Having Trouble With Eratic Powder Throws (using Clays)

[Gti18T]

I just got my .45 setup going on my 650 and i'm having a major problem throwing clays. I can't seem to get an equal throws each time. If i understand correctly, clays will probably throw +/- .1 grain due to it being flakes and such. I am able to get like 4.2-4.4 consistantly.

I came back later this evening to load some more and my first throw was a 4.9! Good thing i measured it.

My question is do you guys get throws like this with clays or is yours dead on every time? Do you get major changes in the first throw each time you sit down at your press and have to recalibrate your throws?

I was just getting extremly frusterated. I spent more time adjusting the powder measurer than actually loading tonight.

Thanks

Dan

[GentlemanJim]

Wow half a grain is a bunch, I have been using dillon stuff for many years and commonly see .2 max variation with many many different powders.

I am sure many other people on this forum also have untold amounts of experience and will chime in . hope you fix it!

Jim

[yoshidaex]

how do you go about calibrating your powder charge? I'll throw a minimum of 20 charges before i start the weighing process. when i do weigh, i'll weigh 4 charges for an average (i use a 45 colt case to get all 4 throws in).

Edited January 12, 2007 by yoshidaex

[Gti18T]

well not calibrate it, but i have to adjust the nut to either increase or decrease the powder amount dropped to get it to the grains i want.

Edited January 12, 2007 by Gti18T

[yoshidaex]

i try for 4.2 +/- 0.1 grains of clays. After I throw 20, measure 4 throws to get an average, and i get close to my desired charge, i don't touch the powder measure AT ALL. If i do touch it, i'll check that specific case to verify the throw is within spec. I'm sure just a slight touch won't make the powder measure go out of whack (the machine is constantly moving when you're cycling the machine), but if i bump the powder measure by accident, i always check that throw.

Edited January 12, 2007 by yoshidaex

[warpspeed]

Sounds like static electricity might be causing some problems.

Get out the dryer sheets and wipe the inside of an empty powder measure. See if that helps.

I get +/- 0.1 gr with Clays from the Dillon powder measure.

[HSMITH]

You will want to keep the measure half full or more with Clays too, it helps a little bit.

Be SURE you are operating the handle consistently. Bang it like you hate the machine if you want, but bang it the same every single time.

Use a little One Shot on the outside of the cases, one out of 4 cases is fine, so if you are going to throw 400 in the feeder lube 100 of them, mix with the rest and toss them in. This makes operating the press consistently a WORLD easier and takes a lot of the work out of reloading.

Do not adjust, throw a charge and adjust again. Throw 4 or 5 charges, then weigh one. Adjust and throw 4 or 5, then weigh. You should be able to hit a target weight pretty easily. Throw 10 or so, weigh and it should be on. Start loading, check after about 20, then every 50 rounds or so.

I don't see more than a tenth variation loading Clays in 9mm, 40 or 45.

[Merlin Orr]

You will want to keep the measure half full or more with Clays too, it helps a little bit.

Be SURE you are operating the handle consistently. Bang it like you hate the machine if you want, but bang it the same every single time.

Use a little One Shot on the outside of the cases, one out of 4 cases is fine, so if you are going to throw 400 in the feeder lube 100 of them, mix with the rest and toss them in. This makes operating the press consistently a WORLD easier and takes a lot of the work out of reloading.

Do not adjust, throw a charge and adjust again. Throw 4 or 5 charges, then weigh one. Adjust and throw 4 or 5, then weigh. You should be able to hit a target weight pretty easily. Throw 10 or so, weigh and it should be on. Start loading, check after about 20, then every 50 rounds or so.

I don't see more than a tenth variation loading Clays in 9mm, 40 or 45.

IMO the condensed total truth of reloading Clays is as above......

[Gti18T]

yeah, i'm going to fill up the powder measurer more. I tried it again and it seems like when i stop loading for awhile and go back to it, it's usually off, but once i get it on i can keep with +/- .1 gr.

The other thing i just noticed when i went back down to try to load some more was that part number 18086 was broken. The Shoulder Washer. The skinny part of it broke off from the wider section which goes under the Failsafe bracket.

