How many here make your powder charges exact?

[GH1]

Seems to me if you only weigh every ten that if you find it being off you would have to dump the last nine to be weighed again.So I think its better and faster to weigh each hunting or target round. Besides it wouldnt be in the back of your mind if they were right or not. Plinking handgun rounds I do just dump with the uniflow.

You're right, that's exactly what I do.  I used to do it more frequently but the more I reloaded the more I noticed the lack of variances, so I stretched it out to ten.  I also use two reloading trays so when I charge the empties I then transfer it to the second tray to reduce the possibility of a double charge.  I then visually inspect each cartridge before I seat the bullet.  Like I posted before, I don't want to be the subject of a reloading horror story.
 I realize everybody has their own system to prevent an accident and it doesn't really what perticular method one uses.  I think the key is to do it the same way everytime, all the time.
GH1

[saddlebum]

For rifle cartridges I throw light charges and trickle them up to weight on a scale. (coarse powders)
For handgun I charge the cases and check every tenth one or so. Mostly because as the powder level in the measure gets lower to a certain point, the charges get lighter. Even with a baffle in the measure. It happens gradually so I never have to correct more than a couple of thrown charges. (add powder to measure)

[DalesCarpentry]

I see many people here use a powder trickler. I do not have one. I use a Lee dipper to add just a little more powder and it works ok. Could someone explain exactly how a trickler works? I take it that it just adds a very small amount of powder somehow. My local Walmart has a RCBS one for about $18.00 and I have been wondering if I need one and would it be easier to bring a round up to weight using it rather than the Lee dipper method I have been using. Thanks Dale

[mechanic]

I see many people here use a powder trickler. I do not have one. I use a Lee dipper to add just a little more powder and it works ok. Could someone explain exactly how a trickler works? I take it that it just adds a very small amount of powder somehow. My local Walmart has a RCBS one for about $18.00 and I have been wondering if I need one and would it be easier to bring a round up to weight using it rather than the Lee dipper method I have been using. Thanks Dale

Every reloader needs a trickler.  Especially with critical loads.  It can dispense a tiny bit of powder at a time, so if you are using 4.2 grains of something, the .2 doesn't become .3 ....

[DalesCarpentry]

I think I will pick one up on my way home from work tomorrow and give it a try. Thanks Dale

[DalesCarpentry]

This is a little off topic but I don't think it really warrents a new thread. I now have about 270 brass for my 22-250. I do a good bit of shooting and will most likley pick up about another 100 or so. How many brass do you guys keep on hand for a rifle that you shoot a good bit? Thanks Dale

[mechanic]

I keep a reasonable amount of straight wall and rimmed cases, as they will last a long long time.  With bottle necked cases like you have, it will depend a lot on your resizing practices, and how hot you load.  You may get 4 or 5 reloads on a case, or you may get 20 or more. 

If you full length resize, and load hot, and have to trim a lot, I would keep a good amt. of brass.  Even so, 200 - 300 should last  a while unless you have more shooting time than I do!

Ben

[DalesCarpentry]

I keep a reasonable amount of straight wall and rimmed cases, as they will last a long long time.  With bottle necked cases like you have, it will depend a lot on your resizing practices, and how hot you load.  You may get 4 or 5 reloads on a case, or you may get 20 or more.  

If you full length resize, and load hot, and have to trim a lot, I would keep a good amt. of brass.  Even so, 200 - 300 should last  a while unless you have more shooting time than I do!

Ben

I went to a neck sizing die a little while ago and have some brass that has been loaded 6 or 8 times by now. Although I am loosing some to cracked necks every so often. Dale

[hornady]

Dale you say your Wal-Mart sells reloading supplies, The one in Delmont and Greensburg stopped selling Rifles about two years ago, Delmont I can see it, All the Murrysville yuppies, but why Greensburg, I guess that’s a discussion for another day. This is way late, but many years ago, and little money, a fired bottleneck case worked pretty well as a powder trickler, but then back then I would mark and cut off cases and solder handles to cases to make powder dippers.

[shot1]

Every rifle load with stick powder gets weighed exactly. With ball powders my RCBS dumper is so close to exact that I don't bother to weigh after set up. For pistol loads I weigh every one if it is for hunting or personal protection and other serious shooting. If it is practice ammo I will dump and weigh every 5th load with flake powder but ball powders just get dumped.

[gypsyman]

For the guns I think it will make a difference, I weigh every charge. For all the rest, once I get the powder measure set, about every 10th one or so. I use a flake or ball powder when I'm on the Dillion. Once it gets settled in, I usually check the first 5-10, I just keep an eye on the level in the case, and let 'er rip. gypsyman

[Swampman]

I weigh all mine even the pistol cartridges.

