Powder from container to scale

S

scott123456789

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 26, 2012
140
0
38
Weatherford, TX
#1
What is your method for getting powder onto the scale? Non-automated.

The only thing I've witnessed was a small pyrex dish with a half cup or so of powder. A tablespoon plastic measuring spoon to get close. Bumping along the way to see if the scale will begin to rise. Then a trickler to get it perfect.

So how do you do it better?
 
#3
Re: Powder from container to scale

Lyman powder throw, into the case and then into the bowl/funnel on the scale. I only weigh a few to ensure I'm getting within .1 gr and then just spot check after loading a tray full. Short ones get trickled up with a hornady powder trickle.
 
#4
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: scott123456789</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is your method for getting powder onto the scale? Non-automated.

The only thing I've witnessed was a small pyrex dish with a half cup or so of powder. A tablespoon plastic measuring spoon to get close. Bumping along the way to see if the scale will begin to rise. Then a trickler to get it perfect.

So how do you do it better? </div></div>

In the beginning, when I was hand weighing target charges (and not using the Dillon 550b measure) on my Dillon beam scale, I'd just use a teacup to hold the powder and a sugar spoon to get the bulk of the charge in the pan, then I'd let the RCBS trickler finish off the charge.

I've since moved to a ChargeMaster 1500, so the Dillon beam scale is now my backup.

Chris
 
#5
Re: Powder from container to scale

Lee measuring spoons to get close then trickle to final charge weight...that was in the past, now it's a hornady autocharge. The lee measure kit was easy enough to use though as you can select the appropriate sized scoop to be just under your target charge and then only have to trickle a minimal amount of powder to finish it off.
 
#7
Re: Powder from container to scale

Powder thrower and a trickler is what I used to use.

To go from the powder thrower to the scale I use a 444 Marlin case. It's pretty much big enough to hold any powder charge I need. I have a digital scale now so I zero the scale with the 444 Marlin case on it.
 
#8
Re: Powder from container to scale

Powder measure set a few tenths light... whether its my Harrell's Custom 90, or a Lee PPM. Take the pan off my Sartorius GD503, dispense powder into the pan, stick it back on the scale, trickle up using a 2-speed Omega powder trickler.
 
#9
Re: Powder from container to scale

I think it's a teaspoon, stainless steel. Holds right at 41gr IMR 4064. It's long enough to reach the bottom of a 1lb. jug and dump it on the scale. No muss, no fuss, no $400 electronic gizmo.
 
#10
Re: Powder from container to scale

If you can splurge a little the $60. + - electric push button Omega powder trickler will spoil you for life. It has a hi and low speed button and each tap on the low speed drops a kernel of powder and will cut your trickling time in half.
With practice you can honestly throw loads in about 20 seconds that are as accurate as your scale. Combined with a cheap Lee powder thrower your good to go.
 
#11
Re: Powder from container to scale

Redding 3BR set a little light, then trickle up.

When doing a load workup I do it the hard way by putting powder in an empty plastic projectile box and scoop it out with the Lee scoops that come with their die sets.
 
#13
Re: Powder from container to scale

I use the Dillon automatic powder measure whgich is a part of my RL550B press. These can be somewhat inconsistent with some powder granular shapes.

My strategy is to take advantage of that inconsistency, and adjust the measure to drop just enough extra so that every charge is consistently a tad heavy by at least some small amount.

I pull the charged case from the 550 and dump the charge into the scale pan. I then pinch about enough powder between forefingertip and thumb to ensure the charge in the pan is just underweight. I then trickle the pinched powder back into the pan gradually until the scale agreea exactly with the desired charge.

The excess pinched powder gets dropped back into the powder meesure's hopper and the pan gets emptied through a funnel/drop tube back into the case. The case gets returned to its station in the press' baseplate, is advanced, and the step is repeated.

Greg
 
#14
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I always do it this way - As quick as a Chargemaster and as accurate as your scales.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dnVOoGd1bDU
</div></div>

I suppose the RCBS beams are smoother than the Lee beam scale, as the Lee tends to bounce all over when just a couple kernels are dropped. I need to move to a system like this.
 
#15
Re: Powder from container to scale

Hornady LnL AP powder measure set below target weight but high enough to lift the beam off the rest.

I batch load and I run a primed case from the batch through the press over and over to get powder from the measure onto the scale. Then funnel the powder from the scale into the cases. When I'm at the last case (the one I was using to transfer powder) I inspect the flash hole to ensure that no powder is in the primer pocket before adding the charge and tap it to get it all out.
 
