Should I Empty Out The Powder From My Powder Measure?

[srv656s]

I've got some left in the powder measure on my Dillon 650, I plan to use it in the next few weeks or so. I just read on a reloading page that leaving it in the measure is a terrible idea and it can break down the powder and possibly damage the powder measure, so now I'm worried about it. I only reload .45 ACP right now, and only have 1 kind of powder so I'm not terribly worried I'll forget what's in there, that's why I left it.

Should I empty it? And if so, what's the best way to do it?

Thanks-

Shawn

[Flexmoney]

If you have the chance for any type of swing in temperature and (especially) humidity...like in a garage...then I'd suggest dumping it back in the container and putting the lid on it. I just unscrew the two bots that hold it on the powder die.

[XRe]

What Flex says. Also, if you leave powder in the hopper, it can discolor it over time (no damage, just cosmetic). Edited to add - by "discolor it", I mean the hopper, not the powder

Personally, I pull the toolhead out to dump it, and actuate the powder measure several times for good measure (over a powder funnel, of course...

Edited April 7, 2006 by XRe

[kevin c]

Ditto to both replies above, although I'm more picky about powder for match ammo as opposed to practice ammo (different powder at this point). So for multiday reloading sessions, the N320 gets put back, but not the Hodgdon powders I use for practice ammo.

[Loves2Shoot]

Hmm, I've never (8+ years) emptied mine in any other way then putting them in cartridges. Just shoot more, it disapears quickly enough.

[Front Man]

Hmm, I've never (8+ years) emptied mine in any other way then putting them in cartridges. Just shoot more, it disapears quickly enough.

L2S; You make it sound way to easy!

FM

[AWLAZS]

Hmm, I've never (8+ years) emptied mine in any other way then putting them in cartridges. Just shoot more, it disapears quickly enough.

That's how I empty mine.

[TriggerT]

Since my reloading area is in the basement, and I have a dehumidifier going in there at all times, I haven't taken all of the powder out of my press in close to 10 years. (Except when changing powder type) Never had a problem, but it does discolor the hopper.

[Merlin Orr]

Not to recommend this but.... I just loaded up some Clays that has set in my non humidity controlled loading shop for 14 months in the hopper of a 550. I load 4.3 with a 200 black bullet for about a 169pf....Shot the (newly loaded) loads through the chrono - 169pf. Hopper does have a nice patina now.

[Carmoney]

Common sense tells us that humidity would cause problems with powder left out in a non-airtight powder measure. And yet, in this instance, common sense would be wrong!

Last year I defended a lawsuit that was brought against a shooter who had stirred several pounds of Bullseye into a 5-gallon bucket of water and then dumped the whole mess onto his compost pile in the backyard. A year later, another guy happened to drop a cigarette onto that exact spot and was instantly consumed in a 10-foot yellow fireball, which burned him within an inch of his life.

The investigators initially shook their heads, thinking that surely the powder would have chemically broken down from a year of laying out in our varied Iowa climate (plenty of rain and snow). The area had experienced soaking rains just a couple days before the incident.

But then we began taking depositions of the expert witnesses. We deposed an interesting fellow who had retired from the Hercules company after 40-some years of working in production and product management and marketing, and we took testimony from a forensic chemist. Both explained that smokeless powder is designed to be extraordinarily "non-hygroscopic"--meaning it does not readily absorb moisture. This is why the stuff remains usable virtually indefinitely, and only safe way to dispose of smokeless powder is to burn it under controlled conditions.

Long story, I know, but it explains why Merlin had no problems even after leaving the powder out in his measure in the garage for 14 months. In fact, he probably could have left it out there for 14 years and still loaded ammo that chronoed right at 169 p.f.

One other thing I learned from the experts in that case--oddly enough, light has more potential to break down smokeless powder than humidity. So if you're going to keep the powder hopper full all the time, it would be smart to have your press set up in a room that's dark when you're not using it, or put a cover over it when you're not using it. Otherwise, it's not something to worry about.

