Accurately Measuring Flake Powder

[NavArch]

I use a Hornady LnL AP press, which likes spherical powders much more than flake type. As I am just now starting to load cast boolits for .44 magnum, and obtaining powder has forced me to dig into my supply of Unique, I need a better way to measure out powder accurately. Any suggestions?

[uscra112]

Scale.

[bhn22]

The Hornady press should have their drum type powder measure. Mine is the most accurate powder measure I own. Are you making certain the powder is settled in the hopper before you start loading? Flake powders settle in a measure as the measure cycles, this causes the powder charges to get progressively heavier by small increments if you don't take steps to help it settle before you start. I know guys who take a hand held vibratory massager or a (ahem) personal vibrator to the hopper for a minute of so to settle the powder a bit.

[WALLNUTT]

Where do they get the persoal vibrator?

[Fernando]

make a powder baffle

[462]

Baffle, balance beam scale, and trickler.

[btroj]

Where do they get the persoal vibrator?

Wow, I don't know that I can answer that without getting banned.....

[Daddyfixit]

Wow, I don't know that I can answer that without getting banned.....
Top left dresser drawer?? [smilie=1:

[NavArch]

The Hornady press should have their drum type powder measure. Mine is the most accurate powder measure I own. Are you making certain the powder is settled in the hopper before you start loading? Flake powders settle in a measure as the measure cycles, this causes the powder charges to get progressively heavier by small increments if you don't take steps to help it settle before you start. I know guys who take a hand held vibratory massager or a (ahem) personal vibrator to the hopper for a minute of so to settle the powder a bit.

Thanks. That was the effect that had been driving me crazy in the past, even with a baffle in place. Homedics makes vibratory massagers that won't get you talked about, as it were.....

[bhn22]

Yeah, I knew this would happen. One other thing, when you set your powder measure, throw ten charges in your scale pan and divide the resulting weight by ten to get your average charge. Then dump the powder back into the hopper, and repeat the process. If your weight is notably different, your powder isn't settled yet.

[btroj]

I always throw 10 charges with vogorous handle banging to settle the powder, only then do I begging setting the measure. I do the same on my Dillon to settle the powder.

[GabbyM]

You need to match up the size of the charge bushing drum or what ever makes the cavity in your measure. My medium rifle size Culver measure won't drop good charges in pistol weights of a flake powder. the slide in the drum gets to thin an opening for the depth. I clamp on the old Lyman 55 with the three piece drum slide and just open the top two slides. In My Dillon the pistol size charge bar works great with flakes. Even IMR-700X measure well. They all need to have the powder shaken around to settle in. Plus a baffle if you don't have one. You an just shape and bend a piece of cardboard then stuff in the tube.

I don't own any Hornady measures. Do they have pistol sized drums to use?

[bhn22]

Hornady measures are adjustable, they don't use bushings. There is a large and a small stem. By happy coincidence, the #5 marking on my small stem throws exactly 5.0 gr of Unique.

[Char-Gar]

I have been using flake powder (Bulleye and Unique) or a very long time. I currently use for this purpose, a Lyman 55 measure, a Hollywood adjustable measure, Lee dippers and RCBS Little Dandy. I find any of them throw powder charges consistent enough for even the most critical uses.

Like others, when setting an adjustable measure, I throw ten charges, weigh and divide by ten. With non-adjustable measures, I throw about ten charges to settle the powder in the hopper and then proceed to charge the cases.

Perhaps I am somewhat dense, but I don't see the problem with flake pistol powders. It has never reared it's head in 50 plus years of using these powders.

[btroj]

I use the same settling routine with ball powders. I just figure it makes sense to get the powder settled up front then set the charge.

[454PB]

I own four powder measures, but do most all of my handgun loads with an old Herters measure I bought 40 years ago. When using Unique, I do a "double tap" on the throw handle at the fill position. The charges stay within .1 grain or better.

[MaryB]

Ask your wife/GF for hers.... :razz:


Where do they get the persoal vibrator?

[bhn22]

"Consistency, for consistencys sake". One other thing, after making an adjustment on any adjustable type measure, toss the first two charges dropped back in the hopper unmeasured. Depending on the design of the measure, the first one will likely be wrong anyway, and I've seen situations where the second charge after an adjustment isn't a full charge either. Dillon powder measures will usually settle the powder themselves, due to their up and down, side to side motion. About 20 cycles, which is about what you perform when setting it, seem to settle them in nicely.

[WILCO]

Wow, I don't know that I can answer that without getting banned.....


Top left dresser drawer?? [smilie=1:

And that kids, is how it's done. Well played Sir. Well played.