RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure

[rfwobbly]

Just curious - for those of you who have these automated presses, do you stop the routine and check the powder measure every ten or so drops, or do you just run off hundreds of rounds once you've got things working properly?

Everyone's answer is going to be different. It all depends upon the quality of the equipment you're discussing, your experience using it, the powder you're metering, and your work room conditions. Some powder measures are known to be susceptible to static and other external issues. Some powders are known to occasionally "bridge" inside the measure.

If I'm using a metal-bodied powder measure that I know has a good, strong performance record, and the powder is a ball type or flattened ball type that's known to meter well, then I'll let the machine run. I'll be careful to run enough powder through the measure to allow the metering to settle out. Make sure the measure is at least 1/2 full and then I measure the the first and last drops. But that's me knowing my equipment and living in Georgia where static isn't an issue in the winter.

A different powder measure with a different operator in a different state could be something completely different. We each tailor our own process to our own safety requirements.

 

[JimKirk]

There is a way ... well sort of ... to reset the Micrometer on the RCBS stem.... to the same zero...

I position the stem at say three o'clock .... screw the stem all the way down until it touches the meter housing ... loosen the Allen setscrew at the top edge of the micrometer part ... turn the micrometer part until it reads "zero" .... lock the Allen setscrew down tight...

If you do this BEFORE you start recording the settings and you make sure the stem is in as close as possible the same position(3 O'clock) ... each time you have to remove it and replace... it will be very very close to dead on ....

Warning ... do not try to move the rotor with it locked against the housing as you could scratch the housing and the end of the stem...

 

[41 Mag]

Welcome back to the madness....you have come to a good place here.

I'll save you some time here,
Uncle Nick's Powder Baffle Templates

I was going to post up you should look for that as it has about every sized one you could ever need on it. You just print it, cut out the one you need then tape it onto some thin sheet metal and cut them out.

Back to the Uniflow, I also use them and have 4 or 5 of them. I use a couple for rifles and a couple for handguns depending on what I am loading. One is mounted on my progressive and stays there, the others well they are moved from one stand to another when or where needed. Since I also work up loads at the range I have a plate that is screwed to the base I mount the press on which I screw one into when I go there.

Those reference marks as mentioned are just that reference marks. What I do when I head to the range is to weigh out the minimum to maximum charge weights using those to just down in my notes as to what number of turns gives me what amount of powder. Just as an example, say I using IMR-3031 and the start load is 35grs which comes up to the number 3 on the stem, but also takes 2 more full turns or say 2 full turns plus 3/4 of a turn. I would jot that down as 3+2 or 3+2.75. I do the same for the max charge weight as well. These are all weighed out on a scale while i am at the house and verified using several dumps to check each end. Then while I am at the range I can reference my notes and be very close to those loads without having to have my scale sitting there in the wind.

For handgun loads I work them up using the scale only, weighing out the powder charges individually. Once I know what each final load is, I will make a note for that mark plus how many turns it takes to hit that weight. Just like with the rifle loads only when i set back up to load the same load at a later date I will again weigh it out to verify that charge.

There is simply too much of a chance with faster powders to get in trouble especially if your playing with different bullets which might seat deeper in the cases and give you pressure spikes. Comparing most handgun powder to rifle powder is like putting up lump coal against flash powder. So you want to be a bit more exact on the smaller amounts of faster powder. Just follow a procedure, always use good current data that you yourself have verified through the powder or bullet manufacturer or an up to date manual and you will be fine. While there are some decent video's out there in cyberland, the best info comes from the main source of the components your using. There might be a hundred different recommendations posted up here if you asked, and MOST would be good, but it only takes one to ruin your day.

 

[mikemyers]

Thanks, 41_Mag. One question, and one comment....

For only doing 100 to 200 handgun loads (38 Special, 44 Special, or 45 ACP in the lightest load I could find), if I always fill the hopper to the same height, is a baffle going to make much of a difference? I can see that happening if one went from "full" to "empty", but what if I always start out at the same height of powder, and don't load all that many rounds?


