Started reloading earlier this year and had a problem with consistent charges coming from my RCBS. I stripped the Uniflow down and thought I solved the problem by taking a bore brush through the bottom of the main body of the Uniflow.

This afternoon I decided I wanted to reload about 75 3006 cases. Nothing special (60 gr of 4350 and a 180 gr Nosler Partition). I got the micrometer dialed in for 60 gr and measured several charges: all good. No charge released in my first case. My second try ended up with powder overflowing the case. Same problem I had earlier this year: Bring the handle up - powder falls, bring the handle down - powder falls.

This is hardly rocket science and it's not terribly complicated equipment but I am at the end of my rope with getting a consistent charge. I understand that cylindrical powders are not the easiest to use but that's not the problem. I feel that I have no control of the powder and charges.

Suggestions? Thoughts?

60 gr of H4831 will usually overflow an .06 case unless you pour it in through a funnel.

Through each charge into your scale cup, and then pour it into the case through your funnel. See if that helps.

If you're loading 60grs of 4350 behind a 180gr bullet, please give me a chance to move away before you light it off.
56grs is shown as a compressed load in lyman 48th.
When I operate my powder measure, I give it a couple of little taps at the top end to settle the powder in the chamber, and then at the bottom of the stroke, I give it a couple of little taps to clear the powder chamber. It takes a practiced, consistant stroke to get consistant results.

Not sure why I typed 180 when I was loading 165's. Regardless, should I really have this much trouble getting consistent charges? I do tap lightly at the top and at the bottom of the stroke.

Your powder may be "bridging".

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Your powder may be "bridging".

If you mean my powder is getting hung up before it drops into the case I believe you are correct. What causes that and what's the solution?

I found that the charge actually changed slightly depending on the volumne of powder in the hopper. Tapping seems to help some. I adopted the practice of dropping a light charge and trickling up to the charge weight while on the scale. Time consuming.

I now use a chargemaster.

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:
. . . I now use a chargemaster.

Bingo, you have the correct answer and problem solved

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Your powder may be "bridging".

If you mean my powder is getting hung up before it drops into the case I believe you are correct. What causes that and what's the solution?

Are you using the correct drop tube adapter? If you are using the smaller one (22-27 cal I think it is) with the coarse 4350 powder that may be the problem.

Yes, I am using the correct tube. Already confirmed that.

Tap harder.

No measure is highly consistant unless the user has experimented with technique. Even then there is a limit to consistancy due to the size of the kernels. 4350 is a coarse, hard to measure powder.

Those of us who want true consistancy set our measure a bit low and trickle each charge up to weight.

Your Uniflo should throw 4350 within +-.3gr at most. I throw 4831 to within +-.2gr regularly. With a powder like 4320 I can stay within .1gr. You are definitely bridging so check the inside diameter of your drop tube. You may even want to get an extra one and drill it out to just under .308. I have never had a problem with bridging even with 4831 so you may have a tube that is mismarked.
If the tapping, etc makes you feel good, do it. My uniflo sits on a progressive and throws charges within +-.1gr good enough for anything short of benchrest.

I agree with the tap harder post. And practice, practice, practice.

I went to the Chargemaster. Why put up with the frustration?
Paul B.

I just use my vinyl Lee Perfect powder measure. Most of my shit is Lee, I've just never felt the need to "upgrade".

quote:

I just use my vinyl Lee Perfect powder measure. Most of my shit is Lee, I've just never felt the need to "upgrade".

You small measure is as good as it gets for coarse powders, what could you "upgrade" to?

Put the handle of the Uniflow on the side which will drop the powder when the handle is down. When dropping the powder, just give it a full drop and a dummy drop. This would eliminate powder sticking inside the uniflow. The 2nd drop usually would drop every last granual.

Most any extruded powder is gonna be sticky and inconsistent on weight coming out of the Uniflow. I've loaded 60gr/4350 under 165gr bullets in 30/06 and it's slightly compressed but very doable. I always set the Uniflow to throw light with extruded powder and then add with a trickle charger. Before I had a trickle charger, I used the Uniflow cap and a N0.2 pencil!!

Takes a bit longer but it's consistent.

The second tap is the key to accurate powder measure drop with stick (4350 type) powders. If you do this you will stay within .3 grains and there is no need to trickle or weigh every charge.

I do it a little different than Reloader 270, but the same general idea. I also like the Hornady measure a little better, but probably not a big deal.

This is why I enjoy AR; willingness to help. Follow-up question: when you dump a charge do you drop it directly into the case or do you drop it into the pan, confirm weight, then pour from the pan into the case?

Thanks in advance.

Find yourself a Lyman 55 , and you won't have anymore problem !

I will usually dump into the case. I dump into the pan every 8 times or so to check that the dropped weight hasn't changed.

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
This is why I enjoy AR; willingness to help. Follow-up question: when you dump a charge do you drop it directly into the case or do you drop it into the pan, confirm weight, then pour from the pan into the case?

