powder measurement question

[poker2112]

ok i measured the brass, primer,bullet together..........then pour powder........ if the overall weight of the loaded ammo is off .3gr plus or minus .......is that ok ? im reloading on dillon 550b and measure with rcbs balance beam measurer........i guess some of the powder spills or theres a little more.....that accounts for the difference........is it a big problem these are plinking rounds

 

[Ditchtiger]

rifle or handgun?
.3 in a 9mm is a lot, .3 in a .308 isn't

 

[poker2112]

rifle 223 brass

 

[ReloaderFred]

Weighing finished rounds to see how consistant the powder charge is isn't the way to do it. You have to weigh the actual powder charge. There is so much variance in brass, and even in some bullets, that it's not going to be an accurate measurement.

Just pull a case out of the press after it's been charged with powder, and before you seat the bullet, and weigh that charge. That's the only way you're going to know for sure how accurate your powder measure is throwing the charges.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[dmazur]

I also have a Dillon 550B. What I do to check powder charge is -

* pull the brass pin by the powder measure station so you can remove the case
* index the plate so a primed, empty case is under the powder measure
* remove that case and weigh it. (If you have an electronic scale, hit the zero button to establish that case as "tare")
* put another case in the resize/reprime station and operate lever normally
* before indexing, remove the case again and weigh it. This is powder charge, without brass or bullet variation affecting it.

Hope this helps.

 

[poker2112]

i set dillon550 station 2 to pour 24.7gr ........when the brass is in station 2 only...... it works really good .......then i load station 1 & 2 and there is +/-3grs difference.......... my strokes are the same each time.....

 

[ReloaderFred]

Make sure your handle stroke goes all the way to stop, or the powder measure slide won't travel the full distance and drop erratic charges. When you put a case in station one, watch to see where the powder slide is stopping at the top of the stroke. This should tell you whether or not the measure is going to drop a consistant charge or a partial one.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[OAKVILLE SHOOTER]

I also use the 550B. When loading 22-250 rounds with 39.2 gr of H-380, I have discovered that I need to pause briefly on the down stroke to ensure that the entire charge has time to drop into the case.

Fairly new to reloading and this is the first rifle cartridge that I have tried. After the first range test, I was amazed at the improvement over factory ammunition.