Also, you wrote "So you want to be a bit more exact on the smaller amounts of faster powder. Just follow a procedure, always use good current data that you yourself have verified through the powder or bullet manufacturer or an up to date manual and you will be fine."

I haven't gotten that far yet (going through all my old notes to see what I used to load), but as I recall from so long ago, my friend looked in a book, and told me the weights for 44 and 35 for what I called a "light load". Having read what you just posted, I'll make sure I'm going to a reliable source for that information, and not just copying something I read in internet forums, which I likely would have done before you posted what you did.....

 

[JimKirk]

I spent a couple of hours today out in the shop "tinkering" with reloading tools .... and one was my 1969 model RCBS Uniflow measure ...

On another forum I visit there was a discussion about the two rotor sizes and their use for different measuring... One person stated that you had to have the small rotor to measure pistol/revolver loads ... I have found that not to be true as I use it(large rotor) to load all my pistol ammo...

I pulled out a old can of Bullseye and filled the Uniflow .... I have the Micrometer adjustment stem and turned it down until the rotor would not move at all .... I set up and zeroed my RCBS 5-10 scale(with test weights) and proceeded to open up the stem until I got One (1) grain of Bullseye in the pan ....

I then threw 20 or more charges into some primed .38 Spcl brass I had nearby... I then went back and weighted each dropped charge by dumping and thumping each brass(to make sure i got all the fine grains out) ....

Fifteen charges were dead nuts zeroed on one grain of Bullseye ... two were 1/2 of (not of a grain) ... but a tenth of a grain low ... one was very slightly under zero, two were 1/2 of a tenth over and the largest was over by 3/4 of a tenths of a grain over .... so none were even a whole tenth of a grain over or under ....

Bullseye is the fastest and the most likely the smallest charge powder I have .... that would even use to load with ...

The largest grain powder I use is IMR 7828 ... not the SC, but the regular one ... I can measure it to with 2-3 tenths of a grain ... and the large charges I use that powder with I don't worry about a few tenths unless I am at maximum load then I weight and trickle each load ....

 

[flightsimmer]

I stick a funnel of the appropriate size in the top and pour in the powder. Then as the powder level drops it is constantly refilled by the funnel, it's very consistent.

 

[Average Joe]

Depends on the powder you are using weather or not you need a baffle. I use ball powders and I don't use one. I had made one, but didn't notice any difference, I am using the small cylinder. Don't leave the powder in the hopper, some powders will etch the plastic and turn it a very dark color.... RCBS has the greatest customer service out there. Have fun reloading again, and remember to check and recheck, it only takes a few seconds, and it will keep you safe.

 

[mikemyers]

I'm not going to ask what is "best", as there are too many opinions. But, based on what everyone up above has said, are there any reasons NOT to simply pick "Alliant Bullseye" for starting out again?
http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/powder/bullseye.aspx

My purpose is nothing other than target shooting. As I did in the past, I would be loading "light" loads, based on what I found on the "Recipes".

As 'Kp321' said earlier: "Small grain pistol powders such as Bullseye meter better than flake types such as Unique."

Maybe in the future, I'll find a reason for doing this differently, but are there any good reasons NOT to start out this way?

 

[rfwobbly]

Unfortunately, many of the powders we might suggest for starting out are nearly unobtainable right now. I usually suggest Win 231 (aka Hodgdon HP-38) for it's moderate burn rate in pistol cartridges and very wide load range, but it and its neighbors in the Burn Rate Chart (e.g. VV N320) simply cannot be found. So discussions along this path, although sound reasoning, are somewhat moot due to availability.

 

[mikemyers]

Erp! I hadn't even considered that. I thought I'd just go down to the local gun shop, and buy the smallest container they had, of something that seemed "appropriate". Good thing I'm not in any hurry!

Just curious - was Bullseye one of the powders that might be appropriate for me?

(I do much better at buying photographic gear and computer gear - the more we discuss things in this forum, the more I realize I didn't/don't know much about, even the things I thought I did understand....)

