I want to load small quantities of blackpowder and wondered rathering than investing in a dedicated blackpowder measure from one of the major manufacturers if the Lee perfect powder measure could be used. It's made out of nylon with an aluminium measuring tube. Am I right in assuming that it should be non sparking and safe for blackpowder. (The Lee website is silent on this and doesn't have an email contact listed) Thanks for suggestions.

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Originally posted by Ozzie:
I want to load small quantities of blackpowder and wondered rathering than investing in a dedicated blackpowder measure from one of the major manufacturers if the Lee perfect powder measure could be used. It's made out of nylon with an aluminium measuring tube. Am I right in assuming that it should be non sparking and safe for blackpowder. (The Lee website is silent on this and doesn't have an email contact listed) Thanks for suggestions.

As long as it has no iron or steel parts, it should be safe enough. But make sure you don't get any static electricity buildup in it (nylon??).

Some claim to have proven that static electricity will not set off black powder. But better safe than sorry!!

There are plenty of blackpowder flasks made out of a variety of plastics which I would guess would be subject to the same static buidup potential so its probably not a major problem. I gather there are such things as antistatic sprays but are they compatible with powder.

This was an interesting question, so I reread the instructions. It does state that it is made of non sparking materials and in the conversion chart it does list Pyrodex, but does not list any ffg, so I would assume you are OK or if you are not in a rush call them on Monday and ask,

I have a lee Prefect Powder measure.
I works well, a little finicky to set up the desired charge weight but once go got it set it stays put.
I use it to throw charges of smokeless within a few tenth of a grain light of my desired charge and then trickle it up to the exact weight.
I doubt static charges will build up if you run a ground wire between the measure and the house ground pipe.
Black powder and smokeless have graphite (carbon) coating and carbon is a conductor and will conduct static to the ground wire.

You could also try the Lee powder scoop set.
One of the scoop spoons (or 2) could scoop the desired charge weight/volume.

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Posted 26 October 2008 02:18 Hide Post
This was an interesting question, so I reread the instructions. It does state that it is made of non sparking materials and in the conversion chart it does list Pyrodex, but does not list any ffg, so I would assume you are OK or if you are not in

I had checked the online instructions and noticed the Pyrodex but not ffg so I just thought of checking Lee's book. Lee does list VMD's for blackpowder for the Perfect Powder measure. Just answered my own question. Thanks

Be careful mixing info for pyrodex and blackpowder weighed charges.Pyrodex is a volume-for-volume replacement for blackpowder,the same volume of the two will not weigh the same.
Say I use 80 grains of ffg in my gun for hunting.If I decided to switch to pyrodex,and weighed out 80 grains of pyro,it is equivalent to much more blackpowder.According to my old speer #10 manual,80gr weighed of pyrodex ,is equivalent to 100 gr of ffg blackpowder.