Favorite Powder Measure?

On .38 Special and .45 ACP for production loading nothing is better than the Dillon measure. But to get uniform charges you need to be consistent in your manuipulation of the loading machine. Mixed brass causes more variation in machine effort and vibration and increases charge variability.

When loading .38 Special wadcutter ammo we use only brass sorted by headstamp which came from factory wadcutter loads, or plain unplated brass cases of the same make without any cannelures on the case body. This is because +P and service load brass has a heavier sidewall to achieve higher bullet pull with jacketed bullets and often has a heavy cannelure rolled close to the case mouth.

These conditions increase bullet base deformation in seating and profiling and also require more effort in case sizing, expanding and profiling assembled rounds.

For practice ammo with cast Saeco #348 DEWC bullets we do all case sizing and priming on the machine, starting with tumble-cleaned, sorted fired brass. For match ammo loaded with the Remington factory 148-gr. HBWC bullets we decap once-fired brass, then tumble in clean cornbob, deburr, prime and lightly flare, then load-assemble crimp on the Dillon using the Lee Factory Crimp Die on the final stage.

Properly assembled wadcutters using the Remington bullets shoot as well at 50 yards as the best lots of factory ammo, about 1-1/2” and cast DEWCs will stay under 2 inches at 50 for long series of 5-shot groups.

In the .45 ACP we use generally the same loading methods. Every setup we weigh ten charges, and during a session we weigh another ten every time we stop to refill the case feeder or powder measure. Using Alliant Bullseye the variation in check weights is minimal, and the proof of the pudding is that the ammo shoots well. Our shooting group loads about 50,000 rounds of ammo a year on two RL550Bs.  We buy four 8-lb. caddies of Bullseye approximately annually and have been doing so for over ten years.  Nothing is going to convince any of these guys to change powders or loading methods.

I cast bullets for the group using a pair of 20-lb. Ohio Thermal bottom-pour pots and alternating pairs of Saeco or H&G 4-cavity gang moulds.   Current production is using “backstop scrap” from the indoor range we use which is owned by ARES Security here in the DC area.  The range is used mostly by DoD contract security, military and law enforcement, but Virginia CCW permit holders may obtain an annual membership which enables them to use the range evenings, weekends and non-duty hours. 

The composition of salvaged lead is influenced by a preponderance of 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP being fired on the range, with a smattering of .38 Special and other deposited by the civilians.  Enough commercial hardcast is sprinkled into the mix that the ingots from periodic renderings cast and act like wheelweights with enough tin in the mix to cast slightly frosted, uniformly filled out bullets of 11-12 BHN.  I haven't needed to add any supplemental tin for several years, so life is good.   I get the lead  free and sell skimmed off jacket material to pay for propane to fire the plumbers pot.