Lyman Powder drop problems

[ETG]

I have a Lyman powder drop I've used for over 35 years. No problems till I tried to meter Bullseye. I have repeatedly tried to set it to drop a weight and get wild varaiations. Today I tried to set it to drop 4.5 gns. It would drop anywhere from 2.1 to 5.2gns. I use the tapper (3 times per drop). I don't have this problem with any other powder. It's getting old weighing every charge. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[1hole]

For a charge that light I would only use the small vernier adjustment, leaving the other two completely closed. ??

And, I'd add a baffle for the bottom of the hopper and, likely, not use the tapper at all.

[GP100man]

Try it with `bout 1/4 hopper of powder, the weight is causin bridging that even the tapper won`t dislodge .

The baffle will stop this as 1hole suggested .

I use my 55 for a 800x load & have found a little powdered graphite does wonders!!

[captaint]

I made a baffle out of a soda can or something, years ago. Kind of copied the Redding baffle. Easy to make and works excellent. Only has 2 square holes, less than an inch on each bottom edge. PS. Did this for an RCBS measure.. Mike

[ETG]

Thanks - I'll close the big slide and only use the small one - that makes sense. Guess I must be slow - I don't understand how to make/place the baffle. Anyone got a pic or drawing?
Thanks a million.

[Green Frog]

Bridging with BULLSEYE? How do you do that? :holysheep

Make sure the whole thing is clean and lubricate lightly with powdered graphite, then use the appropriate slide or combination of slides. Any little "tent" in the reservoir, with fairly generous holes in the sides to allow powder to drop through readily, will do the job of "baffling" to keep a more-or-less constant pressure head reaching the metering chamber. ;)

Froggie :mrgreen:

[John Boy]

When I load gallery reduced loads - under 5 grains ... the only charger that I have that will meter correctly is the Lee Perfect Powder Measure.

In addition, my charger inventory consists of a B&M - Lyman 55 and an Ohaus ... and they won't!

[Fritzer]

Hi,

Lyman now includes a powder baffle in the current production 55 powder measures.

I wrote them to ask about one for my old measure, it is available on their web site -

http://www.lymanproducts.com/store/page33.html

I haven't picked any up yet, but you can see it in the picture of the new measure:
http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/scales-measures/55-std-baffle-stand.php

Regards,
Fritz.

[ETG]

So from the pic I get the idea. At the bottom of the tent sides I cut like a 3/4" squares out - the less than 1" is a little vague.

[shotman]

the baffle is not needed if you dont fill it full. I only put about an inch at a time and use only the top verner I dont use the tapper just tap the handle a little [not hard] I can get 1gr for the 25acp to run that way.
I am guessing we are talking the Lyman 55?

[ETG]

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just used the small vernier and dropped within .1 grains!!!!! I have no idea if it's a 55 - dang, I bought it back in the early 70's - it was the only powder drop available at the time. Never used Bullseye before. Stick and ball was never a problem. This flake stuff is just a PINA - NO, not PETA, but I whole heartedly support PETA - that's People Eating Tasty Animals :-D

[Throckmorton]

To get really even drops,my buddy and I do this;
fill hopper
rap hopper twice with knuckle,lightly
dump
flip while handle is down
raise handle
repeat with next case starting with double tap
we've found that the double knuckle results in VERY constant dumps

[1hole]

The only adjustable measure Lyman has ever made is the #55. There have been a few minor changes over the years but they basically got it right the first time.

I made a very helpful baffle for my Lyman Accumeasure from a piece of hard plastic sheet cut in the form of a triangle. Laid flat, it just fits inside the hopper's diameter and powder easily flows around the sides but can't compress straight down on the chamber. The triangle is free to fall out when I pour unused powder back into a can but that's harmless.

[AZ-Stew]

I've had a Lyman 55 since the early 70s and have never had a problem with Bullseye. No baffle, but I do settle the powder similarly to Throckmorton. I use a full hopper, as well. As long as you use the small slide and have a consistent rhythm in swinging the handle, you should get 0.1 gr to 0.0 gr consistency. When you swing the handle up, allow it to gently bump the upper stop. Don't slam it, just give it a firm bump. On the down stroke, allow it to bump the lower stop. Bullseye will not bridge, even in the small drop tube. A single bump also works for ball powders. With stick powders, I give one bump at the top and 2-3 at the bottom to break up bridging. I've never found the little knocker on the front of the drop casting to be useful. It doesn't move freely and the measure handle serves the same purpose, so I never use the knocker.

Also, if you're loading large rifle cases and have to use the large slider, be sure the two smaller sliders DO NOT overhang the end of the large slider. If they do, it will guarantee inconsistent measurements.

Regards,

Stew

[Green Frog]

[QUOTE=1hole;746361]The only adjustable measure Lyman has ever made is the #55. There have been a few minor changes over the years but they basically got it right the first time.

That's not exactly correct. They made the cast iron #5, 5 M, and 6 that they inherited from Ideal for many years, then when they introduced the #55 they first made it with sliders (as were found in the #5) rather than the micrometer mechanism it now has. As you said, there have also been some other minor changes in the #55 including the type of drop tube, color, knocker, reservoir cap, and of course the reservoir material (aluminum on the BP model.)

For some powders, for some people, it seems that the earlier styles (slider or especially the rare #5 M which had a single cavity micrometer rather than the 3 slides) do better than the #55. Also, a cottage industry grew up around the modification of the #55 with a true micrometer rotor... developed originally by a fellow named Culver, IIRC.

I wrote a fairly comprehensive article about all of the Lyman measures (and back to the earlier Ideal measures) for the ASSRA Journal several years ago which may still be available from their archives. Check...

http://www.assra.com

for details.

Froggie

[Dale53]

I KNEW Froggie would chime in here with the REAL story (Froggie, as you may have gathered, is a collector and historian of Lyman measures) - when we first met, many years ago, we swapped Lyman measures (mine was a "historical" measure and his was a modern micrometer - since I appreciated the "performance" and he appreciated the history, it was a win-win).

At any rate, I have several Lyman measures. The only problem I have had with them, is I have had Bullseye, being so fine, get between the rotor and the measure body tying it up until it is dismantled and cleaned. I have NOT had that happen with RCBS, Redding, nor any of the other higher end measures (the rotor is more precisely fitted in the others).

On the other hand, I have not had any problems with the Lymans with other powders.

Dale53

[scrapcan]

It actually goes back farther than the #5 you can go all the way back the the Ideal Perfect Measure. Floodgate is working on this type of research at the moment on the early measures, a couple of of other gentlemen are working on the variations of the 55. I have been in some of the email loops and it is mind boggling what you see for variation.

I will mention that you did an article for the ASSRA, do you have an issue number or date time frame? How about author name? I will send a pm.

[Green Frog]

Article was sometime in the early years of this century. (I've been dying to use that phrase in conversation! :) ) I want to say about 2002. I'll have to go back and see whether I can find it. The by-line was Charlie Shaeff. If you contact archivist Rudi Prusok, he will probably be able to pull it up immediately.

Froggie

[TAWILDCATT]

I have an iron powder measure with sheet metal reservoir.it dates before WW2.
the slides are brass.I will have to look at it and see.used it to put sugar in bottles to reactivat the yeast.
your right the main slide should not be used for small charges. I have a 55 from 1945?.the pacific rotor was a good one for small charges as is the RCBS rotor.

[scrapcan]

Froggie,

thanks for the info I will see what Rudy can do. Also sent you a pm and an email.