A charge weight check - warning.

P95Carry · June 14th, 2007, 04:22 PM

Just a write-up on how charge weights can go astray! Hopefully reminding other reloaders how much we have to stay on the ball.

Below is a small pic of my Hornady measure - gets used very little as only needed for rifle reloading. Last time used was year or more ago to do some .243 rounds with N-140 - fortunately not many I am thinking.

Yesterday, changed powder and set it up for N-133 to do some .223 rounds - long overdue. After experiment and weighings - got it set and dropping the 24.5 as I wanted. Proceeded to load 50 rounds.

Today started on another 50 - but after a few powder drops my spidey sense was tingling - maybe cases looked a shade too full by a smidgeon.

Checked drop and - horror - it was up to 25.5 or so

(That is above max

). These will all have to be pulled now - and the remaining .243 rounds too (cases had shown some primer flattening but don't think charge had gone too much over - we'll see!).

Cause??? Look at pic and you'll see on the left of the rotating block, what is an Allen set screw, which secures the micrometer measure insert. Ahem - it was not fully tight!

Each time I drop a charge I move the arm slightly a coupla times in the up position to ''knock free'' any grains hung up in the discharge tube. Gradually that had allowed the insert to creep out and so up the drop volume. Glad I checked!!

pgrass101 · June 14th, 2007, 04:28 PM

Good to know, I still use the scoops and old pan scale.

P95Carry · June 14th, 2007, 04:36 PM

I have used scoops, scales and trickler (still do for real critical stuff) but have found (normally) the Hornady measure to be incredibly accurate - like +/- 0.1 of a grain at worst - which more or less for plinking ammo is well OK.

That of course is if I attend to tightening up what should be tightened up

mcp1810 · June 14th, 2007, 04:49 PM

Discovering something went wrong is much better at the loading bench than out on the range!

rocky · June 14th, 2007, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcp1810

Discovering something went wrong is much better at the loading bench than out on the range!

Exactly, when in doubt , pull and reload questionable ammo.

P95Carry · June 14th, 2007, 07:29 PM

Well - all 50 .223's pulled - what a pain in the petootie!!

Seems like the main charge drift really began with the ones I started today and became suspicious of ..... most pulled were close to spot on but a few had definitely drifted toward larger drop.

Better safe but - heck even with a collet puller it's tedious! Yet to check out the few .243's.

Sheldon J · June 14th, 2007, 08:17 PM

in a session I use this, 15 seconds and any weight you dial in is there. Wanted one for years, then went on-line to check out which one was tops in reliability, repeatability, and accuracy, then Providence acted and Midway put it on sale, this was meant to be.

P95Carry · June 14th, 2007, 08:28 PM

Oh that is nice!!! me want!

Trouble is my set up time is really not too bad, tho more than 15 seconds! Maybe five minutes but once set (and properly tightened etc!) - that Hornady throws good reliable drops ....... and as it's only used for rifle it will do.

When set I try and do a large number of rounds ...... being likely to not load rifle stuff again for months. Hoping to get about 800 rounds of .223 loaded - at least, that's the number of cases sized and primed.

Chooie · June 14th, 2007, 10:29 PM

Jeez, $417.95 for that... good thing for sales, indeed!

P95Carry · June 14th, 2007, 11:32 PM

Gotta throw this in for giggles ........ if perchance the case rim does not engage in the shell holder (careless operator!) - then the whole deal goes way too far in to die LOL

This is way beyond shoulder surgery

Ages since I did that.

June 14th, 2007, 04:22 PM	#1
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	A charge weight check - warning. Just a write-up on how charge weights can go astray! Hopefully reminding other reloaders how much we have to stay on the ball. Below is a small pic of my Hornady measure - gets used very little as only needed for rifle reloading. Last time used was year or more ago to do some .243 rounds with N-140 - fortunately not many I am thinking. Yesterday, changed powder and set it up for N-133 to do some .223 rounds - long overdue. After experiment and weighings - got it set and dropping the 24.5 as I wanted. Proceeded to load 50 rounds. Today started on another 50 - but after a few powder drops my spidey sense was tingling - maybe cases looked a shade too full by a smidgeon. Checked drop and - horror - it was up to 25.5 or so (That is above max ). These will all have to be pulled now - and the remaining .243 rounds too (cases had shown some primer flattening but don't think charge had gone too much over - we'll see!). Cause??? Look at pic and you'll see on the left of the rotating block, what is an Allen set screw, which secures the micrometer measure insert. Ahem - it was not fully tight! Each time I drop a charge I move the arm slightly a coupla times in the up position to ''knock free'' any grains hung up in the discharge tube. Gradually that had allowed the insert to creep out and so up the drop volume. Glad I checked!! __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

June 14th, 2007, 04:28 PM	#2
pgrass101 Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 6,105	Good to know, I still use the scoops and old pan scale. __________________ Noli nothis permittere te terere

June 14th, 2007, 04:36 PM	#3
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	I have used scoops, scales and trickler (still do for real critical stuff) but have found (normally) the Hornady measure to be incredibly accurate - like +/- 0.1 of a grain at worst - which more or less for plinking ammo is well OK. That of course is if I attend to tightening up what should be tightened up __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

June 14th, 2007, 07:29 PM	#6
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Well - all 50 .223's pulled - what a pain in the petootie!! Seems like the main charge drift really began with the ones I started today and became suspicious of ..... most pulled were close to spot on but a few had definitely drifted toward larger drop. Better safe but - heck even with a collet puller it's tedious! Yet to check out the few .243's. __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

June 14th, 2007, 08:28 PM	#8
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Oh that is nice!!! me want! Trouble is my set up time is really not too bad, tho more than 15 seconds! Maybe five minutes but once set (and properly tightened etc!) - that Hornady throws good reliable drops ....... and as it's only used for rifle it will do. When set I try and do a large number of rounds ...... being likely to not load rifle stuff again for months. Hoping to get about 800 rounds of .223 loaded - at least, that's the number of cases sized and primed. __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

June 14th, 2007, 04:49 PM	#4
mcp1810 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,165	Discovering something went wrong is much better at the loading bench than out on the range!

June 14th, 2007, 10:29 PM	#9
Chooie Distinguished Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,531	Jeez, $417.95 for that... good thing for sales, indeed! __________________ -Joe Quando omni flunkus, moritati. Virginia Citizens Defense League Rustburg, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad

June 14th, 2007, 11:32 PM	#10
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Gotta throw this in for giggles ........ if perchance the case rim does not engage in the shell holder (careless operator!) - then the whole deal goes way too far in to die LOL This is way beyond shoulder surgery Ages since I did that. __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode