Author Topic: got me to thinking.... (Read 340 times)

myronman3 · « **on:** November 13, 2005, 02:47:39 AM »

i have friend that wants to borrow my 1894 44 for his son deer hunting in a week, but wants some light recoiling gun. i pulled out some of my lower velocity loads, and due to a thread, got to thinking. how can one double check after he loads some ammo? weight is the only answer i could come up with.

i have been wanting a digital scale for quite awhile now, and this was just the excuse i was needing. so i went out and got me a dillon digital scale. this morning i went through two boxes of ammo, and weighed each loaded cartrige. i found three in each box that were 5 grains heavier than the rest. so i seperated them, and this afternoon i will be pulling the bullets on these cartridges and weighing the different components to see why there is a weight difference. i know it could be alot of different things; but i figure the biggest three contributers is going to be the bullet, the powder, and the brass.

i will post up results tonight.....thoughts and experience on this matter?

VTDW · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2005, 03:17:55 AM »

myronman3,

That sure got my attention!! I know that bullets sometimes weigh a little differently and brass from different mfg. also, but 5 gr. cumulative seems like a lot of variance. Do be sure and let us know what is up with the 5 grain difference.

Dave

myronman3 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2005, 10:18:27 AM »

cartridge

#1= bullet-253.5g brass-111.4g powder-8.7

#2 bullet-254.7 brass-118.7 powder-9.2

#3 bullet-254.8 brass-120.1 powder-9.1

#4 bullet-240 brass-117.2 powder-8.8

#5 bullet-240 brass-118.5 powder-9.1

#6 bullet-239.9 brass-118.7 powder-8.9

the first three listed were cast bullets, and the powder was in the lube, i tried to get all the powder off the bullet and into the pan. so it isnt right on the money, but really close. it wasnt easy.

as far as powder goes, all charges were within 3/10ths of a grain of targeted charge (9 grains). not perfet, but not bad either, when you consider the statement above.

obviously, the big wild card here is the brass. yes, it is mixed headstamps. i guess from here on out i will start trying to use the same make brass for a given box of ammo.

interesting if nothing else. i kind of figured as much, but there is only one way to really know.

VTDW · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2005, 11:01:53 AM »

Thanks MM3,

Figured that's what it was. That new scale will most likely help out too.

Dave

myronman3 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2005, 11:48:41 AM »

yep, i am thinking of all kinds of uses for this thing. makes me wonder how i got along without it to begin with.

Savage · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2005, 12:15:10 PM »

I bought a digital scale from Cabella's a year or so ago. Still have my old beam scale, don't use either one very much anymore. I just verify charge weights on my progressive from time to time. Sure is nice tho!!
Savage