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I can remember my old RCBS drum-style powder measure that had a metal "tapper" built into it ... Load, "tap"-"tap", Load ... this to assure consistent charges ... especially with long "stick-style" and old-style "Flake" powders!!
That's one of the reasons that today I simply will not use any powder that doesn't perform well with a standard powder measure - Unless I am willing to measure each and every load! My other criteria is that I like a powder that comes close to or actually fills-the-case with a normal-charge ... Thus assuring that overflows will occur with a double-charge.
Preparation is one of the keys to success with a powder measure. Before you ever purchase one, read its reviews. If it has a poor record .. Don't Buy it!
Also, you will be aware of its strengths and weaknesses .. and be prepared to use it accordingly.
Hodgdon Universal is one of my favorite powders and it's kind of "flakey", but I have no trouble getting +/- .1 performance with it in my Lee Auto-Disk PRO powder measures (I have 3 and would buy another at the right price!). The dryer sheet "rub-down" is mandatory for a new measure. I actually do a powdered graphite "rub-down" prior to using the dryer sheets (messy, but effective ... and it seems to clean out any lurking pockets of "factory lube" that may be hiding here or there).
The old-style drum measures also need the "rub-down" AND USUALLY benefit from using a powder baffle to maintain consistent flow to the metering area.
While each manufacturer has specific charge-bars for light loads; keep in mind, the very small charges will probably give you the most problems.
Pay close attention to the "cavity" of the charging chamber(s). If the are not concentric, or harbor areas where "bridges" can occur (Lee's Auto-Disk PRO charge bar has a "smiley" shaped cavity that flake powders will "hit" or "miss" due to "bridging" - I use their small-charge charging disks instead!).
Those are my thoughts on the subject ...
That's one of the reasons that today I simply will not use any powder that doesn't perform well with a standard powder measure - Unless I am willing to measure each and every load! My other criteria is that I like a powder that comes close to or actually fills-the-case with a normal-charge ... Thus assuring that overflows will occur with a double-charge.
Preparation is one of the keys to success with a powder measure. Before you ever purchase one, read its reviews. If it has a poor record .. Don't Buy it!
Also, you will be aware of its strengths and weaknesses .. and be prepared to use it accordingly.
Hodgdon Universal is one of my favorite powders and it's kind of "flakey", but I have no trouble getting +/- .1 performance with it in my Lee Auto-Disk PRO powder measures (I have 3 and would buy another at the right price!). The dryer sheet "rub-down" is mandatory for a new measure. I actually do a powdered graphite "rub-down" prior to using the dryer sheets (messy, but effective ... and it seems to clean out any lurking pockets of "factory lube" that may be hiding here or there).
The old-style drum measures also need the "rub-down" AND USUALLY benefit from using a powder baffle to maintain consistent flow to the metering area.
While each manufacturer has specific charge-bars for light loads; keep in mind, the very small charges will probably give you the most problems.
Pay close attention to the "cavity" of the charging chamber(s). If the are not concentric, or harbor areas where "bridges" can occur (Lee's Auto-Disk PRO charge bar has a "smiley" shaped cavity that flake powders will "hit" or "miss" due to "bridging" - I use their small-charge charging disks instead!).
Those are my thoughts on the subject ...
