colinbentley wrote:I have just started using a Lee Perfect Powder Measure and as a reloading tool I'm thrilled with how much quicker it makes then process. I was loading 222 Remington with 18 grains of powder. It varied however between 17.9 and 18.1 grains. Do members consider this an acceptable variance for a powder measure ?
Gamerancher wrote:Unless you are a World Champion benchrest shooter with perfect trigger control, super-human wind and mirage reading abilities, I doubt you will be able to tell the difference in real world shooting.
Gwion wrote:...and my full load with BM8208 shoots a true 0.5moa or better with every charge weighed exactly.
marksman wrote:if you start taking shortcuts with one thing you will with others
weigh low and trickle up to weight and you will know if there is a problem its not that
there are plenty of other things that that would be more important eg: concentricity
the more fussy you are with everything the better your loads are going to be
bladeracer wrote:Gwion wrote:...and my full load with BM8208 shoots a true 0.5moa or better with every charge weighed exactly.
Try loading some with a variation of 0.1gn each side of the load and see how well it shoots.
sungazer wrote:I would have to disagree nearly all the target shooters I know are using milligram scales and are down to measuring each kernel of powder. To take a kernel off or put one more on with tweezers and weigh the load at least twice and often three or four times using progressively more accurate scales is not uncommon. Some of these guys are happy to spend a few thousand dollars on the scales alone. Its not that the load is super accurate in itself it is that it is consistent every shot needs to be predictably repeatable.
Now for a hunting load sure it is fine if the POI changes 10mm over a 500m distance you still get a kill.
bladeracer wrote:marksman wrote:if you start taking shortcuts with one thing you will with others
weigh low and trickle up to weight and you will know if there is a problem its not that
there are plenty of other things that that would be more important eg: concentricity
the more fussy you are with everything the better your loads are going to be
I sort of agree with the concept, but I don't agree that 1% accuracy in the powder charge is a shortcut. If your load shoots poorly with that sort of variation I would think you need to work up a better load, one that is more forgiving of variation in all sorts of aspects of shooting. There's little point in working up a super accurate load that only shoots well in the specific environment you worked it up in, but falls apart when humidity, temperature or powder lot change.
colinbentley wrote:Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to reply to my question. With regards to using a powder trickler or tweezers , the whole idea behind getting a powder thrower was to avoid resorting to these measures and speed up the process. I have been using both a trickler and tweezers but it takes forever. I think I can live with the variance I now have but thanks for all the comments.
sungazer wrote:I would have to disagree nearly all the target shooters I know are using milligram scales and are down to measuring each kernel of powder. To take a kernel off or put one more on with tweezers and weigh the load at least twice and often three or four times using progressively more accurate scales is not uncommon. Some of these guys are happy to spend a few thousand dollars on the scales alone. Its not that the load is super accurate in itself it is that it is consistent every shot needs to be predictably repeatable.
Now for a hunting load sure it is fine if the POI changes 10mm over a 500m distance you still get a kill.
Gwion wrote:sungazer wrote:I would have to disagree nearly all the target shooters I know are using milligram scales and are down to measuring each kernel of powder. To take a kernel off or put one more on with tweezers and weigh the load at least twice and often three or four times using progressively more accurate scales is not uncommon. Some of these guys are happy to spend a few thousand dollars on the scales alone. Its not that the load is super accurate in itself it is that it is consistent every shot needs to be predictably repeatable.
Now for a hunting load sure it is fine if the POI changes 10mm over a 500m distance you still get a kill.
Have you checked out the Houston Warehouse Accuracy Project?
Over a number of years shooting in ideal conditions, the conclusion was drawn that precision gun smithing then brass prep and seating depth were the only real factors in ultimate precision shooting. They found with all else perfect and loading on a node, then upto a grain or two difference made no difference to precision.
Check it out. Very interesting reading.
Gamerancher wrote:Also, try weighing your projectiles, even "match" quality can vary by a grain or two. Just throwin' in another "curve" ball for y'all.
sungazer wrote:What is underlined says 2 grains. Thats what I am referring to