Measuring Loose Powder????

[medicinebow]

I am trying some of the Blackhorn 209 powder for my antelope hunt and need some advice on measuring loose powder. I've only used pellets in the past and want to fine tune a load for my muzzleloader. I measured out 110 grains of BH 209 with my RCBS 505 powder measurer and it was A LOT of powder. I question if I'm using the right measurer or if there is a difference in measuring MZL powder and rifle propellent? Is using the RCBS powder measurer adequate, or do I need a special measurer? Any help would be much appreciated.

MBBGH

 

[DallanC]

ACK!!!

BLACK POWDER ***MUST*** BE MEASURED OUT BY VOLUME!!!! NOT BY WEIGHT!!!

Go get you a cheap volume measurer and be done with it. Here is what I use:

https://secure.tcarms.com/store/ind...68/prevaction/category/previd/33/prevstart/0/


-DallanC

 

[medicinebow]

Got it!! Thanks. I actually bought the u-view powder measurer. I'm good to go now.

MBBGH

 

[hntbambi]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-08 AT 09:45AM (MST)[p]With that, I have had the best success with using a volume powder measure and I now weigh 4 or 5 charges by volume and take the average. From there out, I do not use the volume method and only use weight. My groups have shrunk a lot by doing this. For BH209 you can use 0.71 gr by weight is equal to 1.0 gr by volume. So a 71 gr by weight = 100 gr by volume.

Toby has a chart on his site that shows the weight:volume for many types of BP subs.

 

[DallanC]

>LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-08
>AT 09:45?AM (MST)
>
>With that, I have had the
>best success with using a
>volume powder measure and I
>now weigh 4 or 5
>charges by volume and take
>the average. From there
>out, I do not use
>the volume method and only
>use weight. My groups
>have shrunk a lot by
>doing this. For BH209
>you can use 0.71 gr
>by weight is equal to
>1.0 gr by volume.
>So a 71 gr by
>weight = 100 gr by
>volume.

That is VERY dangerous. Look, as they make black powder lots, they determine the amount of "pressure" generated and actually vary the density of the powder to make it fall into the ranges specified by an amount of powder as measured by VOLUME.

Pyrodex for example, is MUCH MUCH more powerful per WEIGHT than pure black powder, so they make the powder itself "fuffy" which makes it less dense, to take up volume so 10 grains pyro = 10 grains Black Powder, as measured by volume.

Pyro RS by weight is much more powerful than BP, Pyro P is 10% more powerful than RS.. I'd hate to see someone reading this and thinking "oh ok, I'll convert and use a per weight measurement" then mix up types or numbers and substitute something like the weight of BP when they are using something like P... which would be dramatically overcharged for the gun.

Measureing by volume is so easy I dont understand why people try to find work arounds. Heck most people measure out powder and stick it in speed loaders anyway so infield loading is even simplier.


-DallanC

 

[hntbambi]

Your on crack if you think weighing BP or BP subs is a dangerous practice. For any powder you can get a given weight for a given volume. Measure out 100 grains of powder x and weigh it. If you can measure consistently enough it should weigh the same no matter what the weight:volume. No matter how powerful, fluffy, flaky, grain size, or whatever, weight is the most accurate method. Since digital scales are much more sensitive than the volume loaders, your loads will be more consistent. Combine this with no "standard" for volume measures and my point is more accurate. I have compared different volume powder measures and none are equal.

If someone gets "mixed up" on which weight to use while switching between powders, they are too stupid to be loading a gun and should have adult supervision at all times.

 

[Moondog]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-08 AT 06:37PM (MST)[p]LISTEN TO DALLANC. GET A VOLUME MEASURE AND USE IT!. DON'T RELY ON FORMULAS AND CALCULATIONS. YOU ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE BY WEIGHING BLACK POWDER AND SUBSTITUTES.

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS.