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Joined
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Hi,

To make loading on the bench quicker I am looking for a bunch of vials to take different measured powder charges, from 10gn 3F to 60+gn 2F. On ebay there are plenty of little plastic vials from 0.5ml upwards. The only trouble is I don't know what size(s) to get, does anyone on here use these and can they recommend me what size(s) to get?

Thanks,

Matthew
 
Hi,
To make loading on the bench quicker I am looking for a bunch of vials to take different measured powder charges, from 10gn 3F to 60+gn 2F. On ebay there are plenty of little plastic vials from 0.5ml upwards. The only trouble is I don't know what size(s) to get, does anyone on here use these and can they recommend me what size(s) to get?
Thanks,
Matthew
This is what I purchased from Amazon. They serve my needs perfect.

ORDER # 112-6640266-2350628

DEPEPE 60 Pcs 13x75mm Clear Mini Plastic Test Tubes with Caps (6ml), for Scientific Experiments, Party, Powders Spices Beads Storage Containers
Sold by: SimpleBreeze

$8.99
Flintlocklar 🇺🇸
 
Why use plastic vials? Plastic can build up static electricity and make a mess. On the range measuring for each shot is no big deal. I think you are looking for a solution for a non-existent problem.
If plastic "builds up static electricity" why are all the reloading funnels & powder bottles made out of it???
 
If plastic "builds up static electricity" why are all the reloading funnels & powder bottles made out of it???

They are made for smokeless. Black is more susceptible to ignition by static electricity.

However, I am puzzled by black being packaged in plastic. Maybe the plastic has ingredients to reduce static electricity. Just received 4 pounds of Goex, in plastic bottles.

I was reading some old articles by Mike Venturino and he uses a measure with a brass tube. And a metal funnel. And a metal drop tube.
 
Last edited:
Static has NEVER been proven to set off any black powder :doh:


Hmm. I have never seen it happen but it has been mentioned many, many years prior to the internet.

Maybe the guys talking abut it were dreaming.

Or the guy that saw it happen was killed and could not write about it.

Who knows, I think it pays to be cautious around any powders.

RCBS makes a black powder measurer with aluminum reservoir and a brass metering cylinder.
 
Copper gas line tubing. Crimp the bottoms and pour a few drops of lead in. Go to a hobby store and pick up wood turned pegs. Cut the end to fit.
Or
Hot Dipped tin offers some tin powder measures. Get the biggest and make stoppers for them.
keep in a wood block drilled to accept them.
get a large flask, with a tip cut to you powder charge. Fill the tip with a flick of the wrist and pour in to a wide mouth deep powder measure then dump in your barrel( I’m sure you heard don’t load directly from a flask) that will be as quick as fiddling with your premies.
 
I'm thinking of going the plastic vial route as well but not in public. You mentioned "on the bench". Is that on your own personal bench or a public range? On lookers might get the wrong impression by watching a muzzle loader using with any sort of plastic. Especially youngsters! I'm not a true blue traditionalist by a long shot but sometimes young eyes are upon us.
 
To make loading on the bench quicker I am looking for a bunch of vials to take different measured powder charges, from 10gn 3F to 60+gn 2F. On ebay there are plenty of little plastic vials from 0.5ml upwards. The only trouble is I don't know what size(s) to get, does anyone on here use these and can they recommend me what size(s) to get?
Mknight702,

Carbon6 provided a link in post #4 that may help with the conversion you requested.

However, I would recommend that you at least check out what SKS Packaging has to offer. That link will take you to the page that has glass vials, and it shows the capacities in drams. One dram equals 27.34 grains. I bought a bunch of the 3 dram size of the cork-stoppered vials. Three drams would be right at 82 grains maximum capacity, although I have not checked this to verify the accuracy. I would like to get a plastic shotgun shell box to hold them, but I'm not sure of the "gauge" to order. The choices are 12 and 20, and these vials are in between, within a few thousandths of the diameter of a 16 gauge shell. I want them to fit in the cells in the shell box, but not rattle around too much. The height is also a factor. With the cork installed, the height is 2.864" or just shy of 2-7/8".

If any of you boys reading this own any of these plastic shotgun shell boxes, I would appreciate it if you could provide me with the inside measurement of the individual cells for your 12 and 20 gauge boxes. These 3 dram glass vials measure 0.736" in diameter (I measured a 20 gauge shell at 0.678", a 16 gauge shell at 0.722", and a 12 gauge at 0.790"). If you can let me know, that would help me decide which size of unmentionable ammo box to order.

I know Mknight702 asked about plastic, and these are glass vials with cork stoppers. If you browse the SKS website, you'll also find similar glass vials with screw-on tops, and a plethora of plastic containers. You may find just what you want, but you'll be on your own. I prefer the glass. It isn't that I'm worried about static electricity... black powder comes in plastic bottles, N-SSA shooters have been using plastic loading tubes for decades, and "speed loaders" for muzzleloaders are usually plastic. I just like glass, and I prefer the cork stoppers to the plastic lids. There's too much plastic in my life already.

Also, Buffalo Arms sells glass vials with plastic screw-tops. They say these will hold over 150 grains, and will fit in a 20 gauge shotgun shell box. That 150 grain capacity sounds a little optimistic to me, but maybe they're right.

Nothing wrong with carrying pre-measured charges to the range.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
Many thanks for all your replies.

The only reason I specified plastic is because this seems to be the cheapest option, I am not worries about the static electricity having read the pinned thread on static I think that this issue is probably over rated.

I did look at the glass option and I will try to see if I can find something like this in the UK.

As for people seeing me with a traditional muzzle loader and plastic vials, this isn't something I have to worry about, I don't do any re-enactment and all my shooting is done on the club range where they know me!

Currently, I do measure my powder at the bench, but for absolute consistency with a target pistol and rifle I wanted to pre measure my powder at home, also, if I take my ML shotgun out shooting pigeons a pre measured charge is a little quicker for reloading so I can miss the next bird that much faster.
 
I use plastic vials of varying sizes and when I get them I use a dryer sheet on a rod to swab the inside of each vial and remove static. Only shoot at my range so don't worry about being correct.
 
Post script...

I got out one of the 3 dram glass vials I mentioned in Post #14, above, to check the actual capacity. Three drams by volume of FFg, right at 82 grains, only fills this vial half full. Filled to capacity, with just enough headspace to allow for seating the cork, the "3 dram" vial from SKS holds 165 grains of FFg, just about 6 drams!

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
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