Hi all.

I've reloaded at least 100,000 handgun shells but WAY fewer rifle shells. Most of the rifle shells I did load used ball or flake powders. I've always relied on a measure to dispense my powder charges.

Years ago when I was loading more rifle shells I used my powder measure to dispense a charge of powder that was close and then added powder til my desired charge weight was reached. That was when I had more time then money. These days time is more precious but I liked the results I got using these powders, especially IMR-4350.


Any tips on how to more effectively utilize/measure/dispense these powders??

Lee,an even hand will get you with in five sticks.

Well, it won't save time, but my general way (for rifle calibers) is to use the powder measure to throw within 0.5 grain of the desired weight and then to trickle the remainder.

That's what I do with the long sticks, simply because I'll be damned if I can come up with an alternative with them. Actually, because of that, while I haven't quit them altogether, I do use less of the long sticks just because of this. Where there's a good alternative, I switch.

I bought a Lyman 1200 DPS to deal with the stick powders.

I don't use IMR4350 that much because I can get better results in my rifles with other powders, mainly VihtaVouri 550 and Reloder19. There's nothing that will jam up the old hopper quite like IMR4064, drives me to tears, but it's my most accurate powder in about 4 different calibers so what's a guy to do? Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Zir,
It's true that IMR#4350 is difficult to meter in a powder measure. It's also true that it is more 'Forgiving' of small discrepencies.
In the larger cases that this powder is used,.02 grains error will be difficult to notice.
Frank

Thanks all. I guess it has been so long since I've loaded extruded powder that I got kinda apprehensive about the grains hanging up. I got kinda uneasy about slicing em up. I should have remembered that I never had a problem just throwing charges before and that I just forced the handle.

Went to go get a trickler today but no one local had one.

Which is your favorite?

If you can find an old Redding powder measure they will meter the stick powders quite well..but like any powder measure it takes a consistant hand to make them work, toss each charge exactly the same every time, easier said than done, but it can become muscle memory in time...I have about 3 powder measures for different powders, an old Redding, an old Hollywood and a new RCBS...

I have a cheap Hornady and my buddy has a RCBS,get a RCBS and a Lee Perfect powder measure.

Listen to ricciardelli (Steve). I use 4350 in my 270s and for my heavier bullets (69 SMKs) in my fast-twist 22-250. I use a Redding powder measure and throw to approximately .5 grains less than desired and then I trickle the rest. I believe they even make electronic scale systems WITH tricklers that will trickle to the exact amount after throwing automatically. Nothing tricky about a trickler. Also, in my 22-250 .2 grains did make a difference.