Hornady powder measure questions.

[Bazoo]

I got this measure at a junk shop. I have some questions. First, which model is it? Then, what's it's value in a normal market?

Looks like a pistol insert as it doesn't have much adjustment, goes to 8. Are rifle inserts are still available?

Does anyone have a link to the manual?

Thanks for the help.

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[cwlongshot]

Looks just like the one on my bench!!

Its a simple design. Screw the stem in for Less/smaller Charges and out for larger heavier charges. You will find some difficulty with larger extruded powders as well as some Flake Powders. But it works as all Do wonderfully with ball and smaller Extruded powders.

Good score

CW

[Winger Ed.]

Since the tube is clear, and looks original, if it was ever used at all, it probably wasn't more than a few times, then cleaned.

You can probably scrounge the other measure pretty easily.
If I still had 2-3 spares for my old one-- I'd send ya one.
Or, I think the new style drum and its 'snap in' measures should fit it.

Mine was from the early 80's. Yours looks a little older than that generation of them.
If so, your adjustable measuring stem probably doesn't have a set screw on it to lock down its setting.

It's cheating, but you can ease out the whole measuring stem/thing for small-ish rifle charges.
The rifle measure looks like the pistol one with about 1/2 of the body's rear end chopped off.
The adjustable plunger for it is the full bore diameter of the hole going through the drum.

With the pistol measure partly backed out & clamped, it'll work and still have a small amount of adjustment.

I don't know what its worth, but the new ones are the best part of $100.

[Moleman-]

I've used one of those for about 30 years or so. There should be two stems with it, one that the stem head is full size for rifle and another that the stem head is about .3" for use with pistol. There is a set screw on the body of the stem just above the number graduations right next to the drum that locks the stem. To remove the stem there is a set screw on the side of the drum opposite of the handle. The handle on yours is facing backwards for some reason. Both the pistol and rifle stems on mine go up to 10. Hornady should have the manual for it on their website.

I measured a LNL drum and it seems to be about .010"ish smaller dia than the pro7/pro-jector stems I have.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the responses.

Another question, will it throw charges as large as say, 22 grains or so of 2400 or 4227 for 44 magnum? I know I can check it myself but if someone knows without me going to the trouble...

Another question, do I "need" a baffle? As in, let's say with light charges of bullseye, or WSF, or unique. Or is it mainly for consistency with rifle powders?

I've been used to the lee ppm, with it's built in baffle. It is okay with stick powders and such, but with fine ball powders like 296, it leaks and binds. The leaking isn't really an issue but the binding is.

[Winger Ed.]

As the level of the powder goes down in the tube, there is less and less pressure for the remaining powder to fall into the measure.
Depending on the powder, your charges will get lighter and lighter between full and almost empty.

The baffle minimizes or eliminates that effect.
You don't 'need' a baffle, but I predict that you'll 'want' one .
After seeing one, and if they cost more than a buck or two---
I'd just make one from a square plastic butter contain that already had the bend made in it..

I never measured the exact capacity of the pistol measure,
but I've used it for .44Mag loads that would sometimes get up close to the edge of 'the wild side'.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate it Ed. I spect I can make a baffle.

[Mike W1]

Somebody way back suggested a funnel and I fast welded a cap off a spray can. Slip it over the measure and you have a baffle that works well and easy to see and keep filled. Works better than the photo work did!
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[onelight]

Even without a baffle if you don't let get below 2/3 empty with medium sized powders it will throw well if you find the amount of bang it likes when operating.

[Winger Ed.]

Even without a baffle if you don't let get below 2/3 empty with medium sized powders it will throw well if you find the amount of bang it likes when operating.

That's basically what I did with my older, non-baffled one.

For rifle cases, I trickled & weighed all of them anyway-
it wasn't a big deal, but I did notice I did more and more trickling as the level went down.

For little pistol charges running on the progressive,
I'd keep the level near the top and refill when it dropped down a couple inches or so.

My new one has the baffle, and I do notice the consistency from top to almost the bottom of the tube.

[Winger Ed.]

I appreciate it Ed. I spect I can make a baffle.

Always glad to help the younger guys.:bigsmyl2:

It's a little bit of a hassle:
By easing out your pistol measure for it, you should be able to drop at least 25-30 grains- maybe a little more of anything.

[Bazoo]

Okay. I was chomping at the bit so I cleaned it up. The handle was rusty but the rotor and metering stem was clean. I wire brushed the ends of the rotor but new better than to brush the cylindrical part (didn't need it anyways). I took a scotch bright pad and oil to that, just to clean it, as well as the hole in thebody. No real rust there. I deoiled the rotor and body and coated the inside of. The body and the whole rotor with graphite. Coated my hands too I might add.

