RydForLyf
03-08-2020, 09:06 AM
Let me tell you how great it is to use a powder measure with a micrometer adjustment. It’s great.
The immediate and most obvious benefit is that once you find a desired charge weight, you write it down in your book and you can always go right back to that the next time you need that charge with that powder. Dial, bam! You’re there. Yeah, that’s helpful, but if that’s the only thing you think is great, you’re really missing out on the really good stuff, charge charts! Wouldn’t it be great to have a chart on your wall with all of your powders with all of the dial settings for ALL charges? That is the secret sauce of a micrometer on your powder measure.
DISCLOSURE: Every powder measure micrometer is different, so everyone needs to build their own charts, but it’s pretty easy.
Here’s how to do it. I’ll demonstrate with my Uniquetek on my Dillon powder measure using HS-6 because that is what’s in it now.
1) Disconnect Fail Safe Rod
https://i.imgur.com/GdXMq6a.jpg
2) Drop loaded charge, leave measure “open” and adjust micrometer to “0”.
https://i.imgur.com/RJYx4i9.jpg
3) Cycle measure for your preferred “reset” cycles.
4) Measure 10 shots into a suitable container. I use a plugged .410 shell. I place the shell under the tip of the powder funnel and cycle it manually, holding bell cranks with my right hand. It’s a two handed operation, up and down ten times.
5) Dump 10 charges onto scale.
https://i.imgur.com/8LMdu39.jpg
6) For HS-6, my “Zero” charge is 3.54 gr.
7) Empty scale pan.
8) Run micrometer out a good range. I use 0.2” on mine.
https://i.imgur.com/oCaWgpM.jpg
9) Reset/cycle/dump.
10) Dump 10 charges at your “open” setting. Make sure to not overflow your catch device. Don’t ask!
https://i.imgur.com/mli06FU.jpg
11) For HS-6, my “Open” charge weight is 10.39 gr
12) Do the math.. 10.39 - 3.54 = 6.85. This is how much powder charge difference there is between your micrometer set to “0” and “0.2”.
13) Figure how your charge changes as the opening changes (slope). 6.85 gr/ Measure Opening (0.2”) = 34.25 gr per inch of opening. This means if your powder could slide open for 1 inch, you would get 34.25 gr for each inch of opening.
14) Now, you just need the magic equation. Let’s try it with a target of 5.2 gr.
Micrometer setting(X) = (Desired charge - “Zero” charge)/Slope
X = (5.2 - 3.54 [from #6 above]) / 34.25 [#13 above]
X = 1.66 / 34.25
X = 0.0485
15) Let’s test it!
16) Set the micrometer to 0.0485”
https://i.imgur.com/1WLYV51.jpg
17) Reset
18) Throw and weigh ten charges
https://i.imgur.com/9fK1gAv.jpg
Not too bad, 5.25 grains first try. To get this closer, I’d go back and re-do my “zero” and 0.2” measurements to make sure they’re perfect and then re-do my calcs.
Now, I’ll build this into Excel and run it out for all reasonable charges, for all of my powders. I’ll print this out and hang it on the wall. Every time I want to set the measure, all I do is look it up on the chart and go. If you get a new jug of a powder, recheck your two data points to see if anything changed since your last batch and update if necessary. Bam! You’ll have all new suggested settings for the new powder batch.
https://i.imgur.com/hwbJWZn.jpg
How to use it. If I want to load 4.5 gr of Power Pistol, I scan down the left column to 4.5 then run across that row to the Power Pistol and see I should set the micrometer to 0.0630”. I’ll dial it in, throw 10 charges to confirm weight and go from there. You will be amazed how accurate it is when using it.
For anyone interested, here are the Excel equations.
Calculate “slope”
https://i.imgur.com/dQpoVfM.jpg
Calculate setting for each desired charge. This is for 3.0 gr of AA #2.
https://i.imgur.com/lwkwnIg.jpg
One last and VERY IMPORTANT step. Reconnect fail safe rod so you don’t make a run of squibs. DON’T ASK!!!
I can gladly send my excel chart to anyone who wants it. Just remember, it only works for my setup. I have the same thing for my Redding measure, but of course, it is TOTALLY different settings.
