Thread: I am in a state of utter befuddlement

Lyman and RCBS both make powder measures suitable for use with BP. The difference is the cylinders are made of brass and the hoppers are aluminium. This reduces the risk of static electricity in the hopper and sparks from the cylinders. At normal atmospheric pressure BP burns 100 times faster than smokeless.

Could you not line the inside of the dispenser with tin foil? Just a thought, to stop it contacting with the plastic?

Brass dippers are the best thing for black powder. Fired cartridge cases are perfect - just trim them to the correct length to give you the desired charge, and solder on a 3" length of brass tubing (or another cartridge case) for a handle. Some of the larger rifle charges may require magnum cases. You only want to use the parallel part of the case to get consistent charges (no neck at all). Safe and static free, dip, scrape, and load.

Consistent smokeless charges require a good quality metal measure (Lyman, RCBS, Redding, etc) that has the ability to cut long grain rifle powder. The Lee measures are OK with fine grain or ball powders.

Holy smoke is better than Goex, in my opinion, am converting a few of my bigger calibres to Smokeless as less chance of damaging the rifling with corrosion. 500 BPEpress, 450/400, #2 Musket and also 38/50 because of fowling in small dia barrel.
45/70s I have using BP will take about 20 rounds through them without cleaning, pure lead projectiles.
577/450 I’ll look at smokeless because of the cartridge shape

Originally Posted by Cigar

.. I trust it way more than digital scales.

You clearly have never used a proper digital scale then

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Could you not line the inside of the dispenser with tin foil? Just a thought, to stop it contacting with the plastic?

A good question.

I had pondered that myself but as i was asking what some may consider pretty dumb questions about a Lee measure, I didn't want to "push the boundaries". As the remainder of the unit is brass, I look forward to some opinions.

Originally Posted by Mauser308

I'm chucking you BP types in with the people who like things that run on coal...

Can't fathom why anyone would want to run anything through a measure to be fair, my experience is that it takes me just as long to dip as it does to chuck, check, fix the random over/under throw that seems to wander in every 2nd time or so... Stupid things. With a bit of practice you can dip within margin of error each time and quicker than a thrower I reckon.

I've played with BP, but not in guns. It's always intrigued me that a lot of people consider it to be some safer compound, when the opposite is true. Black powder is an actual explosive, whereas modern propellants are not.

Originally Posted by Tommy

I've played with BP, but not in guns. It's always intrigued me that a lot of people consider it to be some safer compound, when the opposite is true. Black powder is an actual explosive, whereas modern propellants are not.

No clear line between explosive and propellant. BP cannot detonate, only burn. Unconfined, bp ignition is by far the most dangerous, cf. 100x burn speed. Confined BP, as in a pipe bomb, behaves like a high explosive, will knock concrete out of the floor it is blown up on. Smokeless even more dangerous confined as it develops more gas volume for its weight. Bottom line, respect both, but handle BP with care as IT can blow you up even if unconfined, provided in sufficient volume. Never mind blindness. But is smells much better when you fire it... (-:

I see you can get some thin copper sheets of amazon 0.1mm if you moulded them then glued them this might work.

how about an anti static strap on the thrower

Copper sheet idea good, but remember it has to be grounded, just having it as an internal liner will not do it.

Graphite additive to BP is a good conductor, will render it a lot safer + freer flowing. Could add some graphite powder to BP while it is its steel tin and agitate it in, but this may have been done already unless it is meal BP.

But really, what's the big fuss about just making a scoop from an empty cartridge. Foolproof.

Originally Posted by Cordite

Copper sheet idea good, but remember it has to be grounded, just having it as an internal liner will not do it...............

Who's making a "big fuss"? I'm just asking.

OK, Having worked for years with a wrist earth strap whilst servicing computers, that ain't too much of a problem...............just wire the copper liner via a cable onto the chassis of a nearby earthed device/ or plug it into a three pin wall socket..........

Duh...Um 3 holes, eeny, meeny, miny BOOM

On another tack, how have the Black powder users found Pyrodex ? I ask because Lee say Pyrodex is "Boom Proof" in the measure but when Googling for reviews of the measure, I did note some witterings about a Pyrodex "build up" in the chamber/ bore 'cos of the additives required to make it anti boom.

Whoa don’t plug it into the mains..........if it dose go boom the head lines are going to read......

Bad reloaded man terrorist attack on main truck line but you never know in these crazy crazy times

Originally Posted by 6x47

You clearly have never used a proper digital scale then

They were "proper" scales (Hornady), but not "decent" scales (cheap $80 ones).

Yup, your budget is considerably light to be "decent", eg AnDs are over $1000