Measuring powder

[johnefelts]

When I pour powder into my brass measuring tube,which I have set at 60gr currently,I keep tapping the sides settling the powder until it can hold no more.Is this correct or should I just be filling it up and letting it stay loose?

[efritz]

You shouldn't have to tap on it. Set for your desired charge without tapping and gittyup. Tapping would slow down your loading process. Now, if you are at the end of the most allowable amount of powder that can be dispensed and you only need a grain or two more you can tap on it. The alternative to this would be to cut in half your desired powder charge and drop twice. Example, you need 80 grains but you charger can only dispense 73 max, set it 40 grains and drop twice into your tubes. No matter what, consistency is the key. Hope this helps.

[Scott Kurki, 12475]

If you are looking for consistency in your accuracy, you must have consistency in your load so whatever you do, do it always to maintain that consistency. The volumetric measure sould be equal to the weighted measure provided that the powder has not been allowed to absorbe moisture. If your un-tapped volumetric load is the one closeset to the weight measured load than don't tap but if your tapped volumetric load is the one that is closer to the weight measured load than tap. See the pattern? I had a consistency issue with an MVA loader that was isolated to the fact that sometimes I was pulling twice and sometiimes just once. Since I had set my measure using one pull, when I tested, I found that charges with one pull where closest to the weight measured charge.

[Mike Hale]

Can we really maintain exact measures of powder under the shooting circumstances we have?

I charge my loading tubes with 48 grains of powder ... while firing from the line, I know that some powder remains stuck to the inside of the tube or on the edge of a bullet (due to lube ring) ... how do you stay within your one or two grain weight differences when shooting?

Also, there may be some spillage when loading fast.