Drop tube and compression?

[CaptnJack]

You drop a certain amount of measured BP down the drop tube into a case. That gets the powder uniformed in the case supposedly. Then you compress the powder. (shooting PP bullets ) Your compressing the powder to a cretin measured space in the case. Why would you need to drop tube the powder if you are compressing it in the first place? I guess I am asking do you need to drop tube or not when compressing for PP bullets. If so why?

[rgchristensen]

JACK:
I have done this experiment with Swiss 1.5 Fg and 40-65 ctg. I made up some loads by drop-tubing, then compressing, and some by just compressing the charge. Shooting them over a chronograph, I saw no significant difference in mean point of impact, mean radius, mean velocity, or standard deviation of velocity. For that specific ctg and load, there was NO significant difference. I've concluded that doing anything other than dropping the charge and compressing it to the desired point is a waste of time. Other loads and other cartridges MAY show an effect, but I would be surprised to see any. If anyone has done a controlled experiment that shows otherwise, it would be interesting to know of it.

CHRIS
RGChristensen

[Lumpy Grits]

When I DT and compress, my crono says have a lower ES.
The target agrees.
Gary

[stikshooter]

I drop tube using a 36 inch tube to get the powder in the case , like fitting 80 grains in a 70 grain container so I don"t have a bench full of powder when done

[Don McDowell]

Unless the charge won't fit in the case without a drop tube, just drop it and compress.

[Distant Thunder]

When I'm putting 83 grains of 1 1/2 Swiss into a .45-70 case my drop tube is useful. The same holds true for putting 72 grains of 1 1/2 Swiss in my
.40-65.

[BFD]

Pull apart a compressed charged case and an uncompressed charged case. You will see that the compression is not even through out. It is mostly at the top of the case, not much towards the bottom. The drop tube helps settle that lower portion of the charge that compression does not reach.

[Etienne Brule]

Unless the charge won't fit in the case without a drop tube, just drop it and compress.

Hi Don,

WOW !! That would save me sooooo much time WITHOUT the drop tube ...

Did you test this with OE 1 1/2 ffG OR 2 ffg powder ??

Best regards.

[Lumpy Grits]

All I use is Old 'E' 2F.
Meters great from my MVA, PM.
Gary

[sandhillcowboy1]

Pull apart a compressed charged case and an uncompressed charged case. You will see that the compression is not even through out. It is mostly at the top of the case, not much towards the bottom. The drop tube helps settle that lower portion of the charge that compression does not reach.

BFD is right on this. I was taught by Dick Savage that the proper term for drop tubing is compaction, which is different than compression. I believe compaction results in a more consistent density of powder from top to bottom. At least more so than you get when you compress the very top without compaction. Don is right too, if you do not need to drop tube to get an accurate load and the powder fits with just compression, do it. As I was also taught, there are a variety of ways to skin the same cat:)

Rick

[Don McDowell]

Unless the charge won't fit in the case without a drop tube, just drop it and compress.

Hi Don,

WOW !! That would save me sooooo much time WITHOUT the drop tube ...

Did you test this with OE 1 1/2 ffG OR 2 ffg powder ??

Best regards.

I shoot 1 1/2 in the 45-90. 2f in the 40-65 and 45-70. Slow pour it thru the funnel and then compress. By the time I got one case with the bullet seated, the powder measure has the next charge ready to go.

[bruce m]

the big test on this one is vert at 1000 yds.
you need to shoot many shots to get a statistical comparison
1 x 10 shot group vs another is not necessarily enough.
sometimes thos 1 percenters are worth going with.
in the old days, long range shooters primarily droptubed only, but modern powders seem to benefit from some compression for better vert.
out to 500 it is of less note that further out.
keep safe,
bruce.

[beltfed]

Don,
Seems to me a "slow pour thru the funnel" would not take much if any
less time than a "slow pour thru a drop tube"

FWIW, I devised a gentle helical coil shape to my 24" drop tube to give the powder a slight
swirle as it goes into the case. Helps? I don't know. Just thought it would give better
distribution throughout the diameter if the case .
beltfed/arnie

[Don McDowell]

Just depends on how much powder a person is trying to fit into the case before compressing.

[desert deuce]

I ain't talkin'...……...