Powder dippers

[Old Stumpy]

I made a set from used rifle and pistol cases and heavy duty copper wire. It took some time to modify the cases to hold my favorite loads, but once that was done, soldering the wire handles to the cases was easier than I thought.

I used small diameter brass tubing from the hobby shop that I hammered flat at the end and then curled around the case.
Then I soft-soldered it in place.
Back then I was loading for .45ACP, .455 Eley/Webley, and .45 Colt. I used a .45 ACP Lee Loader for all three with a spacer for .45 Colt.
I used a Lyman 452374 bullet mold and .22 range lead to make 230 grain round nose bullets, which I also used in all 3 cartridges.
I cake cutter lubed them and sized them for .45 ACP in a Lee drive-through sizer kit, and as cast for the other two.
I even made the bullet lube with beeswax and vaseline. The classic recipe.
As a cash poor teenager necessity was the mother of invention.

 

[Keyfer 55]

I use lee powder dippers most of time.
Got my dippers in the early 80s. I would like to have an up dated chart.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve been using them for 49yrs. (Not exclusive, I’ve also got scales and a half dozen measures...)

I’ve gotten pretty good at consistency. Recently I was loading for a recently aquired 6.5 Creedmoor. I figured out the trick with H4350 was to stick the dipper into powder in a coffee cup (using same one for 40yrs, I’m nostalgic!) side ways, rotate upwards and gently tap with index finger 3-times (only, exactly), then strike across dipper with a card cut from a primer sleeve.
I was weighing each charge, and got to consistently within .02gr.
But I still usually weigh each one.
Just because...

 

[fguffey]

Many years ago R. Lee claimed when using the correct dipper with the correct powder the starting load with a dipper was raked off level with the top of the dipper. And then he went on to say there was no way the reloader could overcharge the case with the correct dipper when using the correct powder.

And then he explained how scientific his dippers were designed. He claimed the cone of powder above the dipper would not support enough powder to create an overcharge.

So dipper reloaders never got beyond entry level, back then it was rake it off or nothing. Among my dippers I have a few that are adjustable. For those that have them I suggest the dipper be stored with the instructions.

F. Guffey

And then there is the steady hand.

 

[JFrank]

I’ve been using them for 49yrs. (Not exclusive, I’ve also got scales and a half dozen measures...)

I’ve gotten pretty good at consistency. Recently I was loading for a recently aquired 6.5 Creedmoor. I figured out the trick with H4350 was to stick the dipper into powder in a coffee cup (using same one for 40yrs, I’m nostalgic!) side ways, rotate upwards and gently tap with index finger 3-times (only, exactly), then strike across dipper with a card cut from a primer sleeve.
I was weighing each charge, and got to consistently within .02gr.
But I still usually weigh each one.
Just because...

Your saying that you can dip a charge to an accuracy level of 2 one hundredth of a grain??? .02

 

[murf]

that is all I use is dippers for pistols:



made by soldering varied cases to metal coat hangers.

murf

 

[JFrank]

Many years ago R. Lee claimed when using the correct dipper with the correct powder the starting load with a dipper was raked off level with the top of the dipper. And then he went on to say there was no way the reloader could overcharge the case with the correct dipper when using the correct powder.

And then he explained how scientific his dippers were designed. He claimed the cone of powder above the dipper would not support enough powder to create an overcharge.

So dipper reloaders never got beyond entry level, back then it was rake it off or nothing. Among my dippers I have a few that are adjustable. For those that have them I suggest the dipper be stored with the instructions.

F. Guffey

And then there is the steady hand.

As usual Mr. Guffey you are correct.
The key word here is entry level, despite a steady hand I feel it is unlikely a reloader would achieve the desired consistently using a dipper without verification .
SPJ

 

[exbrit49]

It appears many re-loaders use a dipper and then use a trickler to achieve the final load using a beam balance. I do the same thing but only when I am loading Max loads already verified from worked up previous loads. I like full house loads occasionally, but the extra care makes me feel a little more comfortable from a safety aspect.
All my standard loads are measured in my regular powder throwers. Unique is the only powder I have to take a little more care with, It seems that depending on the humidity levels, it varies. Higher the humidity, the more variance. So on those days I weigh every 5th charge, Its worked well for me!

 

[fguffey]

despite a steady hand

Forgive: the difference between raking the dipper level and a cup with a full cone above the cup is the difference between a starting load and a maximum load. The powder cone above the cup is not stacked like bricks but the angle of the cone is determined by the diameter of the cup; R. Lee did not believe the cone would support another grain.

And then someone aske me if R. Lee considered the 'shaky hand'. To that I would have to say "I do not know', but a reloaders with a few shop skills should be able to make dippers of any length complete with handles. And there are some of us that has to remove everything between the powder being dipped and the loading tray.

