Powder Charging: Which method to you use

[alfsauve]

Sorry it's taken so long to get to this issue, but I've been busy lately and this has been on the back burner for awhile.

As many know, I had a squib load recently.   My own doing.  Wasn't paying attention.   But that brings up a question:   What is your technique for dispensing powder.    I'm talking pistol cartridges.....volume reloading.  Say 100-200 at a time.   For my rifles, I weigh each round then seat bullet.  But for pistol ammo:

Do you, just hold the reloading block up to your powder measure and crank them out one right after the other?  (I do and I have an arm rest for my right arm that's operating the handle so it doesn't become tired. )  Or do you pick up each case individually and charge it then set it in a different block?

Here's what Solus wrote me about this issue which I've quoted here with permission.   Open to suggestions.

I see it demonstrated when reloading manually to put all your primed cases in a reloading block and then pass the whole block under the powder measure filling each case in turn.

I never liked that procedure because it seemed to easy to miss or double charge a case.

Even visual checking afterwords might not catch the error.  If you thought you made a mistake, you would have checked while charging the cases, so you have a mental attitude that it is all correct.

What I do is put the the empty cases in one block to the forward edge of the bench to the left of the powder measure and put another block either behind it or on the on the right side of the powder measure.

Then I either pick up the case with my left hand, operate the powder measure with my right hand, place the filled case in the block behind the first.

If I have the block on the right side, I pass the case to my right hand and place it in the right had block as my left hand is getting the next case.

I feel the blocks on different sides of the measure is quickest and safest, but I also think removing my hand from the the powder measure handle might hurt the "consistency" of the powder throws.

I generally used the different sides approach because it was more flawless and found that the throws were as consistent by weighing charges from both methods.

I've continued to use the reloading block method, but am taking extra effort to keep focused on the cases and powder.   Even if I do go to a progressive press, it'll be primarily for one or two calibers, so I'll still do lots of reloading "by hand".

[billt]

With rifle cartridges I don't progressively load, I hold the block under the measure for each case. Same with handgun cartridges. I then inspect each case visually to check for any irregularities. With my Dillon's I look into the case before I place the bullet over the top of it. With shot shells I watch the powder bar to make sure it travels all the way over, then back. That is where it will stick on occasion. When that happens I simply give the powder bar a tap before I index the turret. That is why I like the MEC 8567 Grabber over the 9000. With auto indexing the turret will index before you get a chance to tap the powder bar. If it snaps back on it's own, you've got a mess that takes about 20 minutes to clean up.

For charges that I weigh, I'll throw a charge a grain or 2 under what I want on to the scale pan with my measure, then place it back on the scale and trickle it up to the exact scale weight. It's a time consuming pain, but it's the only way you'll get a dead nuts charge every time. It's also important when you do this not to have any celing fans running or windows open or else your scale will never settle down. I have a Lyman DPS 1200, but unless I'm doing a lot of rounds I don't use it because it takes a long time to warm up, and to clean out when I'm done.  Bill T.

[ellis4538]

I started with a SS press.  I did a bunch of each operation at a time.  When it came time to drop powder I held each case under the PM and threw a charge and placed each case in a tray.  When the tray was full I held a flash light or strong light over the tray abd checked the powder level.  Any case that looked funky was dumped and recharged.

FWIW

Richard

PS:  Haven't had a squib since I bought my 550.  Knock on wood!

PPS:  Shot High Power Rifle and threw each charge with a PM.  X ring accuracy all day long if I did my part with my unmodified DCM Garand.

[tombogan03884]

I did each case then into a second block. Check out the thread about Progressive reloaders.
Some one there mentioned a powder checker, I don't have any idea what they are talking about but it sounds like the answer you are looking for.

[TAB]

I did each case then into a second block. Check out the thread about Progressive reloaders.
Some one there mentioned a powder checker, I don't have any idea what they are talking about but it sounds like the answer you are looking for.

basicly its a rod that you set to a hieght, that is hooked up to a alarm. basicly it moves up or down depending on if you have a over or under charge.  If there is a prob, it goes off.  They are mainly used on progressives that have a manuel index.  They mainly looking for a over charge.   I personally would not use one.  I do however have a lower powder alarm for my powder hopper.  Which if I was to load a squib, it would be from running out of powder.

[Sponsor]

[Bidah]

When I was doing SS loading, I used both ways.  In the end I probably did the one block the most.  While it is fairly easy to see inside of .45ACP cases, I used powders that would fill up the case.  Easy to see if you missed a charge, and if you double it will end up all over the place and is still easy to see.  I also checked each one as I was putting the bullet on for seating.

-Bidah

[billt]

As Bidah has mentioned, another unwritten rule in handloading is to select a powder and charge weight that takes up as much case volume as possible. This is a gimme with Magnum rifle cartridges. Most of their maximum charges are at, near, and even sometimes over 100% loading density, (a term that means the case is filled to capacity). With target handgun rounds it's a different story, and this is where double charges can really come into play and bite you if you're not careful. Especially when using high density powders like Bullseye in tall cases like the .357 Magnum, or even the .38 Special. If you investigate most target revolver Kabooms, this is usually the culprit. Personally, I avoid Bullseye for this reason. Don't get me wrong, it is excellent powder, it is just far to easy to double charge a case with it. Especially in a progressive reloading machine.

It's easy to select a powder for target handgun rounds that is over 50% in density. That way if you do double charge you'll know it right away because powder will spill over the top of the case, immediately setting off the red light. If you do use a powder like Bullseye in a progressive I would for sure use a powder check die, like was mentioned. It will alert you to any kind of double charge situation. It is good, cheap insurance. You have to remember with a progressive reloader you are doing a lot of things at once to several cartridges at the same time with each pull of the handle. In short there is a lot going on. Add in auto indexing and the press itself is preparing for the next step, no matter if you're ready or not. It's easy to forget, or lose tract for just a second.

As much as we don't like being distracted while we reload, we live in a real world. Doorbells and phones ring. People ask us questions. Our minds wander. All it takes is one distraction and you could end up wrecking a good gun, and lose some appendages in the process. Most all of this is common sense. But again in the real world sometimes it isn't so common.  Bill T.

[m25operator]

Resarch your loads, can your pistol take a double load, many .357 can, but .38 spl cannot, if single stage reloading, then a good use of the flashlight is in order, look at ll the cases after powder charging and look of abnormaties, if 1 case looks overfull and another looks under, pull them and dump them and refill again. If they are not visually equal, something is wrong..

[MikeBjerum]

My little furry friend,

I do all my handgun on a Dillon 650.  Once I get the charge bar dialed in I have never had it change.  It doesn't matter if the bottle is full or nearly empty, if I am cranking at max speed or going slow.  It just puts out the same amount time after time after time.  The only issue I have ever had is that occasionally I get a little jerky in my lever pull, and I can get the primers to flip - Slow and steady, and don't try and yank it off the bench ... as my buddy says.

Every time I set the machine up I check ten dispensed by hand, ten dispensed in the regular action of loading, and then every 100 loads I check one (matches up with adding primers).  It usually only changes by a tenth of a grain or so when going by hand dispensing to regular load, and I have never had it change in the act of regular reloading ... that sound you hear is knuckles on the side of my thick skull.

We put all the alarms on our 600, so it tells us when we run out of primers, powder or if for some reason it doesn't drop powder it just shuts down ... Can't remember, but I think it blocks the action ... Time to reload again!

[tombogan03884]

M 58, that sounds amateur proof.
Nothing is idiot proof.