powder measure stands

[memilanuk]

Looking for ideas for powder measure stands. I've used a couple different powder measures over the years, but most had a threaded ring and stuck thru a plate or something similar.

Now I have a nice new,semi) shiny Harrell's Custom 90... w/ the little C-clamp on the back for use on a shelf or thin bench... looking for options when I don't have a shelf at hand, or a bench the right thickness. I've considered just clamping a piece of plywood to the benchtop and then clamping the measure to that... but I was looking for something a tad more high tech I've used the Sinclair stand for threaded powder measures in the past, and was not impressed.

Thanks,

Monte

 

[BoydAllen]

Some time back, a fellow published an article on the Internet about modifications of powder measures and the effects that they had. I won't bore you with too many details, but the upshot of it was that one of the changes that helped was a sturdier stand. He built one that was massive, and it helped. Back to your Harrell...I have one that gets clamped directly to the bench, except when the bench is too thick.,I do most of my loading at the range.) For those situations, mindful of the previously mentioned article, I use a piece of one inch square aluminum that is about four inches long and a three inch C clamp, clamping the bar to the bench with just enough hanging over to clamp the measure to. If I decide to get fancy, I will cross drill the bar. As it is, it works just fine.

BTW I have come up with a different technique for powder measure manipulation that has proven itself to give superior results for almost everyone that has tried it.

 

[memilanuk]

Boyd,

I'm all ears.

If you have a link to that internet article, I'd love to read it.

Generally I'd heard and observed that the more solidly mounted the measure was, the more consistent the results. That was one of my gripes w/ the Sinclair stand... I had a fair amount of headaches getting it to grip solidly on the bench, and stay put.

Care to share the special technique to powder measure consistency?

Thanks,

Monte

 

[CoyoteVision]

Boyd... I'm also very interested, please share your technique. I'm very new at all this and would appreciate any instructions and/or help you can provide.

 

[memilanuk]

Boyd,

Seriously, I'd love to hear that different method of powder measure manipulation. I'm open to anything that improves consistency.

Thanks,

Monte

 

[BoydAllen]

I have copied this from an old email to a fellow from Luxembourg who asked about the same thing. In my correspondences with several shooters, only a couple have failed to get the results that I have. The rest have remarked that my technique is by far the best that they have tried. Remember that this method throws heavier charges for a given setting than most common techniques that I have tried, so if your notes are in clicks, you will need to convert them to weight, using your old technique, and then determine what setting gives the same average weight with this method of measure operation. Also, it is my opinion that powders that are coarser than 133 and its brethren with similar grain size, need to be weighed.

"First of all, I have removed the baffle in my measure. In mine this is done by inserting an Allen wrench in the hexagonal hole that the powder flows through, in the baffle) and unscrewing. Next, as with any throwing technique, you should throw, just up and down with mild tapping) 15-20 charges to settle the powder in the mounted bottle. Then, after setting the measure to the desired charge, and throwing one charge at that setting back in the top of the bottle, move the measure handle from bottom to top at a pace so that it takes about a second, and just touch the stop, pause for a second and then lower the handle to the point that either the powder in the bottle is cut off from the metering chamber, or to the point that powder grains can be felt just at the point where the cavity is closing,where you start to feel a "crunch". Then, you should, at the same measured pace return the handle to the top. This is what I call a short stroke. Do a total of three of these after the initial bottom to top stroke, and then after the third short stroke, at the same pace close the cavity, and drop the charge as required by the level of fill in the case. In other words if you are going to have trouble fitting the powder in the case, use a slow drizzle, if not just dump it. This technique should be practiced with a scale. It was primarily developed to be able to throw 133 plus or minus one tenth of a grain. It will result in heavier charges for a given measure setting, so you will need to recalibrate accordingly. Just to clarify, for one charge, the handle will come to the top of its stroke four times for each charge. Just touch the stops. Crunch is good. It denotes fullness. This is at variance with common theory of measure operation. If I don't feel the crunch as I make the final stroke to drop the powder, I dump that one back in the bottle. Please let me know of your results.
Boyd"
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