The rotor looks to have been used for a small anvil at some point. The ends have marks but the cylinder sides are clean.

It does have markings to 10, but only screws out to 8. It throws 80 grains or so of 3031. So I'm guessing that it's the rifle meter stem. It's about 3/4" in diameter inside.

So, it cuts the stick powder and hangs up. I tried some WSF ball powder and it binds with that. Feels like it's getting between the body and rotor. Any thoughts on this?

It doesn't appear to have any abuse in the area that wipes powder. It might show some wear, but no dings. I can't tell if it's wear or not. The edge of the hole is sharp but it has something like a small dished place as if at some point it's been polished. It looks even and is clean enough I'm not sure either way. No telling what's been done to it.

[Winger Ed.]

You have the rifle measuring stem, not the pistol one.
You can tinker around and find out, but I doubt it'll work well with charges less than about 15-20 grains.

This is a picture of the new one. If yours looks pretty much like it--- its the rifle measure.
The mid section of the pistol one is full length, rounded on the end to butt/seal up against the inside of
the rotor's frame, and has a small, approx. 1/4" rod inside that is connected to the handle you turn & adjust..

Don't sweat the numbers on the stem.
They're just reference points for the next time you use it and can get 'sort of close' to returning to the same charge with a given powder.
Don't think of them as being anywhere nearly as accurate as say--- a numbered powder bushing for something else.

With stick powder, all that chatter is pretty normal since you're chopping the little specks in half or so.
Its sort of the nature of the beast.
The thicker & longer the sticks-- the worse it will be.
When ya feel it 'stick', don't force it,, just bump/wiggle a tiny bit.
Some of the specks will get on one side or the other of the cutting surface and minimize the effect.

I'd encourage weighing/trickling the charges too. You'll see some pretty wide swings from one to another.

I use car wax and put it on the round rotor surfaces, and inside the frame.
I'm not sure if it helps it along, or that it just makes me feel better about it.

I thinks its WAY! too low mileage to be worn between the drum & body.
It might just still be gritty.
I run a lot of bullseye, Unique, and 748 in my new one, and couldn't ask for it to measure & work any better.
4198, 3031, and 4836 chatters a bunch and I don't trust dropping it without trickling for rifles.

[Bazoo]

I like it, and am determine to get it working well. I'm in need of the pistol metering parts now. I did make a baffle out of a square margarine bowl. I appreciate all the advice.

[Winger Ed.]

I think you'll like it.

Finding a old school pistol measure for it may be harder than finding a honest politician though.
They're out of production, and nobody shows one on the shelf.

[Winger Ed.]

I like it, and am determine to get it working well.

Oh, it just popped into my head---

The scale doesn't quit line up right at 10 is because whoever stuck the foil sticker on, put it in the wrong place.

The drag and resistance you feel when rotating it is probably caused by some cast Iron 'fuzz', or a bur on
the inside surface of the slot where the measure stem rides.

There's nothing to keep the drum centered except the stem itself,
and you can't keep it exactly off the edges yourself as it travels up & down.

If the inside edges of the slot feel sharp enough to cut ya---
that's probably the issue, and all the new ones are like that.

[Bazoo]

When I had it apart I seen the sharpness of the slot and sanded it with some 220 to smooth it. Without powder, it's smooth as glass. I only tried the two powders. I really am wanting it for pistol more than rifle because I don't shoot much rifle. Yeah my stem looks like that picture except not for the quick change.

The lee ppm wipes 3031 cleanly, but doesn't handle fine pistol powders without binding.

[Winger Ed.]

Oh well. It'll do a good job for rifles if ya can't get ahold of the pistol stem for it.

When I mount mine, and the old one too, I put the handle and the adjuster stem on the same side facing front.
I can keep a eye on the adjuster, and the handle needs to be up front anyway.

[Bazoo]

When I reassembled it I put the stem in the back but I see why you like it up front. I'll try it with some other ball rifle powders next time I'm in the room. I appreciate the encouragement. I do very much like it.

[Walks]

I have an old one like this, think I only have the big drum setup for it. And it only gets used for .30-06 Garand loads. Set to throw the correct charge of H4895 only. When I've 1,000 -06 cases ready for loading I switch it out with Newer L-N-L Powder measure. It waits patiently on it's stand right behind my L-N-L press, covered with an old sweat sock.
I'm going to check and see if I still have the small drum setup.

