Flake powder vs non flake

JayClark79 · March 11, 2013, 03:56 PM

Does anyone know if Ramshot Zip powder is considered a flake powder or a non flake powder?

Im new to reloading and i'm using the Lee Perfect powder measure with the disks... Well I was getting really low weights with the disk im supposed to use to get the 5.2 grains... (the .43 disk).. so i switched to the .46 disk and im still only getting 5.1 grains pretty consecutively... is this normal with flake powder?...

Should I jump to the next disk size up to get a 5.3 grains... the starting point for the powder is 5.2 and the max is 5.8 grains.

Im using a progressive press and do not have a trinkle device thingy

jimbob86 · March 11, 2013, 04:16 PM

Do you mean the Lee AutoDisk?

I have the Lee PPM, and it does not have disks ....... but it does not throw flake powders (Red/Blue Dot, 700X, etc.) very consistantly, either.

I know nothing of Ramshot powders ..... can't help you there.

JayClark79 · March 11, 2013, 04:28 PM

Ya the auto disks.. I have whatever powder dispenser goes on top of the turrets... I thought it was the same thing with a die adapter my bad :/

jimbob86 · March 11, 2013, 04:31 PM

What cartridge are you loading?

LE-28 · March 11, 2013, 04:31 PM

What Jimbo86 said,

Lee Auto dics measures use volumetric measure instead of weight measure. Yes, you may have to jump to the next size disc to get the weight you want.

It doesn't matter to me what the chart says that Lee supplies with the powder measure, as long as I get the weight my trusted scales says is right.

Lee offers an adjustable charge bar that you can get exactly the correct amount of powder from.

http://leeprecision.com/adj-charge-bar.html

JayClark79 · March 11, 2013, 04:57 PM

ya I actually bought the charge bar and set it to what I was supposed use.. and the charge was way under.... thats why I was wondering if the ZIP is a flake... its kind of round and flat... but iv never seen any other powder so im not sure... iv heard using a flake powder can give you screwy measuremints using the bar and the disks..

I guess i can just open the charge bar up until im getting the weights i want, reguardless of what the volume says its putting out.. the actual weight is whats important... i just dont want it to magically one day dump more powder then I was expecting and get a crazy load

57K · March 11, 2013, 05:16 PM

Ramshot ZIP is a spherical (ball type) powder, not flake. It's my favorite all around powder for .45 ACP. Similar to W231 but with better performance potential in the .45 ACP and it burns cleaner.

ZIP meters well for me and better than flake powders which I no longer use because sphericals are usually a good deal finer grained and denser with lower muzzle flash in most cases. This results in more consistent charge weights. Once you find the cavity that throws the charge you want, ZIP will do very well for you.

All of the Ramshot pistol and rifle powders are spherical except that True Blue is a true ball powder. Competition is a fast burning shotgun powder that I don't use, but I believe it is also spherical and has some application in light .45 ACP target loads. It's supposed to be very clean burning, just a bit fast burning for my taste.

Data can be found at www.ramshot.com

JayClark79 · March 11, 2013, 05:47 PM

Thanks for the info 57k... Ill experiment tomorrow slowly opening the charge bar until i get the exact charge im looking for.... I guess i was to worried about the "setting" on the charge bar or powder disk... and not the volume being dispensed

57K · March 11, 2013, 07:06 PM

You bet. Once you start throwing charges and weighing them periodically, I think you'll find that you are getting very uniform charges, and that's important to me, personally.

2AMMD · March 26, 2013, 06:56 PM

Thank you 57 k. I ordered some ZIP because powder for .45 is scarce. Was'nt sure it would work. Seems it will work. I will load carefully.
THANKS!!!

2AMMD · March 26, 2013, 07:36 PM

Thank you 57 k. I ordered some ZIP because powder for .45 is scarce. But I saw some loads using it and the burn rate isn't far off from W231 or HP38. looks like it would work. I will load carefully.
THANKS!!!

david_r · March 26, 2013, 09:12 PM

If you are getting consistent throws, use a larger hole. Everyone says the same thing about the Lee auto disk. It throws smaller than what is published in the Lee tables.

57K · March 26, 2013, 09:23 PM

You're welcome guys! I think you'll both like ZIP a lot. You can load for cast lead bullets like I do with the Missouri Bullet Co. 200 gr. SWC and use a start charge or just above it for accuracy and a soft shooting load. If you want higher performance with a JHP, for instance, ZIP will give better performance than W231.

