.

Also RCBS does have a Black Powder Measure which is the same and I was informed that the Aluminum hopper should fit. But also informed it might be tough.

Glass would be a pain in the glass lol.

But I do wonder about a clear plastic poly that could be machined to fit.

And to think all of these ideas from something that broke lol.

Too many people with too much time on there hands lol.

[Pepe Ray]

Re:
RCBS had primers (wish we could select any brand) installed into directly usable containers, so why not powder?
It is my understanding that RCBS sells the empty strips and a loading gadget so that you can "roll yerown". Don't see why you can't " have it your way".
Pepe Ray