OK I swear I can do math, but...

[Patrick L]

Please help me out.

A pound of powder equals 7000 grains weight, correct?

I acquired a pound of Varget this summer, and decided to load up a batch of . 30-06 with it. I determined that 46 grains would be the charge. Soooo, 7000 divided by 46 is approximately 152. Now I know I loaded about 25 rounds this summer just testing a few loads to arrive at the above mentioned 46 grains. Therefore I was expecting to load about 125 rounds.

So how is it I ended up loading 180 rounds, PLUS the 25 or so this summer? I checked and rechecked my scale setting, definitely 46 and not something dumb like 36. Do they put more than 7000 grains in, like do they maybe alliw a little overage??

I'm just really confused here.

And I'm no newbie, been loading since 1986!

[cwtebay]

Are you measuring by volume or weight?

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[armoredman]

Same reason why I couldn't get all the rounds I was supposed to out of pound of TAC - quality control is slipping, and overages and shortages occur. If you verified your scale with a check weight, then you should be good to go, I would think!

[Winger Ed.]

Your pound of powder may have more than a pound in it, but it won't be much.

If you have a fairly cheap electronic scale,,,, they will lie to you.
Mine had a check weight and procedure to use it, but it wasn't consistent.
You could put something on it, take it off, put the same thing back on and it would read a different weight.

I found that out after I'd set up using one and after loading about 100 .223s.
I noticed the powder level was way higher up in the measure than it should have been.

I got out the old, trusty beam scale, and yep--- the new Hornady electronic scale had lied to me.
It took up residence in the trash shortly there after.

[Schreck5]

Winger, same thing happened to me too. Got me kind of skittish, so I broke down every last one that I had just loaded. I don't remember how many but it was several. Now I only use and trust my beam scale.

[CastingFool]

I don't know how varget meters, never used it. I really like my 748 for 223, meters like a dream through my Redding powder measure. Once set, I can dump 10 rds, checking every 11th round, and it may vary a tenth, maybe 2 tenths of a grain.

[Patrick L]

Casting Fool, thanks. I'm glad you like 748.

As for the rest of you that actually tried to answer the post, thank you for your replies.

I'm using a well tested RCBS balance scale, I dropped charges from a powder measure and checked every 10th round. Never varied more than 1/10th either way.

I guess I'll chalk it up to overage in this particular pound?? Goody for me!

[Hick]

Based on 35 years of engineering and 15 as a math teacher I'm pleased to say your math is perfect!-- Just wish I had your magic touch for getting a lot of loads out of the can.

[mehavey]

Ever see Professor Wutheridge's sherry bottle in The Bishop's Wife?
:popcorn:

[gnappi]

Get a scale weight check set and check the scale. They're a bit pricey but every load bench should have a set.

[Patrick L]

Got a set, scale is right on.

I love that movie, and the bottle of sherry is priceless! Monty Wooley I believe was the actor that played the Professor.

[Brokenbear]

you don't say if you looked into every case for proper powder level ..but I'm thinking ..just for safety's sake and peace of mind .....

I would start weighing your reloads ..likely you just got a bargain ..if not ......?

Bear

[oldblinddog]

Lyman weight check set is about $35

[358429]

If you kick the tire on an f150 does the fuel tank become larger?

[Patrick L]

You're right, i neglected to say it, but cases were charged in a block, checked with eyeball and flashlight before bullets were seated.

[Land Owner]

The root cause of the overage is Pa and Ma Kettle Math:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0aPKvNI9ek

[Newboy]

You said you "acquired" the powder.

Did you buy it, and was it sealed?

Most of my powders have more, because I fill them up to save space.


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[Patrick L]

Newboy,

I hadn't thought of that. You know, I bought it from the estate of a good friend who had passed away. It certainly appeared to be sealed, but then again I don't throw the seal away when I open a pound of powder, and it does sort of stick back down. That is definitely a possibility.

Or, as others have suggested, maybe I just got lucky and got a "heavy" pound.

[country gent]

Fillers fill the can by volume same as a powder measure,only much faster and under power. cans are fed into the the spinning machine there are a series of cam operated cavities that are filled then drop contents into the can. A filler for soup will fill over 1000 cans per minute. The cavities are set so that no matter the extremes there is the right mount in the container some may get a little more but all get the required amount. Watching one of these run is a work of art the spinning bowl with the cams opening and closing then a short auger feed trip to the closer that puts the ends on then thru tracks to the labeler.

[GregLaROCHE]

Good point Newboy. Otherwise, I’d say it was electronic scale error.

[gunther]

Have you shot any of your reloads? Hopefully the bottom line is satisfactory. Varget meters really well.
However, Bourbon bottling lines are more fun to watch...and a barrel filling operation is positively inspiring!

[GhostHawk]

I have had an episode similar to WingerEd's. Digitial scale took it in its head to add 5 grains to each load. So load #1 was 20, #2 was 25, #3 was 30. Did not take too long and it was overflowing the case.

I went back to RCBS balance beam for weighing powder charges.

[bedbugbilly]

After reading all of this - now you'e got me wondering? Which weighs more? A pound of lead or a pound of feathers? :-)

I have never run into a pound container that had a significant "overage" that was sealed from he factory but I have run into several over the years that were sealed and "short" by several ounces.

I read his with interest as I bought a pound of Varget off of a friend and it contained more than a pound of powder in it. However the can had the seal broken. When I asked him about the overage he said that the had filled th can from a 8 pound container and wanted to make sure it had a bit more so I didn't get shorted. I would have done the same if the roles were reversed. If you got it from an estate - very likely it could have had powder added. I've done the same thing when I had same powder form the same lot and a container was almost used up - just emptied what was left into the new container as there was room enough to do it and one less container taking up space.

[waksupi]

After reading all of this - now you'e got me wondering? Which weighs more? A pound of lead or a pound of feathers? :-)



Drop each on a bare toe, and report your results!

[AlHunt]

Newboy,

I hadn't thought of that. You know, I bought it from the estate of a good friend who had passed away. It certainly appeared to be sealed, but then again I don't throw the seal away when I open a pound of powder, and it does sort of stick back down. That is definitely a possibility.

Or, as others have suggested, maybe I just got lucky and got a "heavy" pound.

As long as you knew the guy and trust he wouldn't have mixed lots or, worse, powders, then one way or another you got a lucky bonus pound of powder. My inner seals all seem to stick to the lid, too.

[alamogunr]

The posts in this thread verify that I made the right decision not to buy an electronic scale and get a backup balance beam. I now have 3 RCBS scales. A 505(my first), a 510 and a 10-10. All are verified with a Lyman check weight set each time I set a load.

I'm also trying to buy an RCBS check weight set. Most things I use for reloading are duplicated. I like having back up and I want to have enough to leave to 2 sons when I quit reloading.

[mehavey]

I have four/various electronic scales, and three beam balance. (...and a set of checkweights -- I ain't dumb :-))
The electronics have been dead nuts/right/in synch on for 12 years (big ChargeMaster) down to the latest little RangeMAXX last year.
... and 10x faster

[SteveM54]

I have 5 scales total. One is a RCBS balance scale - the rest are electronic. I use 3 of them when I load for the day. (I'm retired)

[Patrick L]

I trust the man implicitly. He was one of my mentors on reloading, casting, etc. back when I was a young pup.

As for scales, I agree. I load ammo on a balance scale. They are no slower that an electronic if you know what you're doing, and a heck of a lot more stable. I own an electronic scale, and use it EXCLUSIVELY for weight sorting the few cast boolits I bother to weight sort. That's it.

[M-Tecs]

I load large volumes of ammo and lot size is based on numbers of loads in the powder container. Having done this for 30 years plus I have yet to a factory sealed powder container that does not contain the correct amount. My bet would be a partial container was added to a full one. That would be based on a sample size of 200,000 rounds plus.

[Winger Ed.]

I'm also trying to buy an RCBS check weight set. .

I've wanted a set for a long time, but never got around to getting one.
Instead I made my own redneck check weight.

Years ago, I had bought a few thousand of .30 GI 147 FMJs from Mr. Bartlett. I weighed several, and they were very consistent.
I took one, wrote its weight on a old pill bottle I keep it in, and use it for a check weight.

I zero the scale, and then add the redneck check weight.
If the weights on the beam come out to the pre-recorded weight--- I call it good.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

After reading all of this - now you'e got me wondering? Which weighs more? A pound of lead or a pound of feathers? :-)

I have never run into a pound container that had a significant "overage" that was sealed from he factory but I have run into several over the years that were sealed and "short" by several ounces.

I read his with interest as I bought a pound of Varget off of a friend and it contained more than a pound of powder in it. However the can had the seal broken. When I asked him about the overage he said that the had filled th can from a 8 pound container and wanted to make sure it had a bit more so I didn't get shorted. I would have done the same if the roles were reversed. If you got it from an estate - very likely it could have had powder added. I've done the same thing when I had same powder form the same lot and a container was almost used up - just emptied what was left into the new container as there was room enough to do it and one less container taking up space.

I have a powder shelf and 8 lbers don't fit, so I transfer from a 8 lber to a 1 lb jug. I always fill it full, so that'd be more than a lb. So it makes sense that what you got from the estate, was something like this. and yes, I always keep the 'seal' in there, until I loose it.

[charlie b]

I do the same thing with my 8lb jugs. I also keep some extra empty Hodgdon 1lb jugs around. Their labels peel off nicely and I can mark what I put in them.

[dverna]

Check weights...Too expensive for me.

I use a .224 bullet from 50-55 gr to check my scales. Commercial bullets are extremely consistent.

Agree with those who suggest your can was topped up. BTW, one reason I will NEVER buy an opened can or jug of powder.

[armoredman]

I have had an episode similar to WingerEd's. Digitial scale took it in its head to add 5 grains to each load. So load #1 was 20, #2 was 25, #3 was 30. Did not take too long and it was overflowing the case.

I went back to RCBS balance beam for weighing powder charges.

I had a nice electronic scale, was accurate right to the razors edge...for about 6 months. It was "donated" to a pawn shop. I have an early 1970s Ohaus 5-0-5 that I use now with RCBS check weights and I feel perfectly comfortable with that.

[David2011]

I have a cheap digital scale that I only use for sorting boolits. It won’t recognize additional trickled powder so it’s useless for any slowly increased weight. My RCBS Charge Master is as accurate as my 5-0-5 and Dillon made by Ohaus.