Well, I have joined the club
- Thread starter robertc1024
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Besides the titegroup you got me and the HP38 (which I need to pick up at some point.)
Ok.
With titegroup, I just keep a visible amount in the charging hopper.
Running light loads for plinking. No problems yet.
Full to 1/16 full, it stays consistent within a tenth of a grain.
With titegroup, I just keep a visible amount in the charging hopper.
Running light loads for plinking. No problems yet.
Full to 1/16 full, it stays consistent within a tenth of a grain.
IMO, most squibs are due to mechanical issues on mounted powder dispensers, or someone missing a step if charging by hand.
Squibs can be prevented by looking in each case before setting a bullet on it.
I try to keep my powder measure at least 25% full.
Squibs can be prevented by looking in each case before setting a bullet on it.
I try to keep my powder measure at least 25% full.
Nope, single stage and will be charging by hand. I plan on sorting by headstamp and weighing each one of the first few batches of loads. Figure it's cheap insurance when you're a noob at it.
You mean weigh it after you load the round, or just weighing each powder charge?
Any time I get a new powder measure I weigh each charge for a while. If not I always have a little worry in the back of my mind. Once I learn to trust it I just weigh from time to time.
Cept for rifle rounds. I like to weigh each charge on two different scales for those. An electronic cause it faster, then check it against a beam scale.
After the powder charge. I figure the more simple, the better.
I use a Lee autodisk powder measure and was experiencing squib loads. So about every 10 rounds I tap on it to make sure the powder isn't jammed in it. I also check the powder weight before pressing the bullet on about every 10 rounds. Using a Lee 1000 progressive press. QC on a progressive is more challenging because there are several processes going on at the same time. Or maybe it's just that I can't multitask but my press can.
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Like I said back on page 1:
Always amazes me that people STILL don't do this!
Then you were not looking into the case before putting a bullet on top, or you would have seen no powder. All it takes is a simple glance while you're reaching for a bullet; it's not any extra effort and I haven't had a squib-load since I was in my teens.
Good luck to you guys on the journey - ask whatever you need to
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Whelp here's 10 of 60 I finished loading today:
I'm pretty happy how they came out, and have to thank you guys a lot. It was, to say the least a bit tedious loading 2.3 grain charges of Titewad under 148 grain HBWC bullets. I got the Lee measurer spoons and the smallest one was way too big for a charge, so I had to put each case on my scale, tare it, and load it by tapping on the spoon handle until the weight was right. I got all of them within 0.1 grains, and I damn well know I don't have any powderless or double powered cartridges.
The first one I loaded, I didn't bell it enough and the case shaved off an ugly clump of lead, next one, over did it, the rest - easy-peasy. Hopefully that will be easier with jacketed bullets.
Vaq - thanks a lot (sort of) - found some Titewad at Cabellas today. Awesome $22.70. Walked out the door with $257.30 of accessories - .45 ACP dies & shell holder, ultrasonic cleaner, 1000 large pistol primers, .45 boolits - GAAH!
Moonpie - thanks for all the advice.
Roger - Same to you. You weren't kidding about those Lee taper crimp dies. Once I got that booger set right (which took about one minutes) - I zoomed through the rest of the cartridges in no time.
I'm pretty happy how they came out, and have to thank you guys a lot. It was, to say the least a bit tedious loading 2.3 grain charges of Titewad under 148 grain HBWC bullets. I got the Lee measurer spoons and the smallest one was way too big for a charge, so I had to put each case on my scale, tare it, and load it by tapping on the spoon handle until the weight was right. I got all of them within 0.1 grains, and I damn well know I don't have any powderless or double powered cartridges.
The first one I loaded, I didn't bell it enough and the case shaved off an ugly clump of lead, next one, over did it, the rest - easy-peasy. Hopefully that will be easier with jacketed bullets.
Vaq - thanks a lot (sort of) - found some Titewad at Cabellas today. Awesome $22.70. Walked out the door with $257.30 of accessories - .45 ACP dies & shell holder, ultrasonic cleaner, 1000 large pistol primers, .45 boolits - GAAH!
Moonpie - thanks for all the advice.
Roger - Same to you. You weren't kidding about those Lee taper crimp dies. Once I got that booger set right (which took about one minutes) - I zoomed through the rest of the cartridges in no time.
Highly addictive, always "what else can I do?"
those look good, my first reloads were for a .38spl s&w 10-5, low power lead are a favorite food of old .38s.
Just a suggestion to help with metering using the spoons, for such a low charge try using a powder trickler. They're a lot more certain in my opinion and $15 or so.
From 0-2.3 gr. you can control how much powder comes out by your angle and rate of turn. I've found if you hold the measure above your scale pan in one hand, turn the knob with the other, you can adjust the rate by going with spout from horizontal to angling down.
I'll have to look into that. I have no interest whatsoever in max power loads. These are for a S&W 10-6. I got pretty good after 10 or so - I could get within a couple of tenths of a grain doing it by hand and dump or load some more. I need a better scale - I got what I paid for though. It would be sitting at 2.2 grains, I'd dump a few more flakes - then it was 2.4. Orbitup warned me after I bought it. All of the charges were +/- 0.1 grains, and I was way under max load, so I feel pretty confident about them. I'm just triple itching to shoot them though.
Andy - I appreciated your advice too. You could barely see the powder at the bottom of those .38 casings. Tonight I'm going to sort through a 1 gallon ziplock of .45 ACP brass and start over on some of those. Should be easier because I can use a Lee Dipper without having to weigh each one.
Wow, I have learned a lot in the last couple of weeks. It's amazing that the tiny volumetric amount of powder will actually ignite in that giant casing originally designed for black powder.
Y'all can tell by now I'm kind of fired up. Cabelas had their dies on sale and there were at least four different kinds of .45 ACP's. I ended up going with some Hornady's because they were titanium nitride coated. The salesmen there didn't have a clue. I don't want to have to lube pistol cases and looked long and hard at the carbide RCBS dies. I liked the idea of the taper crimps on the Hornady's, so I'll see how they work.
