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Thread: Lee dippers

  1. #41
    Boolit Master
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    ^^^My Method and tools Exactly...^^^

  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by Char-Gar View Post
    Lee dipper are easy to modify by filing off material from the top thereby reducing their capacity. The edges can be smoothed by several means. Of course you want to use a powder scale to determine what charge you are dipping. Of course, you then have to segregate and mark the modified dipper. They are very useful little gizmos.
    I've done that method but am preferring to use disc's cut from primer tray covers cut slightly over the inside diameter of the dipper. I push the discs into the bottom of the dipper with a dowel, punch or unsharpened pencil then weight several charges. One to several discs and even a couple discs of primter paper can pring the charge down to what is wanted. The discs are easily removed so no alteration of the dipper is done.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
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  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    I've done that method but am preferring to use disc's cut from primer tray covers cut slightly over the inside diameter of the dipper. I push the discs into the bottom of the dipper with a dowel, punch or unsharpened pencil then weight several charges. One to several discs and even a couple discs of primter paper can pring the charge down to what is wanted. The discs are easily removed so no alteration of the dipper is done.
    Yes.. For Changing Volume...that works
    For Technique... Striking off the Top works for me

  4. #44
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    I dip powder from an aluminum cup with a tight copper wire strung through it for carding. It works great and I thank whoever I stole the idea from on CB!

    Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

  5. #45
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    Ingenious!!!

  6. #46
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    as long as you are using a middle of range load...the dipper method is fine and safe...folks did it for many years...it wont be bench rest accurate,but it sure will be average hunting range accurate...consistency is the key..same way each time,everytime.

  7. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Milky Duck View Post
    as long as you are using a middle of range load...the dipper method is fine and safe...folks did it for many years...it wont be bench rest accurate,but it sure will be average hunting range accurate...consistency is the key..same way each time,everytime.
    Oddly ...Plenty of Bench Resters, Load at the Bench and "throw" all charges!!!

  8. #48
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    Yep, when I started reloading it was a few years before I could afford a scale. I was using the Lee hand dies (hammer reloading ). It was for .45acp so a bit forgiving in the load department. I'd pick a load half way between min and max and choose the closest dipper. Used as above. Probably loaded a thousand rounds this way before I got my first press and scale.

    After I got a scale I'd make dippers. For the .45 I'd use .357/.38 cases and trim until I got the load I wanted and confirm on the scale. I didn't weigh individual charges until I loaded for rifles.

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by jmort View Post
    Red first
    And the black ones before the red ones? I'm fairly certain that I've seen those as well.

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  10. #50
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    The only black ones I have seen came in the shotgun loader kit for dipping shot. Both my .410 and 20 gauge Lee Loaders had black shot dippers.

    Funny thing was the 3" .410 kit came with three dippers, none of which filled the cases correctly. As I remember they were 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4 oz, when what I needed was 11/16 oz.

    Somewhere in past years there was a long thread that explained all about the markings on Lee's plastic dippers, from arbitrary numbers to cubic inch to cubic centimeter.

    Robert

  11. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    I've done that method but am preferring to use disc's cut from primer tray covers cut slightly over the inside diameter of the dipper. I push the discs into the bottom of the dipper with a dowel, punch or unsharpened pencil then weight several charges. One to several discs and even a couple discs of primter paper can pring the charge down to what is wanted. The discs are easily removed so no alteration of the dipper is done.
    Geeez, I can't remember how many dippers I'v "modified". How come I never thought of that. Great tip, Thanks Larry
    “You should tell someone what you know. There should be a history, so that men can learn from it.

    He smiled. “Men do not learn from history. Each generation believes itself brighter than the last, each believes it can survive the mistakes of the older ones. Each discovers each old thing and they throw up their hands and say ‘See! Look what I have found! Look upon what I know!’ And each believes it is something new.

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  12. #52
    Boolit Master

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    I seem to remember that the set I bought in 1968 was black, but I have not seen them in a while. Have never seen any red ones.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  13. #53
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    Do any of you know if Lee ever updated the slide rule for the yellow dippers? There are powders listed there that I haven't heard of in 30 years. GF

  14. #54
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    Lee's data was all based on a cubic centimeter/grain measurement. Each powder had a density number. Each dipper was marked in cc. So, if you know the density of the powder you can figure out each dipper capacity, or find the cc you need for a given load. Lee also calibrates all of their powder measures in CC.

  15. #55
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    LEE Dippers: Old (Black or Red) powder dippers vs New (Yellow) powder dippers
    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...powder-dippers

  16. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gray Fox View Post
    Do any of you know if Lee ever updated the slide rule for the yellow dippers? There are powders listed there that I haven't heard of in 30 years. GF
    yes,you can buy a new set of yellow dippers along with slide rule all in a neat new box.... the slide rule fits neatly ontop of all the dippers inside the box...funny the same few dippers get used 90% of the time.

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  18. #58
    Boolit Master
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    Dippers are fine, but GET a Scale and KNOW what you really are loading. Powder Lots differ in density over time. A scale is consistent.
    Adam

  19. #59
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    jmho - variables exist in both beam + electronic scales - many different conditions affect their consistency -
    never pick a fight with an old man - if he is too old to fight he will just kill you -
    in this current crisis our government is not the solution , it is the problem ! -

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  20. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Helmer View Post
    Dippers are fine, but GET a Scale and KNOW what you really are loading. Powder Lots differ in density over time. A scale is consistent.
    Adam
    Exactly... use a Scale to check your Dipper Volume vs Weight (technique) ..and Go with it!!!
    Or sit around with Tweezers counting .005 grain increments...

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check