Which scale for weighing powder?

[GM54-120]

I weigh mine for one main reason....Its simple with my scale and waste is virtually 0. You can achieve the same thing even faster/cheaper with a volume drop measure like the Lyman #55 or Redding. I love taking premeasured loads in tubes to the range. I dont waste time or product pouring powder. I also can lay them out with each load. Helps keep you focused on "did i double load or not".

1 tube of powder+1 bullet+1 primer at a glance. If something is off its obvious.

 

[Idaholewis]

I use a Ohaus 505 mechanical scale but that said, I only use it when I'm loading cartridges with smokeless powder.

Generally speaking, all of the black powders and synthetic black powders aren't that sensitive to slight changes in the amount of powder that is loaded.
Where something even as small as 1/10 of a grain of smokeless powder can make a big difference in the pressure that a load will produce, even a difference of 1 or 2 grains of black or synthetic black powder won't make much of a difference. That's why a simple volumetric powder measure can used to load powder with and the variations in where the shot hits on the target or animal won't be noticeable. (OK. Maybe 2 grains of difference will show up on a target but for the most part, unless your into competitive target shooting, it isn't enough to worry about.)

I guess the bottom line IMO is, for most muzzleloading shooting with black or synthetic black powder, a precision powder scale isn't needed.

Zonie, One last thing to Remember, You are coming from a “Traditional Muzzleloading Forum” Where you are a Moderator, And have been for many years. Even the Mention of an inline Rifle, or Sabot on that Forum is TOTALLY FORBIDDEN!! Guy’s there SCREAM in agony if anything of the Sort is mentioned, they even Report/Turn it in to you, to have such Posts Removed. This is a MODERN MUZZLELOADER Forum where the Majority of Guy’s here expect/demand MUCH MORE of their Rifles. 2 VERY Different places, With VERY VERY Different Views

 

[GM54-120]

Dont some of the competition shooters at Friendship even weigh real black too? I thought it was pretty common for them to weigh powder. Im pretty certain many or most on the inline shooters weigh BH209.

 

[Zonie]

Zonie, One last thing to Remember, You are coming from a “Traditional Muzzleloading Forum” Where you are a Moderator, And have been for many years. Even the Mention of an inline Rifle, or Sabot on that Forum is TOTALLY FORBIDDEN!! Guy’s there SCREAM in agony if anything of the Sort is mentioned, they even Report/Turn it in to you, to have such Posts Removed. This is a MODERN MUZZLELOADER Forum where the Majority of Guy’s here expect/demand MUCH MORE of their Rifles. 2 VERY Different places, With VERY VERY Different Views

Thanks for the welcome, Idaholewis.

To my way of thinking, what the Muzzleloading Forum does or doesn't do has nothing to do with my earlier comment. Black powder is a very weak propellant and I don't believe that one grain more or less of it in a load will have a noticeable effect on a shots accuracy for the average traditional or in-line shooter.

It's not as though I only shoot muzzleloaders. I shoot modern centerfire rifles too. I also reload the ammunition for them which is why I do know about making precision cartridge loads .
Ask my Ruger #1 in .223 about shooting the staples off of targets at 100 yards because just shooting for the bulls eye isn't challenging enough.

Dont some of the competition shooters at Friendship even weigh real black too? I thought it was pretty common for them to weigh powder. Im pretty certain many or most on the inline shooters weigh BH209.

Yes. The folks who compete at Friendship and other shoots weigh their powder loads using powder scales. They also weigh each individual ball or bullet and many of them won't allow a variation of more than a tenth of a grain.

They are into serious shooting and they are looking for anything that can reduce the size of their groups. To them, even a reduction of 1/16" in a 5 shot group is important.
They also set out wind flags at intervals between the shooting line and the target so they will know which way the wind is blowing and how hard so they can make allowances for it with their aim.

 

[GM54-120]

At the cost of BH209 weighing it can have more advantages such as less waste and simple ease of use. Unlike most subs BH209 is a nitro based propellant and works fine in auto dispensers made for smokeless....Pretty simple choice for people like me with a RCBS Chargemaster 1500 and over 100 powder tubes. I weigh loads for my smokeless ML rigs. I dont have any good reason to go backwards when i can be far more consistent with the Chargemaster.

 

[Idaholewis]

Thanks for the welcome, Idaholewis.

To my way of thinking, what the Muzzleloading Forum does or doesn't do has nothing to do with my earlier comment. Black powder is a very weak propellant and I don't believe that one grain more or less of it in a load will have a noticeable effect on a shots accuracy for the average traditional or in-line shooter.

It's not as though I only shoot muzzleloaders. I shoot modern centerfire rifles too. I also reload the ammunition for them which is why I do know about making precision cartridge loads .
Ask my Ruger #1 in .223 about shooting the staples off of targets at 100 yards because just shooting for the bulls eye isn't challenging enough.


Yes. The folks who compete at Friendship and other shoots weigh their powder loads using powder scales. They also weigh each individual ball or bullet and many of them won't allow a variation of more than a tenth of a grain.

They are into serious shooting and they are looking for anything that can reduce the size of their groups. To them, even a reduction of 1/16" in a 5 shot group is important.
They also set out wind flags at intervals between the shooting line and the target so they will know which way the wind is blowing and how hard so they can make allowances for it with their aim.

You don’t think i would notice here?


I Shoot precision Centerfire as well, i have Handloaded for it for over 30 Years

 

[MSalyards]

I weigh ALL of my loads, BP, Fake BP(Pyrodex), and smokeless. When I was beginning the BPCR loading I picked up a Lyman 55 designed for BP with all brass innards'. I used it a few times till I picked up an electronic scale . I still have my 1010 to check the electronic's. Along with certified weights. The lyman has been a dust collector for some time now.

