Since my 6X47L is up and running I've bulk loaded the 150rd set 4 times now with every charge weighed to the kernel of powder. That's a small data set, but still 4 separate runs of 150rds each four different days. I've made some surprising (to me) observations. Observations of things that I don't normally see as I'm most often just loading 5-10, up to maybe 25rds at a time.
I've loaded from 80degree days down to yesterday was 25degrees outside and 65 in my temporarily heated reloading room but DRY.... like static problems.
#1- H4350 does not throw well. In my previous three load cycles I've noted a variance of as much as 4/10gr or "plus or minus two tenths" if you prefer. I set my thrower to throw just under target and trickle to fill to the kernel. Yesterday, DRY conditions, my loads varied SIX TENTHS of a grain depending on my throw technique and THREE TENTHS with any given technique.
#2- The Harrel measure throws heavier loads the slower and gentler you work it...... !!! ..... this makes no sense to me! It also throws more consistently with this particular powder when cycled slow. Here's the problem, I'm not a slow guy. Once I've got a cycle going I hustle and bustle. The SatRad's jammin' and I'm slammin' and it's HARD to slooow down and stroke the hannle..... So I've played with all sorts of taps and slaps and various faps in order to maximize efficiency. Note that with this powder one MUST slap the handle smartly on the drop stroke because if you don't, this powder WILL HANG UP and not drop. My measure is grounded with a wire AND I've got dryer sheets close to hand. H4350 WILL NOT DROP without you rap it.
#3- The MMX 123 scale is a perfect work of art, a joy to use.
#4- The Harrell measure seems unaffected by height of powder column with H4350. I refill it when it gets down to 1/2inch and the next throws (full) are right in the ballpark.
#5- Setup is critical to performance and I just yesterday found a flaw in mine. I have my setup spread out and basically centered under the Harrell thrower. The thrower is set high, like 14" above my bench. To use it I drop the powder directly into the scale pan by capping the drop tube with the pan..........it's not a perfect setup and if my arm gets tired or I burp it's possible for a grain or two to "splash out". Not the end of he world EXCEPT, yesterday I noticed that I had my block of filled cases setting nearly under the thrower, not more than 4"-5" off to the side, and once when a kernel or two splashed out the kernel landed on the loading block.
DUHH!!!!
Here I am weighing to the bleepin' kernel and I might be just randomly feeding extra powder into my loaded cases??? So I moved my loaded cases further away from the powder supply.
After weighing several thousand rounds now after dropping them from the high end Harrell, I'm totally convinced that at least with stick powders of appreciable size (like 4350) loads absolutely MUST be weighed for long range stuff. I've thrown dozens of pounds of powder since Frank L Murphy made us all aware of he inconsistencies inherent to throwing powder charges and I don't believe that anyone can do better than two or three tenths with ANY stick powder let alone the longer stuff. And DAY-TO-DAY variances make this spread much larger. In any given run of throwing I now expect and account for at least 4 tenths of variation. Day to day throwing changes can add another 3-4 tenths. I remember that when testing 322 and 133 back in the day I could get to within +- one tenth ON A GIVEN DAY but remember that this was "testing" and doing small runs of 10-25rds at a time. Then shoot, and go back to do it again. Also, I was using a beam scale, a Lyman electronic and a Dillon which weren't as user friendly as this Denver Instruments unit. Setting down to grind out 150 loads over the course of an hour-hour and a half WHILE WEIGHING is an entirely different proposition, weighing to the kernel adds a sense of urgency that's lacking when one is just throwing/weighing/writing results. Trying to use the thrower to hit a target weight right on for 150rds is much harder than setting down and stroking the handle 25times to fill a load block.
So, nothing new to see here...... just reaffirming what the late great FLM told us all ten yrs ago
But also endorsing the MMX 123 scale. A JOY to use.
And every time I use it I dream about a ChargeMaster My little arms get SOOO tired.
LOL
al
I've loaded from 80degree days down to yesterday was 25degrees outside and 65 in my temporarily heated reloading room but DRY.... like static problems.
#1- H4350 does not throw well. In my previous three load cycles I've noted a variance of as much as 4/10gr or "plus or minus two tenths" if you prefer. I set my thrower to throw just under target and trickle to fill to the kernel. Yesterday, DRY conditions, my loads varied SIX TENTHS of a grain depending on my throw technique and THREE TENTHS with any given technique.
#2- The Harrel measure throws heavier loads the slower and gentler you work it...... !!! ..... this makes no sense to me! It also throws more consistently with this particular powder when cycled slow. Here's the problem, I'm not a slow guy. Once I've got a cycle going I hustle and bustle. The SatRad's jammin' and I'm slammin' and it's HARD to slooow down and stroke the hannle..... So I've played with all sorts of taps and slaps and various faps in order to maximize efficiency. Note that with this powder one MUST slap the handle smartly on the drop stroke because if you don't, this powder WILL HANG UP and not drop. My measure is grounded with a wire AND I've got dryer sheets close to hand. H4350 WILL NOT DROP without you rap it.
#3- The MMX 123 scale is a perfect work of art, a joy to use.
#4- The Harrell measure seems unaffected by height of powder column with H4350. I refill it when it gets down to 1/2inch and the next throws (full) are right in the ballpark.
#5- Setup is critical to performance and I just yesterday found a flaw in mine. I have my setup spread out and basically centered under the Harrell thrower. The thrower is set high, like 14" above my bench. To use it I drop the powder directly into the scale pan by capping the drop tube with the pan..........it's not a perfect setup and if my arm gets tired or I burp it's possible for a grain or two to "splash out". Not the end of he world EXCEPT, yesterday I noticed that I had my block of filled cases setting nearly under the thrower, not more than 4"-5" off to the side, and once when a kernel or two splashed out the kernel landed on the loading block.
DUHH!!!!
Here I am weighing to the bleepin' kernel and I might be just randomly feeding extra powder into my loaded cases??? So I moved my loaded cases further away from the powder supply.
After weighing several thousand rounds now after dropping them from the high end Harrell, I'm totally convinced that at least with stick powders of appreciable size (like 4350) loads absolutely MUST be weighed for long range stuff. I've thrown dozens of pounds of powder since Frank L Murphy made us all aware of he inconsistencies inherent to throwing powder charges and I don't believe that anyone can do better than two or three tenths with ANY stick powder let alone the longer stuff. And DAY-TO-DAY variances make this spread much larger. In any given run of throwing I now expect and account for at least 4 tenths of variation. Day to day throwing changes can add another 3-4 tenths. I remember that when testing 322 and 133 back in the day I could get to within +- one tenth ON A GIVEN DAY but remember that this was "testing" and doing small runs of 10-25rds at a time. Then shoot, and go back to do it again. Also, I was using a beam scale, a Lyman electronic and a Dillon which weren't as user friendly as this Denver Instruments unit. Setting down to grind out 150 loads over the course of an hour-hour and a half WHILE WEIGHING is an entirely different proposition, weighing to the kernel adds a sense of urgency that's lacking when one is just throwing/weighing/writing results. Trying to use the thrower to hit a target weight right on for 150rds is much harder than setting down and stroking the handle 25times to fill a load block.
So, nothing new to see here...... just reaffirming what the late great FLM told us all ten yrs ago
But also endorsing the MMX 123 scale. A JOY to use.And every time I use it I dream about a ChargeMaster
My little arms get SOOO tired.LOL
al
