Powder measures for Bullseye?

Hi,

What powder measure do you use for Bullseye powder?  

I tried my old 3-slide Lyman.  The charges varied enough to string vertically at 50 yards.  The charge was 4.0 grains with a 185 gr cast SWC.  

I have several other powder measures.  I could even modify one of my RCBS units for a small diameter powder chamber.  I do not own a RCBS Little Dandy, do they work any better for this? 

Yes, I could use a ball powder.  Thing is, I have a bunch of Bullseye and would prefer to use it if I can given the powder supply realities today.  

Thanks,
Scot

Going cheep, the lee disc measures work well enough.

Lee disc…works ok.

But if you want a small pistol powder measure a RCBS little dandy is hard to beat. A Hornady with a small drum and micrometer also works very well.

I like my old Ohaus Duo-Measure. It has two drums, large and small. The small works great for pistol powders.

Ric

Redding 3BR with pistol measure works for me

Tim

How about starting from press you are using for reloading?  And then how much accuracy you want to obtain?  And then how much money you want to spend on this project?

I recently tested Mark 7 Pistol PM in single stage charging mode using one of my PTUs with subsequent assembly on Dillon Super 1050.  Accuracy of powder drop was quite impressive.  Do you want to spend ~$400 for that?

Hornady PM with case activation kit works well too.  About half of the above price taking to account my parts (Single Stage Kit and PTU).

Lastly, tricked Dillon PM with my PTU and modified powder bar will work on single stage as well, with +/- 0.06gr accuracy of powder charge.  Cost is about the same as Hornady's.

AP

I use a Little Dandy but my Redding with a pistol insert works as well for Bullseye. In my experience the Lyman 55 is better at dropping more accurate amounts of rough, irregular powders such as Red Dot or Unique. But to be honest, I haven't tried it with finer powders like Bullseye or 231. Also, I've experienced quite a bit of variation with the new fine grain powders like Titegroup and WST when used with older measures that have loose tolerances. For example I get powder all over my bench when using WST and an old Pacific pistol measure with the brass inserts. Static seems to be a problem with the newer powders also.

I've used the Lee Auto Disks for years on my progressives with Bullseye powder and have no complaints.  The model I have is case actuated.
Phil

How about starting from press you are using for reloading?  And then how much accuracy you want to obtain?  And then how much money you want to spend on this project?


I am shooting a Springfield 1911

https://www.springfield-armory.com/1911-series-handguns/1911-trp-handguns/1911-loaded-target-45-acp-handgun-stainless-ca-compliant

For these loads, experimenting, I used my Rockchucker with RCBS carbide dies.  
Priming was done with a lee hand priming tool.
Powder was dispensed with the Lyman 55
The mold is a 5-cavity Accuratemolds 185 fr SWC, gently tumble lubed with liquid allox and sized to .452 with a lee push through die.  Alloy is wheel weights with a dash of linotype.  Only perfect bullets are used.  
Brass is CCI with the small primers, CCI SP primers were used
4.0 grains of bullseye

How much money? I think I spent it already. I am deep down the shooting, reloading, gunsmithing rabbit hole.  I already have Adam McDonald's auto trickler system.  Unfortunately it does not quite go low enough for the 4 grain charge here.  I may be able to modify it.  

Goal? Chasing leg points.  I need quality practice ammo.  I think such ammo should be capable of holding the ten ring or better off sandbags.

I use a RCBS Little Dandy for Bullseye powder. Since I use a single stage press I can put all the primed cases in a cartridge block and fill them quickly and then give them a quick visual inspection to make sure they are all charged as well as see if any look like they are double charged.

Scota4570:  Rather than go down a rathole on powder charge control, your way further ahead loading more ammo that is capable of “near ten ring” at 50 and practicing.  A typical training session should be 200-300 rounds (presuming you’re dedicating a whole weekend day).  You don’t have the time to get extremely picky on charge weight or other ammo loading details.  It also makes far more sense to load in 500 or 1000 round batches.  And in order to get consistency in crimping and bullet seating you should set up your dies and keeping them set up.  You can get a small single stage press and leave the seating die set up, or use a quick change bushing.

