Lee Perfect Powder Measure - WOW!

[CharlieNC]

Well I ordered a few odds and ends from Midway and in the process saw they had this on sale for $20. Just set it up and loaded 50 308's and all I can say is I love this little thing. First of all it has a drop tube calibrated in cc with a powder chart to convert from grains, so setting up to get an accurate load is very fast and easy. I measure every load, and at least 50% of the drops were on target when weighing. I don't mind trickling in a little but hate over-throws that require removing powder but didn't get any. Best of all it operated very smoothly on Varget and RL15 extruded powders, which tend to jamb in my old Lyman and cause major error. Yes, its mostly plastic but if you look under your hood so is much of it these days for weight saving and durability. Best $20 I've spent in a long time.:p

[missed]

Its my favorite measure also since it works work Varget too

[fgw_in_fla]

I still have mine mounted to the bench. It gets used for pistol bullets. Remarkably accurate piece of plastic, it is.
Once you figure out the combination on how to make it measure. They could have made it a little easier.
Good luck with the new toys.

[eddiesindian]

congrates....buddy of mine decide to rid himself of all his Lee reloading equipment...shoot give it here...Ill take all of it...he sold me his lee pro1000 along with a host of other goodies...for pennies on the dollar. I love lee products...so much so I won 4 lee progressive stage press,s...sure they need a little tinfering here and there but for the money?.....bring it on!

[darkker]

Glad you like it Charlie, but don't confuse a volume dispensing device, with a weight dispensing device. They don't do the same thing.
Weight is a measure of bulk density. Extruded powders burning rates are controlled by geometry (volume the Kernel occupies). And are held in a tight inverse relationship to the BD. So a consistent VOLUME may or may not weigh the same. A consistent volume will yield a consistent burn rate, and tighter groups.

[CharlieNC]

Hey Dark. I will continue to trickle and weigh every load since I also think that is the best basis. However I do find it interesting that a number of top BR shooters insist volumetric "clicks" is the best method; I have not been able to find the reasoning for this and maybe someone can explain further for additional understanding.
Eddie I continue to add more Lee components and find them well thought out and perform well. I love their trimmers and collet neck dies.

[darkker]

However I do find it interesting that a number of top BR shooters insist volumetric "clicks" is the best method; I have not been able to find the reasoning for this and maybe someone can explain further for additional understanding.


You really should grab a copy of Richard Lee's modern reloading Vol 2. VERY informative discussion on Volume Vs. Weight.

Remember who develops and builds powders, Gov't agencies, and Military contractors; no one else.
They ALL load by volume, there is no weighing anything. Weight is convenient for a reloader, since accurate scales have been around for SOOOO long, and therefore are cheap. Volume dispensers until relatively recently have not had any ties to actual volumes, they just had "marks", but didn't reference anything. Lee references CC's.

All powders have a rather large allowable variation in Burning Rate(BR), which is why EVERY book tells you to drop 10% and start over when changing lots. 10% truly isn't abnormal.
Extruded powders however, have the BR and the BD(Bulk Density) VERY closely tied together. So if you load by volume with them, that will take into account the BR; and therefore appropriately the BD is handled.
BR changes in a cartridge, based upon case fill, not powder weight. If you load a cartridge with Extruded powder by volume, what you are doing is keeping the burning rate VERY consistent everytime. That translates into the ability to make tiny groups(gotta do your part). Consistency everytime. IF you charge your case with extruded powders by weight, all you are doing is watching the BD. So in an example you MAY have a higher BD, so you put less volume in the case. This will change the BR of the powder since the case fill isn't the same. AND you also have a slower BR due to the high BR. Net effect is a slower burning powder charge than what you were expecting.
That loss of consistency will have you chasing ghosts, trying to figure out why your groups are getting worse.

In Lee's book, IIRC this discussion, which includes confirmation from some powder companies, is around pg 130-ish.

Remember that this is for EXTRUDED powder. Ball powder has it's BR controlled by coatings, not geometry.

[CharlieNC]

Thanks Dark; sounds like a book I should check out!

[yobuck]

i would agree that weighing charges is often more important to the shooter than to the gun.
that said im not completly sold on the volume theory. powders do vary in size and intensity considerably.
a load of 2.5 gr. of bullseye would be difficult to detect in a 38 special case. yet 3 gr. would make a
major difference and cause it to be at least unpleasant to shoot.
i use a 60 year old belding & mull powder measure which i feel is one of the best designs ever created.
there is of coarse the main container for the powder. then there is a small resevoir which holds a much
smaller ammount of powder. that eliminates the full weight of the main container from affecting the charge.
regardless as to the ammount in the main container the resevoir controls the charge. then there is an adjustable
drop tube into which the powder is dispenced before dumping it into a scale or directly into the case via a funnel.
but the initial adjustment of the drop tube is done by weight. how else could it be done?
i frankly dont always weigh my charges. i make sure the drop tube is adjusted properly and will periodicly check it with the scale. i systematicly charge all cases in the block then check by row to assure all are filled to the same level. sometimes the larger grained
powders will jam up in the drop tube. but thats rare and you can usually sence or see that as it happens due the the ammount
remaining in the resevoir. i dont think a half gr of powder varieation means anything as for group size especially with the slower burning ones. does the ladder test not confirm that?

[eddiesindian]

for the money?...lee products get the job done.

[CharlieNC]

i dont think a half gr of powder varieation means anything as for group size especially with the slower burning ones. does the ladder test not confirm that?`
I don't think that is fully so yobuck. The ladder test will identify the charge which provides an accuracy "node" based on the bullet leaving the barrel when it is at it's extreme position in the vibration cycle, and therefore moving the least; so the bullet exits at the most stable point- this is related to the optimum barrel time. However the velocity is still a direct function of the amount of powder so any changes in the charge will still result in a variable amount of drop downrange; in other words you may launch the bullet in a more consistent position but it's fall will still not be identical across a velocity range.

[eddiesindian]

`
I don't think that is fully so yobuck. The ladder test will identify the charge which provides an accuracy "node" based on the bullet leaving the barrel when it is at it's extreme position in the vibration cycle, and therefore moving the least; so the bullet exits at the most stable point- this is related to the optimum barrel time. However the velocity is still a direct function of the amount of powder so any changes in the charge will still result in a variable amount of drop downrange; in other words you may launch the bullet in a more consistent position but it's fall will still not be identical across a velocity range.

+1............