#16
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BreakBad</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I always do it this way - As quick as a Chargemaster and as accurate as your scales.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dnVOoGd1bDU
</div></div>

I suppose the RCBS beams are smoother than the Lee beam scale, as the Lee tends to bounce all over when just a couple kernels are dropped. I need to move to a system like this. </div></div>

I have around 25 beam scales, from old Webster and Redding oil damped scales from the 1950's to M5 and 10/10's.
All the RCBS scales (Except the R130) tune up well - They all use exactly the same floating Agate bearings and knife edge through the whole range so a 10/10 is no more accurate than a 502. The Redding No 2 is also a fine scale, straightforward, accurate and sensitive.
I have a fair selection of Lee gear in my box, presses, dies, powder measures etc. but I wish Richard would so something about designing a new scale.
frown.gif
 
#17
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BreakBad</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I always do it this way - As quick as a Chargemaster and as accurate as your scales.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dnVOoGd1bDU
</div></div>

I suppose the RCBS beams are smoother than the Lee beam scale, as the Lee tends to bounce all over when just a couple kernels are dropped. I need to move to a system like this. </div></div>

I have around 25 beam scales, from old Webster and Redding oil damped scales from the 1950's to M5 and 10/10's.
All the RCBS scales (Except the R130) tune up well - They all use exactly the same floating Agate bearings and knife edge through the whole range so a 10/10 is no more accurate than a 502. The Redding No 2 is also a fine scale, straightforward, accurate and sensitive.
I have a fair selection of Lee gear in my box, presses, dies, powder measures etc. but I wish Richard would so something about designing a new scale.
frown.gif
</div></div>

Thanks! I think you just convinced me to go ahead and order a 502. Now to do some reading up on auto tricklers and if they are worth it for me.
 
#18
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BreakBad</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BreakBad</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1066</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I always do it this way - As quick as a Chargemaster and as accurate as your scales.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dnVOoGd1bDU
</div></div>

I suppose the RCBS beams are smoother than the Lee beam scale, as the Lee tends to bounce all over when just a couple kernels are dropped. I need to move to a system like this. </div></div>

I have around 25 beam scales, from old Webster and Redding oil damped scales from the 1950's to M5 and 10/10's.
All the RCBS scales (Except the R130) tune up well - They all use exactly the same floating Agate bearings and knife edge through the whole range so a 10/10 is no more accurate than a 502. The Redding No 2 is also a fine scale, straightforward, accurate and sensitive.
I have a fair selection of Lee gear in my box, presses, dies, powder measures etc. but I wish Richard would so something about designing a new scale.
frown.gif
</div></div>

Thanks! I think you just convinced me to go ahead and order a 502. Now to do some reading up on auto tricklers and if they are worth it for me. </div></div>

I wouldn't go any other way
smile.gif


There is a brand new trickler from Omega that is automatic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUPxA3JYrI8&feature=player_detailpage
 
#19
Re: Powder from container to scale

The fellow that tunes up everybody's scale (Scott Parker) says the older ones made by Ohaus for RCBS are much better than the new ones. The model M5 Ohaus is one he especially likes and mine can deflect each kernel of powder on the scale.
Some new ones are made in Mexico or China and are junk so be careful.
 
#20
Re: Powder from container to scale

Instead of the spoon, take a fired case and install a dead primer or fill the primer cup with some sealant. Measure a charge and dump it into the case. Mark the outside of the case just below the powder level and cut the case off there. (don't forget to remove the powder) Twist some stiff wire around the case to form a handle, then use this as a scoop. If it holds too much, just trim it until it holds a grain or so less than your desired charge.
Now you have a scoop that is much faster than the spoon and it didn't cost anything but time.
 
#21
Re: Powder from container to scale

Good idea, mike.

If I'm only loading a few I spoon and trickle. If I'm loading a lot I throw short and trickle.
 
#22
Re: Powder from container to scale

Kind of makes one wonder how accurate a tuned balance beam coupled with one of the new Omega auto tricklers would be?

I've still got a Redding #2 sitting around here that was, according to my GD503, as accurate as the RCBS 10-10 that Scott Parker tuned for me. Never have liked the adjuster mechanism on the 10-10 so it got sold.
 
#23
Re: Powder from container to scale

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: memilanuk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Kind of makes one wonder how accurate a tuned balance beam coupled with one of the new Omega auto tricklers would be?

I've still got a Redding #2 sitting around here that was, according to my GD503, as accurate as the RCBS 10-10 that Scott Parker tuned for me. Never have liked the adjuster mechanism on the 10-10 so it got sold. </div></div>

The Redding No 2 is a fine scale and can easily be tuned to indicate one kernel of Varget (personally I think the 10/10 is over-rated and much prefer the 502 or 505's)

The Omega Autotrickler will be as accurate as your scale, it can be set to deliver one kernel at a time - If your scale can consistantly read to the nearest kernel of powder (Varget is around 5 kernels to 10th grain) then how much more accuracy do you need. Having a scale that reads to 100th grain is of no practical benefit because you can only load to the nearest kernel.

Consistency is really what we are after. The fact that a beam scale may be a 10th of a grain out when compared to a lab check weight dosen't really matter as long as it is cosistent and all loads are the same.

An auto trickler will give you the speed of a chargemaster and the accuracy/reliability of a beam scale.
 
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