Thanks in advance.

I put my empty cases on a digital scale, tare to zero, dump powder directly into case, then back to digital scale to confirm weight of the charge. You can do this every 5-10 loads to verify charge weight being thrown once everything is set up, or every load if you are compulsive or just doing a few rounds.
I give the handle of my RCBS measure a couple of good pops against the stop at the bottom of the stroke as the powder is dumped, and get pretty consistent drops even with extruded powders. Are you using a baffle in the reservoir?

After many years of servive my Pacific measure
started throwing partial charges then over chargees. I never could cure it ??.
Out of curiosity I bought a Lee. It looks
and feels like a toy but works as well as the
Pacific did when new.

I'm a slow reloader cause I'm all kinds of OCD. I throw a light charge into the pan and trickle up to weight. I pour the powder in the case using a funnel and instead of dumping it down the middle of the funnel so it piles up, I bounce it off the side of the funnel so it flows in evenly then 2 taps and it's done. Then, before seating bullets I tap each case again before I put it in the press. Yeah, ridiculous, but I don't trust automatic anything, even powder throws. I can't bring myself to throw powder directly into the case and then seat a bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
This is why I enjoy AR; willingness to help. Follow-up question: when you dump a charge do you drop it directly into the case or do you drop it into the pan, confirm weight, then pour from the pan into the case?

Thanks in advance.

The only time I throw light charges and tickle up to weight is with long extruded powders like IMR4331. So it's throw a charge that is light by the usual variance, put it on the scale, trickle up to weight, then dump into the funnel/case.
Anything else throws within .1gr out of my Uniflo and if the run is more than 25-30 rounds, I set up the progressive and weigh the first and last charges.
The determining factor is the type of powder and how accurately it will meter out of your measure. Ball powders and short grain extruded powders will usually meter out of the measure consistently enough to not affect accuracy short of benchrest competition. YMMV

Even with 165 grain bullets Lyman 47th does list 57.0 as max and a compressed load. Others have stated they went as high as 60, but for me, I'd not do it. But my answer to your question is get a Belding&Mull powder measure. Mine looked like an antique when it was new in 1967, but I have yet to find any powder it will not throw consistently. They are fairly fool-proof. The powder is dropped into a charging tube and you can see it if under charged. Over charged would spill out--only way you could get that is by not inserting the charging tube in far enough(operator error). You can find em on EBAY.

Another technique that works for me is slow down. Take a full second or two to fill the chamber at a steady pace, without bottoming out the drum with more than a touch. Repeat the procedure when dispensing the charge. This gives me the most accurate charges and prevents bridging when the powder drops. It also allows the powder to settle into the case more densely, in the instance of a full case of powder.

I found an old Autoscale that was missing parts and sent it to Lyman for replacement and calibration.
It has an Ohaus beam and 2 power tricklers.
Set it, then push the button and you get a load to the .1 of a grain. Good for lazy folks.

I'm glad Carpetman mentioned that 60grs of 4350 behind a 165gr is pretty dang hot.

You are not alone with having problems with a Uniflow with H4831. I did too! The exact same RCBS powder measure with the exact same H4831.

The problem was "bridging" as others have said. I sold the Uniflow and now use the Lee "Popeye's pipes" and throw the charges onto a sacle then use a powder trickler.

Oh and I bought at an auction a used, old, Lyman 55!

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
I'm glad Carpetman mentioned that 60grs of 4350 behind a 165gr is pretty dang hot.

I used to load 58.5 grains of IMR4350 behind a 165 grain bullet. The pressure was a good bit higher than factory ammo and the concussion with terrific. It shot very well though.

I decided to throw in the towel and ordered a Chargemaster from MidSouth. Good sale price. My current dispenser will be for sale shortly.

quote:

Originally posted by Doublegun:
I decided to throw in the towel and ordered a Chargemaster from MidSouth. Good sale price. My current dispenser will be for sale shortly.

Welcome to the club!

I've been quite happy with mine. It's easy to calibrate and to check during use if you happen to think it's drifting. Mine has been terrific.

Meant to say how easy it is to do business with MidSouth Shooters Supply. Ordered the Chargemaster Thursday afternoon paying a little extra for 2-day delivery. Got an e-mail from them an hour later telling me that I am in their normal 2-day shipping and they would credit back the difference in shipping. This morning(Saturday) less than 48-hours after I placed the order FedEx shows up with my shipment.

Some powders in some throwers just like to bridge occasionally. Here, H4350 in my Harrell's Premium meter shows one across and two on end forming a perfect bridge in the drop tube.

Alan

I loaded some rounds this AM using 5774. Even with it I got a few bridged dumps.

i think my take away from the experience and this thread is a reminder how careful we have to be and that there is no substitute for taking time throughout the process with each cartridge.

Nobody commented on my recommendation of a Belding & Mull. Has anyone else used one and if so what did you think of it?