RCBS uniflow powder measure

16 July 2002, 09:16

Well I broke down today and bought a powder measure. WOW what I have been missing [Big Grin]

Up untill now I only loaded for rifle and weigh every load. But with loading for a couple handguns that was just too slow [Frown]

I was not sure how consistant it would be. Hornaday advertizes micro adjust inserts for theirs but I could not find one today. So I figured might as well try the RCBS version.
With AA #5 I am within .4, While loading 100 rounds and with Blue Dot I was within .3 while loading 150. I felt that was pretty good. I am loading enough below max loads that I never had to worry about that putting me over. I weighed every 8th. to 10th. round.
I thought it was funny that the AA #5 went thrugh the measure best but was not as consistant. I was trying to be very carefull to work the handle the same with a small tap at top and bottom like the directions say. Anyone have any tips for this measure or am I on my way already?

16 July 2002, 09:46

Aquavit

Sounds like you're doing good as it is. Some powders just don't meter worth a darn because of their shape. Some powders meter precisely. Regardless, I like to tap everything down after filling the hopper and try to make my throws as consistent as humanly possible.

16 July 2002, 11:27

Pecos41

I think the big weakness of RCBS style powder measures is their rather poor weight control and without special inserts some such measures simply won't throw a charge as small as you might wish to go for some target loads.

Still, if you have been weighing every charge, you must now think you have died and gone to heaven. [Big Grin]

16 July 2002, 11:31

<Abe Normal>

Aquavit has it pretty much spot on. The only thing I would recommend, is, after filling the hopper spend a full 60 seconds briskly tapping on the hopper with your fingernails to fully settle the powder. I find this method to yield very consistent charges, usually on the order of + or - .1 grains.

16 July 2002, 11:54

Bigdaddytacp

quote:
Originally posted by Jacobite:
Well I broke down today and bought a powder measure. WOW what I have been missing
Up untill now I only loaded for rifle and weigh every load. But with loading for a couple handguns that was just too slow
I was not sure how consistant it would be. Hornaday advertizes micro adjust inserts for theirs but I could not find one today. So I figured might as well try the RCBS version.
With AA #5 I am within .4, While loading 100 rounds and with Blue Dot I was within .3 while loading 150. I felt that was pretty good. I am loading enough below max loads that I never had to worry about that putting me over. I weighed every 8th. to 10th. round.
I thought it was funny that the AA #5 went thrugh the measure best but was not as consistant. I was trying to be very carefull to work the handle the same with a small tap at top and bottom like the directions say. Anyone have any tips for this measure or am I on my way already?

You are on your way....try a baffel in the tube..I bought one and then used it as a template to make more for my other measure...it keeps the weitht of the powder column steady and contributes to consistant charges...the micrometer inserts are worth the money if you throw a lot of the same charges over and over on different times.....it dials back accurately...as the others state....keep the tube 3/4 full and tap on the tube when you first fill it and let the powder settle and then throw 3 or 4 charges after setting the charge to let it settle...some powders like the tap at the top and bottom and others don't care? .....I have both a small drum and large drum Uniflow and the oldest is 20plus years and still going strong......wipe the inside of the hopper tube with a dryer anti static sheet to keep powder from sticking and clean the metal rotating drum every few months as some will build up crushed powder dust....enjoy and good luck and good shooting/loading!!!!

16 July 2002, 13:54

Jacobite

Thanks for the tip on tapping the hopper. Also the one about the dryer sheet. With the AA #5 I noticed the static.

16 July 2002, 14:39

Frank Martinez

All of the above advice is very sound. I too tap my hopper when filling but I use a cheap ($5) electric toothbrush. It really settles things in and makes your metered throw very consistent.

18 July 2002, 09:51

<Jayboid>

Great tip, tapping to settle the powder. Thanks, you learn something every day.

19 July 2002, 02:35

twillis

For a baffle, I use a funnel in the top of the hopper and fill it up. It keeps the level in the hopper constant.

19 July 2002, 08:50

Dino32HR

Well, I'll be damned ! I was trying to achieve a drop consistancy within 0.1 grains with my Lee Auto-disk powder measure for a 3.0 grain drop of Titegroup. It took some time and experimenting, but I finally did it using the same advice stated in the responses above. The tapping, wiping with the dryer sheet and keeping the powder level consistant did it. I am now getting all drops for all my calibers (from 3.0 gr of Titegroup to 25 gr. of H4895 within 0.1 gr consistancy.

I was going to chuck the Lee and buy the RCBS, but elected to play with the Lee a little more. Glad I did. Between the custom inserts I made for the disks to get the exact drops I wanted and the convenience of the powder-thru expanding die that charges the case on the upstroke, I like it !

I've found that the ball-type powders (AA2, AA5) seem to be the most consistant due to their small size and uniformity. Flake powders like N100 and Titegroup are finnicky. I was surprised the H4895 did as well as it did though.