Black powder measure with drop tube setups

Have so far only loaded BP rounds using a homemade stand with funnel and drop tube. Recently picked up a Lyman BP measure that has a clamp and about 24" drop tube. Looking to see pics of similar setups. How you have them mounted for comfortable and efficient loading. Seems like it wont be real easy to clamp to the normal loading bench due to the length of the drop tube. I'm guessing people build a stand to mount these to and clamp the stand to the bench. Lets see what your setups look like please. Thanks

My lyman srts on a home made base and is c c;amped to the bench top. It sets wit the 24" tube hanging down past the edge a little so both handle and end ot tube are eeasy to reach sitting. The measure holds enough powder I can stand for that little bit. If Im weighing the charges or belding and mull measure it is mounted on the other stand and goes to scale then drop tube.

Old timer would set the measure up with tube close to floor and put cases between their toes. Sorry couldnt resist that[/COLOR]

I've done a lot of case charging sitting on the floor but getting too old for that. Either going to have to train a kid to hold cases or build a mount for the shelf above the bench. Kids always seem to know how to be elsewhere when they could be useful so I hope people will post some pictures.

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Originally Posted by country gent

My lyman srts on a home made base and is c c;amped to the bench top. It sets wit the 24" tube hanging down past the edge a little so both handle and end ot tube are eeasy to reach sitting. The measure holds enough powder I can stand for that little bit. If Im weighing the charges or belding and mull measure it is mounted on the other stand and goes to scale then drop tube.

Old timer would set the measure up with tube close to floor and put cases between their toes. Sorry couldnt resist that[/COLOR]

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Thanks for the description of your setup Country Gent, that's kind of what I imagined would need to be done.

Hunter, instead of using a drop tube one can also use a vibrator to settle the powder in the case
I gave up using a drop tube years ago ... because vibrating is much quicker

I crank the table of my drill press up as high as it will go and clamp my Lyman 55 BP measure to the raised table. Swing the table to the side so it over hangs the work bench top to get the 24” clearance.

The use of the long drop tube was short lived as I only load 45 Colt, it was more convenient to use a short powder drop and a compression die to precompress the powder before bullet seating.

I only load a few .45-70s with holy black here & there.

When I do, I use my official redneck method:

I use a dipper that holds 65grains, and it doesn't fill the case all the way up.
Then holding it in one hand, I put my finger over the top and thump it a few times.
The powder settles right on down.
Its not very fast, and my finger is only good for about 50-60 at a setting- but it's simple, and works.

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Originally Posted by hawkenhunter50

Have so far only loaded BP rounds using a homemade stand with funnel and drop tube. Recently picked up a Lyman BP measure that has a clamp and about 24" drop tube. Looking to see pics of similar setups. How you have them mounted for comfortable and efficient loading. Seems like it wont be real easy to clamp to the normal loading bench due to the length of the drop tube. I'm guessing people build a stand to mount these to and clamp the stand to the bench. Lets see what your setups look like please. Thanks

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Sounds like you have the same measure and drop tube I have. This is how I set them up to use.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ab8ab04e6a.jpg

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Hey Winger that is how I do it , I dip what fits and place finger over and tap it up and down and use my home made compression die .

As little as I am loading it works fine , maybe get a better set up down the road .

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Originally Posted by mikequaintance

Sounds like you have the same measure and drop tube I have. This is how I set them up to use.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ab8ab04e6a.jpg

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

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Nice setup, thanks for the picture.

I haven’t used my drop tube in over 15 years. Vibrate the powder to settle it with a vibrator.

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Originally Posted by John Boy

I haven’t used my drop tube in over 15 years. Vibrate the powder to settle it with a vibrator.

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When you do it this way, do you end up with a consistent height of powder each time?

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Originally Posted by hawkenhunter50

Nice setup, thanks for the picture.

