How Much Powder Weight Accuracy Is Needed?

[Nick Caprinolo]

Over the years, I have purchased a great many powder scales and dispensers but have never been able to attain that exact degree of accuracy everyone talks about.

Currently have been using the RCBS 1500 but it sometimes runs away with itself. I shoot 100 and 200 Benchrest and am wondering how much accuracy is really needed at that range. I was at the range several weeks ago and watched a well known benchrest shooter set up his drop dispenser without weighing the powder. He dumped a few loads, looked into the case and readjusted his dispenser. When I asked him how he knew it was the right load, he told me he loads by volume and does not usually weigh what he dispenses. He said that a variance of a few grains will not make a difference at under 300 yards. This comes from a very well known shooter who hold a few records and is always near the top in matches.

So you experienced benchrest shooters out there please speak up. I am looking for those shooters who compete. If you are not a competitor, you are like grasping for knowledge.

Next.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Different requirements for different distances/goals.

A short range BR shooter will do things differently than a LR F-Class shooter, thus the answers you get will varry by discipline.

Signed F-Class shooter with a scale that will go to .02gr.

Edit: At the BR matches ive observed ive seen a lot of harrels and a lot of battery run chargemasters.

 

[INShooter]

At 100 and 200 yards I doubt that a small variation in powder charge is going to be as noticeable as that slight change in conditions. However, why handicap yourself by not having consistent powder charges? This is why you see so many Chargemasters at bench rest matches. I also know for a fact that some competitors who load in secret in their campers or loading trailers use the much more accurate systems.

 

[Mulligan]

Over the years, I have purchased a great many powder scales and dispensers but have never been able to attain that exact degree of accuracy everyone talks about.

Currently have been using the RCBS 1500 but it sometimes runs away with itself. I shoot 100 and 200 Benchrest and am wondering how much accuracy is really needed at that range. I was at the range several weeks ago and watched a well known benchrest shooter set up his drop dispenser without weighing the powder. He dumped a few loads, looked into the case and readjusted his dispenser. When I asked him how he knew it was the right load, he told me he loads by volume and does not usually weigh what he dispenses. He said that a variance of a few grains will not make a difference at under 300 yards. This comes from a very well known shooter who hold a few records and is always near the top in matches.

So you experienced benchrest shooters out there please speak up. I am looking for those shooters who compete. If you are not a competitor, you are like grasping for knowledge.

Next.

It diffidently depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
For long range, everything matters.

For short range BR, which I just started and find myself finishing in the middle of the pack. It appears as though most everyone where I shoot is throwing charges. There are a couple of charge-masters among the 35-40 shooters at our local matches. One of the fellas who uses a CM nearly always finishes very near the top of the pack. Another fellow who throws charges for everything inside of 600 nearly always is in the top 5 competitors....... both really know how to tune and work hard at it.

Here is what I have witnessed. If you are in a node, and the node is wide, small variances will not matter no matter the distance. If you are in a narrow node, small differences can matter and will likely bite you when you least expect it. If you are in a "scatter node" (for lack of a better term) every little difference can make a difference.

If you follow the information in Tony Boyer's book and build some "forgive" in your powder charge... small difference will likely not be noticeable at short range (inside of 200 yards).

CW

 

[mikecr]

Assuming your shooting an underbore, 6PPC or 30BR, competitive load, normal powder variances won't matter.
The key here is 'competitive load', which will provide a relatively extreme pressure peak, far into diminished returns.
Diminished returns equals diminished affects from variances of them.

The same would work at long range, except LR cartridges are too large for viable extreme pressure peaks.
They're larger for heavier bullets, needing a lower pressure longer duration push from more of slower powder.
There is nothing common between point blank and long range.

 

[BoydAllen]

Here is a fact you might want to consider. My friend Gary Ocock is in both the IBS and NBRSA short range group record books. In the NBRSA he has two unlimited records, and one HV. In the IBS, three, all HB (unlimited) including a five shot grand agg. of .1562. All of these groups were shot with thrown charges. There is one more thing that you might want to consider. It has been my experience that all measures are not equal, nor are all techniques, and that practice with an accurate scale is important. This is not a knock on Chargemasters, more like a defense of properly thrown charges.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I recently purchased a Harrell's powder drop. I have yet to learn how to master it, but I am getting better. Most times it will drop charges with great consistency, but every once in a wile it will deviate as much as a few grains higher or lower, I try to use the same stroke each time. It is getting better. I feel better now that I don't have to worry about each single grain of powder to attain accuracy. By the way I was never satisfied with the 1500.

 

[Rsadams]

I recently purchased a Harrell's powder drop. I have yet to learn how to master it, but I am getting better. Most times it will drop charges with great consistency, but every once in a wile it will deviate as much as a few grains higher or lower, I try to use the same stroke each time. It is getting better. I feel better now that I don't have to worry about each single grain of powder to attain accuracy. By the way I was never satisfied with the 1500.

I would say your powder is bridging if your getting inconsistent weight by grains both high and low... A common problem when using stick powder in a thrower.. it's the main reason I only use a thrower for powders that work well in them such as ball powders... For stick powder is have found using scoops just under and trickling up to be both fast and accurate.. Sometimes throwing money at a problem fixes it but most of the time it doesn't.. Just shooting competition doesn't make you a good reloader , just like being a good reloader doesn't make you a good shooter...

 

[mikecr]

practice with an accurate scale is important. This is not a knock on Chargemasters, more like a defense of properly thrown charges.

Practice with a relatively inaccurate scale can pay off just the same. That is, within a couple kernels of target.
Even ChargeMaster triggers on this (while not able to actually measure it). A ChargeMaster with tuned trickle leads me there consistently (as compared with an Acculab). With enough observation I was able to divorce from a more sensitive (less reloading-friendly) scale.

 

[PDS]

A good point by Rsadams. Stick powder in a Harrell s measure will occasionally hang. In my experience usually enough to overflow the next case.
The Harrells is an excellent measure but it works best with ball powder or short cut stick powders.