March 11, 2013, 03:56 PM	#1
JayClark79 Member Join Date: March 3, 2013 Posts: 18	Flake powder vs non flake Does anyone know if Ramshot Zip powder is considered a flake powder or a non flake powder? Im new to reloading and i'm using the Lee Perfect powder measure with the disks... Well I was getting really low weights with the disk im supposed to use to get the 5.2 grains... (the .43 disk).. so i switched to the .46 disk and im still only getting 5.1 grains pretty consecutively... is this normal with flake powder?... Should I jump to the next disk size up to get a 5.3 grains... the starting point for the powder is 5.2 and the max is 5.8 grains. Im using a progressive press and do not have a trinkle device thingy

March 11, 2013, 05:16 PM	#7
57K Junior member Join Date: March 2, 2013 Location: Heart of Texas Posts: 788	Ramshot ZIP is a spherical (ball type) powder, not flake. It's my favorite all around powder for .45 ACP. Similar to W231 but with better performance potential in the .45 ACP and it burns cleaner. ZIP meters well for me and better than flake powders which I no longer use because sphericals are usually a good deal finer grained and denser with lower muzzle flash in most cases. This results in more consistent charge weights. Once you find the cavity that throws the charge you want, ZIP will do very well for you. All of the Ramshot pistol and rifle powders are spherical except that True Blue is a true ball powder. Competition is a fast burning shotgun powder that I don't use, but I believe it is also spherical and has some application in light .45 ACP target loads. It's supposed to be very clean burning, just a bit fast burning for my taste. Data can be found at www.ramshot.com Last edited by 57K; March 11, 2013 at 07:04 PM.

March 11, 2013, 04:16 PM	#2
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	Do you mean the Lee AutoDisk? I have the Lee PPM, and it does not have disks ....... but it does not throw flake powders (Red/Blue Dot, 700X, etc.) very consistantly, either. I know nothing of Ramshot powders ..... can't help you there.

March 11, 2013, 04:28 PM	#3
JayClark79 Member Join Date: March 3, 2013 Posts: 18	Ya the auto disks.. I have whatever powder dispenser goes on top of the turrets... I thought it was the same thing with a die adapter my bad :/

March 11, 2013, 04:31 PM	#4
jimbob86 Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Location: All the way to NEBRASKA Posts: 8,722	What cartridge are you loading?

March 11, 2013, 04:31 PM	#5
LE-28 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 759	What Jimbo86 said, Lee Auto dics measures use volumetric measure instead of weight measure. Yes, you may have to jump to the next size disc to get the weight you want. It doesn't matter to me what the chart says that Lee supplies with the powder measure, as long as I get the weight my trusted scales says is right. Lee offers an adjustable charge bar that you can get exactly the correct amount of powder from. http://leeprecision.com/adj-charge-bar.html

March 11, 2013, 04:57 PM	#6
JayClark79 Member Join Date: March 3, 2013 Posts: 18	ya I actually bought the charge bar and set it to what I was supposed use.. and the charge was way under.... thats why I was wondering if the ZIP is a flake... its kind of round and flat... but iv never seen any other powder so im not sure... iv heard using a flake powder can give you screwy measuremints using the bar and the disks.. I guess i can just open the charge bar up until im getting the weights i want, reguardless of what the volume says its putting out.. the actual weight is whats important... i just dont want it to magically one day dump more powder then I was expecting and get a crazy load

March 11, 2013, 05:47 PM	#8
JayClark79 Member Join Date: March 3, 2013 Posts: 18	Thanks for the info 57k... Ill experiment tomorrow slowly opening the charge bar until i get the exact charge im looking for.... I guess i was to worried about the "setting" on the charge bar or powder disk... and not the volume being dispensed

March 11, 2013, 07:06 PM	#9
57K Junior member Join Date: March 2, 2013 Location: Heart of Texas Posts: 788	You bet. Once you start throwing charges and weighing them periodically, I think you'll find that you are getting very uniform charges, and that's important to me, personally.

March 26, 2013, 06:56 PM	#10
2AMMD Junior Member Join Date: March 24, 2013 Posts: 3	Thank you 57 k. I ordered some ZIP because powder for .45 is scarce. Was'nt sure it would work. Seems it will work. I will load carefully. THANKS!!!

March 26, 2013, 07:36 PM	#11
2AMMD Junior Member Join Date: March 24, 2013 Posts: 3	Thank you 57 k. I ordered some ZIP because powder for .45 is scarce. But I saw some loads using it and the burn rate isn't far off from W231 or HP38. looks like it would work. I will load carefully. THANKS!!!

March 26, 2013, 09:12 PM	#12
david_r Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2013 Posts: 131	If you are getting consistent throws, use a larger hole. Everyone says the same thing about the Lee auto disk. It throws smaller than what is published in the Lee tables.

March 26, 2013, 09:23 PM	#13
57K Junior member Join Date: March 2, 2013 Location: Heart of Texas Posts: 788	You're welcome guys! I think you'll both like ZIP a lot. You can load for cast lead bullets like I do with the Missouri Bullet Co. 200 gr. SWC and use a start charge or just above it for accuracy and a soft shooting load. If you want higher performance with a JHP, for instance, ZIP will give better performance than W231.