Dispensing H110 / W296

[JustaShooter]

So, having had good luck with right at 21gr H110 / W296 under a 125gr HP/XTP in my .357 Mag GP100, I thought I'd make up a bunch.  Instead of the scoop / weigh / trickle approach I used to work up the load, I set up to use my Lee auto-disk powder dispenser.  I've not ever had any trouble with that setup before with the powders I've used in it (mostly Bullseye and Unique) but that H110 is so fine it worked its way into every crack & crevice and gummed up the works to the point that it wouldn't reset back to the fill position without help.  I made sure everything was snug and tight and otherwise clean and functional, and it just wouldn't stay working for more than 30-40 rounds or so before it happened again.

Has anyone had any experience with other dispensers with this kind of powder, and what worked / didn't work?  Any ideas on how to tweak the Lee to work with it, or is that just not gonna work out well no matter what?

And before anyone starts, please don't turn this into a Lee bashing thread.  If you can't be helpful, I'd rather you took it elsewhere if you don't mind.

Just a Shooter

[LaOtto222]

I do not have a Lee dispenser. I do have a RCBS Uniflow dispenser. I have not had any trouble with any of the ball powders with it, in fact it works better with ball type powders. I get no binding, it stays smooth - no matter how many I dispense out of it. Ball powders are known for their consistency out of dispensers. Make sure there is absolutely no lubricant in your dispenser. It can, not only contaminate your powder, but it will let the powder stick to the insides of the dispenser and start binding it up. If you have to use a lubricate make it a dry one, like graphite. Also make sure the drum is smooth -very smooth. If it is a little rough it will pick up on the smaller balls and roll them in between the housing and the drum causing it to bind. Being unfamiliar with a Lee dispenser, that is about the only things I can think of to look for - unless it has any plastic parts in the housing/drum area. Then static electricity could cause the powder to stick to it and roll in between the housing and drum. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Lloyd Smale]

it will show itself in any measure that has a slide. Ive had simualar problems with aa9 in a dillon. Aa9 is a tad finer even then 110/296. Ive found on the dillons that some slides fit some measures a tad better then others and with a little experimenting found a combo that was trouble free. you might want to try either 2400 or 4227 both are a tad courser.

[Lone Star]

Ditto what Lloyd said.  Some powders just won't work well with some measures.   I've never liked the inconsistant throw weights I got with original H4831 in my RCBS Uniflow, so I don't use it in that measure.  OTOH H414, Varget and H380 work great. 

I'd suggest trying BlueDot since Bullseye and Unique worked so well in the Lee - but of course we all know that powder will blow your .357 into a million pieces if used under a 125-grain bullet........




.

[buck460XVR]

One reason I use so much H110 in my magnum loads(.357. 44 and .460 S&W) other than performance and accuracy is because it meters so well outta my RCBS Uniflow. Most folks have much more problems metering Unique than ball powders. Hard to believe a tool used for precise measuring would have tolerances loose enough to bind with common powders. Have you contacted Lee about this.......maybe they have an answer.


BTW.....thanks to the shortage of SPM and LRM primers I have been using a lot of IMR4227 in the .357s and the .460, and it meters well also.

[stimpylu32]

shooter

I have had the same problems in my Lee PPM and ball powders , not just H110 but BLC-2 , Ramshot's Tac & X-term among others , while it does just fime with the stick and flake stuff . 

stimpy

[JustaShooter]

Thanks everyone.  Between the static build up due to the plastic parts and that the Lee uses a slide, it looks like I might be out of luck with the fine ball powders.  I'll see if Lee has any advice about it, and if I find anything that works I'll post back.

Just a Shooter

[BBF]

Had the same problem with H-110 and went back to the slow but sure weigh one at a time routine.

[Dand]

Yeah H110 is soooo fine. I have a bit of leakage and I use the ProAuto Disk with the elastomer wiper. I was getting more leakage lately of several powders so I took off the hopper and very carefully filed down the top of the unit where the hopper sits - to compress the wiper a little more. Helps but I had some Unique sneaking out anyway. And some of that Win / Olin Super Field was real sneaky.

The Auto disk doesn't have that wiper that I know of so I doubt you can make a tighter fit - one of the reasons I haven't gone with this model tho really tempted.
Otherwise I REALLY like my ProAuto disk for convenience.
One other thing, I always check weigh the charge it throws. MOST of the time I have to go up one cavity from the recommendation to get the charge I want. Maybe due to the dryness here.
Like others say, my RCBS Uniflow does great with all ball powders tried.
But I rarely use it any more.

[cwlongshot]

 Most things LEE don't do it for me, I suggest you step up to a "real" powder measure. RCBS Uni-flo, REDDING #3, Hornady lock-n-load, Foster powder measure  and LYMAN #55 are all really good measures. Also if you don't have a good scale, spring for one of these as well.

IMHO, Your beginning to see the limitations of LEE reloading products.

CW

[BCB]

I have had some problem with the RCBS Uniflow, but not as bad as with the Lee Perfect Powder Measurer.

I take the Lee apart and thoroughly clean the drum on the outside and then I apply a thin coat of graphite powder.  This allows me to tighten the drum in place very tight and the powder doesn’t migrate between the drum and the inside of the measurer.  This helps a bit, but it is not miracle cure.  H-110 and 296 are just a bit contemptible in a powder measurer. 

I weigh one charge and place it into a case.  I then throw charges into 7 to 9 cases and stand them side by side and shine a flashlight into them and observe the powder column height.  That is close enough to suit me.  I have never had pressure problems doing this and accuracy for the cartridges that I use those powders in is very good.

Good-luck…BCB

[Tom Threetoes]

My Uniflo handles the W296 just fine, but not the trinkler. W296 will lock it up. By the way that's a pretty warm load, 19 grns. in my Security Six will cause a mass evacuation of the firing line when I touch it off. LOL Very accurate though.

[sr sawyer]

To reduce static problems rub the parts with a piece of a dryer sheet like you put in the dryer to soften and reduce static cling for clothes.  Works really well for plastics.

Ken

[JustaShooter]

Tom, the 21gr load is min charge for a 125gr JHP according to Hodgdon and Lyman, and 0.7 - 1.0 over max per Hornady and Speer.  One of those situations where I couldn't get a consensus among the reloading resources I have, so I split the difference.  Given the warnings I've heard about not reducing loads for H110/W296 I figured being in the middle wasn't a bad place to be.  It is stout, but I expected that from a full-house .357 load.

Just a Shooter

[JustaShooter]

Ken, The one time I tried that, it left a residue on the plastic that made the powder stick worse.  Did I do something wrong?

Just a Shooter

[BCB]

JustaShooter,

I don't know if you did anything wrong or not, but I never had any luck with the drying sheet.  Powder still sticks to the plastic and sometimes to the metal pan on the scales...BCB

[sr sawyer]

Had the same problem with new sheets if actually rubbed and should have been more specific.  Take the new ones and fold and use more like a paint brush and do not leave any residue.  The ones that have already made one trip thru the dryer will work and not leave a residue.

Ken

[JustaShooter]

Thanks Ken, I'll give it a go.  Each time I'd seen that tip/trick before, no body mentioned the technique - no wonder it made such a mess for me!

Just a Shooter

[dpe.ahoy]

I have the same problem with the Lee PPM with H-110.  And it really binds up my Lyman 1200, to the point I have been using more LilGun than 110/296.  And with the heavier bullets LilGun gets more speed at the same or lower pressure.  I may try a dipper with the 110/296 to use up the rest of 4+ lbs I have of it or just clean up the mess it makes with the Lee.  It is a good powder and worth the extra mess.  DP