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Old March 2, 2005, 11:20 PM   #1
Bass Man
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Do you check your powder measure?

Do you, and how often do you check the loads your powder measure is throwing?
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Old March 2, 2005, 11:29 PM   #2
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I'll check about every 10th round when loading for pistols but usually check every round when loading for rifles.
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Old March 2, 2005, 11:47 PM   #3
Bass Man
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Do you ever catch your charge being off?
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Old March 3, 2005, 12:06 AM   #4
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Since I use a progressive I triple check the first load or two,and just occasionaly after that.I never find enough variance to worry about...plus or minus a tenth or two.
I'd hate to have to pull seveal hundred bullets,so I make triple sure at the beginning of the run.And yes,even then I"ve messed up..you've got to double/triple check that the load is what the book says,not what you 'rememeber.'
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Old March 3, 2005, 12:29 AM   #5
Scott5
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I have a Lee Pro 1000 that I use for pistol, and I check it untill I get it set where I want it and it stays right there.

For rifle I used to use a single stage RCBS and hand weigh each charge then got a D550B, and still had to hand weigh each charge. (I called Dillon two times about there powder drop. It would be off up to 2gr.)
Then I bought a Lyman 1200DPS and use that to weigh each charge in rifle.

Happy shooting
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Old March 3, 2005, 01:26 AM   #6
Leftoverdj
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Depends. On a pistol charge with a known load and a fixed chamber measure, I might not check it at all. I already know what it throws and it ain't gonna change.

On an adjustable rifle measure, I might weigh ten charges before I drop the first one into the case. If the charges are dropping uniformly, I ain't gonna weigh another until the last one into the block. That's just to check that nothing has moved in the 50 cartridges. If the charges won't drop uniformly, I might weigh every one and trickle as needed.

Works for me, but I ain't one for raggedass max charges.
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Old March 3, 2005, 08:42 AM   #7
lee n. field
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After inspecting visually for obvious problems, I'll weight 2 or 3 randomly selected cases out of a loading block of 50.
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Old March 3, 2005, 09:10 AM   #8
HSMITH
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It depends on the powder and the load. Some powders meter with boring accuracy and some don't. My Dillon and Redding measures are very good compared to the others I have owned.


How often I check also is determined by the powder and load. Light loads with Bullseye never vary enough to be seen on my scale. Extruded rifle powders vary quite a bit, up to .3 grains each way.
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Old March 3, 2005, 10:43 AM   #9
larryf1952
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I load only for handguns. After I find the setting that gives me the desired charge weight, I'll weigh 5 or 6 rounds in a row to verify consistency. If I'm getting consistent charges, I'll not check it again until the next 100 rounds.

I've also adopted a policy of using only ball or small flake powders. Herco used to be a favorite powder of mine for 9mm, but the flakes are so large that I was having to set the powder measure for a light throw, then trickle each round to make correct weight. Too tedious.
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Old March 3, 2005, 11:03 AM   #10
BillCA
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I load primarily for handguns. What I do is find the right weight and set the locking ring. Then I'll throw 3 charges and weigh each. If I'm using something other than ball powder (which measures very uniformly) I'll throw another 3 charges into the pan at one time and weigh it. It should be exactly 3 times the single-throw charge. I'll do this especially when switching powders or using an extruded powder like IMR bar powders.

For bar powders, I'll weigh each charge until I'm comfortable with the accuracy of each one. Then measure every 3rd one to ensure consistency.

Like Leftoverdj, I'm not one for loading max charges either.
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Old March 3, 2005, 12:46 PM   #11
30Cal
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I check every 5th-10th charge when using my Dillon progressive after things are up and running. The only time I measure each charge is when I'm making my 600yd loads for Highpower--I don't bother for the short line loads (200 and 300yds). +/- 0.3grs variation is tough to see on paper and still shoots inside 1MoA in my match rifle.

I recently got a Harrell powder measure and find that I really don't need to be checking my 600yd loads anymore.

Ty
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Old March 3, 2005, 01:11 PM   #12
road.warrior
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Every charge, every caliber.

I only do small runs, so I am looking for precision, not quantity
on a single stage press.
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Old March 3, 2005, 04:52 PM   #13
G56
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I run a Dillon RL550, I always double, triple check the powder measure at the start of any loading session, I have never found it to be out of adjustment, but I still check it, every time.
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Old March 3, 2005, 05:07 PM   #14
Russ5924
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I"m like G56 I always cheak at the start to make sure I have the right grains dialed in,then I stop and check every 25 rounds or so to make sure the powder drop is working.My Dillon has never changed while reloading but guess the powder drop could plug.
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Old March 3, 2005, 05:54 PM   #15
tjhands
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I'm just new to this fun hobby, but I check the powder on the scale every 10th pull or so. Hasn't been off at all yet.
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Old March 3, 2005, 08:10 PM   #16
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ditto redrooster2.......
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Old March 3, 2005, 08:25 PM   #17
Guy B. Meredith
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I run a few to bounce the machine a bit and make sure the powder is settled as much as it will (have never compared to find out whether this is necessary or not--less time consuming to just assume it does). I then weigh 3 or 4 loads and maybe one about 50 down the line.

The Hornady is boringly consistent for revolver loads. I have found that different batches of the same powder will weigh differently and, too, want to make sure I haven't accidentally miss adjusted something.
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Old March 4, 2005, 12:14 AM   #18
Austin Charles
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I check my RCBS about every 25. I have one of those micro adj. , and that thing is alway's right on the money. The thing amazes me

I use the RCBS for fine powder, then I use my Lee for stick powder. Both are dead nut 99% of the time.
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Old March 10, 2005, 10:56 PM   #19
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On my Dillon 650, I check every 100 rounds. When I refill the primer tube, I check a charge. It probably isn't necessary to check a Dillon that often, but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.
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Old March 11, 2005, 12:14 AM   #20
cuate
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Powder Measure Check

I weigh every charge on an electronic scale, under charge a tad and bring to desired weight with a powder trickler.
This is for rifle cartridges, pistols about every tenth round and shotshells until I get the charge within .1 or so and not again that reloading session.
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Old March 11, 2005, 12:47 AM   #21
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Depends on what ammo I'm producing - but always check at the beginning and end of every session - and usually every two hundred rounds If I'm using my Dillon. If I'm using a single stage press with my RCBS, every hundred rounds.

But if I'm trying to produce superaccurate loads - I'll weigh each one.
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Old March 12, 2005, 08:12 AM   #22
WESHOOT2
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one Hornady/Pacific, fifteen Dillons

First I set up my RCBS 505 using check weights. Always. As in "without exception". I mean always.
Then I check the first ten, or wait until the charge weight stabilizes and then check ten.

Then, every so often, I recheck. Not ten-or-twenty, just when I feel hinkey; know what I mean?
In the few rds I've made, none of my measures varies enough to be significant.
I don't normally try to use 700X or Unique in my Dillon; know what I mean?
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Old March 15, 2005, 10:28 PM   #23
norielX
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Yes.

I'm loading on a single stage with the batch method. I throw around 10 charges (or more) to get the measure ready, then I throw and measure another 10 to check consistency. I'll generally check every 10 throws to make sure nothing's moved. With as little time as it takes to throw and weigh, at least for single stage, why wouldn't you want to check your measure? The point is making SAFE ammo, not a lot of iffy rounds.
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Old March 21, 2005, 10:34 AM   #24
highteckredneck
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I weigh EVERY charge. I only use the thrower to get close as it frequently varies by 1/2 grain. When weighing the charge you will be within 1/10 grain with most scales.
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