[Walks]

Nope didn't find the small drum setup.
Sorry

[Moleman-]

Measured the drum on pro7/projector measure next to a LNL drum. The dia on the older measure is 1.741" and the LNL drum was 1.738". Close enough it might not be an issue if you wanted to use a LNL pistol stem and drum as you can't mix and match drums and stems between the two. The LNL stems have a hex shape that sticks outside of the drum that keeps the stem from being able to turn. The hex area is about .8" and keeps the drum from fully opening or closing. You likely could trim the nubs on the top and bottom down to 3/4" so the drum would fully open and close.

The head of the LNL RIFLE stem and body in front of the hex is about .010" smaller in dia than the older pro version. The LNL rifle drum I tried rotated in the older pro measure except for the hex top and bottom nubs preventing it from fully rotating as mentioned. Here's a pic of the differences in the two models pistol metering stems.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the responses. Moleman, thanks for that info. Walks, Thanks for the thought.

[Bazoo]

I tried some more powders today and the fine powders all bind. I'd guess someone at one time polished the rotor. The top and bottom edges of the holes are dished.

Turns out a friend has this model. I'm going to ask him about inspecting his parts and trying the one not in use in my body, to determine if my body is damaged.

Thanks everyone for the help.

[Winger Ed.]

The top and bottom edges of the holes are dished.

If the other side of the hole through the drum still has sharp edges, you can flip it around and drill & tap
your own set screw in it back up at the front where it belongs to hold the measuring/metering body.

The handle lever will switch over and work without any problems.

Not knowing they normally 'chatter' a little, someone trying to 'fix' it,
then ruining those edges may be why its 50 years old, and looks so new.....

[Bazoo]

That's what I checked last night, the holes are rounded in both directions. I think my only hope is to find a new rotor.

I appreciate the help thus far folks.

[Bazoo]

Thanks again for all the help here.

I took the rotor (is drum or rotor correct?) and put a straight edge across and found the hole edge that had the least material missing, and used a punch to move material up, then used my diamond stone to cut it back. It worked much better after this. Still a little bindy but not like before. It appears the cylindrical part is dished similar to a butterfly yoyo, but not as exaggerated, and even with the cutting edge of the hole being close, the gap on the rest of it allows fine powder between the drum and body.

So, I'm on the hunt for a new rotor, or I'll sell it for parts. Can anyone offer a value for the body minus the rotor and pistol metering stem?

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive probably got 20 stems set up for the powder charges i use the most. Just pop one out and pop the other in and your good to go.

[Winger Ed.]

With IMR type stick powders of charges more than about 30 grains, it might work OK.
Ya have to give them a little giggle at the top of the dump stroke anyway.
I'd encourage doing that and weigh/trickle each charge.

I looked at my new generation drum, and like I thought, its a hole bored straight through the side of a cylinder:
It also has a real sharp edge on the business end. Yours probably 'did' too.

Ya might also call Hornady and ask if they have those old style parts up on a top shelf some place.

[Lloyd Smale]

i dont use a powder drop for any stick powders. NONE of them do it well. I use either my pact dispensor or lyman dispensor for those powders.

[Pressman]

Finally, I got up and went to get pictures of the drum. This is a new drum from the original Pacific measure. It has a 3/4" piston head so it's a rifle measure. I apologize for the poor quality pictures, apparently the auto focus was not cooperative this morning. In spite of that the edges of the drum are sharp. I am still scratching my head trying to figure out how Bazoo's measure had them rounded off.

As Lloyd stated, none of the measure with this design handle stick powders gracefully. The Lyman 55 is better, but only with a tall, narrow drum setting. The honest, actual best for stick powder is the Belding & Mull.

Enjoy your Saturday, it's going to snow in Minnesota, uff da

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[Moleman-]

Checked the hole on mine with a straight edge (side of dial caliper) and placed on the edge of the hole it would block out light. So after 3 decades of use it's still flat and level and sharp enough I wouldn't run my finger around the edge and not expect to get cut. I'm guessing someone took hand held sandpaper to to to "improve" it.

[Bazoo]

I appreciate the replies and the effort put forth to help me resolve this. Probably someone cleaned it up, ruined it, let it set on a shelf and rust 20 years before they discarded it.

The sticker on the meter is all the way up to the shoulder. So not sure bout that discrepency.

As a side note. My old style Lee perfect powder measures handle 3031 very well. Without biting and accurately. I charge right in the case with it. If I do have one that hangs up I rethrow that charge. I'd say I'd have to rethrow 4-5 out of a block of 50.

[Bazoo]

Well I got around to calling Hornady. No rotor for it, they said the new rotor wouldn't fit, though didn't give me details on size other than the new one was smaller.

Guess this one will go on ebay for parts. Maybe, I don't know, might keep it for parts if I happen across another one, I like it. Maybe I could find one with a broken housing. Darn it.