The Best Powder Measure

I am having a rough night here on the forum. First I learned that bouncing your ramrod is a no-no, and that tapping your powder measure is the mark of the village idiot. Good grief, what's next? Wipe your nose, zip your fly, comb yer hair and don't fart in crowded elevators...I better straighten out and fly right! Or else!

:shocked2:

I blame my ignernt behavior and lack of edyakashun on the black powder geeks that trained me. I am sure I have taken advice from idiots that never fired a black powder rifle in their lives and have enjoyed some fine results in spite of it. One feller sold me a powder measure I have used for years and I am going to pitch it. It has gotten so gummed up that the sliding funnel takes an act of parliament to move. I should have thrown it away years ago! What are you fellers using for a powder measure? Any pics would be sincerely appreciated. Ideally I would like a brass one but I can't even find a pic of the type I am looking for...
:shake:

I use a fixed measure like the ones sold at the Possible Shop. http://www.possibleshop.com/powder-measure.htm
I usually start with one considerably larger than I need and trim down to what I use.

Rick

Here's what I use

I use 2 different types.

I have 2 of these Adjustable Powder Measure at Track of the Wolf although I've had mine for ever it seams.

I also use these Fixed charge Powder Measure at Track of the Wolf mostly when I'm at my desk making up my pre loads, they work great once you have a load that your rifle, pistol or shotgun likes & just trim them to those levels & measure & go.
Like I have 3 "22gr. 30gr. & a 44gr." for my C&B revolvers & 3 "50gr. 70gr. & a 95gr." for my .50 caliber rifles.

My favorite is made from a length of turkey leg with a wood cap (this one is cherry; maple works well, too). Never is set wrong and is light and inexpensive. I lace them to the powderhorn and each rifle has it's own horn & measure. You don't need the funnel as the end is slightly flared (just the way the bone is naturally shaped) and is still smaller than the bore.

What? Ya mean y'ain't s'possed to fart in crowded elevators? There goes one of my favorite hobbies.

For measures I've always just gone with the inexpensive brass adjustable measures. Small one for pistol and large one for rifle. I have several different calibers so this is just the easy way for me. Now if only I could remember all the loads instead of having to keep written notes. My handwriting is so bad that I can barely read it.

"
I am having a rough night here on the forum. First I learned that bouncing your ramrod is a no-no, and that tapping your powder measure is the mark of the village idiot."

Don't be to hard on yourself when you ask questions that the answers are based entirely on opinions ypu should not feel to bad if the opinions differ from your own, I like any of the brass sliding adjustable measures trhen make antler measures to pfrom, good luck, as for the village idiot that position has already been filed on this forum, most likely a lifetime appoinment, in time he will make himself known.Good luck finding a measure, several vendors handle a variety of styles.

I just make my own powder measures. For really large caliber guns, like a Brown Bess I like a piece of bamboo that will fit inside of the barrel. For other guns I grab a piece of bone or antler or horn and make something that will hold the correct amount of powder for a gun. I have a pouch for each gun and a powder measure attached to each pouch. If I have drilled out too big a hole in the measure and I want to decrease the amount of powder I fill it back up with epoxy.

I have one big adjustable measure for working out loads and then when I find the load that I need I make a measure.

For my pistols I find that empty cartridges picked up at a shooting range make great measures. I made two yesterday; one from a .40 was cut down to hold 15 grains and one .45ACP held the 25 grains that I needed for a different gun. I wrapped some piano wire around the extraction groove and then soldered it in place for a handle.

Many Klatch

I use these too... TOTW Adjustable Measure

HD

Glenfilthie said:

One feller sold me a powder measure I have used for years and I am going to pitch it. It has gotten so gummed up that the sliding funnel takes an act of parliament to move. I should have thrown it away years ago! :shake:

Click to expand...

This summer I found one of the measures with a spout on it as you desribe. I had to pay 50 cents for it, but I thought I'd risk the 4 bits.

There are many that work...I've used the brass one I listed below...adjustable brass in 10 grain increments...scroll down on that page link above:

Rife Adjustable Powder Measure # 22-7040

They apparently last forever...I've had mine since the early 90's.

In fact, something worth remembering: consistency.

There are almost always multiple ways of doing something that produces correct results...subsequently there will always be different folks telling of their different preferred ways.

Its less important "which" way you choose, than it is to do whatever you choose...consistently...each and every time.

Here's mine, a 30.06 case

tg said:

as for the village idiot that position has already been filed on this forum, most likely a lifetime appoinment, in time he will make himself known.

Click to expand...

They already have. So far, there's 2, and the original poster ain't one of them! :rotf:

I agree with you about this all being opinion. There's no one right way to do any of it. There are as many opinions as there are shooters. The one that works for you is the right one, regardless how much we all think our own way is right.

I'd love to go back a couple hundred years and watch the discussions of muzzleloading back then. I'd bet that they wouldn't be much different than today!

well, it's true- you ought not to be too hard on yourself. before you throw out your powder measure, try giving a cleaning. (i should think that some warm- not hot- water with a small bit of dish soap would work well.) if it's a beat up PoS like mine, you can take it completely apart, but if not, you should be able to get all the gunk out with repeated washings followed by the judicious use of a hair drier.

i am starting to get to the bag- for- each- rifle setup, so i'm collecting bits of antler and turkey bone and so forth, in order that i may be able to make measures for each individual rifle, but until that project is done, i'm still using the adjustable measure.

as for Acts of Parliment- good God, man, you want them to act??!! no- keep them as an expensive debating society and let professional bureaucrats actually provide the essential services of government (such as getting the most unflattering photograph possible on your drivers lisence, delivering the mail to the wrong address, and so on.

fear not the outrageuos slings anf arrows of publik opinion- most of it is worth exactly what you pay for it anyway.

This is the one I use:


I like it, but it isn't as cool as one made from an antler or bone of an animal that the rifle harvested...

Glenfilthie said:

I am having a rough night here on the forum. First I learned that bouncing your ramrod is a no-no, and that tapping your powder measure is the mark of the village idiot. Good grief, what's next? Wipe your nose, zip your fly, comb yer hair and don't fart in crowded elevators...I better straighten out and fly right! Or else!

Click to expand...

I hope no one here gave you that feeling...

Suggestions given here are just that, suggestions. Nothing is written in stone and it is up to each and every one of us to decide for ourselves what is right or wrong by other people's experiences, this is how we learn...

It's not like you asked if the flint should go in bevel up or bevel down or should I blow down the barrel after each shot... :wink: :rotf:

Bottom line, you are doing fine.

i'm hardly experienced, but I love the way deer antler looks as a powder measure.

I made one from an antler tip and carved a little "lip" that just fits into the muzzle so the powder efficiently slides into the barrel. It looks good, is inexpensive or free, and is easy to make.

Personally I like the Traditions brass fask, measure combo. The measure has an easy to use set screw and fits JUST RIGHT into the mouth of the flask. This prevents ANY spilling or possibility of over filling. ZERO powder wasted! AND......its cheap. the set cost about $25.00 and should last a LONG time.

I have one of the brass adjustable ones with the thumbscrew. I usually use one I made from antler (using the brass one to "calibrate" it). I think it's 75 grains....heck I don't remember. I use it for virtually everything. (I only have two of my own guns at the moment. Both are .54 smoothbore).

Be careful of those adjustable measures. I have one that is graduated 0 to 100. At "100" it throws a weighed 121 grains of FFg. That's pretty poor calibration.