powder measure ????

[JEREMY logan]

I am thinking of buying a harrell premium "culver" measure does any of yall own one of these if so , how accurate is it compared to the (old slow way) i use an rcbs powder dumper to get close then i trickle the rest so i know i'm dead on. Takes forever so in short will this powder measure be as accurate as the trickle method.. Thanks in advance for your advice ..

 

[boomtube]

" ...buying a harrell premium "culver" measure...in short will this powder measure be as accurate as the trickle method.."

At best it can only be as good. But, with proper powders, the Culver type measures are quite good. Should be great for you with fine gain powders and charges of about 35 gr. or so, max, if I remember correctly.

 

[BountyHunter]

Had one since they first came out. Very good, however long grain powders are not easy to throw as it cuts grains.

You will still have to set to throw light and weight last few tenths.

Important thing is to establish a procedure, such as raise handle count to 5 etc before you throw it.

BH

 

[trueblue]

I would just spend the money on a RCBS Chargemaster

 

[JEREMY logan]

My dad has an lyman 1200 digital if you have the window open or their is any wind at all it throws it off i was hoping to stay away from the digital measures one guy i know says he threw his in the pond. Lol i use h-1000 and rl 25 powders i was hoping the harrell would measure that kind of powder accurately. Does anyone know what the bench rest shooters use to measure their powder charges with? The guys that make one hole out of 5 shots.... If they use a digital scale what kind do they use??

 

[Rum River]

I have the older RCBS (PACT) system where the scale is separate from the dispenser, so I can't speak to the Lyman 1200.

My RCBS has been a good unit. The only difficulty I've had is when I try to cycle the press while the unit is measuring, bench vibration will affect the accuracy.

As far as finding a mechanical measure that will be accurate enough no trickling is required, I think that's going to be pretty tough to do.

Hope this helps

 

[trueblue]

Jeremy,
I load H1000, Retumbo, and soon to be 50BMG. Never a problem with accuracy on the RCBS Chargemaster. I check loads every so often on a beam scale, and it is never off. A huge time savings using the RCBS.

 

[JEREMY logan]

jeremy,
i load h1000, retumbo, and soon to be 50bmg. Never a problem with accuracy on the rcbs chargemaster. I check loads every so often on a beam scale, and it is never off. A huge time savings using the rcbs.

thanks trueblue i'm leaning your way i read some good info on 6mmbr.com about the rcbs i may go your way i just kind of had my mind set on an harrell thanks for all the other replies

 

[boomtube]

"Does anyone know what the bench rest shooters use to measure their powder charges with? The guys that make one hole out of 5 shots.... If they use a digital scale what kind do they use??"

Many use the measure you mention. None I know of use digitals, NOT practicle for loading at the range the way they do.

Let me suggest you may be overly agonising checking/weighting powder. The BR guys don't, they know it's not neccessary. What allows them to get one hole groups is a LOT of things other than precise powder charges.

Cases are selected by weight and neck consistancy, then they get neck turning, primer pocket uniforming, flash hole uniforming. Loaded with precison, hand made bullets. Barrels are not only from precision makers but many have tried multipule barrels to get a "hummer". Sighting with very high power scopes, often selected again from several to find something that will hold zero, sitting in some pretty expensive solid rings and mounts (NOT Redfield, Weaver, Burris, etc.). Triggers are in the 2-4 oz. range. Hand-laid fiberglass stocks with actions epoxy glued in, stress free, not screwed in. Shot from heavy, precise front rests and specially filled and perfectly positioned rear bags, off concrete topped benches that are solid as a rock, while watching 3-5 windflags at different ranges.

Precise powder charges are perhaps the lest significant part of the total picture for shooting those tiny groups. In fact it's been demonstrated that a couple-three tenths powder spread means nothing over the short 100-200 yard ranges the BR crowds shoot.

 

[BountyHunter]

"Does anyone know what the bench rest shooters use to measure their powder charges with? The guys that make one hole out of 5 shots.... If they use a digital scale what kind do they use??"

Precise powder charges are perhaps the lest significant part of the total picture for shooting those tiny groups. In fact it's been demonstrated that a couple-three tenths powder spread means nothing over the short 100-200 yard ranges the BR crowds shoot.

True but different goals and totally different powders. That practice will eat your lunch in the LR game.

The SR shooters use highly refined measure practices with powders that can be thrown with good uniformity with quality measures. The winners have techniques to allow them to throw to .1 variation normally.

The LR powders do not work as well. The variation can be up to 1.0 grains or more especially with a non standard dropping technique. It is routine to have large grain powders stick in the drop tubes and chamber until the next charge is dropped.

That will kill a LR group with vertical for sure. Been there done that and you must have a way to get uniformity of the charge to .1 or less adn that is weighing each load somehow on a quality scale. Take your pick of beam or digital but you had better use one or the other.

I know of zero top LR shooters that are not weighing each charge.

BH

 

[JEREMY logan]

Thanks boomtube,bountyhunter I THINK BOTH OF YOU MAKE VERY GOOD POINTS I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO BRIDGE BOTH THE BR AND LONG RANGE METHODS I THINK EVERY ASPECT OF THE RELOADING PROCESS NEEDS THE SAME AMOUNT OF ATTENTION THEN YOU NEED TO GET OFF OF THE SOLID ROCK BENCHES AND DO SOME FIELD SHOOTING JUST MY OPINION..

 

[LRHWAL]

I posted on this some time ago. I bought a Harrells and was quite disappointed with long stick powders. In my opinion the cutting action means you aren't consistently smooth and that causes the powder to settle differently and results in variation.

The clicks are really convenient, but for the long stick powders it wasn't noticeably more accurate than my RCBS Uniflow.

I am a bit anal about this, so the variations (around 0.3-0.4 the odd 0.5 as I recall) didn't fit with what I wanted. I sold it and bought a Chargemaster.

I like the Chargemaster, although mine tends to throw over with long powders (and the McDonalds straw is too loose to jam in; maybe they are different over here!?). I will work a plan with it when I can find the right tube diameter that's light enough.

 

[JEREMY logan]

i posted on this some time ago. I bought a harrells and was quite disappointed with long stick powders. In my opinion the cutting action means you aren't consistently smooth and that causes the powder to settle differently and results in variation.

The clicks are really convenient, but for the long stick powders it wasn't noticeably more accurate than my rcbs uniflow.

I am a bit anal about this, so the variations (around 0.3-0.4 the odd 0.5 as i recall) didn't fit with what i wanted. I sold it and bought a chargemaster.

I like the chargemaster, although mine tends to throw over with long powders (and the mcdonalds straw is too loose to jam in; maybe they are different over here!?). I will work a plan with it when i can find the right tube diameter that's light enough.

i was hoping to buy the harrells and dump the charge and go right to the hull with it maybe thats a perfect world not the one we live in m,so how good does your charge master throw h-1000 or rl25 ?

 

[boomtube]

""Does anyone know what the bench rest shooters use to measure their powder charges with? The guys that make one hole out of 5 shots.... If they use a digital scale what kind do they use??"

"Precise powder charges are perhaps the lest significant part of the total picture for shooting those tiny groups. In fact it's been demonstrated that a couple-three tenths powder spread means nothing over the short 100-200 yard ranges the BR crowds shoot."

"True but different goals and totally different powders. That practice will eat your lunch in the LR game."

You are also correct, for sure. I was only addressing the specific question and qualified my answer for the short ranges those BR guys actually shoot.

Fact is, anyone wanting to hit well at long ranges will do welll to weigh each charge no matter what measure he uses. IMHO. I mean it ain't like he will be loading and burning hundreds of rounds a week for that game is it? So the extra little extra time will be well spent! ??