Grains by weight or volume???
- Thread starter MTFURY
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A question for the old timers and experts.
Ok, so I'm out in the bush and I only have the following items with me.
1) A muzzleloader which the manufacturer says needs a load of 30 grains of black powder.
2) I have REAL black powder with me, not a substitute.
3) I have a scale with me.
4) I have some drill bits to make a powder measure out of a stick.
What do I do next? Is it as simple as throwing the black powder on the scale until it measures 30 grains and then fashioning a powder measure out of a stick with the drill bit until it can hold that amount of powder flush with the tippy top of the measure?
Ok, so I'm out in the bush and I only have the following items with me.
1) A muzzleloader which the manufacturer says needs a load of 30 grains of black powder.
2) I have REAL black powder with me, not a substitute.
3) I have a scale with me.
4) I have some drill bits to make a powder measure out of a stick.
What do I do next? Is it as simple as throwing the black powder on the scale until it measures 30 grains and then fashioning a powder measure out of a stick with the drill bit until it can hold that amount of powder flush with the tippy top of the measure?
Exactly!
Using a scale is fine. Lots of folks are seriously confused at the concept of weight v volume when measuring but here's the skinny-
You set by weight, measure by volume for any given powder. Change the powder, volume may stay the same, but weight will change. Even modern ammo is made the same way. I make all my competition ammo by doing my testing based on weight. Then I set my powder measure (it measures by volume) and make my ammo, all of which was measured by volume.
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I guess I am to anal? I weighed all my loads for modern rifles but volume for M.L.s
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Sam Fadala said five grains plus or minus is practically undetectable? I may not have quoted him exactly but the meaning is the same. As you mention black powder doesn't burn the same everytime.
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I was quoting Fadala. I do know in mine the sweet spot for my .54 cal. rifles is 80 grains. I can go up to 85 grains and really can't tell much difference at 90 grains it starts to widen my groups more than I desire. but 80 grains is dead on.
I know most people would not be able to tell a difference but people that have a lot of experience can see what most don't.
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When I use a volumetric drop to drop black powder, I do it the opposite of that.
I set the volumetric dropper and then measure the output on the scale. I then tweak the volumetric dropper until it drops the correct weight.
Be aware that the volumetric dropper is subject to changes in powder.
For example, the new Goex powder is less dense than the old Goex powder. Won't affect you if you drop by weight but if you were dropping by volume you will be getting less bang with the new Goex powder.
ronaldrothb49
45 Cal.
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It doesn't really matter which way you measure the charge. Either way you do it the goal is to find the charge that groups the best and then do the same thing every time. I have never weighed a charge or weighed a ball. I was a competition shooter in cross stick and light bench so any rifle I had needed to shoot a 1" or better group at 50 yards. Whenever I found a charge that grouped good then I would try different ball and patch combos to see if I could get a tighter group. I like 45 caliber and have had several over the years, some liked .445 balls some liked .440 and they all seemed to have a favorite charge. One I had liked .451 and that rifle was capable of shooting a 1" group at 100 yards, won a lot of matches with that one.
Ditt44
40 Cal
I've gotten more lazy, suddenly. I always measured by weight when I have the time but then I just realized that using the same powder flask nozzle, whether 20, 25 or 30 grains, I was accurate because...
I now use an empty #11 cap can. I lay the flask nozzle flat open and close the trigger and lift. There's my powder without my thumb taking up space. Then pour vial funnel into the vial or muzzle. Either way this seems to be consistent enough that it also works well enough at the range table when measuring for my .45 or .50 cal doing two pours of various nozzle sizes. Tedious maybe but has proven effective so far.
I now use an empty #11 cap can. I lay the flask nozzle flat open and close the trigger and lift. There's my powder without my thumb taking up space. Then pour vial funnel into the vial or muzzle. Either way this seems to be consistent enough that it also works well enough at the range table when measuring for my .45 or .50 cal doing two pours of various nozzle sizes. Tedious maybe but has proven effective so far.
