BE-86 measuring

[Tech Ninja]

I have been experimenting with BE-86 powder loading .38 Special.

I am using a Hornady Lock N Load Powder Measure in a Lee Load Master.

Starting with the pistol drum I was surprised with how poorly the powder measured. Weights varied from 3 to 6 grains, just totally random.

I switched to the rifle drum as an experiment. This worked better with charges between 5 and 6 grains. But that is really not very usable.

So I dumped the powder and was surprised to see powder stuck inside the measure:

I brushed the powder out and weighed it, 10 grains! I'm guessing this is a static issue. You can see powder is stuck in the drum and I think that explains the poor measuring.

I haven't had this problem with other powders so maybe it's just a BE-86 thing.

I switched to a Lee Auto Disk measure and that worked just fine. So for now I'll just use the Auto Disk until I figure out what to do with the Lock N Load.

 

[Airgead]

I have found a +/- 0.1gr variance throwing BE-86 through my LNL powder measure on an LNL-AP. This was using the small rotor. That's a lot of clinging powder in your pic and I am not seeing that.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have used several pounds of BE-86 with my LnL. At most, I have a +/- a tenth variance. Most of the time, it is dead on.

 

[RPegram]

I've experienced the exact same thing in a Dillon. The powder completely coated all surfaces it touched inside the powder measure. It did not matter if it was plastic or metal. I had to completely disassemble and wipe all surfaces with a cloth to get it to come off. I've also had it cling to the inside of brass. When dialing in an exact drop, I dump the case and this time it all didn't come out. First time ever seeing powder cling to brass. I switched over to CFE Pistol after wiping the BE-86 out with a dry cloth and have had zero issues with this clinging to any surface. I thought it was just me, but see I'm not alone dealing with this "clingy" powder. Also, I did nothing to my powder measure except use a dry cloth, no dryer sheets or sprays or anything. This made me really believe it is the powder.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

My loading room is air conditioned and it does get dry in there. I have had to take my powder measure in the garage and lay it on my bench for half an hour before I use it to get some humidity in there or I get the same thing. Laying it in some humidity totally cures it for me.

I also wipe down the outside of it with a used dryer sheet before I use it, it does wonders for it. I've been using BE-86 for quite a while now and it may hold a little more static than some other powders but not that much.

I loaded about 500 9mm with it about 3 months ago and it worked flawlessly.

I'm guessing you got hit with a load of static. I get this problem with all flake powders, not just BE-86.

 

[9mmepiphany]

My LNL Powder measure, mounted on my LNL AP, has been running BE-86 very consistently.

I was checking in over 10 throws, I have it set to throw 4.62grs, a little while ago.

The Mean was 4.61grs with a S.D. of 0.0216grs.
Low was 4.58grs and the high was 4.66grs. 5 of the 10 throws were at 4.60grs

It does tend to cling to the metal parts of the powder measure, but it doesn't seem to affect the accuracy of the throws. I do wipe it down with a used dryer sheet before I pour the powder in.

 

[Dudedog]

Meters well for me in my LNL measure and my Lee Pro Disk. Looks like its time to wipe out your measure with dryer anti stat sheet.

 

[SIG9Fan]

I thought I was the only one having this issue with BE-86 in my LnL powder measure. Mine looks just like the first picture posted above. Having said that, it still drops pretty consistent charges. Just a ton of cling to the metal.

 

[witchhunter]

Wipe your measure with a dryer sheet to stop the static cling.......I do it between changes in powder.

 

[vaalpens]

I have also found that BE-86 can be very sticky.

I dip, weigh and tricle. BE-86 doesn't seem to stick much to the RCBS beam scale pan, but I have to brush it out of my RCBS trickler after I dumped out all the powder.

 

[Gravedigger56]

Wipe your measure with a dryer sheet to stop the static cling.......I do it between changes in powder.

I agree. I always give a good pre-wipe and after the session I always shove several sheets into the cleaned powder reservoirs when not in use. Even after all this I still get some static cling, some more than others. It doesn't bother me since the throws are still accurate and you clean out the powder measure afterwards anyway.

 

[Airgead]

Leaving a dryer sheet in the power measure is an interesting idea I never considered! Great idea.

 

[highlander 5]

I wonder if a coat of say Nu Finish on the hopper and metal parts would keep the powder from clinging?

 

[GBExpat]

When I received my first order of BE-86 last winter I was mildly intrigued by its affinity to a static charge.

Be simply rubbing a finger along the top of the plastic bottle I could hear the grains inside tracking the movement. Probably due to the HDPE bottles that they ship in these days.


I wipe powder measurement equipment with a dryer sheet and/or with a weak fabric-softener+water solution (and allow to dry) and follow this up with an aluminum sheet cap on the reservoir. Static issues solved.

During the coldest part of the winter when my basement is really dry, I also keep a container of water steaming near the reloading bench just to help knock down any potential static charges.