[crazyace85]

Alright, I have been reading some on reloading. I was wondering how often everyone checks their powder charge and can a finished round be weighed to check powder charge in reference to a round that the powder charge was checked and then placed in the case. To clearify: If I reload one round being absolutely sure the charge is correct, can i then weigh that round and compare other finished rounds to the weight of the first to be sure the powder charge is correct without measuring each individual powder charge before it goes into the case.

And my other question is: How many times can a single case be reloaded?

 

[Beladran]

Assuming each case weighs the same each primer weighs the same an each bullet weighs the same then yes..... Warning. Assuming things is dangerous

How man times can a case be reloaded? Depends

 

[jbpmidas]

How are you measuring your powder charges? Are you using a powder thrower? When making adjustments, I throw triple charges and divide by three. I like to get three in a row that are correct, which would be 9 charges. After that, I check every 50 or so. However, when using a progressive press, I check at the beginning and end.

 

[msredneck]

For rifle I weigh every load....For pistol I drop 10 charges every now and then take an average...about every 100 rds...

 

[Xd357]

Alright, I have been reading some on reloading. I was wondering how often everyone checks their powder charge and can a finished round be weighed to check powder charge in reference to a round that the powder charge was checked and then placed in the case. To clearify: If I reload one round being absolutely sure the charge is correct, can i then weigh that round and compare other finished rounds to the weight of the first to be sure the powder charge is correct without measuring each individual powder charge before it goes into the case. As belaran said everything else has to be weighed 1st. You'd have to weigh every case,bullet, and primer before this would be accurate enough to use.

And my other question is: How many times can a single case be reloaded?

until it fails.

 

[captain-03]

To clearify: If I reload one round being absolutely sure the charge is correct, can i then weigh that round and compare other finished rounds to the weight of the first to be sure the powder charge is correct without measuring each individual powder charge before it goes into the case.

And my other question is: How many times can a single case be reloaded?

The SHORT answer is NO .. way too many varibles to contend with; 1) consistency of bullet weight - some can be (+-) 1 to 5 grains -- even store bought ones!!; 2) consistency of case/brass weight - can vary greatly between manufaactures and even lot numbers by same manufacture.

When dealing with powder, you are usually dealing with single to .01 grains. 1 or 2 grains different in the bullet weight could be very dangerous using the method you propose. I guess you could weight EACH bullet and EACH case/brass and only use those bullets and brass of the EXACT same weight and your method would work. However, I think you will the throwing away a lot of bullets and brass!!

Most commerical powder measures are actually pretty good in dropping consistent powder weights. Here is what I do: 1) set my powder dispenser/dropper to the desired powder charge; 2) check dropped charge on my balance beam scale; 3) make adjustments to the powder dispenser/dropper until I get the desired dropped charge; 4) drop three or four powders charges in a row and check each on the balance beam scale; 5) drop another powder charge and weight it on my set of ditigal scales - just to make sure my balance beam scale is reading correctly; 6) begin to drop powder charges into primed cases; 7) after every 25 or so drops, weigh the next drop using my balance beam scale - make adjustments if necessary; 8) after all my cases are charges, I make a visual inspection into the cases to make sure I did not miss one and the powder levels in each case is consistent.

Of course, the above takes into account that I would be using a single stage press or loading in a single stage mode. Some one who loads using a progressive should chime in here and tell us how they make sure there powder drops are consistent and safe ...

Brass -- pistol brass I use until it splits. Rifle brass is a different story. With most all rifle loads if you are using full-length sizing dies, you will need to watch out for the need to trim the case. If I am loading really HOT loads, I usually only load them no more than 4-5 times. If loading "Mouseloads" I will load until I have to start trimming them back ....

 

[jbpmidas]

I have used SGMJody's Hornady progressive. The station before bullet seating is empty so you can see into each case. I believe there are also "powder cops" that make this a little easier.

