Mortar and Pestle w/Extruded Powders

[Squaregrouper]

I know stick powders can be a PITA to meter correctly. Is there an issue with slightly grinding them in small amounts in a mortar and pestle to make metering easier?
Google-Fu didn't give me any results.

 

[Park ranger]

Yes, it will change the burn rate. Probably significantly and unpredictable.

RCBS charge master will cure your issue

 

[E.Shell]

Yes, it will change the burn rate. Probably significantly and unpredictable.

RCBS charge master will cure your issue

^^^^^^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Speed3]

I've got a spare charger master, just saying...

 

[John from MD]

I know stick powders can be a PITA to meter correctly. Is there an issue with slightly grinding them in small amounts in a mortar and pestle to make metering easier?
Google-Fu didn't give me any results.

You will change the burn rate of the powder. Don't do it.

 

[John from MD]

Get a slide type powder measure, like a Dillon. It seems to be much more repeatable than the rotary tumbler type.

 

[outrider58]

Yes, it will change the burn rate. Probably significantly and unpredictable.

RCBS charge master will cure your issue

This would have been my concern as well.

Using the McDonalds straw for an improved drop.

 

[John from MD]

The only thing I use a mortar and pestal for is to make 2 F powder into 4 F if I run out of priming powder.

Don't everyone get your undees all tied in knots. Uncle Sugar taught me a lot about explosives long ago and I know how not to get hurt.

 

[KRC]

What type of dispenser/measure are you currently using, and how accurate/precise are you trying to achieve?

Perhaps "Google-Fu didn't give ... results." because those who tried this got the Darwin Award.

 

[Squaregrouper]

What type of dispenser/measure are you currently using, and how accurate/precise are you trying to achieve?

Perhaps "Google-Fu didn't give ... results." because those who tried this got the Darwin Award.

Thanks for the replies. I will not be pursuing this.
I have 3 Dillons, a Lee Auto Drum and a Lee Perfect Powder Measure. The Lee PPM is within 0.10gr every throw but only works as a stand alone/single stage thrower.
Other than my long-distance precision loads, I am OK with a 0.1-0.2gr variance between charges.

 

[Growler215]

This might help with the auto drum. They also make one for the old red hopper.

TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2

TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2 PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY (upper right corner). LIMITED SUPPLY-NO BACKORDERS. ABSOLUTE 4 PER ORDER LIMIT DUE TO PRODUCTION RATE The TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2 is a PLA plastic “3D printed” Powder Baffle that is custom designed to fit tightly in the Powder Measure Bottle Adapter...

www.titanreloading.com

Also might want to check the rubber "wiper" by the drum entrance hole to see if it needs replaced.

LEE AP1643 PERFECT POWDER MEASURE WIPPER

Lee #AP1643 Replacement Wiper Factory replacement wiper for the Perfect Powder Measure and the Auto Drum powder measure. Material: Rubber

www.titanreloading.com

 

[guzma393]

They make an adapter to mount the perfect powder measure to a charging die. Not sure if this approach would be viable.

LEE Powder Measure TO Perfect Adapter™ for Lee Pistol & Rifle Dies - Gun-Guides 798304129502 | eBay

Lee Powder Through Expanding Pistol Dies(All calibers!). Lee Rifle Charging Die (#90194). The bottom has two O-rings to secure the adapter inside the Lee Powder Through Expanding Die. O-rings also allow you to index the orientation of the charging handle.

www.ebay.com

 

[BUFF7MM]

This would have been my concern as well.

Using the McDonalds straw for an improved drop.

The McDonalds straw hack definitely improved my drops from the chargemaster.

 

[KRC]

Not a Chargemaster thread, but . . .
There are 3 modifications to the Chargemaster that will greatly improve its precision/accuracy. Reducing the size of the delivery tube intake inside the hopper (I used a piece of tape), reducing the size of the output orifice of the delivery tube (I used a small aluminum tube that fits inside the factory tube), and reprogramming the unit to run slower (model 1500 only?). The first two slightly increase delivery time, the third mod can significantly increase delivery time. I collect powder throws in small glass vials for later measurement and use, and relax with an electonic book while collecting throws. Each ten vials are then labelled and stored in cheap (Walmart) plastic crayon boxes. With the three above mods powder delivery would be quite slow and tedious to use if seating bullets after each throw.

 

[outrider58]

Not a Chargemaster thread, but . . .
There are 3 modifications to the Chargemaster that will greatly improve its precision/accuracy. Reducing the size of the delivery tube intake inside the hopper (I used a piece of tape), reducing the size of the output orifice of the delivery tube (I used a small aluminum tube that fits inside the factory tube), and reprogramming the unit to run slower (model 1500 only?). The first two slightly increase delivery time, the third mod can significantly increase delivery time. I collect powder throws in small glass vials for later measurement and use, and relax with an electonic book while collecting throws. Each ten vials are then labelled and stored in cheap (Walmart) plastic crayon boxes. With the three above mods powder delivery would be quite slow and tedious to use if seating bullets after each throw.

