How do you powder measure?

[dromia]

The Chargemaster is indeed a good piece of kit but there others as good at less money, I'd check out the Hornady.

I use the Pact set up which is just as fast and as accurate as the Charge Master with the added benefit of the scales being a separate unit.

I use powder throwers for dispensing loads and the Pact for load development increments, I don't rush my handloading either but I do like to be efficient and powder dispensers give my that with no worries about charge weight accuracy, my progessives drop phenomanaly consistent charges. See my previous reference to mechanical linkages.

Output is about making the best use of your time not about going faster.

[dromia]

The Target Master has been around for a long while as I recall, early 90s.

The testments on their video are from Colin Greenwood editor of that most excellent of shooting magazines Guns Review and Clive Stevens who was the reloading guru in Target Gun. Both pre ban UK shooting magazines, I'm so glad I kept all my copies for when I want some proper gun reading. We are hard pushed to find eclectic, quality shooting journalism like that nowadays. :(

[rox]

I use/have used the following:

• Throw then trickle to beam balance.
• Chargemaster.
• Throw then Chargemaster (i).
• Chargemaster then trickle to lab-quality electronic balance.
• Throw then trickle to lab-quality electronic balance.

In terms of speed, I don't find the Chargemaster to be significantly faster than other methods, but the possible time saving lies in its automation. Potentially, while you are seating one round the charge for the next one is being dispensed, which can be a useful increase in production rate (perhaps a time saving of 25% or so). This assumes that you can locate the Chargemaster in such a way that it is isolated from any vibration and from significant air movement caused when operating the press, but close enough to transfer and dump the charge easily.

Ultimately though, the electronic balance in the Chargemaster (and similar) is essentially 'cheap' in terms of the measuring technology. Compared to high quality balances (ii) it suffers from drift, mechanical stiction, a slightly slow response time and the accuracy and repeatability limits of the technology. It seems to use very heavy zero tracking to try to compensate for these issues. Like most dispenser systems, occasionally a 'clump' will drop out of the tube just as it reaches the target (even with the 'drinking straw' mod) and often it doesn't have the resolution to detect it. Worse still, even if it does detect that it has gone over the setpoint, once it has decided that the target weight has been reached it gives the 'good charge' beep regardless, and this can be further masked because the display switches to show the dispense count rather than the actual weight (I always wait until it switches back to the actual weight display to verify before picking up the pan).

Having said all that, the Chargemaster gives pretty good results that are more than sufficient for most purposes, particularly given how easy it is to obsess about charges way beyond practical necessity. I've never had a complaint on the range about ammo made with a Chargemaster.

(i) The idea of 'Throw then Chargemaster' is twofold:

• Reduce the overall time taken to dispense the charge.
• Avoid the use of the higher speeds (which fill the tube deeper with powder) and thereby reduce the 'clump' problem.

(ii) By 'high quality' I mean lab or analytical balances, usually based on technologies such as magnetic force restoration (rather than strain guage) and which typically cost from $600 to $2000 for milligram resolutions.

..

[ovenpaa]

Like most dispenser systems, occasionally a 'clump' will drop out of the tube just as it reaches the target (even with the 'drinking straw' mod) and often it doesn't have the resolution to detect it. Worse still, even if it does detect that it has gone over the setpoint, once it has decided that the target weight has been reached it gives the 'good charge' beep regardless, and this can be further masked because the display switches to show the dispense count rather than the actual weight (I always wait until it switches back to the actual weight display to verify before picking up the pan).

I agree with all you say here Rox and we have seen the same, I turned an extended and stepped aluminium straw to over come this but Christel works without it. She prefers to work with it in manual mode so she has to initiate each new throw and she also waits for it to recheck itself before removing the pan.

Of course all this does make me ask the question, is it really worth the hassle? Assuming you are throwing 45 grains and it actually dispenses +/- 0.1 grains on occasion that is going to throw .002% variation either way. Ladder development should have found a sweet spot or node that gives good ES across a couple of tenths or more so is such precision really giving a worthwhile return?

[richard]

I use a harrels powder measure very accurate and alot quicker than weighing each charge

[ovenpaa]

I agree the Harrell is incredibly quick with the right powder, SP9 is a perfect example as it is fine ball, the coarser powders such as N540/N560 are a problem for me. If you have any tips for throwing coarse powder in a Harrell I would be very interested.

[John MH]

Throw low and trickle.

Stick powders are prone to bridging, the vibrators mentioned might solve that, the Harrell has a powder baffle built in so theres not a lot you can do to improve the consistency of throws with the likes of N540/560 etc.

[TattooedGun]

I dont mind throwing under and trickling over - hell its quicker than present trying to trickle the lot, but what would be good for this? would the lee perfect powder measure be good enough to get me to 45gr and trickle up to 46.8gr from there?

[ovenpaa]

Even the cheapest powder thrower will get you close, with some experimenting you should get to within 1 grain and trickle up. Christel used to use on of the yellow Lee powder dippers to trickle the last few kernels, it is all in the wrist action :lol:

The alternative is use a target master, at around a 100 quid and given the reputation they have to be worth a look, you could even start by manually throwing 2/3rds of the charge and let it finish off.

[Alpha1]

I have used a rcbs powder measure for years to throw the bulk of my charge then I trickle the last few grains.
Check out e bay they some times come up on there.