I dont think this would effect how it throws loads as this is just primarily for resetting the measurer (and it did reset correctly), but i'm going to get a new one tomorrow.

Thanks if anybody else has any words of advice i'd love to hear them though anyway.

[LPatterson]

I only Have a 550 so I don't know if my method would work or not. Put a case in every station, throw 10 charges then dump them back in the powder measure, reseat the low powder sensor. Throw 10 charges & put them in the scale pan, then get a scale reading average. Turning the screw in the powder measure bar is best done only in one direction. You need to find out which is best for your powder bar. Done in this manner I am able to get charges within .05 gr for a 10 charge average with Clays & American Select, ball powder even closer.

Corrected spelling.

Edited January 12, 2007 by LPatterson

[XD Niner]

The first few throws after the press has been sitting for a while will likely have significant variation. I just run 5 or 6 through the cycle and dump the powder rather than set the bullet. Then I weight the next 5 or so to verify I am getting consistent and accurate loads. This also gives me some primed cases that I can insert into the cycle if needed.

[Joe D]

There must be something really wrong with my 550. I don't get these wild weight swings. I load Clays and Titegroup. Every time I check the weight the scale pointer sits right on "0" with both powders. Worst case it is half a mark off = .05 gr.

[SSDriver]

my 650 is spot on. It is a lot more accurate than I want to admit.

[epj]

There must be something really wrong with my 550. I don't get these wild weight swings. I load Clays and Titegroup. Every time I check the weight the scale pointer sits right on "0" with both powders. Worst case it is half a mark off = .05 gr.

I have the same experience with my 550. Ocassionally when changing charge weights, I have difficulty getting the weight I want, but once I get it settled, there is little or any variance from charge to charge.

[WesC]

I was looking for a thread like this....

I just loaded 100 .45ACP rounds of 230gr moly rn over Clays. I was set up for 3.7 grains and checking the charge every 5 rounds. I was getting 3.6gr to 3.7gr consistently. Only once was 3.8gr and I dumped .2 grains to get it back down. Seems within reason, but the range of weights for this load that I found in my manual is 3.5gr to 4.0gr so its hard to be really accurate, down to .1gr or less.

Now, my 550 is new though so I might try polishing the funnel of the powder measure to a bright shine and see if it throws more consistently. BTW, I am using a UniqueTek mic on the measure... and man is that thing handy!

I'm just wondering, what bullet are you guys loading 4.2gr to 4.4gr of Clays for? 185gr?

I have some 200gr spire point bullets I'm going to check out (from Masterblasters) but I'm not sure what I should load these to with Clays. Anyone got a recipe?

Cheers!

[KentG]

Sounds like static electricity might be causing some problems.

Get out the dryer sheets and wipe the inside of an empty powder measure. See if that helps.

I get +/- 0.1 gr with Clays from the Dillon powder measure.

Ground the press. I think I used a 1K or so resister. Make sure using a meter that you have continuity from the powder charge all the way to the base. I had to remove some of the blue paint and some on the strong mount.

You can use the house ground if your close to an outlet.

Edited March 16, 2007 by tnek

[Franksremote]

I was looking for a thread like this....

I just loaded 100 .45ACP rounds of 230gr moly rn over Clays. I was set up for 3.7 grains and checking the charge every 5 rounds. I was getting 3.6gr to 3.7gr consistently. Only once was 3.8gr and I dumped .2 grains to get it back down. Seems within reason, but the range of weights for this load that I found in my manual is 3.5gr to 4.0gr so its hard to be really accurate, down to .1gr or less.

Now, my 550 is new though so I might try polishing the funnel of the powder measure to a bright shine and see if it throws more consistently. BTW, I am using a UniqueTek mic on the measure... and man is that thing handy!

I'm just wondering, what bullet are you guys loading 4.2gr to 4.4gr of Clays for? 185gr?

I have some 200gr spire point bullets I'm going to check out (from Masterblasters) but I'm not sure what I should load these to with Clays. Anyone got a recipe?

Cheers!

I load the 200gr RN MBBs over 4.1grs @ 1.255 for 168/9 pf.