I've known people to have more that one Chargemaster, just to keep things moving along.

 

[Doco Overboard]

It used to be that persons described powder characteristics by length, diameter and type of construction and then choose for an application based on physical properties instead of adapting tools to accommodate the physical characteristics for the type of powder the loader selected.
Attempting to change physical characteristics of canister grade powders significantly to be adapted to tooling is an immensely bad idea and contrary to basic fundamental hand-loading safety measures.
Hopefully no one ever reads the thread title and assumes its an acceptable method without reading any further.

 

[BFMIN]

I'd strenuously discourage that as a good idea.

 

[lazarus]

This might help with the auto drum. They also make one for the old red hopper.

TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2

TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2 PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY (upper right corner). LIMITED SUPPLY-NO BACKORDERS. ABSOLUTE 4 PER ORDER LIMIT DUE TO PRODUCTION RATE The TITAN POWDER BAFFLE 2 is a PLA plastic “3D printed” Powder Baffle that is custom designed to fit tightly in the Powder Measure Bottle Adapter...

www.titanreloading.com

Also might want to check the rubber "wiper" by the drum entrance hole to see if it needs replaced.

LEE AP1643 PERFECT POWDER MEASURE WIPPER

Lee #AP1643 Replacement Wiper Factory replacement wiper for the Perfect Powder Measure and the Auto Drum powder measure. Material: Rubber

www.titanreloading.com

Never seen that Titan piece. Now I want one!

I love my Lee Auto drum, and consistency with spherical is very good. Extruded and flake less so. Anything precision I always trickle and I'll maybe always trickle. But I would bet that would help consistency even with ball powders.

I usually see +/-.1gr on ball, +.1 to -.2 on flake and +.2 to -.4 on extruded. Now the majority of charges are much closer, but if 1 in 20 drops .4gr under and 1 in 20 is .2gr high, that gives a heck of a variation. I found with 2495 running a 10 shot group trickled versus just has the Lee drops them, the trickled charge out of my 1903A3 (irons) at 50yds runs almost spot on 2MOA. As it is dropped, about 3.5MOA because of a couple of fliers and the main group itself is still a little over 2MOA.

 

[Park ranger]

Whenever possible, I use ball powders. AA 2520 is way underrated.

 

[Growler215]

Never seen that Titan piece. Now I want one!

I love my Lee Auto drum, and consistency with spherical is very good. Extruded and flake less so. Anything precision I always trickle and I'll maybe always trickle. But I would bet that would help consistency even with ball powders.

I usually see +/-.1gr on ball, +.1 to -.2 on flake and +.2 to -.4 on extruded. Now the majority of charges are much closer, but if 1 in 20 drops .4gr under and 1 in 20 is .2gr high, that gives a heck of a variation. I found with 2495 running a 10 shot group trickled versus just has the Lee drops them, the trickled charge out of my 1903A3 (irons) at 50yds runs almost spot on 2MOA. As it is dropped, about 3.5MOA because of a couple of fliers and the main group itself is still a little over 2MOA.

2 MOA with irons is pretty darn good!

I have some stick powders that don't do as well with the auto drum. Heck, A5744, one of my favorite subsonic powders, has such large grains that it can bridge powder funnels!

My auto drum has a hella stiff return spring, too, and if not set up exactly right, can crush or bend in case mouths, especially if repeatedly using the same case (e.g. while dialing in the charge weight thrown.)

So I've been using a deluxe perfect powder measure more lately. It works with the same drums, which is good because I have spare drums dialed in (and labeled) for my favorite loads. With this, rather than trickling, I can just weigh and "throw back" any powder drops that don't meet my accuracy criteria for that load. After I get into a groove on operating the handle with the exact same vigor and timing every time, I don't have to throw back too many. I use the same fired case to drop powder into every time, so after doing an initial "tare" with that case, charge weights are quick to measure on my electronic scale. I also replaced the new style hopper on my perfect powder measure with an old style red hopper with a lid, which makes it easier to "throw back" non-conforming charges. Grafs had them for about $4. Same hopper works for auto drum, too.

I may get an electronic powder dispenser this Christmas (Chargemaster or Auto Charge Pro). Hesitating a little because I'm not universally hearing great things about their longevity, I'm not sure they'll be any faster or more accurate than my current "weigh every charge" procedure with the perfect powder measure, and because my small bench is already pretty crowded.