Can you use Black Powder with the Perfect Powder Measurer?

Flying45 · May 21, 2008, 03:21 PM

Hey all,

Just had a question about this perfect powder measurer we just bought. We have been told that you are not supposed to use blackpowder in these, yet we have also been told that if you mix it with something else it is possible to do without any danger of static charge problems. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks so much in advance!

Hawg · May 21, 2008, 06:00 PM

I dunno about using bp in a Perfect but why would you want to mix it and what would you want to mix it with. If you want lighter loads you need to add filler on top of the powder but I dunno bout mixing it in with the powder.

mykeal · May 21, 2008, 06:52 PM

I know of no material that you could mix with the powder (black, smokeless or otherwise) that would have any impact (positive or negative) on the possibility of a static electricity discharge. Further, mixing powder with any inert substance results in performance degradation.

There is no static electricity discharge issue with black powder regardless of the powder measure material properties, as long as the powder remains free from impurities that have significant electrical resistance properties. That's a fact, confirmed by rigorous, controlled testing.

Flying45 · May 22, 2008, 10:22 AM

Thanks for your replies. We are reloading ONLY blanks for cowboy mounted shooting so we don't require precision when measuring, which made us think we could possibly mix a smokeless powder with graphite with the blackpowder to absborb any static charge. Supposedly though you are not supposed to run blackpowder through these plastic measurers. Something on the instructions say that you should run so much smokeless powder through the measurer first?

Dezynco · May 29, 2008, 07:35 AM

I wouldn't "mix" any powder with anything! That could get "iffy" real quick!

As far as the plastic powder measure is concerned, the static issue is not an issue. Look what your powder comes in - a plastic container! Static will not build inside a plastic container, it builds on the outside. Plastic hoppers on powder measures are made from static resistant materials anyway. Besides, even if you did somehow manage to generate a spark, it would never be big enough or hot enough to ignite anything, that's been proven over and over.

I personally use an old Belding and Mull, which is made of brass, but only because it looks nice and is very accurate. I use a Lyman #55 for loading pistol cartridges with black powder, and not the aluminum hopper version either. I think the brass and aluminum hopper business is just something to get you to spend more money!

May 21, 2008, 03:21 PM	#1
Flying45 Junior Member Join Date: May 21, 2008 Posts: 2	Can you use Black Powder with the Perfect Powder Measurer? Hey all, Just had a question about this perfect powder measurer we just bought. We have been told that you are not supposed to use blackpowder in these, yet we have also been told that if you mix it with something else it is possible to do without any danger of static charge problems. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks so much in advance!

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May 21, 2008, 06:00 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I dunno about using bp in a Perfect but why would you want to mix it and what would you want to mix it with. If you want lighter loads you need to add filler on top of the powder but I dunno bout mixing it in with the powder.

May 21, 2008, 06:52 PM	#3
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	I know of no material that you could mix with the powder (black, smokeless or otherwise) that would have any impact (positive or negative) on the possibility of a static electricity discharge. Further, mixing powder with any inert substance results in performance degradation. There is no static electricity discharge issue with black powder regardless of the powder measure material properties, as long as the powder remains free from impurities that have significant electrical resistance properties. That's a fact, confirmed by rigorous, controlled testing.

May 22, 2008, 10:22 AM	#4
Flying45 Junior Member Join Date: May 21, 2008 Posts: 2	Thanks for your replies. We are reloading ONLY blanks for cowboy mounted shooting so we don't require precision when measuring, which made us think we could possibly mix a smokeless powder with graphite with the blackpowder to absborb any static charge. Supposedly though you are not supposed to run blackpowder through these plastic measurers. Something on the instructions say that you should run so much smokeless powder through the measurer first?

May 29, 2008, 07:35 AM	#5
Dezynco Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2008 Posts: 401	I wouldn't "mix" any powder with anything! That could get "iffy" real quick! As far as the plastic powder measure is concerned, the static issue is not an issue. Look what your powder comes in - a plastic container! Static will not build inside a plastic container, it builds on the outside. Plastic hoppers on powder measures are made from static resistant materials anyway. Besides, even if you did somehow manage to generate a spark, it would never be big enough or hot enough to ignite anything, that's been proven over and over. I personally use an old Belding and Mull, which is made of brass, but only because it looks nice and is very accurate. I use a Lyman #55 for loading pistol cartridges with black powder, and not the aluminum hopper version either. I think the brass and aluminum hopper business is just something to get you to spend more money!