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You are welcome

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I apply a vibrator tool to the side of my cartridge cases to settle the powder charge.
Yes vibration does settle the powder column to a very consistent level, as long as the vibration has been applied in a consistent manner. The powder slumps down very quickly, you’ll soon learn a minute of vibration doesn’t shrink the powder column any more than what occurred in the first 5 to 10 seconds, depending on case length of course. A taller case could benefit from longer vibration.

Powder column height is really irrelevant, the compression plug in the press is going to squash the powder down to what ever depth is required for the bullet shank length to reach the crimp point on your bullet and have the bullet sitting on the powder.

My Lyman 55 BP measure long drop tubes have been boxed up for years. Their just not needed the compression plug and the mechanical advantage of the press solves any BP loading issues.

I have a Lyman Turret press and place my drop tube in the hole just left of the die I’m using, then I wedge it in with a trimmed (cut in half vertically) wine bottle cork. It allows me to adjust the height up or down so I can stay seated on my stool

I load my black powder cartridges with the same Lee perfect powder measure that I use for smokeless powder. I initially determined the amount of black powder needed in each cartridge by using a dipper and tapping the powder down, and when I was satisfied, I poured that powder onto the scale to determine how many grains and then set the powder measure to drop that many grains. When I was satisfied it would drop the same amount consistently, I went to work.

So I just bought a Lyman measure which didn't include the drop tubes so I adapted my drop tube setup to it. Excuse the bulkiness of the setup but I had this homemade gun vise that I wasn't using anymore and didn't feel like uncovering the planer to thin out the wood so I just used it as is and modified it.

First pic is of the completed setup.
Attachment 285783

As I said above, I used this gun vise modifying it only as necessary, so to stand it on end a bag of shot works great and makes it easy to store when I'm done with it.
Attachment 285784

The drop tube itself is adjusted by the use of o-rings...which I need to replace because they've gotten loose (hence the tape)
Attachment 285785

The setup is designed so that I can load a 50 round tray and the amount the tube enter's the case is adjustable by moving those o-rings. So to load a case I just raise the tube, align the tray and let the tube settle back down on the o-rings.
Attachment 285786

The measure itself is attached using the built in clamp and is offset from the funnel to slow down the powder drop. I'm also using the small Lyman powder funnel for 2 reasons. First it's all I have and second I think it will help slow down the powder. I am looking for a large funnel so if anyone has one that they want to part with just PM me.
Attachment 285787

I haven't actually gotten any farther than adjusting the measure for my load but hopefully I'll load 100 rounds this weekend if time permits.

Willy

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Originally Posted by wbwilly

So I just bought a Lyman measure which didn't include the drop tubes so I adapted my drop tube setup to it. Excuse the bulkiness of the setup but I had this homemade gun vise that I wasn't using anymore and didn't feel like uncovering the planer to thin out the wood so I just used it as is and modified it.

First pic is of the completed setup.
Attachment 285783

As I said above, I used this gun vise modifying it only as necessary, so to stand it on end a bag of shot works great and makes it easy to store when I'm done with it.
Attachment 285784

The drop tube itself is adjusted by the use of o-rings...which I need to replace because they've gotten loose (hence the tape)
Attachment 285785

The setup is designed so that I can load a 50 round tray and the amount the tube enter's the case is adjustable by moving those o-rings. So to load a case I just raise the tube, align the tray and let the tube settle back down on the o-rings.
Attachment 285786

The measure itself is attached using the built in clamp and is offset from the funnel to slow down the powder drop. I'm also using the small Lyman powder funnel for 2 reasons. First it's all I have and second I think it will help slow down the powder. I am looking for a large funnel so if anyone has one that they want to part with just PM me.
Attachment 285787

I haven't actually gotten any farther than adjusting the measure for my load but hopefully I'll load 100 rounds this weekend if time permits.

Willy

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Nice setup, thanks for sharing.

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Originally Posted by hawkenhunter50

Nice setup, thanks for sharing.

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Thanks. I just loaded a tray of 45-70. It went about twice as fast as my old method so I'm pretty happy.