Lee Dippers. The proof of the pudding?

Muir

Well-Known Member
As an avocation I consult to an ammo maker and was at the range doing some chronographing on their behalf when I realized I had 5 rounds of 8x57 left and my Swede Mauser 8mm. These were loaded with a 3.4CC Lee Dipper tossing 51.5 grains of IMR 4350. I tossed them across my Chrony and got this...

(FPS)

2245
2231
2244
2246
2253

This is only five rounds but I have no reason to believe the previous 15 rounds were too far off considering that the bullets went where I was pointing them. So, not absolute proof as to the value of "dipping" but enough to raise an eyebrow, eh? ~Muir
 
22 fps ES over five rounds is to my mind impressive using "only" a dipper, it is indicative of your technique as there is an art to using them.

Be interested to see variation over say 5 groups of five shots or more against a similar case loaded using a powder thrower.......
 
surely you can get that much variation even if you weigh each charge to the 0.1 grain? Either way, I've heard enough (mostly from you Muir) to make me make some dippers from old cases when I get my serious powder. (Lee!)
 
22 fps ES over five rounds is to my mind impressive using "only" a dipper, it is indicative of your technique as there is an art to using them.

Be interested to see variation over say 5 groups of five shots or more against a similar case loaded using a powder thrower.......

There is some truth to that: I have been using them for 40 years, off and on. Lee writes that he used to pour the powder into a wide mouthed container and drag the scoop through it, heaping powder on the uplift. He then scraped it level with the edge of a business card. I don't do it that way but i have found that with coarse, extruded powder I can equal or better the throw of a drum-type measure using my dip and tap routine. I have a Masker (before most of your collective times) bench rest measure that has always been pretty good with extruded powders. I'll run the comparisons this weekend before I do my weekly off-hand practice. In fairness, you can be off a full grain and not see it in a crimped load of 4350, I think.~Muir
 
surely you can get that much variation even if you weigh each charge to the 0.1 grain? Either way, I've heard enough (mostly from you Muir) to make me make some dippers from old cases when I get my serious powder. (Lee!)

Correct. This isn't indicative of much. As I said, I crimped the loads which will do much to overcome small changes in powder -especially with a relatively slow powder like 4350. Reloading is an elimination of variables, I think all I proved is that using a dipper didn't upset that apple cart too badly.~Muir
 
Ahhh Muir, I believe Seely did a good number of this conversions to powder measures. Yes I know the name and who he was thanks to the writings of Ken Waters.
 
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