[38superman]

It really does no harm to leave it other than the well documented color stain to the hopper.

I ususally don't bother to empty mine except when changing powders.

If left long enough, some powder will stick to the sides of the hopper.

Some powders are worse about this than others.

In extreme cases you may need a brush or some other sort of tool to scrape the powder off the sides of the hopper before using a different powder.

This is nothing more than a nuisance.

The powder measure will still function just fine.

Tls

Edited April 7, 2006 by tlshores

[vluc]

Between sessions when I am too lazy to dump the powder, I cover the hopper with a black sock, cover the sock with a narrow box that it fits in, then cover the whole press with a dark tee-shirt (XL) that is clipped at the top.

Never a problem, and the press is in an unheated garage that basks in the beautiful year round Western Pennsylvania weather.

[Bigbadaboom]

Since my stuff is all inside my home it a climate controlled environment I only empty my hopper to change powder types or to remove the discoloration (Powder residue) from the inside. This is done with a anti-static dryer sheet. I wrap it around my Sons Paint ball barrel broom and wipe the inside of the hopper with it. The residue that the powder leaves won't hurt anything, I just do it so I can see how much powder is in the hopper.

I do keep my reloader covered when not in use.

Edited April 7, 2006 by Bigbadaboom

[LPatterson]

I left some Hodgdon TiteGroup in my powder measure for a week and it discolored it so badly that I can no longer see when there is powder in the measure.

[TBF]

I empty mine.

Pull the two pins on the tool head and disconnect the rod to the powder measure.

Work the measure a few times to get the last bit out.

Takes about 1 Min.

In the early/mid 80's I loaded on a Lee press with the Lee powder measure that used interchangable discs with different sized holes in them. I was loading in a trailer without any climate control. I noticed that humidity seemed to affect the powder weight. Missouri weather goes from very dry in the winter, to very wet in the summer.

I was using Blue Dot in the old cardboard cannisters, and leaving the powder in the measure all the time.

YMMV

Travis F.

[shred]

I leave it in if the measure is going to stay on the press. It's never in there for too long since it seems I'm loading something every week or two. No age-in-measure-related issues in 85,000 rounds to date, though my press is in a climate-controlled area.

[EricW]

Take off the lid, put a plastic baggie over the hopper, then put the lid back on.

"Problem" solved.

[Squishy]

15 years loading on a 650 or 550 .I always leave the powder in the hopper. When I change tool heads I dump the powder back in the container. Never had a problem.

[anomad]

I am kind of a nerd.

When I leave the hopper filled I tape the lid closed and write the powder type and date on the piece of tape so I can't accidently switch powder types on myself. But yeah, I never empty my .38 toolhead except into cases.

[No.343]

I use a Hornandy Projector, so it is very easy to empty my hopper, but I don't always empty it. I think that the discoloration is caused by light. I cover my hopper and press with an old shirt. I believe that this keeps the hooper from being discolored.

[North]

I leave mine loaded. I use reddot for my 45acp only. I have found that leaving the powder in the measure will increase my first powder charge of my next session. I normally load 4.3 grains, when i leave the hopper charged for a couple of days and then check the first load will be around .3 grains heavy.

So I just cycle my powder measure 2-3 times before I actually load any rounds.

[George]

It seems like the only time I ever spill powder is when I empty any of my measures so I don't do that anymore.

I have dumped more powder on top of powder that has been in a measure for way over a year (I won't say how long) and just gone on loading. Everything chrono's fine when I check it. That's good enuff' for me.

[PaperHater]

I used my 550 after leaving powder in it for over a year. Nothing blew up when I shot so I guess it's okay.

[Lee]

I've had TightGroup in my measure for going on 8 months now. Just keep adding more. Probably let it set unused for 3 weeks once with no problems. I just dump a few charges back in the hopper and start loading.

The hopper is only slightly discolored. I can still easily see the powder level.

[George]

The hopper is only slightly discolored. I can still easily see the powder level.

If you can still see the powder level, then you need to leave even more powder in it, for even longer. That should fix it