F. Guffey

 

[JFrank]

Consistent charges are paramount, I just don’t believe one can scoop within a tenth of a grain with certainty.
Just me of course

 

[.308 Norma]

I just don’t believe one can scoop within a tenth of a grain with certainty.

I CAN, with SOME of my Lee powder dippers, when scooping SOME of my powders. What I mean is, one of my Lee dippers holds 3.0 grains of Unique (according to the chart) while another of my Lee dippers holds 58.5 grains of H4831 (also according to the chart). It would be very, very hard for me to stay "within a tenth of a grain" when scooping H4831 with the large dipper, but I'll bet money I can stay "within a tenth of grain" when scooping Unique with the small dipper.

Consistent charges are paramount

Of course consistent charges are important, but not necessarily "paramount." And a "tenth of a grain" difference when you're talking 76.0 grains of H4831 in my 308 Norma Magnum isn't nearly as important as a "tenth of a grain" difference when you're talking 3.4 grains of Unique in my 32 H&R Magnum.
In other words, consistent charges ARE important, but when you're talking about charges upwards of 75 grains of powder, "a tenth of a grain" difference usually isn't as important.
And I repeat: I'll bet money I can stay "within a tenth of a grain" when I'm scooping about 3 grains of Unique with my smallest Lee dipper. I can't stay "within a tenth of a grain with certainty" when scooping powder with my large Lee dippers, and I doubt many people can. But I can do it with my small Lee dippers - with certainty.

 

[JFrank]

I CAN, with SOME of my Lee powder dippers, when scooping SOME of my powders. What I mean is, one of my Lee dippers holds 3.0 grains of Unique (according to the chart) while another of my Lee dippers holds 58.5 grains of H4831 (also according to the chart). It would be very, very hard for me to stay "within a tenth of a grain" when scooping H4831 with the large dipper, but I'll bet money I can stay "within a tenth of grain" when scooping Unique with the small dipper.

Of course consistent charges are important, but not necessarily "paramount." And a "tenth of a grain" difference when you're talking 76.0 grains of H4831 in my 308 Norma Magnum isn't nearly as important as a "tenth of a grain" difference when you're talking 3.4 grains of Unique in my 32 H&R Magnum.
In other words, consistent charges ARE important, but when you're talking about charges upwards of 75 grains of powder, "a tenth of a grain" difference usually isn't as important.
And I repeat: I'll bet money I can stay "within a tenth of a grain" when I'm scooping about 3 grains of Unique with my smallest Lee dipper. I can't stay "within a tenth of a grain with certainty" when scooping powder with my large Lee dippers, and I doubt many people can. But I can do it with my small Lee dippers - with certainty.

I’m swinging through Idaho next month , I can meet ya for a beer and I’ll bring my money.
Hey
I tried the same thing awhile back on a Boyd Allen challenge, dipped 15 charges very carefully of Varget powder and charted each one, Damn it I could not get consistent results.

 

[.308 Norma]

I’m swinging through Idaho next month , I can meet ya for a beer and I’ll bring my money.
Hey
I tried the same thing awhile back on a Boyd Allen challenge, dipped 15 charges very carefully of Varget powder and charted each one, Damn it I could not get consistent results.

We're in SE Idaho, and only about a half mile off of Interstate 15. A beer with you sounds good - especially seeing as how in the end, you'll be paying for it.
I'm not a hustler though, so I'll tell you up front I've been using Lee dippers (and several home-made dippers) along with a scale, for better than 40 years. I'm more consistent, even with my large dippers, than I ever was with the 2 RCBS powder measures I've tried over the years.

 

[JFrank]

A ringer!!

 

[Reloadron]

The powder cone above the cup is not stacked like bricks but the angle of the cone is determined by the diameter of the cup; R. Lee did not believe the cone would support another grain.

Then why did I get these results?


On average, with 10 dips of powder, using H-335 powder and a 2.8cc dipper the non skimmed were 38.2 grains verse the skimmed at 36.84 so roughly 1.4 grains difference.

Ron

 

[JFrank]

That’s about what happened to me

 

[coondogger]

Use 'em for all reloading.

 

[Keyfer 55]

Does anyone else still use powder dippers?
I still do. I like to keep things simple.
Of course, leave it to me to break even the simplest of tools......
View attachment 837141
Of course, it was my most used dipper too, the 1cc.(.45colt/unique)
Has anyone found a better set of dippers than this plastic Lee brand?
This set skips from .7cc to 1cc to 1.3cc. I would like to find a set that doesnt skip .8 and .9View attachment 837142
Temporary fix.

How did it get broken???

 

[Armored farmer]

How did it get broken???

I tapped it on the edge of my powder funnel to be sure it emptied.......and *plink*
I guess if you do that a thousand times.......?

 

[GooseGestapo]

re: post #53. Should be .2 gr. Missed the extra 0 on edit.
Consistent technique is key to consistent results. Rather like a golf swing.