Silly reloading question, unique powder.

[Goodcat]

I did a few reloads to test using a Lyman 55 while I waited on my powder scale. The dispenser said 5.8 gr and the slide didn't cycle. I then got my powder scale, weighed a charge and it was half of that. I doubled the powder amount and it weighed in at 5.9grs.

To be sure I'm doing nothing wrong, with a standard 9mm load with unique powder, the case should be about 3/4 full? Don't want to test, rather ask because I'm not sure if this is right.

 

[mospeada]

Those numbers on the charge bar of the Lyman #55 are NOT grains. Grains is a weight measurement and those numbers are a volume measurement (perhaps CC, but I can't find that info).

You need to WEIGH smokeless powders and refer to your loading manuals for the actual amount you want to use. The amount that a case is full is irrelevant to a degree as, again, this is a volumetric measurement. You weigh smokeless powders because they have different densities, that is a 1cc volume of Unique weighs ~9.2grains while 1cc of Reloader #7 powder weighs ~13.7grains. Big difference.

Please read your loading manuals before going forward, this is critical information that will help you from harming your guns and yourself and others.

 

[biggen]

Hopefully I'm understanding you correctly.
1. The graduation marks on a powder mic seldom correlate to actual grains of powder. Seeing as each type of powder will weigh differently. Those marks are really just there to help you track your changes. You need to check each change with a scale.

2. Do you have a set of test weights to check your scale with? Some scales come with them and some don't. I know that many scale manufacture's seem to assume that with the powder pan hanging empty you can simply adjust the scale to 0 and it's all good. I don't subscribe to that theory, I prefer to check it and know. I would however trust the scale rather than the powder dispenser.

I can't tell you what the "fill volume" of the case should look like, I have never loaded unique in 9mm. Hopefully someone will come along that has.

I would probably start " sneaking up" from where you are now until you do get the gun to function correctly. As long as you can get there without exceeding the loading manuals suggested max load.

What weight of bullet are you using? Alliant shows a charge of 6.3gr. of Unique for a 115 gr. bullet.

Hope this is some help.

Looks like me and Mospeada were typing at the same time.

 

[kludge]

Wow, you should feel very lucky that it wasn't the other way around, and you got twice as much powder... it wouldn't have fit, but with other powders, like Bullseye it would have. And you're also lucky you didn't stick one in the barrel.

Yes, Unique will fill the 9mm case about 3/4 full depending on the load and the bullet.

This should be a lesson to everyone out there. Know what your equipment does and how to use it.

Black powder is loaded by volume, smokeless is loaded by weight, and that could be a source of confusion for someone doing this for the first time.

 

[Goodcat]

Wow, you should feel very lucky that it wasn't the other way around, and you got twice as much powder... it wouldn't have fit, but with other powders, like Bullseye it would have. And you're also lucky you didn't stick one in the barrel.

Yes, Unique will fill the 9mm case about 3/4 full depending on the load and the bullet.

This should be a lesson to everyone out there. Know what your equipment does and how to use it.

Black powder is loaded by volume, smokeless is loaded by weight, and that could be a source of confusion for someone doing this for the first time.

Which is why I asked before loading!! Looks like the 10 setting is close to what I need. Ill dial it in. I verified weight in the powder scale and wanted to be sure the 3/4 full was about right visually. I'll make sure I'm sticking to powders that can overfill if double charged. I bought and read the Lyman manual before starting anything. Sorry if my post came across wrong, I was not asking if I could fill the case up to a certain height, just making sure the charge I weighed seemed right visually. I'm following the lee recipe for 115gr bullets.

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[indyjohn]

Please do not build any more rounds until your powder scale arrives.

I really don't want to read about you in the news.

 

[Goodcat]

Please do not build any more rounds until your powder scale arrives.

I really don't want to read about you in the news.

"I then got my powder scale, weighed a charge and it was half of that." All good.

 

[davedolli]

I usually check every 10 rounds with a scale when I am reloading rifle or pistol cals, and compare it with my loading data. Also I have a beam scale and and electronic scale, and I use them to check each other before I start reloading.

Dave

 

[Slapstick]

It's sounds like you're new to reloading and doing what most of us did when we started and that's loading at or near max charge weight. In my lee book 5.8 is max but the Speer manual list 6.3. for 115 gr. bullet. If your loading a heavier bullet then it's a slight over charge, if your loading a lighter bullet then you're towards the middle. What you're going to find is that best accuracy will be toward the low to middle end of the charge weight.

My favorite charge weight of Unque with 115 gr. 9mm is 5.2 grs. They chronograph at about 1050 to 1075 out of a 4 inch barrel, 1200 to 1250 out of an 8 barrel and just over 1300 out of a 16 inch barrel. It's proved to be a very accurate load in all my guns and if you look at the velocities it's only about 10% or less from max velocities. Not enough to make any real world difference in the terminal performance of the bullet but it's easier on the gun, more accurate and less recoil too.

 

[Goodcat]

Thanks for the info, repped! I am doing my first loads at the low end as listed in my lee die kit. I think I'll adapt to my 49th Lyman manual when I start at my first box of ammo I put out. I am waiting to get the Lee Disc Pro as I sold the lyman 55 on ebay, didn't like having to manually charge the round!

 

[Broom_jm]

With all due respect, Goodcat, your experience in this thread is a perfect illustration of why new reloaders SHOULD start out using a manual process, where they weight each charge! You caught this little SNAFU before you had a bullet lodged in the barrel, or God forbid, a 2nd one down a plugged tube...can you say, "KABOOM"??

Don't be in such a rush to automate every process that you fail to truly learn what you're doing. I say this with kindness: You do NOT know what you're doing, yet. Charge weight and seating depth for pistol cartridges are crucial and offer so little wiggle room. Semi-auto pistols aren't built like a bolt-action rifle where you have a lot of metal designed to keep your face intact, should something go horribly wrong.

You need to tap the brakes just a bit and make sure that you know what you think you know...if you have any doubts at all, an automatic powder dispenser could spell disaster for you and your ammo. I hope you take this in the spirit it was intended.

 

[Skip]

BECAUSE YOU ASKED!

I did a few reloads to test using a Lyman 55 while I waited on my powder scale. The dispenser said 5.8 gr and the slide didn't cycle. I then got my powder scale, weighed a charge and it was half of that. I doubled the powder amount and it weighed in at 5.9grs.

To be sure I'm doing nothing wrong, with a standard 9mm load with unique powder, the case should be about 3/4 full? Don't want to test, rather ask because I'm not sure if this is right.

Goodcat,
The Lyman #55 is one of the BEST ways to dispense Unique powder, bar none. Did you realize that there a actually 3 chambers to it though? The scale part is only attached to the shallowest one. There are some numbers on the side of the largest one too but mine is so old, they cannot be read.

Volumetric powder measuring is silly without a scale for verification. What I mean is this; take the Lee Powder Measure system, xxCC = xx.xgr of "AtomicVolcanicSuper" Powder. HOGWASH!

Oh, I am sure that when they did the paperwork and testing, that might have been 100% accurate. Only problem is, that nagging thing called "lot variation". A right pesky thing at times!

What you NEED to know is what your lot of powder does in regards to volume. After you determine that, volumetric measuring is fine. In fact, that is how every progressive works. Set them up by weight then dispense by volume.

No question is a stupid one except the one not asked. Good on ya!

Hope this helps.....