Re: The Best Blackpowder Measure?
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 7:34 am
I see your tactics, you wish to drag me out into the open where I can be properly flogged!
It did take a while to convince Coralee that we needed a Harrell's, but she understands that quality costs money. Just look at her choice in husbands, expensive, but high quality..... As long as I keep the hopper mostly full and put the powder into the measure when I wish to use it and not leave it full of powder for months at a time, it will throw charges right on the money time after time. I put an 18" piece of 7/16" copper tube into the bottom of the Harrells and flared the bottom end. I also built a home made stand that elevates the powder measure up to eye level. The only problem with that is that it is hard to see how much powder is in it, so I built a follower out of some large washers and a 1/4" bolt that sticks up through a hole I drilled in the lid. When the hopper gets below about 3/4 full, the bolt head becomes flush with the lid and I refill it.
In my mind, black powder is different from smokeless in that black uses water in the process of making it. The black will also soak up humidity out of the air. In my research, small changes in moisture don't change the performance of the powder, but it will change the weight. I once put some loose black in my cigar humidor and left it for a few days. On a 65 grain volume charge, the humidor made it about 4 grains heavier. When I shot them, there was no detectable difference in muzzle velocities. If I weighed out 65 grains of the wetter powder and shot it, muzzle velocites were 20-25 fps less. I check weights of charges frequently mostly out of curiosity and it is interesting how much different the same volume of powder will weigh from lot to lot and even bottle to bottle. I mentally note it and keep loading with the same volume. There must be something to it as I have won quite a few bigger matches over the last 5 years and have been in the running for National Champ several times, all with the Harrells and volume loading.
As far as testing, it is done initially at 200 yards on paper, then 300 yards on paper, and then at turkey and ram distances on a 36" gong. I just have a cheap shooting Chrony I use to get an idea of what is going on, but then base my thoughts on ammo quality on vertical spread at the ram line. Just as a side note, I am not addicted to load development and firmly believe quantity and tons of practice are way better than obsessing over the smallest detail on the ammo. I find a load and bullet that works, and then stick with it. I streamline the loading process in order to make the best ammo I can as fast as I can, and then shoot, a LOT! I suspect many shooters poor performances are mental issues caused from doubting their ammo or equipment. Prove to yourself it works, and then start pounding them downrange! There is absolutely no substitute for range time. I enjoy shooting matches, but the truth is I think I enjoy practice and range time more. The matches just give a purpose and goal to all of the range time.
I also want to stress all of my interests and research revolve around silhouette. When things are stretched out to 1,000 yards, I am sure every little detail becomes paramount.
Good luck my friends,
Cody
It did take a while to convince Coralee that we needed a Harrell's, but she understands that quality costs money. Just look at her choice in husbands, expensive, but high quality..... As long as I keep the hopper mostly full and put the powder into the measure when I wish to use it and not leave it full of powder for months at a time, it will throw charges right on the money time after time. I put an 18" piece of 7/16" copper tube into the bottom of the Harrells and flared the bottom end. I also built a home made stand that elevates the powder measure up to eye level. The only problem with that is that it is hard to see how much powder is in it, so I built a follower out of some large washers and a 1/4" bolt that sticks up through a hole I drilled in the lid. When the hopper gets below about 3/4 full, the bolt head becomes flush with the lid and I refill it.
In my mind, black powder is different from smokeless in that black uses water in the process of making it. The black will also soak up humidity out of the air. In my research, small changes in moisture don't change the performance of the powder, but it will change the weight. I once put some loose black in my cigar humidor and left it for a few days. On a 65 grain volume charge, the humidor made it about 4 grains heavier. When I shot them, there was no detectable difference in muzzle velocities. If I weighed out 65 grains of the wetter powder and shot it, muzzle velocites were 20-25 fps less. I check weights of charges frequently mostly out of curiosity and it is interesting how much different the same volume of powder will weigh from lot to lot and even bottle to bottle. I mentally note it and keep loading with the same volume. There must be something to it as I have won quite a few bigger matches over the last 5 years and have been in the running for National Champ several times, all with the Harrells and volume loading.
As far as testing, it is done initially at 200 yards on paper, then 300 yards on paper, and then at turkey and ram distances on a 36" gong. I just have a cheap shooting Chrony I use to get an idea of what is going on, but then base my thoughts on ammo quality on vertical spread at the ram line. Just as a side note, I am not addicted to load development and firmly believe quantity and tons of practice are way better than obsessing over the smallest detail on the ammo. I find a load and bullet that works, and then stick with it. I streamline the loading process in order to make the best ammo I can as fast as I can, and then shoot, a LOT! I suspect many shooters poor performances are mental issues caused from doubting their ammo or equipment. Prove to yourself it works, and then start pounding them downrange! There is absolutely no substitute for range time. I enjoy shooting matches, but the truth is I think I enjoy practice and range time more. The matches just give a purpose and goal to all of the range time.
I also want to stress all of my interests and research revolve around silhouette. When things are stretched out to 1,000 yards, I am sure every little detail becomes paramount.
Good luck my friends,
Cody