Lee PrecisionInline FabricationWidenersReloading Everything
RotoMetals2RepackboxTitan ReloadingMidSouth Shooters Supply
Load Data
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 47

Thread: Black powder measure?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master





    Idaho45guy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Idaho/Washington border
    Posts
    2,655

    Black powder measure?

    I need to load a bunch of .45-70 govt loads for sighting in and a match in a month. Will need around 100 rounds.

    It's been years since I loaded any BP rounds, and I still have the drop tube, vegetable wads, and 100 cast and lubed 500 grain boolits.

    If I remember correctly, I can't use my RCBS powder measure due to it being plastic, and occasionally a grain will get caught in the mechanism and I feel a crunching sensation. That would be very, very bad with black powder.

    So, is my only option to slowly pour powder onto the scale until I hit the 65 grains I need?

    100 rounds is going to take forever, I fear.
    "Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    467
    I use a big powder flask like this https://www.amazon.com/Muzzle-loader.../dp/B07WNKJWM9

    to fill one of these https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...x/85/1/MAS-120

    to close to the weight I need and then trickle in the last little bit.

    It's pretty quick process once you get going.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    9,452
    2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    "Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
    – Amber Veal

    "The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
    - Wayne Dyer

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE WV
    Posts
    6,216
    My standard Redding measure has been dispensing black powder charges for over 30 years with no problem ever. I don't worry about it.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hell Gap Wy
    Posts
    6,094
    I've loaded tens of thousands of blackpowder rounds with my Lyman DPS 1200 until it finally crapped out and now am using an RCBS charge master.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Lead pot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    3,577
    The fastest way to set off black powder in your loading room is cleaning it up and run a shop vac under the bench. When the lid pops off you know you found some spilled powder

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    1,941
    If you don't want to use that powder measure, a cheap set of Lee Dippers will work pretty well. For the first few years I used them and trickled in the few grains. Now I use an MVA measure and the dippers stay in the drawer for the most part.

    Chris.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    New Market, Iowa
    Posts
    1,466
    I've used my Lee powder dispenser quite a lot for black powder.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,457
    Several ways to go about this.

    1) make a dipper a grain or 2 short and use it to pre weigh charges close. A case can be sacrificed for the dipper.
    A case rough cut to length then use your trimmer to finish to charge weight. A length of heavy copper wire for a handle when done.

    2) Your RCBS measure with a ground strap or the plastic hopper replaced with a brass or aluminum tube

    3) one of the lymann Hornady or other BP dedicated measures

    $) I use a Belding and Mull measure with giid results. They can be found fairly reasonable at times.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Gillette Wyoming
    Posts
    970
    Static can’t set off BP.

    This old urban legend needs to be put to bed permanently.

    https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml...ks/sparks.html

    Kenny W

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold Zad Fnark's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Neenah Wisconsin
    Posts
    5
    I use my Lee dippers to get in the ballpark and tap the rest onto the scale. Sometimes I even get it perfect on the first toss.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master





    Idaho45guy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Idaho/Washington border
    Posts
    2,655
    Quote Originally Posted by Kenny Wasserburger View Post
    Static can’t set off BP.

    This old urban legend needs to be put to bed permanently.

    https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml...ks/sparks.html

    Kenny W
    Thanks! I have an old Lee powder measure that doesn't get grains caught in it, so will use it
    "Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Location
    Central wi.
    Posts
    29
    I agree with Kenny ive been using a hornady for years with no problems. There are a lot of articles out there about setting bp. And it's not as easy as you think.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    503
    I been using my old orange Lyman 55 for near 40 years, never an issue.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master


    Finster101's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    SW Fla
    Posts
    2,631
    Quote Originally Posted by Lead pot View Post
    The fastest way to set off black powder in your loading room is cleaning it up and run a shop vac under the bench. When the lid pops off you know you found some spilled powder

    First hand experience?

  16. #16
    Boolit Master





    Idaho45guy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Idaho/Washington border
    Posts
    2,655
    Made 50 match worthy rounds tonight. Took me 3 hours. Why? Because the Lee powder measure is so wildly inconsistent that I had to weigh every charge and adjust accordingly before dropping it down the drop tube.

    Here are 4 charges in a row. I was trying to get 65 grains. I did not touch the adjustment for any of these pulls...

    Attachment 299140

    Attachment 299141

    Attachment 299142

    Attachment 299143

    So, it went slow, but they are done.

    Attachment 299144


    I have two different brands of cases; Winchester and ones marked "F-P". The difference in case capacity between the two is enormous, with the Winchester case on the left having much more capacity...

    Attachment 299145

    Both loads are obviously compressed, but I wonder how much difference the POI will be between the two rounds based on one being much more compressed?
    "Luck don't live out here. Wolves don't kill the unlucky deer; they kill the weak ones..." Jeremy Renner in Wind River

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Posts
    3,702
    Quote Originally Posted by Idaho45guy View Post
    Made 50 match worthy rounds tonight. Took me 3 hours. Why? Because the Lee powder measure is so wildly inconsistent that I had to weigh every charge and adjust accordingly before dropping it down the drop tube.

    Here are 4 charges in a row. I was trying to get 65 grains. I did not touch the adjustment for any of these pulls...

    Attachment 299140

    Attachment 299141

    Attachment 299142

    Attachment 299143

    So, it went slow, but they are done.

    Attachment 299144


    I have two different brands of cases; Winchester and ones marked "F-P". The difference in case capacity between the two is enormous, with the Winchester case on the left having much more capacity...

    Attachment 299145

    Both loads are obviously compressed, but I wonder how much difference the POI will be between the two rounds based on one being much more compressed?
    two grain spread about normal in dipper measured charges until you get a good system of tapping/ vibrating to settle the charge - I dont have a LEE measure but guessing its aluminium ? BP seems to kinda stick to AL also if the powder chamber is longish works against you . Can improve this by running some powdered graphite through the measure so to coat all the surfaces in contact with powder then clean the surplus graphite out (even helps with cut measures like a shortened case). I think you would need a specially good measure and good technique to get dropped charges inside half a grain - does it matter - chronygraph will tell that tale - if you get ES down respectable yre good

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE WV
    Posts
    6,216
    Sounds like you need to keep an eye open for a Belding & Mull measure. They are the deal when it comes to precision throwing black powder charges. MVA makes a version of it if you have a lot of money to spend.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,457
    Try wrapping a dryer sheet around the measure at the hopper drum junction. It may help with the cling and flow. Im not familiar with the lee measure but my bp tubes for the Belding and Mulls I made have a cupped face in them this helps a lot.

    You might also try one or two light "bumps" on the handle when filling the cavity to settle the powder in. The lee hoppers arnt as big but a baffle may improve things also. these can be cut from a plastic pop bottle to regulate the powder on the drum when filling.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Posts
    3,702
    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    Sounds like you need to keep an eye open for a Belding & Mull measure. They are the deal when it comes to precision throwing black powder charges. MVA makes a version of it if you have a lot of money to spend.
    I am using ungraphited powder (more tricky again in measures) dont mind time in the loading room these days and so I am fine with weighing charges for the bigger cases, best investment for ages was a little digital jewellery scale off fleabay - its about three times quicker than the balance beam - and dead accurate so far - was about 25 bucks landed in my mail box.

Page 1 of 3 123 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