[drdougrx]

Dale...to the issue of brass...I guess I've accumulated more that I'll ever need.  I've got at least a couple 3lb coffee cans each of 223, 243, 270, 3006, 300win, 375HH, 45/70, 38sp, 9mm, 44mag, 45acp and at least a can of 35whalen, 357mag, 7x57, 338win, 40sw and who know what else.  I also have several assorted boxes of brass in all of these calibers given to me by gys at the range and about 6 or 8 different 1qt bags of 223 sorted by mfr, aslo range pick up.

Powder Dribbler...I have one and do not use it any more, though its nice to have if you like it.  My lee dippers will get me within .5gr of the desired load and i just dribble the remaining powder in by a stick at a time. I primarily load stick powders for all rifles..RL22, 15 or 19. I do the same with ball powder such as 748, h414 and H110...not usually a problem.  I do not do high volume reloading anymore though...the days of me loading 400-500 223s and shooting them in a weekend are LOOONG gone.

[myarmor]

Dale if you want pecision, get that RCBS Trickler! it's the only way . I personally weigh all loads individually, this is one area that being anal is not a bad thing at ALL The more consistant every thing is the better your groups will show.

As far as brass volume... depends on how much you shoot and for what cal. What one guy says in the hills, will vary from what another says in the flat lands out Prarie Dog'n it.....store up how much you need personally.




-Aaron

[375supermag]

It all depends...

I mostly load handgun ammunition and use an RCBS Little Dandy with the interchangeable rotors.
Once I settle on a powder charge, I find whatever rotor comes closest to the desired charge weight and then trickle in the balance. That is for near-max loads, hunting loads and serious target shooting.

For plinking, I find an accurate load and just dump the powder. I weigh every tenth charge.

I usually weigh ten percent of the cast bullets that I buy just for my own satisfaction...I rarely see more than a couple of grains variation. I generally weigh every tenth jacketed bullet I buy...usually only Hornady HP-XTPs. They always seem to be quite uniform and vary very little from advertised weights.

On the rare occassion that I reload rifle ammunition, I weigh every charge. I also weigh every bullet just in case...never see enough difference to matter for hunting ammunition.  

[Hairtrigger]

I HATE to trickle powder.
I purchased a Lyman DPS3 and love it

[myarmor]

I don't think anyone likes to use a powder trikle but it's worth it if your trying to get the most accurate measure........

[Siskiyou]

Last night I needed to use my powder tickler or a plastic spoon.  I used the spoon.  I was loading development loads for the 243 Winchester with the 105 grain Speer Splitzer using WMR powder.  I was loading five sets of cases starting low and increased the charge in increments.  While ball powder is easy to work with it is not worth changing my powder measure for five rounds and then changing it for the next five.

I used a scoop from my Lee set what was just below the amount needed.  Never seems to be the exact charge for my rifle loads.  I emptied the scoop into the pan for the scale, and then used the spoon to dribble the additional powder into the pan until the pointer was a zero.  Changing my powder measure for every few rounds would have turned it into a long night.

A loader needs a little flexibility depending on the size of the project.

[R.W.Dale]

I guess I'm an oddball. After using mu uniflow for a couple years I sold my trickler my groups have never been better. I did a few tests comparing thrown vs weighed rounds in my bench gun and if anything the thrown charges were more accurate than the individually weighed ones

Changing my powder measure for every few rounds would have turned it into a long night.

This is where a micrometer equipped measure shines. Once I establish the baseline setting and the first increment I can carry that difference over to the next and be pretty much exact the first time.

[PowPow]

I use a Lee Safety Scale and weigh/trickle each charge.
Also, I calibrate the scale each session with the same 40 gr v-max bullet.
This method is not exactly tracable to the NIST, but it will always be repeatable for me.
Slow process but I am loading for single shot rifles, and can make them faster than I can shoot them.

[41 mag]

I used a scoop from my Lee set what was just below the amount needed.  Never seems to be the exact charge for my rifle loads.  I emptied the scoop into the pan for the scale, and then used the spoon to dribble the additional powder into the pan until the pointer was a zero.  Changing my powder measure for every few rounds would have turned it into a long night.

A loader needs a little flexibility depending on the size of the project.

From the time I started loading back in the early 70's with my pop, till after I graduated high school I used this method for all loads. UUUUgh still use it but sure don't like to. Almost like watching paint dry. LOL  Don't get me wrong it is VERY useful, I just don't seem to have the patients to do it a lot anymore.

