Powder density and the Lee powder dippers

[flattail]

I loaded and fired my first handloads this last Sunday in my Handi 45-70.  I will bore you with details a few lines down.  What I found out about powder density and Lee powder dippers is what I would like you to read and tell me if I’m on the right track.
Last Friday I was ready to reload, using IMR 4198 (which I bought in one of the new plastic bottles) and the Remington 405 gr jacketed soft point bullet.  I was going to use Lee’s dippers size .5c and 2.2c in combination, which should give me very close to 34.1 gr of IMR 4198, according to the slide chart.  Mainly to double check myself, I weighed this charge on my Lee scale, and found that I came up with a weight of 35.4 gr. This bothered me, so I got out the 2.8c dipper (which should have given a charge weight of 35.4 gr.)  This charge weighed 36.7 gr.
Uncertain of my results, I got out my new unused Lee scale (bought one singly and then bought an anniversary kit with one in it), and repeated myself, getting the same weights (within .2 gr all around).  I then called a reloader I just found out about, and took my powder and dippers to him.  We weighed the 2.8c charge on his old Herters scale (which he swears by), and got 36.8 gr on it, one tenth of a gr more than I did.  Being a little paranoid, I did no reloading Friday.  On Saturday, I had to drive to a little larger town, which had a family center with a reloading department.  They had a new metal can of IMR 4198, which I bought.  I performed all the same tests on it and it came in (on average) as follows:  On the combination of .5 & 2.2 dippers, 33.0 gr.  On the 2.8 dipper, 34.7 gr.  I repeated these tests several times.  One batch of IMR 4198 came in at average of 3.6% over the slide card weight.  The other batch of IMR 4198 came in at average of 2% or so under the slice card weight.  Now, the dippers were pretty consistant, within the given batch of powder, so that I could weigh a 2.8c dipper, and fairly closely predict what the other size dippers would weigh (within that batch). I found that with a little practice, I can consistently get weights within a .2 gr spread.

My question is, if I use the dippers to approximate, but actually load by weight, am I going to be all right?  With powder density differences between batches, what I really need to be careful of is that my charge weight is correct, not the volume?

Please forgive the my long drawn out explanation.  I talk that way, too.

Regarding my first reloads, I used once fired Remington brass, full length resized, CCI 200 large rifle primers, the Remington 405 gr. Jacketed soft point bullet, and a weighed charge of 33.0 grains of IMR 4198 powder (using the powder out of the metal can that weighed less per dipper than Lee’s slide chart).  This load comes out of the Lyman 48th Edition and closely approximates the Remington Express factory load.  I seated the bullet for an OAL of 2.580” and used the Lee factory crimp die.  My dummy round indicated that I am touching the rifling with this batch of bullets at 2.630” OAL.   Recoil felt exactly like the factory rounds to me. Everything worked well and I appreciate the advice that some of the members of this forum gave me last month regarding getting started.

[ggeilman]

Lee does advise weighing dipper charges for each new bottle as they can vary by as much as 16% by volume. If you are going to load by volume make sure they are well under MAX load to account for this, but sounds like you are on the right track. Unless I can get a dipper that measures what charge I am looking for I weigh each one against it. I have though moved to the Pro Auto disk which makes for more consistency and faster speed.

[goodconcretecolor]

I love the Lee dippers but they do have limitations. I have a powder measure but when loading near maximum, I weigh each charge. I use the dipper nearest my desired charge and then use the smallest dipper as a "trickler"  I have an RCBS trickler  but I find the dippers faster. I can also remove powder with the dippers. I actually find it fastest to dip a little heavy and I can remove only one o two kernels of powder at a time or almost 2 full grains of most powders with th smallest dipper.

[flattail]

Thank you both for your help.  It is appreciated.

[Glanceblamm]

Are you doing much tapping or shaking of the dipper to get it full & level?
I think that they are designed to fill with the powder and then to just strike off the excess with a card or such.

I have never owned any of these but have used the brass blackpowder measure for years. Very same principle as you are suppose to fill it then strike the loose flakes off the top with the hinged funnel. It seems to be very consistant when doing it this way and cross-checking with a powder scale.

[flattail]

I am using the technique that Richard Lee suggests: push dipper down into powder, letting powder flow down into dipper, then scrape off with business card.  It works well and should be consistent.

[superhornet]

Lee Dippers will load low or middle of the road loads..Do not be fooled that these loads are any less effective than a full power load made up on a scale.  I have loaded ammo using nothing but the Dippers, which has taken white tail a truck load, 1 elk, 1 bou and 1 buffalo...To approach close to max on any caliber, I make up my own dippers out of used cartridge cases..I scale weigh the load, pour it into the case I have selected to make the dipper, mark it, dump the powder and start cutting.  When I have it where I want it, I put a handle on it , dip and scale until I have a consistant throw and load em up...works good for me.....This works for rifle or pistol where certain Lee Dippers do not handle some of the powder I like to use.......IMHO