XL650: Measuring Powder Throws

[b1gcountry]

I like to measure 5 to 10 throws of powder when I'm setting my powder measure. I used to manually hold them up to the measure and activate the powder measure, but I have big hands and found it clunky.

Lately I've been using the press to drop the powder. With the priming system disabled, I load my brass into the hopper, and pull the handle all the way to drop a case. Then I short stroke the press to advance the case without depriming. Another full stroke drops another case, and drops my powder. I take out the case from station 3 and repeat until I have ten loads. Then I dump them into my scale pan and measure.

[Bkreutz]

I take a primed empty case out of station 2, put it on the scale and zero the scale with the case on it. Put the empty case back into the press, cycle the press, pull the case (with powder) from station 3 and put it back on the scale. The resulting weight is the powder in the case. No need to transfer powder from the case into a pan. If I want an average, I write the weight down and do this however many times I want to take the average from. Then use a calculator.

[EngineerEli]

I have gone through about the same thing. For starters I have my powder thrower in station 3, I've found that easier, and you're less likely to loose powder while the case is riding the mary go round. I used to, like you, empty the press and put a powder pan under the powder thrower and lift up on the thrower arm. It was a pain in the butt... I just recently started doing what i think you are saying you are doing. With the case feeder and primer function disabled, I take the retainer pin out of station 3 where my powder thrower is and use a primed case to take a throw of powder, then pour into a powder pan on my scale, then put it right back in to station 3 and pull another throw of powder and continue for the 10 throws. It seems to wear out the case so i usually de-prime (carefully) the case and recycle it. I reuse the primer, nothing wrong with it.

Couple of tips if others haven't seen this else where:

To stop the primer carrousel from indexing, I use one of those cheap little wall hanging hooks. The one that is about a quarter inch wide inch and a quarter long, a hole at one end and a hook at the other. I just bent the hook to use as a handle, and if you put the indexing lever from the primer mechanism over the hole of the hook, it just slides over the primer carrousel and doesn't index it until you remove it.

Also, to stop cases from feeding, pull the handle all the way to the bottom, then put a little U shaped piece of wire, I used cut off metal hanger between the hole where the plastic bushing is and the outside of the mechanism. (station 2 side) You simply pull the piece out to allow the press to resume feeding cases.

This makes it a lot easier for starting and stopping, especially if you want to keep the press primed to start loading right away. Also very useful when you are correcting a loading issue. And also while trying to set up the powered thrower, or any of the other dies.

Edited September 11, 2015 by EngineerEli

[b1gcountry]

Eli. Interesting. I didn't even know you could put the powder measure in station 3.

I think I do the same thing to disable the case feed. I use a .30'06 case for it though

[Sarge]

Holy crap! Complicated methods.

I just keep the press empty of primers and cases when I want to measure powder throws. I pull the pin out of station 3 and just manually insert a case into station 2 by moving the primer lever aside. Pull handle advance press and pull the case and drop in pan on scale. 10 times and bam ou have an average.

Always remember to drop a few charges and dump in the hopper even if it's it's idle for a minute as the first drop is always higher in that case.

[Matt1]

^ I do this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[aidenpeacemaker]

Wow that's crazy. Just do what Sarge said... I get real good consistent throws out of my powder hooper.

I don't get why people (my friend) disable certain functions on the press to use it.

[kneelingatlas]

I have a little Tupperware I hold under the funnel, manually drop ten charges and weigh it. After I pour the powder out of it I fill it with bullets, easy.

[b1gcountry]

Wow that's crazy. Just do what Sarge said... I get real good consistent throws out of my powder hooper.

I don't get why people (my friend) disable certain functions on the press to use it.

I sometimes don't want to make 100 rounds of a new load if I don't know how well it will run in my gun. I don't know of a good way to load 25 or 50 rounds without disabling the priming dispenser in between

[Sarge]

Wow that's crazy. Just do what Sarge said... I get real good consistent throws out of my powder hooper.

I don't get why people (my friend) disable certain functions on the press to use it.

I sometimes don't want to make 100 rounds of a new load if I don't know how well it will run in my gun. I don't know of a good way to load 25 or 50 rounds without disabling the priming dispenser in between

Put 25 or 50 primers in the tube?

[RDA]

I just use a large case (a .50 Beowulf typically or a 7.62) and cycle the measure five or ten times into that case, dump into the pan and weigh. Really easy.

[b1gcountry]

Put 25 or 50 primers in the tube?

That's actually a pretty good idea. I usually have all my pickup tubes filled. I'll have to start leaving one empty for load development when I'm thinking of trying a new load.

You don't have any issues with the primers turning sideways right?

Edited September 12, 2015 by b1gcountry

[DEP44]

I do what Sarge does. Get powder measure dialed in first. Drop primers in the tube, pull handle 6 times, turn casefeeder on, pull handle once and then insert 1 (fired, not deprimed) case in station 2. This case gets pulled when its in station 3.

Kind of the same with the 1050. When the first case is at the primer station, I insert an empty into the powder station and pull it out when it has moved to the next.