RepackboxRotoMetals2Lee PrecisionWideners
Reloading EverythingLoad DataMidSouth Shooters SupplyTitan Reloading
Inline Fabrication
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 36

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

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    1,602

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

    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!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    2,516
    Are you measuring by volume or weight?

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Boolit Master armoredman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Casa Grande, AZ
    Posts
    1,917
    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!

  4. #4
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,484
    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.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 12-05-2021 at 08:01 PM.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Kansas City, Mo
    Posts
    219
    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.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    CastingFool's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Climax, Michigan
    Posts
    2,634
    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.
    Last edited by CastingFool; 12-06-2021 at 12:00 AM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    1,602
    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!

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Winnemucca, NV
    Posts
    1,600
    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.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  9. #9
    Boolit Master mehavey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    1,524
    Ever see Professor Wutheridge's sherry bottle in The Bishop's Wife?

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    South east Florida
    Posts
    446
    Get a scale weight check set and check the scale. They're a bit pricey but every load bench should have a set.
    Regards,

    Gary

  11. #11
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    1,602
    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.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Brokenbear's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    SE Mo
    Posts
    209
    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

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    oldblinddog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    959
    Lyman weight check set is about $35
    USMC 6638

  14. #14
    Boolit Master 358429's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Northern Virginia, where the freeway does roam.
    Posts
    743
    If you kick the tire on an f150 does the fuel tank become larger?

  15. #15
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    1,602
    You're right, i neglected to say it, but cases were charged in a block, checked with eyeball and flashlight before bullets were seated.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

    Land Owner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Mims, FL
    Posts
    1,864
    The root cause of the overage is Pa and Ma Kettle Math:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0aPKvNI9ek
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Newboy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    South, by God, Carolina
    Posts
    224
    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.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Upstate NY
    Posts
    1,602
    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.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,457
    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.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    Good point Newboy. Otherwise, I’d say it was electronic scale error.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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