 

[smoffett]

I'm with everyone else here -- I would not do this (i.e. weigh brass/primer/powder) to see if the powder charge is correct. There's just too much variability in the weights of individual brass and/or bullets for me to trust this method.

 

[crazyace85]

Yeah I figured that would be a bad idea. After reading it seems that the biggest thing to get correct is the powder charge. Some of the material I have been reading says weigh each powder charge. It also says to not load several cases with powder and then start seating. Just trying to get a feel for how everyone loads and what works and doesn't work. I'm pretty sure that i'm getting a single stage to start with and I want to be as efficent as possible with it, but above all be safe.

 

[msredneck]

two more items I wanna emphasize

1. I visually inspect each case for a powder charge before seating a bullet

I had a "squib" load one time that almost caused me a major accident....after charging I place each charged case in a loading block and check with a penlight...it might just save your but.

2. - get some check weights and keep your powder scale zeroed...Its amazing how scales get out of zero...at least the 3 or 4 I've tried...balance beam and digitals...I seem to have had issues with both.

The check weights don't lie...

Happy loading...read lots... go slow...be careful...ask questions...keep all your fingers

 

[crazyace85]

whats a squib load?

 

[captain-03]

whats a squib load?

A load with little of no powder charge -- in most situations, a primer has enough force to push a bullet into the barrel but not enough to push it all the way through; thus, a bullet lodged in the barrel -- a follow-up shot with a bullet lodged in the barrel is a "BAD" and "DANGEROUS" thing -- pistol can come apart!!

 

[smoffett]

Yeah I figured that would be a bad idea. After reading it seems that the biggest thing to get correct is the powder charge. Some of the material I have been reading says weigh each powder charge. It also says to not load several cases with powder and then start seating. Just trying to get a feel for how everyone loads and what works and doesn't work. I'm pretty sure that i'm getting a single stage to start with and I want to be as efficent as possible with it, but above all be safe.

Crazyace85, this is why I recommend a turret press for beginners. For all the case prep, you run it as a single stage (i.e. with the automatic turret linkage disengaged). But when all your brass is prepped and primed, then the final stages are done together. For me it works like this:

Put the primed brass in the press. Raise the brass up into the powder charging die. Weigh the powder on the scale and dump it in the die/brass case, and raise the handle. Now the brass is down at the bottom of the stroke. Spin the turret one notch to the bullet seating die. Seat a bullet. Spin the die one notch to the crimp die. Crimp it. You just finished one cartridge.

This is just my method, but it works for me. I don't have to worry that I double charged a case, or forgot to charge a case. I don't have a tray of 50 brass sitting around full of powder waiting to have a spider jump in there, or get knocked over spilling powder everywhere. If something happens and I get interrupted, I never have more than one brass with powder in it, and it is pretty safe sitting in the press in the shellholder. You said you wanted to be efficient and safe. I think the turret press gives you the best of both worlds.

Again, just my methods, but when you can get the Lee Classic turret press for cheaper than a lot of single stage presses, it just makes sense to me. I used to run a single stage press, and I didn't enjoy reloading very much. Got out of reloading. Got back into it in the last 3 years and started over with the turret. Would never go back to single stage unless I was doing some ultra-precision reloading. But even with the slop in this turret press (and yes there is a fair amount) I am still loading sub-MOA loads for the 6.8 without hardly even trying.

 

[nonnieselman]

Every time i have checked a powder charge on my dillon, its within 0.1gr of what i set it to.. So ill load till i run out of powder or primers.
Check again before i get started (every 100)..

Now for my 300wm and other rounds that i dont do on my Dillon i use my RCBS ChargeMaster.. I check it for zero everytime i turn it on and then get to loading. Charge 50 cases, check everyone of them to make sure they have powder and seat the bullet.

I have a RCBS thrower and its pretty consistant with some powders. I use to use it to throw a charge and then trickle powder onto the balance beam till it reached the desired weight. That got old so i got the ChargeMaster

 

[SJ]

I only reload rifles and I weigh every load. I enjoy doing it that way.