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Bullseye seems to be available at the moment. My crystal ball is cracked, so I can't speak for tomorrow. The faster burning powders, bullseye, titegroup, red dot will give good results in light loads for slaying paper bad guys. Powders of the burn rate similar to Unique will yield better results for the larger calibers.

When I bought my uniflow I was using spherical powder without a baffle. But when I started using powders that weren't round, unique, the dots, 700-x and 800-x was when I found the need for a baffle. Due to their design, rotary measures are unable to maintain uniiform presssure on the rotor. Hence the need for a baffle.

Some here have described IMR 700-X as metering like cornflakes. With a baffle in the uniflow it isn't that bad. I compare it to IMR 800-X, which I say meters like cow chips. Without a baffle the throws are bad. But with a baffle 800-X can be metered to +-.1 grain, provided your operation is consistent. The larger the flakes, the more the need for a baffle. You can make them out of a pop can, the lid from a tim can or even pasteboard, if you're in a tight spot or experimenting. What I have learned is that a baffle improves consistency by maintaining a constant force on the cylinder, even with the smallest spherical powders, such as AA #2.

 

[41 Mag]

For only doing 100 to 200 handgun loads (38 Special, 44 Special, or 45 ACP in the lightest load I could find), if I always fill the hopper to the same height, is a baffle going to make much of a difference? I can see that happening if one went from "full" to "empty", but what if I always start out at the same height of powder, and don't load all that many rounds?

If your using one of the ball type then your probably fine without the baffle as long as your keeping your hopper at least 1/4 or more full. This would keep the powder weight pretty consistent as you load. The other thing is your motions when you dump the charges. Myself I make sure I raise the handle hard enough for it to make a knock when it hits the top of the stroke so that it bumps the powder column enough to settle it in the drum about the same. It takes practice but it is pretty easy to get into a rhythm where your throwing consistent charge weights each time.

Also, you wrote "So you want to be a bit more exact on the smaller amounts of faster powder. Just follow a procedure, always use good current data that you yourself have verified through the powder or bullet manufacturer or an up to date manual and you will be fine."

You mentioned Bullseye, and this is one of the faster powders folks use. Not that this is a bad thing, but it uses small charge weights and demands that you do a double check before seating bullets to make sure you haven't thrown a double charge. Also in the smaller capacity cases the seating depth with some bullets can encroach on the internal case capacity enough to create higher than wanted pressures. That all said, with the ones you listed above, I would use it with the 38 and 45 ACP, but would probably look at something like Unique which is a bit more bulky to use in the 44 SPL. Not that BE won't work, but your giving a whole lot of room there for a small charge, which makes it a lot easier to double charge it without noticing. Now you can use Unique in all of those as well as Universal, but like mentioned also, the powders that were once sitting on shelves but the pounds are barely trickling in and are being snatched up quick as they haven't been there in a while. I would also throw AA-5 in with those two as well. While it IS a ball powder, it does take more of it than does BE to hit these same load areas. You can download the Western/ Accurate powder manual from their website in PDF form or you can simply scroll down and look at what you need to while on line. It would give you a comparrison to another powder that you might find in case you don't find the others.

As to loads posted by others here or elsewhere, it never hurts to ask what powders are good for a specific load or when using a specific bullet. If you use the search function for the caliber your loading it will bring up a LOT of stuff. When you do this however you might get loads posted that may or may not be safe in your particular firearm, that is why you verify with the known data. Some folks might be able to get away with creeping up over the top end charge weight or even using a particular powder not listed for a particular caliber, but that doesn't mean you will. Lots of folks jump out of perfectly good airplanes all the time, MOST land safely. I always figured I was in the not most crowd so I stayed within the boundaries, besides i would jump out of a perfectly good airplane either...

 

[mikemyers]

41_Mag, thanks for all the detailed information. I didn't write too much specific information, as I like being able to look up the specifics, once I know how to do so. (...and I'm learning a lot from every one of these discussions!).