The immediate and most obvious benefit is that once you find a desired charge weight, you write it down in your book and you can always go right back to that the next time you need that charge with that powder. Dial, bam! You’re there. Yeah, that’s helpful, but if that’s the only thing you think is great, you’re really missing out on the really good stuff, charge charts! Wouldn’t it be great to have a chart on your wall with all of your powders with all of the dial settings for ALL charges? That is the secret sauce of a micrometer on your powder measure.
DISCLOSURE: Every powder measure micrometer is different, so everyone needs to build their own charts, but it’s pretty easy.
Here’s how to do it. I’ll demonstrate with my Uniquetek on my Dillon powder measure using HS-6 because that is what’s in it now.
1) Disconnect Fail Safe Rod
https://i.imgur.com/GdXMq6a.jpg
2) Drop loaded charge, leave measure “open” and adjust micrometer to “0”.
https://i.imgur.com/RJYx4i9.jpg
3) Cycle measure for your preferred “reset” cycles.
4) Measure 10 shots into a suitable container. I use a plugged .410 shell. I place the shell under the tip of the powder funnel and cycle it manually, holding bell cranks with my right hand. It’s a two handed operation, up and down ten times.
5) Dump 10 charges onto scale.
https://i.imgur.com/8LMdu39.jpg
6) For HS-6, my “Zero” charge is 3.54 gr.
7) Empty scale pan.
8) Run micrometer out a good range. I use 0.2” on mine.
https://i.imgur.com/oCaWgpM.jpg
9) Reset/cycle/dump.
10) Dump 10 charges at your “open” setting. Make sure to not overflow your catch device. Don’t ask!
https://i.imgur.com/mli06FU.jpg
11) For HS-6, my “Open” charge weight is 10.39 gr
12) Do the math.. 10.39 - 3.54 = 6.85. This is how much powder charge difference there is between your micrometer set to “0” and “0.2”.
13) Figure how your charge changes as the opening changes (slope). 6.85 gr/ Measure Opening (0.2”) = 34.25 gr per inch of opening. This means if your powder could slide open for 1 inch, you would get 34.25 gr for each inch of opening.
14) Now, you just need the magic equation. Let’s try it with a target of 5.2 gr.
Micrometer setting(X) = (Desired charge - “Zero” charge)/Slope
X = (5.2 - 3.54 [from #6 above]) / 34.25 [#13 above]
X = 1.66 / 34.25
X = 0.0485
15) Let’s test it!
16) Set the micrometer to 0.0485”
https://i.imgur.com/1WLYV51.jpg
17) Reset
18) Throw and weigh ten charges
https://i.imgur.com/9fK1gAv.jpg
Not too bad, 5.25 grains first try. To get this closer, I’d go back and re-do my “zero” and 0.2” measurements to make sure they’re perfect and then re-do my calcs.
Now, I’ll build this into Excel and run it out for all reasonable charges, for all of my powders. I’ll print this out and hang it on the wall. Every time I want to set the measure, all I do is look it up on the chart and go. If you get a new jug of a powder, recheck your two data points to see if anything changed since your last batch and update if necessary. Bam! You’ll have all new suggested settings for the new powder batch.
https://i.imgur.com/hwbJWZn.jpg
How to use it. If I want to load 4.5 gr of Power Pistol, I scan down the left column to 4.5 then run across that row to the Power Pistol and see I should set the micrometer to 0.0630”. I’ll dial it in, throw 10 charges to confirm weight and go from there. You will be amazed how accurate it is when using it.
For anyone interested, here are the Excel equations.
Calculate “slope”
https://i.imgur.com/dQpoVfM.jpg
Calculate setting for each desired charge. This is for 3.0 gr of AA #2.
https://i.imgur.com/lwkwnIg.jpg
One last and VERY IMPORTANT step. Reconnect fail safe rod so you don’t make a run of squibs. DON’T ASK!!!
I can gladly send my excel chart to anyone who wants it. Just remember, it only works for my setup. I have the same thing for my Redding measure, but of course, it is TOTALLY different settings.