I guess I'm an oddball. After using (banned site) uniflow for a couple years I sold my trickler my groups have never been better. I did a few tests comparing thrown vs weighed rounds in my bench gun and if anything the thrown charges were more accurate than the individually weighed ones

Changing my powder measure for every few rounds would have turned it into a long night.

This is where a micrometer equipped measure shines. Once I establish the baseline setting and the first increment I can carry that difference over to the next and be pretty much exact the first time.

This is more my style nowdays. I have 4 of them set up for different powders or uses. One of them is dedicated to hauling back and fourth to the range or country for load work up's. Somewhere here o my PC, I have a list of most used loads for my rifles, in which I have already pre-measured and recorded the settings for my Uniflow. It is simply a quick look and a copy over to the load book and away I go.

On the others one is mounted on my auto pres, one has the small drum for handgun loads and the other has the big drum for rifle loads. The latter are set up on the stand as needed. Most times however I simply use the one while I am at the country or range to load up a box of shells before heading home. I do verify the charge weights once I get home for future reference.

[Big Nasty]

I tend to weigh each one for my .40 M&P, but the wife on the other hand weighs about every fifth one. Rifle loads each one no exceptions.

[Blackhawker]

I think I will pick one up on my way home from work tomorrow and give it a try. Thanks Dale

Dale, tapping a dipper works just as well.  Plus, if you overshoot, you could dig some powder back up.

By the way, I throw a charge, pour it on the pan and it's either exact of I have to take a little away or add.  Most of the time I set my measure to throw .1 grains under the desired charge and then I tap the last .1 grains from my powder dipper.  If I overshoot a little I can dig some back out of the pan and tap again until I get it right.

For rifle or pistol...this is the way I've come to do things.

In the past I weighed (checked) every other round, every five rounds, or more depending upon how the powder in use meters.  These days I've become more picky about my loads and I literally check nearly every round on the powder balance (scale).

[Blackhawker]

This is a little off topic but I don't think it really warrents a new thread. I now have about 270 brass for my 22-250. I do a good bit of shooting and will most likley pick up about another 100 or so. How many brass do you guys keep on hand for a rifle that you shoot a good bit? Thanks Dale

Answer:  As much as I can get, either by pick ups at the range or when I see someone trading or selling brass at a good price.  The way I see it, one can never have enough brass on hand.   

[yooper77]

I trickle weigh every load, with a RCBS balance beam scale.  As accurate as I can get with my eyes, I know isn’t exact, but I do it every time.  I thought about the electrically scales, but I can’t find the need for the expense maybe someday.

yooper77

[big_bore]

I started reloading a long time ago, and was mentored by a now deceased decorated military veteran and decorated shooter.

Here's some of what he taught me that has since saved my bacon on more than one occasion (I lived and hunted in very remote regions of Alaska for many many years):

Every charge gets weighed.  Always.
Every case gets visually checked for a powder charge before bullet seating.  Always.
Every load gets measured for total length.  Always.
Every load gets chambered in the gun before adding it to the 'to be fired' box.  Always.

When you spend the time working up a load that works for your gun, spend the extra 2-10 seconds to weigh and verify the charge to be what you've optimized it to be, as if your life depends on it (mine has).

[Hairtrigger]

What is everyone considering exact??!?!!  +- 0.1 gr?
All that work is thrown away if you are not using brass from the same lot.
Do you weigh all of you bullets to make sure they do not vary?
Just some random thoughts

[necchi]

What is everyone considering exact??!?!!  +- 0.1 gr?

Um, not really. Exact to me is +/- 0.0,, kinda like exact.

Your right, there are several variables,,powder charge is one I can control,,I work up loads to the tenth of a grain.

Why on earth would I go through that work,,then toss a load that's kinda close ? Simple example,,I have already proven that 25.3 grains and 25.5 grains each show a larger 10 shot average group at 200 than the 25.4 group in my 223.

Why would I NOT load 25.4 grains?  What possible reasoning is there to load for inferior groupings with a variable that is fully under the control of the guy at the loading bench.??   

I guess there are guy's out there that are completely content with mediocur groups. I mean for every match winner or harvested game there are the guy's that shoot less and/or miss their game. 

[Hairtrigger]

I know my Hornady powder measure is not gonna throw +- 0.0 and usually stays in 0.1. The powder measure is on top of my Hornady progressive press.

Shooting across my Oehler 35P I have found loads that 5 shot strings are within 15fps max spread.   I am not convinced that it is necessary to weigh all powder charges.
Having said that I also own a Lyman DPS3 and a Harrells powder measure. ..... Just for fun....

[223Shooter]

I am one of those guys that measures each and every load... for my .223, 30-30, 35Rem, 30-06 and 40S&W. I have always done this....for the last 45 years or so.