The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - How do you set up your powder dispenser for a particular charge?

Lost Sheep · July 7, 2012, 12:35 AM

I pick a cavity, assemble the measure, fill to the fullest level I habitually keep it then throw a few charges and dump them into a discard bowl (which will eventually go back into the hopper, but for now they are set aside.)

Then throw a charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down

Then doing the same thing as above with the hopper at the lowest level I habitually keep it

Then throw a charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down
Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down

after the two bunches of 5 charges, if they are all within 0.1 grains of one another I take the average as the amount that cavity will drop, if the two averages are the same.

If they are not satisfactory and reassuring, I throw 5 more and begin to evaluate the average, standard deviation and extreme spread.

I continue like that until I am satisfied with the statistics for my intended purpose for the loads or I am dissatisfied with the stats.

When that conclusion is reached I decide whether or not to use the autodisk for this load or not.

If not, I don't use the autodisk for this load. If I am satisfied, I accept the limitations of the stats and go from there.

If the average is not approaching the load I wanted, I pick the next larger or next smaller cavity and try that one.

If I am trying to get to a VERY PARTICULAR load, I will obtain another disk and ream out the next smaller cavity to make it perform (drop the drop) want. If the powder granules are not shaped so that the drop I want is what I get (different powder granule shapes simply do not perform well in certain measures), I pick another way to mete the powder or switch powders.

I will have to admit that I am not so demanding that I have ever had to do this whole routine, but I am confident it would yield optimal results.

It's a lot of work. For handgun rounds, I have found the Auto-disk to perform adequately without all this fol-di-rol. For long-range rifle rounds, and fine tuning for ultimate accuracy, sure.

Lost Sheep

p.s. A substantial number of handloaders subscribe to the belief that volume is a better determinant of load strength than weight, but that is another debate for another thread.

July 7, 2012, 12:35 AM	#5
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	I pick a cavity, assemble the measure, fill to the fullest level I habitually keep it then throw a few charges and dump them into a discard bowl (which will eventually go back into the hopper, but for now they are set aside.) Then throw a charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Then doing the same thing as above with the hopper at the lowest level I habitually keep it Then throw a charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down Throw another charge and weigh it. Write it down after the two bunches of 5 charges, if they are all within 0.1 grains of one another I take the average as the amount that cavity will drop, if the two averages are the same. If they are not satisfactory and reassuring, I throw 5 more and begin to evaluate the average, standard deviation and extreme spread. I continue like that until I am satisfied with the statistics for my intended purpose for the loads or I am dissatisfied with the stats. When that conclusion is reached I decide whether or not to use the autodisk for this load or not. If not, I don't use the autodisk for this load. If I am satisfied, I accept the limitations of the stats and go from there. If the average is not approaching the load I wanted, I pick the next larger or next smaller cavity and try that one. If I am trying to get to a VERY PARTICULAR load, I will obtain another disk and ream out the next smaller cavity to make it perform (drop the drop) want. If the powder granules are not shaped so that the drop I want is what I get (different powder granule shapes simply do not perform well in certain measures), I pick another way to mete the powder or switch powders. I will have to admit that I am not so demanding that I have ever had to do this whole routine, but I am confident it would yield optimal results. It's a lot of work. For handgun rounds, I have found the Auto-disk to perform adequately without all this fol-di-rol. For long-range rifle rounds, and fine tuning for ultimate accuracy, sure. Lost Sheep p.s. A substantial number of handloaders subscribe to the belief that volume is a better determinant of load strength than weight, but that is another debate for another thread.