Dropping Ball Powder Charges without Weighing?

[General RE LEE]

I make a point of using ball powder in every cartridge shoot so I can so that I can set up a powder dropper on a turret or progressive press. This way, besides an occasional quality assurance check, I don’t have to mess with it again.

Staball 6.5 for 6.5 CM?

 

[4090Sharps]

Staball 6.5 for 6.5 CM?

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. I use Superformance when I load 6.5 CM for family since I’m sitting on a lot of it, but don’t shoot the cartridge myself.

It looks like a great powder, but was too fast for my 22 CM, so didn’t pick any up.

 

[waspocrew]

Picked up a used RCBS powder thrower and stand for $60 this morning after reading this thread (and a few others).

I don’t use a ton of ball powders, but for 223, I have about 10# of TAC ready to go. Sounds like this should speed up loading significantly.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Picked up a used RCBS powder thrower and stand for $60 this morning after reading this thread (and a few others).

I don’t use a ton of ball powders, but for 223, I have about 10# of TAC ready to go. Sounds like this should speed up loading significantly.

This is the reason I’ve been looking at getting one, I don’t need to stare at the charge master lite loading 50 or more rounds of 223. It’s tedious.

 

[General RE LEE]

Picked up a used RCBS powder thrower and stand for $60 this morning after reading this thread (and a few others).

I don’t use a ton of ball powders, but for 223, I have about 10# of TAC ready to go. Sounds like this should speed up loading significantly.

Been reloading and measuring each charge for years so it was liberating dropping charges in the little pan and dropping right in the case funnel. Loaded a 50 round tray in half the time of measuring each charge and probably 1/4 the time of running my Hornady electric charger.

 

[seand]

Been reloading and measuring each charge for years so it was liberating dropping charges in the little pan and dropping right in the case funnel. Loaded a 50 round tray in half the time of measuring each charge and probably 1/4 the time of running my Hornady electric charger.

It’s much faster to just load up the block with 50 cases and lift the whole block up and charge each case direct from the powder drop tube. Move the tray from case to case dropping powder direct in each one until you charge all 50 cases before you set the block down.

All of those little movements and individually handling cases or using a funnel and pan the way most guys do it adds up to a lot unnecessary time spent at the bench. It doesn’t seem like it would but it’s significant. Add a case kicker and it’s impressive how quick a single stage can be.

 

[Tanner]

yup. FWIW a 1lb bottle o powder fits nicely in the top of the hopper............

They also make these baffles.

Powder Baffle

shop.rcbs.com

These are a game changer.

I have no issue at all throwing ball charges without weighing. For my “long range” rifles (all of which I shoot H4350 or RL-17 in) I just throw .3-.2 low and trickle up. Super fast and easy.

 

[JF_Idaho]

I used these templates years ago to make baffles for my powder measures. Different templates for powder measure inner diameters. I made mine out of 18ga sheet metal.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I will point out that how consistent you are with the lever can make a difference

 

[Castle Rock]

Yep, double tap top and bottom

 

[General RE LEE]

It’s much faster to just load up the block with 50 cases and lift the whole block up and charge each case direct from the powder drop tube. Move the tray from case to case dropping powder direct in each one until you charge all 50 cases before you set the block down.

All of those little movements and individually handling cases or using a funnel and pan the way most guys do it adds up to a lot unnecessary time spent at the bench. It doesn’t seem like it would but it’s significant. Add a case kicker and it’s impressive how quick a single stage can be.

Dunno I can see my self dropping the tray or bumping something lol

 

[jfk69]

Dunno I can see my self dropping the tray or bumping something lol

Exactly. Old Murphy and his ridiculous law sits on both my shoulders.

 

[wind gypsy]

It’s much faster to just load up the block with 50 cases and lift the whole block up and charge each case direct from the powder drop tube. Move the tray from case to case dropping powder direct in each one until you charge all 50 cases before you set the block down.

All of those little movements and individually handling cases or using a funnel and pan the way most guys do it adds up to a lot unnecessary time spent at the bench. It doesn’t seem like it would but it’s significant. Add a case kicker and it’s impressive how quick a single stage can be.

Interesting. Fair chance i'd drop the whole tray and make a mess while dropping into the 49th case on the tray.

Edit: @General RE LEE beat me to it.. I knock shit over enough just putting casings into a tray as it is.

 

[wind gypsy]

Yep, double tap top and bottom

Can you elaborate?

 

[eyeguy]

I drop balll powders without weighing each one for sure. I dont load them in a tray but dont use the funnel either. I just pick them out of the tray and hold case tight up in the powder dropper and peek in the case as it goes back into the tray to be sure it looks filled same as other cases...

 

[eyeguy]

double tapping the bottom with 2 short strokes ensures all the powder falls from the cavity in the dispenser

 

[eyeguy]

I dont know what double tapping the top might due other than maybe settling in the powder and giving it another swipe to make sure cavity is full? I dont double tap the top

 

[waspocrew]

double tapping the bottom with 2 short strokes ensures all the powder falls from the cavity in the dispenser

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[waspocrew]

I'd probably drop the loading tray as well - maybe I'll try 10 or something. The little things definitely add up for sure.

Figured this would be a good way to load up my 300 BLK plinking loads too. Was a pain in the ass to load 500 of the 125 TNTs with my Chargemaster. Took forever haha.

 

[TaperPin]

Someone probably already said it, but charging directly into cases without removing them from the load block, it’s extra important to look down into all the cases with a flashlight to make sure none were missed. For some reason my brain will skip an entire row from time to time.

A good reloading block that fits the cases without a lot of slop and is easy to hold will quickly pay for itself when charging from the powder measure. These CNC machined aluminum blocks off eBay are my favorite. Plastic ones made from recycled Tikka bolt shrouds may work just as well, but the metal has a nice solid feel to it.