How Accurate Are Your Powder Charges???

[BillLarson]

If you are old like me...but still shooting and learning every day,you probably have collected a "FEW"... weighing devices...
I must have at least 4 balance beams scale..... from the beginners plastic Lee to a Scott Parker tuned Ohaus 10-10..... went thru 3 digital electronic scales.
until I`ve arrived at an A&D FX-120i scale which weighs to +/- .01 grain.....
It does make a difference how accurately you are measuring powder while reloading....
What are you using....??????

 

[Greyfox]

I have weighed my charges to .1 grains for about 45 years. For a brief periods when I began competing in 300 yard egg shoots, and started hunting at long range I tried going down to .005 grains. My accuracy and extreme velocity spreads were not improved, so I abandoned the finer measurement and stayed with .1 grain. My accuracy and ES standard for egg shoots is .25MOA, ES<10FPS: .25-.5MOA, <10 FPS for LRH. I am able to achieve this weighing to.1grains. I use an RCBS Chargemaster which has worked very well.

 

[catamountsierra]

I trickle into a Dillon balance beam, and can get my charges all balancing the same within a granule or two depending on what powder I am using. H4350 is usually within one granule while finer powders tend to drop more than one granule at a time. I haven't chronographed any of the loads yet, so I don't know what the extreme spreads are, but I don't think I can do much better without a serious investment of money. It takes time, but it seems to work fine.

 

[marchboom]

I'm all for trying to get the most accurate powder charge and have several quality scales and measures. When I'm doing load development I go for exact powder charges. When I'm loading for 400-500 varmints rounds I am satisfied with charges +/- .1 grains. And that's what my measures will throw. For what I shoot, .223, .22-250 and .22-250 Imp, +/- .1 grains is something I can live with. But if I can find a way to obtain exact powder charges every time, I'm all for it. Sometimes it's time better spent trying to learn doping the wind.

 

[toddc]

Most powders I shoot you have to cut a stick in half or something to get much closer than .1. I weigh all of my ammo to .1, but ES is what I really care about and ES has a lot of other factors that are involved. Weigh to .000000000001 and your ES is 23 and what good does it do?

 

[Canadian Bushman]

I use an A&D fx300i and i weigh to +/-.02gn.

Like todd said, if your es is still high after weighing close, your load isnt right for your rifle.

 

[rcoody]

I charge differently for different purposes

for long range precision I drop charges and trickle on a gempro to +/- .02 and then check that weight on a second gempro

For hunting and short range shooting I either use my chargemaster or Harrell powder measure. =/- 0.10 grains is fine

really during load development is when I try to be most precise. If you can find an accuracy node that is 2 or 3 tenths wide then you don't really have to have powder charges that are so precise.

Now that said long ago I quit pushing my loads to the max. I find better accuracy off that max charge. Why beat up your brass and put all that wear and tear on your rifle for a few more FPS.

 

[Jerry M]

I wonder if 10 shooters got together and using their scales to weigh a single charge, how close would that charge weight be?

IMO if the charge weight is really 56 grains and not 55.5 as the scale reads, as long as the charge has been worked up in a particular rifle and is safe and the scale being used is consistent, that is the key. I am sure many would be surprised to weigh their favorite on a high end laboratory grade scale.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[jimbires]

I use the FX120I , I weigh to the kernal . I had to pull apart some older ammo that I weighed on my 10-10 . I was surprised how close those charges were when I checked them on my FX120I . the digital scale is much quicker for me to use , than my 10-10 .

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I don't waste my time weighing charges. I use a Redding powder throw I am consistently within .1gr and can get in the single digits with my SD. Why would I bother weighing them?

 

[toddc]

I don't waste my time weighing charges. I use a Redding powder throw I am consistently within .1gr and can get in the single digits with my SD. Why would I bother weighing them?

Some powders will do that and some won't. Most stick won't throw to .1. Everything I shoot is stick except US869. Also I want ES in the singles not SD. A 9 SD can yield pretty big ES and ES will murder you at LR.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I use a GemPro 250 scale. I dip all my charges and weigh to the kernel, as well. It may not be the fastest system, but I don't load many rounds at a time.

 

[jwing]

Your scale has to be capable to it. Plus your weights have to be good, certified. Or you will never see it. Sartous lab scale is the only way to know.. .0000 yes you have to 1/4 powder to get zero,
If you don't weigh case and full prep. Yes all my gun are single es

 

[excaliber]

I use a GemPro 250 scale. I dip all my charges and weigh to the kernel, as well. It may not be the fastest system, but I don't load many rounds at a time.

That's the same Scale I use. I trickle weigh all my loads to the same weight. It's a slow but accurate process.