Help with .38 special loads

[Joseph Dawson]

I use a lee pro auto disk and I'm running bullseye through it. I want to get an adjustable charge bar to make the loads more accurate but I read something in the lee manual that concerns me, it said "Do not use flake powder in any cavity under .4cc" Bullseye is a flake powder and with the auto disk the cavitys are .34 and .37 and with the charge bar it should be somewhere in the middle. I'm so confused because I see people using bullseye with the auto disk for .38 special but in the lee manual it says don't use small cavitys for flake powders. What do I do?

 

[LiveLife]

Welcome to THR.

While Bullseye is flake powder (like Power Pistol), it is SMALL flake powder and is one of better metering pistol powders. Lee warning is primarily for LARGE flake powders like Unique, Red Dot, IMR Red, etc.

Comparison picture above shows small flake size of Bullseye comparable to W231/HP-38 (Flattened ball powder) which meters very well.

Adjustable Charge Bar is good for dropping larger powder charges. If you want to meter smaller charges with Pro Auto Disk, this $1 modification allows you to meter Bullseye consistently down to 1.5 gr - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/working-diy-micro-auto-disk.741988/page-2#post-9495037

BTW, comparison pictures of large flake powders like Unique - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...s-and-discussions.778197/page-7#post-10094185

NOTE: Promo has been 'blended" in recent years to meter better - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...blended-promo-for-more-accurate-loads.841097/

 

[1KPerDay]

In addition to bds' excellent advice, remember to weigh and confirm your charges with the auto disc. Sometimes they match the chart and sometimes they don't. Unique was WAY off on mine, for example. I keep a master chart of what my PAD actually throws for each powder and orifice. Always confirm the charge by weighing it the next time you load also.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Same as above. Meter, weigh and document. I keep a running tally on which discs throws what weight with a specific powder so I can reference a starting point for new loads.

I’ll have to give the $1 modification bds provided a go one day.

 

[nevadabob]

Joseph...I've just started loading Bullseye. Here's my Auto Disk results:

AD 34 = 3.3 grains
AD 37 = 3.4 grains
AD 40 = 3.7 grains

I would've thought the #37 would've dropped a pinch more but that's what I got.

 

[Joseph Dawson]

Thanks for the advice guys I appreciate it. It's more when I use the disks the powder drop fluctuates. So if I use a .34 disk it flucuates between 2.9 and 3.3. I was told to run a pound of powder through it but I'm unsure on how to actually do that quickly, how would you guys do that?

This is my process for dispensing and weighing the powder:
Weigh my brass case
Reset the scales
Dispense the powder
Re-weigh the brass with the powder in it.


Also I'm using digital scales.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use a lee pro auto disk and I'm running bullseye through it. I want to get an adjustable charge bar to make the loads more accurate but I read something in the lee manual that concerns me, it said "Do not use flake powder in any cavity under .4cc" Bullseye is a flake powder and with the auto disk the cavitys are .34 and .37 and with the charge bar it should be somewhere in the middle. I'm so confused because I see people using bullseye with the auto disk for .38 special but in the lee manual it says don't use small cavitys for flake powders. What do I do?

The warning from Lee is because they are concerned the larger flake might bridge or not till the cavity correctly so you won't get the correct charge weight. I have successfully used my Pro Auto-Disk with light charges of Bullseye, it only requires a little care.

Before you throw the charge tap the side of the hopper a few times to settle the powder and be sure not to allow the hopper to drop below half full. Check all the charge weights in the beginning and as you see them correct you can check less often, maybe every 10th charge. Take your time and you will be safe.

 

[ATLDave]

This is my process for dispensing and weighing the powder:
Weigh my brass case
Reset the scales
Dispense the powder
Re-weigh the brass with the powder in it.

When the brass is on the scale, are you zeroing it? Then using it as your weighing tray for the powder charge? If not, you should do that - tends to help inexpensive scales not to work off two different zeroes when comparing small amounts. Make sure you give the brass a second or two on the scale before zeroing... that lets the sensor settle down a bit. And change batteries on the scale before it stops working.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

When the brass is on the scale, are you zeroing it? Then using it as your weighing tray for the powder charge? If not, you should do that - tends to help inexpensive scales not to work off two different zeroes when comparing small amounts. Make sure you give the brass a second or two on the scale before zeroing... that lets the sensor settle down a bit. And change batteries on the scale before it stops working.

Good post, that's the way I do it when necessary. It removes any chance of making a mistake with the math. The number on the scale is the charge weight doing it that way.

 

[1KPerDay]

Also I'm using digital scales.

IME unless you paid quite a bit for the digital scale, it's probably the problem. I'd opt for a quality ohaus/rcbs balance scale. At least to verify and confirm your digital weights. Two sources of data are better than one.

 

[Joseph Dawson]

When the brass is on the scale, are you zeroing it? Then using it as your weighing tray for the powder charge? If not, you should do that - tends to help inexpensive scales not to work off two different zeroes when comparing small amounts. Make sure you give the brass a second or two on the scale before zeroing... that lets the sensor settle down a bit. And change batteries on the scale before it stops working.

I weigh the brass case on my scale, zero it, dispense the charge and then weigh the case with the charge in again on the scales.

 

[rfwobbly]

Why not do your own verification tests? Just load your powder measure with powder and make 100 drops. If you'll weigh and record the weight of each drop, then you'll see where the derivations (if any) occur.

Simple and straightforward.

 

[Zendude]

It takes me about three cycles to prime the Autodisk after initially loading the hopper with Bullseye. Just put the first three powder throws back in the hopper and start weighing on the fourth throw.

 

[1KPerDay]

Why not do your own verification tests? Just load your powder measure with powder and make 100 drops. If you'll weigh and record the weight of each drop, then you'll see where the derivations (if any) occur.

Simple and straightforward.

This only works if your scale is accurate ...

 

[Reloadron]

VMD Explanation is a brief but good read as to Volume Metered Density. Obviously a good scale comes into play as well as some decent scale check weights so one can check their charge weights. Lee does point out "It is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your loads Listed below are some of the factors that will help keep you out of trouble. Some are obvious, but worth repeating". The VMD numbers pointed out on VMD charts are approximations they are not set in concrete to be a legal truth. Something of interest and I don't know how much truth there is to it is the last paragraph of the link I provided:

Weight of the sample

It is very important that you repeat this process with any new container of the same powder because the powder companies allow themselves a 16% tolerance between batches. This can result in over charging if you work from the same setting and the next container of powder you get is more dense.

There is also the given that some powders meter better than others. The dreaded crunch for example of stick powders.

Ron