Harrell's Powder Measure. What is the best method of moving handle?

[Colt Kodiak]

I think it's got to be the best measure out there, but my weights still vary. Has anyone refined the stroke?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

soft stop at the top, pause, smooth stroke down then tap

 

[retired]

what powder,
is the bottle brand new ? probably got some static
and no it is not the best, it is close

 

[ShootDots]

If you are using Ball Powders, it will work so that it weighs right on the money! However, the BIGGER the kernels, the further off the weigh mark it will be. N140, the old IMR 4007 and the like will throw very close. IMR 4064, IMR 4831 and the like are W-A-Y off.. "Normal" kernel size, i.e. H4350, H4831 and the like are decent, but I still throw a couple of tenths low and trickle up..

 

[Rich Lee]

I have a harell and once you learn how to operate it it is as close as they come. Wipe it down every so often with a dryer sheet and throw every charge the same way . Go to a benchrest shoot and check out the equipment. Most benchresters throw charges and never weigh any, and I would bet there are more harrels there than any other brand.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I have a Harrels and use it for short line ammo where +/- 0.1 will be close enough. I bought an Autotrickler last fall and it will throw and trickle a charge to +/-0.02 in less time than I can seat a bullet.

 

[Mikemci]

If you're concerning yourself with .1 gr. then you need to reacess your load development. You need to find an accurate load, with a wider powder weight tolerance.
With practice, it will throw in a very tolerable weight variance.

 

[riflewoman]

I usually move mine in an arc. I just do it as consistently as possible and as gently as possible.

 

[bozo699]

The best advice I ever got and my throw weights became very consistent was from BoydAllen he is a forum member I don’t know how to tag him or I would but give him a pm he is a super nice guy and the way he writes anyone can understand him. But as others have said what ever method keep it consistent and your bottle full or mostly full of powder.
Wayne

 

[bozo699]

@BoydAllen

 

[BenPerfected]

My process is to short throw the targeted drop with the Harrell’s powder measure & then finish very close with Adams trickler. Then finish with tweezers for the last few kernels. Is all this necessary?....not likely.
Anal in TX,
Ben

 

[Bronsin]

I have found that tapping twice at the top and the bottom of the stroke gives me the best results.

 

[rsmithsr50]

take your hand off and
put it on a chargemaster lite.
it will tell you if it misses the weight, a thrower never will.

 

[Joe Maisto]

I think it's got to be the best measure out there, but my weights still vary. Has anyone refined the stroke?

That one and certainly the Neil Jones measures. My Harrels was a 6 "clicker". Meaning... 6 clicks to the grain. His others are 4... Follow what "Dusty"says down below...

 

[Richard Coody]

I think it's got to be the best measure out there, but my weights still vary. Has anyone refined the stroke?

That harrell's powder measure is a work of art. Cycling it feels so good.

I had one. Practiced with it a lot. Dump and weigh using different methods. I found for me light tap at top and bottom with a smooth cycle gave me the most consistent drops. with ball or fine grain powders pretty accurate +/- 0.05 grains. Now with varget the range was more like 2 tenths. If you have a wide powder node it probably works but i went the other way with the autotrickler

 

[rogn]

Powder baffles are your friend- to keep powder collum constant. Then keeping your technique consistent, this is probably the most important act. Dont be afraid to experiment around with taps before and after, pauses or any other alteration you want to try.
I load a lot of 10mm and one of the favored powders is Duponts 800X which is like a cross between oat meal, rolled oats and Battle Creek corn flakes. Its hard to drop consistently. I did find by experimentation that I could using a RCBS Little Dandy drop charges that never varied more than 0.1gr .
Try you may surprise yourself.

 

[rsmithsr50]

try a neil jones, you will never go back.

I think it's got to be the best measure out there, but my weights still vary. Has anyone refined the stroke?