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I didn't get back to this thread for a while, so I see that most of the points have been covered.
It is correct that tapping the dipper handle compacts the powder and can lead to an "over-charge" if the loader is relying on the Lee chart. That is why I mentioned it. The OP is an inexperienced powder dipper, so HIS technique could vary HIS results by quite a bit. That is why I told him that he NEEDS a scale unless he is staying well away from max loads when using dippers.
As others have already pointed out, how you push a dipper into/through the powder in a container can significantly change the weight of powder in a leveled dipper. That is what can lead to variability from charge to charge. MY experience using the "push vertically into the powder surface and let it fill the dipper by falling over the edges" technique verses the "dredge it through the powder and then tap it to settle it before leveling" technique was that it was BOTH faster and more consistent to do it with the tapping.
But, of course, if the volume-to-weight chart supplied with a commercial dipper is based on the "verticle" method, then my method will lead to higher charge weights than indicated on the chart. I have always wondered if Lee didn't recognize that some people were likely to "dredge" the powder with his dippers no matter what the instructions say, because his charts always seem to over-estimate the weight of powder for a given dipper by a little.
But, that is no reason for ASSUMING that you can't get more than the chart indicates no matter what you do.
With my tapping technique, I am much more likely to throw and under-weight charge than an over-weight charge. I think that has a safety advantage.
SL1
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