I charge in a loading block using a vintage Forster/Bonanza fixed rotor measure and it is very accurate with BE.  The RCBS Lil dandy works on the same principle and should work just as well.

Lee PPM mounted above a semi-progressive Ponsness-Warren P-200, and Lee case activated Autodrum (using the small drums only) over a Lee Load Master press. I tried numerous...from Harrells to Redding, Hornady, RCBS. None of them are Auto Trickler accurate, if that's what you want. For me, loading flake and stick powders, they were statistically the same...and it's $50. Maybe the others are better for spherical powders. There are tips online for tightening them up internally, and I use the aquarium pump on the hopper bottle. I think there's something to that little polyurethane wiper inside...

My best
https://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/42-competition-model-10x-pistol-a-small-rifle-powder-measure

The Redding is very tempting.

I prepared 50 cartridges.  The bullets were weighed.  The powder was weighed, 4.00 +/- 0.02 grains using my Auto Trickler.  It is a bit slow for large volume reloading but will answer the question.

I tried my RCBS Chargemaster with ball powder and its extremely slow, it's really meant for extruded rifle powders. My first time shooting my 6br at 1,000yds I got a 1/2 moa 5 shot group using the Chargemaster, can't complain, cheap technology is good for something lol.

I have one of Adam Mc Donald's Auto tricklers.  It is expensive.  The accuracy is 10X greater than any other I am aware of.  It is also fast.  It is not a time hinderance if you are manually seating bullets.  I got it for my for my Service Rife ammo.  Now I tend to use it for everything except on the Dillon 650.

zanemoseley wrote:I tried my RCBS Chargemaster with ball powder and its extremely slow, it's really meant for extruded rifle powders. My first time shooting my 6br at 1,000yds I got a 1/2 moa 5 shot group using the Chargemaster, can't complain, cheap technology is good for something lol.

Hey Zane, have you tried performing any of the configuration changes or McD straw mod with your chargemaster? I've graduated to the Fx120 based auto trickler but my Chargemaster was both faster and less over charges after a couple nights playing with it.

I don't know if they are still making these. But Bonanza made a little Bullseye powder measure. it had brass inserts drums that you could buy with the measure. Starting at 2.5 2.7,3,3.5, 4,4.5,5.5 & 6 maybe more. But these were the slickest little rigs. I have loaded may thousands with and would never part with it. You might be able to find on used. They were called Bullseye powder thrower.

No love for the RCBS Uniflow?  Mine has always served me well with most of the powders I use, mostly the old Aliant BE, Unique and 2400 but I find it will throw competent charges of the smaller grained IMR stuff.  It is a little fussy to get set but it is reliable afterward.

https://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/schuetzen-pistol-measure

This works very well.

mhayford45 wrote:https://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/schuetzen-pistol-measure

This works very well.

Hello,

I have several of these Harrells.  They are uber accurate and repeatable.  These measures are worth every penny and I would heartily recommend them.

Jim

The Bonanza rotating drum powder thrower was the quickest & most accurate when I used to load on a single stage press. I actually made my own drums our of brass rod to throw bullseye & reddot for 38 HBWC loads. Now I moved to Honady AP presses setups for 38 and 45 and I'm very happy with case activated RCBS Uniflow throwing 2.5gr. of bullseye (same lot # powder for passed 6 years) and the Hornady powder measure also case activated throwing 4.1gr. of VV310 in my 45 setup using bullets from 155gr to 200gr.
For rifle loads from 22-250 to 338LM I use single stage with die bushings and weigh every single powder charge, also measure every bullet seating depth with caliper and finish them with micrometer dial die.
I have the Bonanza/Forster powder measure with about 8 different brass drums (some brand new in the bag) for it. PM me if you are interested to try it out.

It's 50/25 yards with a pistol.....any decent powder measure works. My two cents, of course, as I am the biggest variable for shot dispersion on targets. It ain't the ammo.....

Powder measures:
Old Ohaus Duo-measure with Dramworx replacement hopper(s)
old Lil Dandy with adjustable rotor
yes the old RCBS Uniflow  (there is love)
it depends on which I have handy / how many reloading and what kind
of shooting I'll be doing.when not using the above it's reloading on the
Stars (old school) bullets are thrown from a MiHec brass H&G 68 clone

-Rock