Berger's post on Mustard dispensers for powder got me to thinking about the funnel I've been using for the past year and I thought I pass the idea on incase anyone was having the same problem.

I've always used the RCBS type plastic funnel and had to tamp every charge of stick powder to get it into the brass because it gets clogged. Well, the wife had bought a cheap funnel set down at Wally world that had an assortment of different sized funnels w/ the smallest one having a spout of about .25" or so. Ding Ding, as soon as I spotted it I knew what I was going to try w/ it and snuck it off to the reloading room. For any cases of 270 or larger it just falls into the case mouth alittle, enough to hold it well. I poured a few charges w/ regular H4831, R22, and Imr4350 and it works like a charm. The powder flows through it well and it's very easy to place in the mouth of each brass.

Not much but, I figured some of you fellas may be tired of tamping on the edge of the funnel. Like I said not for the small cases but, for 270+ it works well. I've been using this little funnel throughout the past year and it's been working great.

Oh yeah, she picked them up over in the House Ware section where the cooking utensils and what-not are located.

Have a Good One

Reloader

If they aren`t alumunum be very careful about static.

Joe,

I'll have to Disagree w/ ya on that one. RCBS and Lee would have blown us all up years ago if that myth were true.

There's been plastic funnels on the market for quite some time now as well as Plastic dippers, Plastic Powder Measures, There's plastic parts on many of the contraptions that us reloaders use. Hasn't blown anyone up yet, don't think it's going to anytime soon.

Oh I forgot to mention all of the plastic stuff involved in my shotgun reloading stuff.

Just a Myth.....

Reloader

Another trick is to occasionally to wipe the inside of the plastic funnels with a used dryer sheet.

I just went out and purchased a funnel made from aluminum sold by Sinclair. It has a small bump in it near the base and is damn near jam proof.Works like a charm.
rob

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
Joe,

I'll have to Disagree w/ ya on that one. RCBS and Lee would have blown us all up years ago if that myth were true.

There's been plastic funnels on the market for quite some time now as well as Plastic dippers, Plastic Powder Measures, There's plastic parts on many of the contraptions that us reloaders use. Hasn't blown anyone up yet, don't think it's going to anytime soon.

Oh I forgot to mention all of the plastic stuff involved in my shotgun reloading stuff.

Just a Myth.....

Reloader

Reloader I mistook your purchase for the tin or sheet steel funnels I`ve seen at the "marts" not the plastic ones. I noticed you complained about the RCBS plastic one you had and jumped to the wrong conclusion. I don`t know for fact but have been warned of possible "sparking" with the metal ones. I don`t believe it`s the powder one has to worry about but primer dust that can accumulate over time.
I have had my share of static cling with the RCBS lastics and went to an aluminum one from, I believe, Shooters Supply a few years back. Best buy I`ve made of this type. Brass would likely be another good choice of material for funnels.

If I remember right, when I bought my RCBS reloading setup about 20 years ago, the instructions said to coat the inside of the powder hopper, as well as the plastic funnel, with a layer of soapy water, and to let them dry before use... Methinks that was because of potential static buildup before the graphite on the powder could coat the surfaces of the two items....

Midway has a funnel that has multi-cal inserts and droptubes as well. When a charge dosen't come out of the measure evenly I put it back in the hopper and try again. Thats 1 reason I love 4895 its so smooth.

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
Joe,

I'll have to Disagree w/ ya on that one. RCBS and Lee would have blown us all up years ago if that myth were true.

There's been plastic funnels on the market for quite some time now as well as Plastic dippers, Plastic Powder Measures, There's plastic parts on many of the contraptions that us reloaders use. Hasn't blown anyone up yet, don't think it's going to anytime soon.

Oh I forgot to mention all of the plastic stuff involved in my shotgun reloading stuff.

Just a Myth.....

Reloader

Hey Reloader, I believe it really depends on the "type of plastic" being used.

I spent a lot of years in the Electronics Industry and some Plastics can be considered Static Generators. Some are not. And some are "coated" to reduce the possibility of the Static being created.

The folks who mentioned rubbing the Plastic pieces with a Fabric Softener Sheet, or coating the piece with Soap and letting it dry on the Plastic are good recommendations.

Static is lessened in higher humidity environments, but can still happen.

Maybe the Funnels you are using won't create Static, that is a possibility. Take one when your hair is clean and rub the two briskly together and see if holding the Funnel out a bit will draw the hair to it. If it does, you have Static.

For the Bald folks, try it with a synthetic material like your Sweet E. Pie's panty hose. Just walk up to her and tell her to get out of them, because you need to "try something new".

I also bought one of those aluminum ones from Sinclair.They work great.No static.

I don't understand what the tiff is all about!? I've never had trouble with powder funnels "plugging". I suppose if you were to DUMP the powder in all at once, it COULD bridge in the bottom, but I always pour slowly onto the side of the funnel to let the powder swirl to the bottom. I allows the powder to "stack" in the case, allowing a bit more to go in the same space. It's only of concern IF you're dealing with a 100% density load, But I do it that way even if it's a less that high density load.

I bought one of the FA funnel kits, it works quite well! It fits each caliber neck so it will stand hands free on top a shell in the loading block. Used with it's long drop tube, it helps stack a little more powder in a case.

I also use the static guard spray on the funnels when the winter dry air causes static build up.

On another note, I've often wondered if a spark caused by discharge of static electricity is hot enough to set off powder!??

quote:

Originally posted by grizz:
...I've often wondered if a spark caused by discharge of static electricity is hot enough to set off powder!??

Hey Grizz, Static is very HIGH Volts and low Amps.

If you think back a few years to when you were young, you may remember shuffling your synthetic-socked feet across the carpet and then easing up to someone and pointing your finger at their earlobe. Once you got close enough a Blue spark would arc across from your finger tip to their ear of about 20KV-50KV, but low Amperage so it didn't burn a hole in your finger or the ear.

It "might" just fire the Powder up if it got to it just right. Since the Powder is not enclosed it wouldn't Explode, but it would burn rather quickly.

Read this interesting experiment:
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/mlexperiments/sparks/sparks.html

Hey utk,
Those are some pretty cool pics and an interesting experiment.jj

For what it's worth: Had problem a while back loading trap loads in the winter, low rh. Solved ALL problems by the use of "static string". One end in the powder and the other end to a ground, your choice...nothing worse than a squibber on the line.

I had the "plugging up" funnel problem for years. I bought the Redding plastic funnel and it works great.
With the RCBS funnel the powder would go down slowly and usually plug up and need to be tapped to get the powder into the case. With the Redding, its like flushing a toilet, the powder accelerates as it goes down. One of the best reloading tools I own.