 

[jlynch75]

Started this summer weighing my charges of 777 and it reduced my groups at 100 yard from 1 1/2" to most of the time bullet holes touch. It's real hard to get the same load with volume but my Cabelas' scale make it easy.

 

[Idaholewis]

It’s common knowledge, The Majority of People that are REALLY SERIOUS about accuracy, getting the Absolute most out of their Rifles (such as myself) will Weigh their Charges, and Projectiles as i mention in previous posts, in THIS thread.

 

[MSalyards]

Yup, and that goes for my shotgun loading too. I load both steel and lead and checked out the charge bars for each. All were way under the listed amount for the charge bars and bushings . Bottom line to me is if you want a quality load , you weigh it!

 

[GM54-120]

Some benchrest guys do load by volume to achieve close to a full case load. In the case of a ML though we should always be at 100% or compressed.

I THINK Richard on Hanks board uses a Harrells and shoots some excellent groups well past 100 yards. He is shooting a SML and some fairly stout loads too.

 

[birdog]

I'm just getting into ML'ing and started right off with BH209. I have an RCBS uniflow powder measure and I'm finding it is impossible, at least for me, to drop a consistent powder charge. I ended up dropping light charges and I bought a trickler to finish. Am I missing something or is BH that course of a powder that makes it difficult to drop consistent charges?

 

[Idaholewis]

Some benchrest guys do load by volume to achieve close to a full case load. In the case of a ML though we should always be at 100% or compressed.

I THINK Richard on Hanks board uses a Harrells and shoots some excellent groups well past 100 yards. He is shooting a SML and some fairly stout loads too.

i have looked at those Harrels, they are RAVED About, And Expensive! But like many things in life, you get what you pay for in some cases, I have found this to be VERY True in Reloading Stuff. I have some Cheap Lee Stuff, Mostly Sizer Dies, and a few other Simple odds n ends, Simply put, They get the Job Done as advertised! But there are MUCH MUCH Nicer tools, obviously at much more money. Quality is “Usually” Payed for

 

[Idaholewis]

I'm just getting into ML'ing and started right off with BH209. I have an RCBS uniflow powder measure and I'm finding it is impossible, at least for me, to drop a consistent powder charge. I ended up dropping light charges and I bought a trickler to finish. Am I missing something or is BH that course of a powder that makes it difficult to drop consistent charges?

Course powders such as BH209 would be a PAIN in Powder Measures such as you Speak of, You can literally hear it Crunching the Granules as you Throw charges, from the Drum cutting the Granules. I prefer to Weigh Extruded type Powders on a Quality Scale, i don’t even Bother trying a Powder measure with Extruded/Stick powders anymore, i have been there, done that! And didnt like the Results! A powder measure would work GREAT with powders such as Swiss 2 and 3F, they are MUCH MUCH finer and would Flow Nicely. I actually Sold my Redding 3 BR Powder Measure awhile back, i just didn’t use it anymore, due to most of my loading being with Extruded/Stick type Powders. I found weighing on a Quality Scale a FAR better way to go! Yep, it’s slower, But accurate!

 

[ronlaughlin]

Recently a new jug of Blackhorn powder was opened; the one being shot was near empty. Needing to learn the density of the new lot, the RCBS Uniflow powder drop was employed to measure weights of similar volumes. First, several drops were made using the last of lot 31, and the weight of each drop recorded. When the Uniflow measure ran dry, powder from lot 33 was loaded into the measure, and an equal number of drops was made. The data collected is displayed in the photo.

 

[Idaholewis]

Recently a new jug of Blackhorn powder was opened; the one being shot was near empty. Needing to learn the density of the new lot, the RCBS Uniflow powder drop was employed to measure weights of similar volumes. First, several drops were made using the last of lot 31, and the weight of each drop recorded. When the Uniflow measure ran dry, powder from lot 33 was loaded into the measure, and an equal number of drops was made. The data collected is displayed in the photo.

Running that Close/Consistent i would stick with it

 

[GM54-120]

So for about $115 with a stand or $85 without.... someone can have a Uniflow and achieve less than a 1gr variation?
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1458295370
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012913035

Max drop is listed at 110gr but that is for smokeless. What is the max using BH209? Its rather bulky.

 

[Sideshow]

What i wanna know is for a mz since when is it so important for all this volume (number) of shot loads to be measured ??? A regular volume measure using a beam scale with a trickler works just dandy . There are plenty of other things to spend money on for a one shot wonder !!! I guess if ya got it spend it ?? What has happened to absolute accuracy always ??? Close enough only works with grenades . Forgive me if im missing something in all this but i load my cf rifles the same precise way . Target or hunting . Its the same to me . Might as well just run out and buy powerbelts instead of lead conicals ???

 

[Idaholewis]

So for about $115 with a stand or $85 without.... someone can have a Uniflow and achieve less than a 1gr variation?
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1458295370
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012913035

Max drop is listed at 110gr but that is for smokeless. What is the max using BH209? Its rather bulky.

I have owned Both the RCBS and Redding 3 BR Over the years, While i chose Not to use them with Extruded Powders, Both Measurers were equally Accurate with Spherical Type powders. If i were to do it over and Buy another Measure i would Go RCBS Uniflow, I found the Redding 3 BR No more Accurate for the Powders i used in Both measures, And The Redding 3 BR was about Twice the Price of the RCBS, or a little More. No DOUBT the Redding is a HIGH QUALITY Measure, But so is the RCBS

 

[GM54-120]

If i can weigh on my Chargemaster or throw loads that produce a 3 shot clover leaf at 100 yards i dont really care. Time then becomes the factor more important to me. I can spend hours weighing 50 shots on a beam scale or minutes using another method.

IIRC it takes under a minute per load on the Chargemaster including dumping it in a tube.