Belding & Mull aluminum, Anyone know if its ok for BP???

[mikenbarb]

I have an nice old B&M powder measure with an aluminum hopper and aluminum micrometer tube. Does anyone know if this is OK for using BP in it?

[scrapcan]

Mike,

I will look in my old B&M literature to see what they had to say at the time. But I have a new lyman classic black powder measure and it has an aluminum hopper.

I do not load BP so cannot help for direct experience.

[shooter37]

Aluminum will not spark as will cast iron or steel under the right conditions. It also is not affected by static "cling" as is plastic. I load and shoot black using a older B&M measure and have no concerns about hazards. FWIW;

Al

[mikenbarb]

Manley, I couldn't find anything in my old B&M books so if you have info it would be appreciated. Its an oldie but in great shape and I never saw one with the original aluminum hopper and drop tube so I grabbed it. They usually corrode because guys left powder in them.
I have a Lyman Classic BP also but this is wayyyy cooler. I love the good old stuff!:smile:
PS- If you want a pic of it let me know and I will post one.

[Artful]

Yes, please post a picture - like the old stuff myself

[scrapcan]

Mike,

I think the aluminum hopper is a newer version or a war year version. I will see what I can find. I would bet Pressman or Floodgate can help answer this also.

I find that aluminum can also be affected by static cling, but it is easy to take care of by washing and air dry or rubbing with a laundry static cling sheet.

[Pressman]

Just where the aluminum hopper variants fit in is not settled. I had guessed that they were a WWII variant but that went out the window when I located a Harpster & Williams measure with aluminum hopper and drop tube.
H&W produced the B&M tools for years and offered their own line in 1956. Most of what they had were copies of B&M tools, though they gad an interesting variation of the B&M reloader with an angled frame so the cartridge was loaded in a vertical position. They also had a 4 station turret press with a side bar to clamp the powder measure.
This effort appears to have been very short lived as H&W marked tools are as rare as hens teeth.

So, that still leaves the original question unanswered. I would say yes to using the B&M with blackpowder. I have done so in mine with no known ill effects. At least I did not blow myself up.

Ken

[mikenbarb]

Heres 3 different versions I own. The left one is the one in question for using BP, The middle is a standard B&M and the right one is an unknown one with a blank faceplate and chrome handle. The body design is also a little different. If anyone knows what it is or who made it please let me know.
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo185/mikenbarbj/THM-2.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo185/mikenbarbj/001-62.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo185/mikenbarbj/003-63.jpg
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo185/mikenbarbj/004-52.jpg

[scrapcan]

Mike,

There was a thread on the old ARTCA forum related to powder measures. It had some information on some B&M like measures. The old forum is not accessible to us at this time so can not pull it up for you. Thi could be a copy or...

B&M had many owners and some of those owners jobbed out the manufacutre fo raw components that they would then fit together and sell. You mystery measure could have been from a different run than the others or it could be an ealry production model.

As Ken said, some of the actual dates of manufacture can be difficult to pin down. another example of that is the fact that the last B&M measures that were sold up till 2008 were assembling from remaining parts.

Send me a pm with your current email and I will forward a timeline I put together of b&M ownership and rough time frame for introduction/suspension of tools. It is on the current ARTCA forum if you are a member.

[mikenbarb]

Cool, PM on the way.

[Pressman]

Mike, got your PM. Looking at the pictures it is hard to tell, though the odd one has the "nails" holding the tube to the frame located in different positions.
So it could be one of the copies. Given enough time I may be able to locate the old ARTCA thread. I have a copy of the old site. But, it takes time.

Mike, you really need to get one of the kids to take those pictures. ;-) With clear pictures of all four sides of this measure more difference may be apparent.:-)

Currently there is one like it, well unmarked but with a black handle. I just saw it this morning.
Ken

[cajun shooter]

Mike, as long as you have the measures in the pictures you can load away. In the past 18 months or so a lot of the misinformation about loading BP through different measures has been debunked. John Boy even did a test where they put a direct electrical spark from a wire into a small pile of BP without anything happening. I know of several people who load BP with the Lee plastic measures. I use two BP measures, one RCBS and one Lyman. They both now sell for over $150 ea. and have aluminum hoppers with brass drums. If your measures have no steel against steel that would make sparks then they will work.

[StarMetal]

My B&M is yet another variation. Mine came with the aluminum slide block, plastic powder hopper, and brass measure. I bought in 1970. Since then I have replaced the *** aluminum slide block with one made of brass. No more galling. The measure is so good I've never bought another one of different manufacturer.

[scrapcan]

The only thing wrong with these measures is the mount. The "B&M wobble" is know by all who have or do use this measure.

[PatMarlin]

Mike-

Did I get my B&M from you? Can't remember.



http://www.patmarlins.com/BMmeasure.jpg

[PatMarlin]

I fixed the wobble problem ...:Fire:

There's a recessed pocket milled in that ROCKDock™ base plate. Hard to see from the pics. No more wobbles.

[Pressman]

StarMetal, where didi you get the brass block? Make it your self?

Ken

[mikenbarb]

Pressman, I will get some good close up pics posted later today.
Pat, Yes. Thats the one I sold you a while back. Glad to see its still chugging away.:smile:

[scrapcan]

Mike,

Thanks for offering to take some comparative photos. Could you do a few measurements also?

[mikenbarb]

Which measurements would you like?

[mikenbarb]

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