BPCR Loaded Volumetrically Question

[tangsight]

Before he died, Dick Trenk, who was Competition Events Director for Pedersoli, wrote a short article titled "Charging Cases for Best Accuracy". In that article, he wrote, in part: "This charge is then poured into the case via a drop tube or as I am currently doing, dumped into the case fast and the cases are vibrated on a home made (electric razor) device for 25 seconds."

Searches here have been less than successful for me, so I will just ask everyone: Show me your home made case vibration devices.

[Gray Fox]

I have had success simply holding the filled case on to the edge of my small Dillon vibratory case cleaner and watching it settle the powder. I'll bet one of the small vibratory muscle massager gadgets would work, too. GF

[country gent]

I don't vibrate cases to settle charges. I do use a 3'drop tube or a slow pour above the funnel from about 3". I then compress the charge using the first wad with a die.

[tangsight]

To the Fox: I too have a small vibratory case cleaner, but I always thought it looked too violent for settling a powder charge. Never thought of a muscle massager, though. There would be a two for one benefit there.
To Gent: The Trenk article goes on to advise the use of a drop tube as an alternate means of settling the powder. His was also very long (32"). I was hoping the vibratory method would allow me to set fifty cases in a loading block, put the block on a platform, turn it on and forget it for a few minutes. Surely there are others of the same mindset?

[country gent]

To tangsight: I may try it but would want some really fine vibrations too, I could see cases rattling and powder granuales bouncing out as they settle. Also could see taller cases tipping out of the shallower loading blocks.

I may give it a try though. Make a block with holes 1"-1 1/4" deep. set it on 4 springs for feet and a vibration source on the bottom. I have a old vibra shine vibratory powder trickler I seldom use I may try. Also a couple battery powered beard trimmers That could be "donated" to the cause.

[otteray]

I took 2, 2" long by 1/2" thick blocks and drilled two holes in each. One hole for a 3/8"dowel, and the other hole for 24" long aluminum tubing, about an inch apart on each block so the dowel and tube will be parallel. I then drilled a tight hole for the dowel on a 1'x 1' platform, to pound the dowel into, with the two small blocks pushed onto the dowel and tubing, at top and near bottom; leaving the tubing off the platform high enough for 2.20" brass. Put a funnel on the top of the drop tube. Five minute to make from scrap and works great. Works great and surprisingly consistent without vibration, unless my teenage neighbors are playing their **** boom box real loud again.

[rfd]

why complicate what can be done in an effective, simple, quick, and manual manner? drop tubes work well.

[ascast]

once you done all of the above, you may try vibrating while a weight is sitting on the powder charge, like a 550 grn 45-70 sized to slip fit in your cases.
just sayin...

[greenjoytj]

Use a “Compression Plug” mounted in your expander die body and let power of your press push the powder colum down to what ever height you need to allow you bullet to seat where you want. If your powder charging a long case like a 45-70 or bigger a 2 or 3 stage compression die usage maybe necessary. Short cases like my 45 Colt I use a trick “Saturn” brand funnel to settle the charge, then use the compression die.
I only load BP for the 45 Colt, when I first started loading it I tried 9” drop tube plus vibration. Using these 2 techniques really slowed down the powder charging process. The Saturn funnel settled the powder to almost the same level. So I quit using the long drop with vibration and moved on to acquiring a compression plug.

By home case vibration tool: I sourced the vibration tool from the local adult sex toy store, striped off the outer rubber “male” part and was left with a nice 2 AA battery powered variable speed vibration tool.

Or you could....

Lay a large bass speaker box on it back. Remove the grill and put your 50 count loading block across the big speaker cone. Now play a tune on the stereo and fiddle with the bass and volume controls to get the powder dancing’s in the cases for a few minutes then slowly reduce the level of volume and bass. Your powder column is now settled. The choice of music to play is up to you.

[Wayne Smith]

Use a “Compression Plug” mounted in your expander die body and let power of your press push the powder colum down to what ever height you need to allow you bullet to seat where you want. If your powder charging a long case like a 45-70 or bigger a 2 or 3 stage compression die usage maybe necessary. Short cases like my 45 Colt I use a trick “Saturn” brand funnel to settle the charge, then use the compression die.
I only load BP for the 45 Colt, when I first started loading it I tried 9” drop tube plus vibration. Using these 2 techniques really slowed down the powder charging process. The Saturn funnel settled the powder to almost the same level. So I quit using the long drop with vibration and moved on to acquiring a compression plug.
I sourced the vibration tool from the local adult sex toy store, striped off the outer rubber “male” part and was left with a nice 2 AA battery powered variable speed vibration tool.

Or you could....

Lay a large bass speaker box on it back. Remove the grill and put your 50 count loading block across the big speaker cone. Now play a tune on the stereo and fiddle with the bass and volume controls to get the powder dancing’s in the cases for a few minutes then slowly reduce the level of volume and bass. Your powder column is now settled. The choice of music to play is up to you.
1812 Overature - the cannon will really do the job! Or, as my son called it when he was 4years old - the "Over 12 Overture".

[cajun shooter]

I was kinda thinking about the William Tell Overture as the BP was settling in the case, I would be able to sit back and have thoughts of Roy, Trigger, and Tonto.

[Dave T]

I've found just tapping the filled case against the bench top settles it enough for my purposes. I always found the drop tube idea to be a pain to use with minimal results.

YMMV,
Dave

[greenjoytj]

I was kinda thinking about the William Tell Overture as the BP was settling in the case, I would be able to sit back and have thoughts of Roy, Trigger, and Tonto.
If he’s charging 45-70 cases with BP and we’re helping with the tune selection, the tune should be “The Gary Owen” with a side serving of “Ride of the Valkyries”. Very stirring music.

[GrumpyBear]

I don't vibrate cases to settle charges. I do use a 3'drop tube or a slow pour above the funnel from about 3". I then compress the charge using the first wad with a die.

I use the same methods working well so far.

[indian joe]

I use the same methods working well so far.

ok its accepted that drop tubing or vibration is beneficial - somebody would have tested this I guess?
- has anybody actually tested with the exact same weighed loads to see whether and if so how much of an advantage in accuracy is to be had by doing this as opposed to just compressing the same quantity of the same powder ?? heres a job for someone with a home range and a chronograph.
I know from dismantling loads here that there is considerable variation in the degree of compaction of the charge from just under the boolit/wad to right at the primer even with drop tubed charges
- it (the variation) also seems to be more so with a bottleneck case (45/75) than with a straight case (45/70) - think how a hydraulic jack works here perhaps? ---

FWIW I use a drop tube about 2 foot for big cases - I used a small neck powder funnel at the top and another choke point made from a 223 shell part way down - and I still get significant variation in powder height if I dont pour consistently at the top.
For pistol length cases I reckon the whole deal is a waste of time - I just pour those full with my powder horn - most times I have checked I got a tad less than half grain variation - compress with set depth plug and seat a boolit - If I am not using an overpowder wad I coat the compression plunger with powdered graphite otherwise you get powder sticking to it.

a ps --- I am using ungraphited powder - much more pernickity as far as settling it in a measure and I would guess that variation in compression from base to apex under compression is more - I am now very conscious of this with measures.

[maxiblu]

I use a 24" drop tube and can get 65 grains of Swiss 1-1/2 in a 40-65 case. After that I put a .025 card wad on top then compress .375 using a compression die. Seat the bollit till it's just off the lands. Till I drive 4 hours to the match I don't think any more vibration is necessary. This works for me. 45-70 was same procedure just different compression numbers.