Powder Measure Accuracy
Quote from Reloader on December 7, 2010, 12:44 amHow accurate are Super RL1050 powder measures? Is there any analysis regarding standard deviation of preset grains, and does if vary by caliber?
Curious...
How accurate are Super RL1050 powder measures? Is there any analysis regarding standard deviation of preset grains, and does if vary by caliber?
Curious...
Quote from Reloader on December 7, 2010, 4:13 pmRegardless of the Dillon reloading machine, all the powder measures are essentially identical. Accuracy depends on the type of powder being used, and the weight being thrown. For ball, flattened ball and small flake powders, expect accuracy within +/- .1 grain, for weights up to at least the upper 40 grain weights. On larger flake powders, expect variation up to +/- .2 grains, for handgun charges. This would include powders such as Unique, Clays, and 800-X. For short grain extruded powders such as Varget, the reloader-series powders, expect variations of +/- .1-.2 grains. Longer grained extruded powders, such as the IMR powders, expect variations of +/- .2-.3 grain up into the 50+ grain charge size.
Keep in mind that the accuracy standard for powder scales is +/- .1 grain.
Regardless of the Dillon reloading machine, all the powder measures are essentially identical. Accuracy depends on the type of powder being used, and the weight being thrown. For ball, flattened ball and small flake powders, expect accuracy within +/- .1 grain, for weights up to at least the upper 40 grain weights. On larger flake powders, expect variation up to +/- .2 grains, for handgun charges. This would include powders such as Unique, Clays, and 800-X. For short grain extruded powders such as Varget, the reloader-series powders, expect variations of +/- .1-.2 grains. Longer grained extruded powders, such as the IMR powders, expect variations of +/- .2-.3 grain up into the 50+ grain charge size.
Keep in mind that the accuracy standard for powder scales is +/- .1 grain.
Quote from Reloader on May 12, 2011, 3:33 amThere seems to be an unrealistic desire for super accuracy in powder weights.
Except for very small cartridges such as the .25 Auto and the .32 S&W long firing full wadcutters, your gun will never be able to tell a +/-0.2gn charge variation.
With many rifle calibers, even a long-distance bench rifle can't tell a +/- 0.3gn variation.
The "accuracy" of a powder measure is almost ALWAYS dependent on operator consistency.
I used to use a Lee Pro Auto-Disk, Hornady L-N-L case-activated powder measure, and the Dillon powder measure.They all worked great, generally.
However, there seemed to be days when one or two just would not drop consistently (+/- 0.2gn) and I would switch measure.
For stick powders, the Hornady seemed to be marginally more consistent.
If you simply can't live knowing that your powder charges are almost certainly dropping at +/-0.2 gn, then you will need to actually weigh each charge.Getting an RCBS ChargeMaster might be an excellent way to give you more confidence in your loads and it dispenses almost as fast as you can cycle your 1050 (and it can be programmed to dispense a give charge even faster--though it will slow down or make the unit over shoot charges significantly less than the programmed optimum load).
There seems to be an unrealistic desire for super accuracy in powder weights.
Except for very small cartridges such as the .25 Auto and the .32 S&W long firing full wadcutters, your gun will never be able to tell a +/-0.2gn charge variation.
With many rifle calibers, even a long-distance bench rifle can't tell a +/- 0.3gn variation.
The "accuracy" of a powder measure is almost ALWAYS dependent on operator consistency.
I used to use a Lee Pro Auto-Disk, Hornady L-N-L case-activated powder measure, and the Dillon powder measure.They all worked great, generally.
However, there seemed to be days when one or two just would not drop consistently (+/- 0.2gn) and I would switch measure.
For stick powders, the Hornady seemed to be marginally more consistent.
If you simply can't live knowing that your powder charges are almost certainly dropping at +/-0.2 gn, then you will need to actually weigh each charge.Getting an RCBS ChargeMaster might be an excellent way to give you more confidence in your loads and it dispenses almost as fast as you can cycle your 1050 (and it can be programmed to dispense a give charge even faster--though it will slow down or make the unit over shoot charges significantly less than the programmed optimum load).