powders

stalkinginengland

Well-Known Member
I have been looking in to homeloading in a big way and will start soon. However looking at equipment it seems that fine powders throw accurate measures through multi stage loaders without the need to trickle powders for each case once they are set up. If thats the case firstly why use course powders and what is the advantage of these over fine ones and secondly if you dont trickle into a scale pan for each load even with fine powders do you get consistancy in the rounds that you load or is any inconsistancy dangerous or make the rounds too inaccurate to warrent loading your own.

I would be very interested in your replies.

Mark
 
You are right there are advantages with the spherical powders when it comes to using powder measures. Trouble is your rifle may not get on as well with the powders that flow easily and then you enter a trade off between speed of reloading and accuracy of powder charge. Personally I like to throw just below charge weight using my powder measure then trickle up to the desired weight so that I know for certain whats in the case. If you are shooting large volumes this may be less desirable. As to whether the inconsistency will be dangerous I guess that depends how close to maximum you are loading! To me it is easy to control the powder charge accurately and reduce variation between cartridges, I know people say that variationin powder charge has relatively little effect on consistency compared to other factors but a uniform powder charge cannot be a bad thing

S
 
To me it is easy to control the powder charge accurately and reduce variation between cartridges, I know people say that variationin powder charge has relatively little effect on consistency compared to other factors but a uniform powder charge cannot be a bad thing
(Emphasis mine.)
Bingo!

Regards,
Paul
 
No can't see the point in doing half a job I would be better off sticking with Factory loads. The whole point is the consistancy and its not as if the number being loaded excessive.

Thanks for that, the plan is coming together nicely.

Mark
 
I have been reloading for my .243 for about 3-4 months and have tried quite a few variations using bullets and powders. I now only use H414 and Varget. The H414 is a little easier to measure out loads and works well for the 87 grain V-Max in my rifle, however I cannot get it to work as well with 80grain Bergers. Likewise the Varget will give me fantastic accuracy with the Bergers and not so good with the V-Max. Also the Varget is temperature insensitive so gives good results with the same loads in the arctic winters as the baking summers.

I am sure if you were to spend a lot of money on powders, bullets and barrel life you would find a powder that will work with more than one bullet in your rifle that is also easy to measure, but to be honest when I find a good combination I stick to it.

I would not rely wholey on an electronic gadget to measure my loads as I am a seriously anal individual that likes his ammo to be consistent and accurate (Not mega high velocities) I just like to hit what I aim at. I find the only way to get the consistency I want is to quickly measur a load using an electronic scale, then finish the load off with a beam scale. I am sure some of you may think I am going over the top but it works for me and gives me the consistency I want.
 
Ok have you considered the effect that the variation of weight of your cartidge cases have on your loads?

Bearing in mind that you size/fireform you cases the outside are pretty consistant in size to any variations occur inside and so heavier cases will have a smaller volume. Smaller volume/capacity equals higher pressure which in turns equals a change in velocity which will mean a difference on target ;).

You can sort the cases after sizing and trimming to a common length to cull out the ones that fall outside a nominal weight range and thus reduce this volume/capaicty difference to a more acceptable level. One does not have to go to quite the Extreme that Bench Rest Shooters do but there is an article in the Hodgdons #26 manual on this and taking the average over 19 groups fired each from four different rifles in four different chamberings this culling and sorting of cases with careful bullet seating gave an improvement in grouping of over 30%. If your happy to weigh each powder charge then surely sortign the cases to give a cloaser case capacity which only needs doing ONCE is worthwhile.

Just a thought on this rainy morning ;).
 
I find the only way to get the consistency I want is to quickly measur a load using an electronic scale, then finish the load off with a beam scale. I am sure some of you may think I am going over the top but it works for me and gives me the consistency I want.

Sure do,:D typical beginner mistake, if you were shooting bench rest fine, but in field conditions most stalkers even with bi-pods will be lucky to shoot better than 1 MOA while aiming at a live animal. We are not talking lying on the range fully supported, no wind, not out of breath etc A Stalking shot could be off sticks, free hand, off gatepost etc.