In my case (....literally...) I'm using two S&W 357 Magnum revolvers, two 44 Magnum revolvers, and a Colt Combat Commander. I figure that besides enjoying the lighter loads, I've also got a huge safety margin, as even if my load did go over the specified limit, my "Special load" won't be close to what a Magnum load would be, which is what my revolvers were designed to handle.


Back to generalities - you wrote "You mentioned Bullseye, and this is one of the faster powders folks use."
Why does this matter, and is "faster" or "slower" better for someone who is just punching holes in paper?

I think you're saying that a small amount of powder might make a big difference if your recipe calls for less powder, but would make a lesser difference if your recipe calls for a lot more powder. What I means is, if you want 5 ounces of liquid, and you accidentally pour in 4 or 6 ounces, the one ounce error is a bigger percentage of the total mix than if you wanted 50 ounces of water, and accidentally went over or under by the same 1 ounce amount. Am I understanding this correctly? ....and is this typical of all "ball type powders", or just Bullseye? The reason I selected a ball type powder, is simply because you guys said it meters more accurately than a flake type powder. After that, Bullseye seemed to be a popular choice.

---------------------------------------------------

Thirty years ago, life was much easier. John just told me to go to the local sporting shop, buy a pound of powder, and just to make sure it wasn't "black powder". Ignorance is bliss.....

 

[JimKirk]

Bullseye is a good powder to use in small cases... .380, .32 ACP, .32 Long, .25 ACP ... and the like ... it is good in some .38 Special loads ... I tend to stay away from it as there is too much chance for double charging ... I follow strict practices when loading ... no distractions ... so I shy away and use powders that fill the case enough that a double charge would be obvious... I tend to use slower bulky powders in cases .357 size and up ...

Come Spring of this year will mark my 50th year reloading ... over that period of time I find some powders just work better for somethings better... but the last six years have really turned the reloading world for a tumble ... folks are using powders that they(I) have never even thought about using ... it is kind of like a hungry man ... he'll eat things he would never thought about other wise ... the reloading folks are hungry folks ...

This is my powder search method ... I make a list of the cartridges I need to load ... I research the reloading manuals and online Data from the powder/bullet companies .... I write the top 6/8 workable powders for that cartridge under the name ... the same for all the cartridges on my list ... really a list of what will work ... maybe not the best "one", but a workable list... I visit my local stores ... lots of time I come away empty handed ... sometimes I come away with a "workable" powder .... I've done more load development in the last six years than ever before ... I sure hope better times for powder supply are on the way ...

 

[Jim Watson]

A lot of stuff here.
I can only add that I HAVE a Uniflo with small drum and micrometer adjustment.
It returns to setting FAIRLY WELL but I would not depend on it. I weigh several charges starting out, then one every once in a while. With a known conservative load, that might be to start, halfway through a batch, and at the end of the batch. With a maximum charge it might be several to start as the powder settles, then every tenth round.

 

[mikemyers]

Lots of shopping over the past few days, while trying to help my relative set up his own new reloader. For myself, I got a pound of Unique powder, a new RCBS digital scale (to use along with my RCBS 10-10), and a new RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure (not convinced my old one is still that great after sitting around unused for so long). I also got a box of jacketed bullets, primers, Lyman "Pistol and Revolver Reloading Handbook", and a "media separator" to separate the cleaning media from my brass with the Thumbler tumbler I plan to order this afternoon. I also got a new RCBS lubricating pad, as I have no idea how to clean the "stuff" that's stuck to my old one. I was going to get the spray can, but the sales fellow said he has reloaded for 30 years, and prefers to do the lubricating manually on a pad, so he knows every single case has been properly lubricated. Not sure if it's needed, but I also bought the "primer seat cleaning brush", a tiny wire brush that would clean any "stuff" out of the primer holes after the old primers have been punched out.

I got some very helpful forum messages here with excellent step-by-step suggestions on how to use the equipment I will be using. Those will be printed out and hung behind my reloading bench. I will be back in Miami early next week, and hope to be "doing", not "reading", by the end of the week.