Advice needed on BP measure use

[aflatlander]

I'm new to muzzleloading and have a question about measuring the powder. When pouring the powder (Pyrodex RS) into the measure, do I fill then settle the powder by tapping the measure then topping it off or use it unsettled?

 

[Rebel]

Don't matter as long as you do it the same way every time. I have measurers with swing away funnels. I fill then swing the funnel over to wipe off any excess.

 

[cayugad]

Like Rebel said.. makes no difference as long as you do it the same way every time. There really is no need to be a tapper..

I have a clear see through measure with the cutting funnel top also. I just fill the measure over the top a little, then push the funnel into place cutting the charge and load away...

The reason I do not tap is.. how many taps do you give.. was that three or four.. lets see, did I tap.. Nope. the less I need to remember the better, I just cut and pour.

I would like to welcome you to the forum. Its good to have you here..

 

[Old40Rod]

If you are just doing general off hand shooting, don't worry about it too much. As hard as you try, you will lose some when you pour, some will stick to the inside of the barrel on the way down, etc., etc. If you are bench shooting I suppose you may need to get more finicky about the exact size of the charge... for general off hand you probably aren't going to notice the difference between 60 grains and 57 grains. You might, its just not likely... other variables will probably overshadow any difference.

Ditto on trying to do it the same way every time, however, which will help minimize variation. I don't tap my measure myself, but nothing says you can't... just do it that way every time. Controlled variation can be useful, uncontrolled variation is generally not a good thing in shooting. My advice is to "be as careful as you reasonably can" in measuring. If you get too silly about it, one of your fellow shooters will give you a mountain name like "Old Persnickety", which you may or may not find peferrable to other options they have in mind.

::

 

[Claude Mathis]

...do I fill then settle the powder by tapping the measure then topping it off or use it unsettled?

A grain or two either way is not a significant amount. I doubt that there would be enough difference to matter.

 

In the world we have today we shoot black powder for fun. If we let all of these minor details and actions worry us to death we remove the "fun" eliment instantly.

The only thing you need to worry about is attempting to maintain consistancy, and even then BP is a forgiving substance.

Powder, Patch,[url] Ball....in[/url] that order.

After a few months you made decide to start watching for flaws in the projectiles, develop a twitch over how you fill the powder measure, or decide that the direction of the weave in the patches during loading is important.

Actually it is mostly an excuse to cover bad sight allignment and trigger control.

While you are working up a good load for your gun remember that during that search you were varrying the charge by several grains of powder and still hitting the target. The "best" load just clusters the shots a little tighter.

Use some common sense and strive for reasonable consistancy.

:front:

 

[reddogge]

I think a lot of people who come from modern smokeless powder are trying to equate the precision powder measurements in reloading modern rifle cartridges to pouring black powder into a measure and then into a barrel. They don't realize black powder measurements aren't nearly as sensitive as smokeless powder so a little = or - won't hurt accuracy or the shooter.

 

[Maestro]

I've got to hand it to you blackpowder gurus (in this case, Claude, Rebel, Ghost, Cayugad, Old40Rod, Reddogge - you guys are great to keep helping out the newcomers as much as you do with the patience you show. I never cease being impressed with that!

It would be real easy to look at someone's question and just press the "Next" button and say to yourself, "didn't I answer that question a couple of hundred times already?" - but you're always gentlemen and (almost :winking always patiently "hold the hands" of the newcomers. That's a big part of what makes this forum so great. After a year and a half, I still feel like a BP newbie myself so I'm not so free to offer advice, but as I continue to learn, I hope to be able to offer the same patient help that you guys so often provide so generously.

:master: Many :thanks: again! :hatsoff:

 

[Rebel]

Well, thank ya kindly for the kind words. That's what we are here for. One big, happy family. Glad we were able to help.

 

[aflatlander]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I've been shooting rifles and pistols for 20 years, but this will be a new experience. I'll post again after shooting it this weekend.