The weight of the charge is not the best method to meter powder, although it is the method we all use; in a ideal world we would meter powder volume. That said for hunting ammo with even with the best stalking rifles it matters little. Weigh your charge once or one in 5 loads if you have a good dispenser that will be more than adequate for shooting deer. My rifle shoots just over ½ groups using that technique; I would suggest that would be the limit of its capabilities with its light weight barrel and stalking scope and more time spent on trying to get better ammo would be totally wasted. IMO

ATB

Tahr
 
Sure do,:D typical beginner mistake, if you were shooting bench rest fine, but in field conditions most stalkers even with bi-pods will be lucky to shoot better than 1 MOA while aiming at a live animal. We are not talking lying on the range fully supported, no wind, not out of breath etc A Stalking shot could be off sticks, free hand, off gatepost etc.

The weight of the charge is not the best method to meter powder, although it is the method we all use; in a ideal world we would meter powder volume. That said for hunting ammo with even with the best stalking rifles it matters little. Weigh your charge once or one in 5 loads if you have a good dispenser that will be more than adequate for shooting deer. My rifle shoots just over ½ groups using that technique; I would suggest that would be the limit of its capabilities with its light weight barrel and stalking scope and more time spent on trying to get better ammo would be totally wasted. IMO

ATB

Tahr


Totally agree with this. Plenty of times I have been developing loads and fired five x five round groups with one grain of difference between each group and they have all shot to the same MPI and the same group size (but on different targets, obviously). This is especially true of the inherrently accurate calibres like .308, .222, .300wm etc.

How come the yellow lee powder scoops are still around if they didn't work?

The more reloading that I have done over the years the less I have cared about it!

JC
 
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Totally agree with this. Plenty of times I have been developing loads and fired five x five round groups with one grain of difference between each group and they have all shot to the same MPI and the same group size (but on different targets, obviously). This is especially true of the inherrently accurate calibres like .308, .222, .300wm etc.

How come the yellow lee powder scoops are still around if they didn't work?

The more reloading that I have done over the years the less I have cared about it!

JC

Funny you should ask that JC as I happen to use them for loading checking weights thrown on the scale. Once you have the technique down they are suprisingly consistant.

The biggest drawback I find is that yoru restricted to the charge weight and sometimes one has to add more to reach the desired charge of powder as there is no scoope that throws the one you want to use. Normally I can work around it but it' a niggle than does crop up. Once I get the reloading bench set up properly again I will have the Uniflow mounted again that can be used in those situations.
 
Funny you should ask that JC as I happen to use them for loading checking weights thrown on the scale. Once you have the technique down they are suprisingly consistant.

The biggest drawback I find is that yoru restricted to the charge weight and sometimes one has to add more to reach the desired charge of powder as there is no scoope that throws the one you want to use. Normally I can work around it but it' a niggle than does crop up. Once I get the reloading bench set up properly again I will have the Uniflow mounted again that can be used in those situations.


If you cut small discs of card-paper and place them in the bottom of the little yellow scoops you can tinker with the volumes. I do it quite a bit.

I used to shoot Cast Bullet Assn bench rest and there was a popular cartoon circulating around showing a bleary-eyed young shooter telling an old timer that he stayed up all night reloading for the days match. The old timer says "Betcha weighed each charge, didn't you??" The kid puffs out his chest and says,"Yes Sir. I certainly did!" The old man claps him on the shoulder and says "Don't worry, you'll grow out of it eventually!"

This emphasizes that BR shooter never weigh charges at the bench. They load by volume. As do manufacturers of factory ammunition.~Muir

PS: Five CC syringes make great powder measuring tools. I cut off the needle end with a fine jeweler's saw and use the plunger to set the volume in the syringe body. I take note of the volume on the graduations for my notes and then drop a bit of epoxy in behind the plunger to lock it. In use, you just use an overly large scoop (spoon) to fill the syringe, scrape it level, and pour. The Lee book has charts that will allow you to roughly set the plunger at the onset.~M
 
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