Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: Powder Measure for Rifle Reloading

  1. #1

    Powder Measure for Rifle Reloading

    My reloading experience has been thus far limited to .45 ACP and .38 spl on a Dillon 550.

    I've recently set up a Forster Co-Ax for .308 Win. In single-stage rifle-reloading land, what is the best practice for measuring powder?
    Manually weigh and trickle, RCBS chargemaster, or a volumetric thrower?

    Repetitive fine movements are at best uncomfortable whereas the gross movements to run the lever on the Co-Ax or 550 are just fine.

  2. #2
    I typically throw a volumetric charge and then trickle. With one of the measures that uses a cylindrical volume it is easy to get the thing set so it consistently throws almost what you need, so there is not much trickling to do. I also find it nicer to use a beam scale because you get movement that gives you an idea that you are closing in on the charge rather than the digital scale just changing the number. And a pan like the Lyman is a little easier because you can skip the funnel:
    Name:  Capture.jpg
Views: 329
Size:  20.7 KB

    But the Chargemaster looks cool, I like the feature where it knows you just put the empty pan back and starts the next charge.

    But it does come back to expectations, you might get acceptable results just throwing charges, depends on what you are trying to load for. But since you bought the Forster I am guessing you want precise, and that means weighing every charge, IMO.

  3. #3
    Member SecondsCount's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Utah, USA
    With ball powder, I typically use a volumetric measure and get good results.

    Some extruded powder, such as 8208XBR, will flow nicely through a volumetric measure but Reloder 17 has a longer grain which causes all kinds of variation so I hand trickle or use the Chargemaster.
    -Seconds Count. Misses Don't-

  4. #4
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Behind the Photonic Curtain
    I used a RCBS Uniflow with a micrometer adjustment screw for a long time. If you go that route, keep a log of settings for specific powders. It was not the best for extruded powders, so for them I scooped an amount of powder that was close, then trickled to the final amount. That is a long and tedious process.

    Then I got an RCBS Chargemaster and life is good. While it's dispensing and measuring powder, I seat a bullet in the previously filled case.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  5. #5
    A good powder measure is fine for short range accuracy, say inside 400 yards. At longer ranges, you need to weight charges because uniform/consistent velocity becomes a major component of accuracy. So if you are shooting inside 400, I'd go with a good measure. Redding 30BR, or a Harrells Precision are great. For longer ranges, try a Chargemaster.
    Last edited by Trigger; 04-07-2017 at 09:13 AM.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter walker2713's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Louisiana
    RCBS Chargemaster....every day, all day long!
    Gun Free Zones Aren’t an Inhibition….they’re an Invitation.

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Idaho
    Quote Originally Posted by walker2713 View Post
    RCBS Chargemaster....every day, all day long!
    +1!

  8. #8
    Member Rich@CCC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Youngstown, OH
    1911nerd,
    Are you loading rifle cartridges for bench rest shooting, hunting, plinking, etc?

    Looks like you go high quality with your gear.

    If you are going for precision, get any reliable volumetric dispenser, a trickler and a high quality balance scale(The Ohaus 10-10 is my favorite). Forget digital for true consistency in precision loads. A good balance scale can show the difference of a single particle of powder(depending on the powder of course).

    If you need reliable, reasonably consistent hunting loads, the RCBS Charge Master or the equivalent would be a good investment.

    If you are loading low cost plinking rounds, look at the Lee Auto Drum. Cheap, reliable, pretty darn accurate and very convenient.

    $0.02
    Last edited by Rich@CCC; 04-07-2017 at 10:20 AM.
    TANSTAAFL

    Managing Partner, Custom Carry Concepts, LLC

  9. #9
    Read Hatcher. If your accuracy requirements are what a target shooter up through the 1950s wanted, a Uniflo or other rotary measure is plenty; a few tenths of a grain of extruded powder does not make as much difference as you think.

    If you want to turn out a quantity of pretty good ammo, confident in uniform powder charges, load Ball process powder. Extruded has given somewhat better accuracy in 3 out of 4 of my rifles that are good enough to tell a difference. But Ball powder will just drop the same "all day long." Give it a try.

    If you want benchrest quality ammunition - and a lot of Internet Shooters do, even for their hunting and plinking rifles - then you can either use a high grade rotary measure and a fine grained extruded powder like benchrest shooters do; or you can use a trickler (cheap) or powered dispenser (accurate but expensive.)

    Me?
    I was influenced by a Long Range shooter so I have a dispenser for smokeless and a measure + trickler for black.
    I don't do much
    Code Name: JET STREAM

  10. #10
    Dagnabbit, I can't get back in to edit and complete that post.

    As I was saying, I don't do much rifle shooting these days, but maybe it would be an interesting summer project to compare measured vs weighed powder charges.
    Code Name: JET STREAM

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •