[silence]
This is the video that I said I would not make.
In an earlier video. I documented my research on what powder measure
I wanted to use, when I started to reload 32 Auto.
Since the 32 Auto uses very low charges. And has a very narrow range
between minimum and maximum safe loads.
I decided to do an in-depth comparison of the powder measures that I felt
had the best chance of providing the accuracy and consistency I was looking for.
The three powder measures I used in the first test,
were the Dillion extra small,
the Arredondo,
and the RCBS competition powder measure.
Test One was for a very specific purpose.
To determine which of these three, gave me the best results using my powder of choice.
Whichever powder measure came in first
would be the one that got installed on my press's tool head.
The Test One results provided that answer to me.
As expected in the first video, if I did not choose a person's favorite powder measure.
They assumed the test was faulty.
Or if I had only use a totally different powder, the results would be very different.
Well, my reloading philosophy .. is change the equipment to make the load of your choice.
Not change the load, to suit the equipment.
So I was not interested in running another test. Since I already had my answer from the first test.
However, I informally know the individual who sells the Arredondo powder bar.
And we exchanged emails. And also talked on the phone.
While he did not find any fault with my tests. He, like others, were surprised at the results.
And asked me to conduct the same test using a finer grain of powder.
I agreed. And the powder I am using in this test .. is Alliance Power Pistol.
It is a flat, flake powder. Very thin. And the granules are consistent in size.
If your equipment is not tight. Or you have a sloppy technique.
This powder will leak like a sieve, because it is so fine.
The tests are the same. The difference is I am using Alliance Power Pistol instead of Vihtavuoir's N310.
I fully intended to keep all of the factors the same, but could not.
In the first test, I used the Dillon powder measure I set aside for reloading 32 Auto.
To conduct this test, using the same powder measure, I cleaned out the N310 powder.
And replaced it with Power Pistol. Unfortunately, the Dillon powder measure body ..
being used with N310 was not tight enough to keep Power Pistol confined.
And I started getting powder leakage.
So for Test Two, I used the Dillon powder measure that I use for my 9MM loads.
The 9MM powder measure was used for both the Dillon extra small powder bar.
And the Arredondo powder bar.
While setting up the test for the Arredondo powder bar.
The Arredondo broke.
So I had to send it in, for warranty repair.
So while it is the same Arredondo powder bar, used in Test One.
It had a repair performed before testing started.
Both the Dillon extra small powder bar and the Arredondo powder bar have the
UniqueTek micrometer installed.
The RCBS competition powder measure comes with its own micrometer.
A powder baffle was used in both the Dillon powder measure and RCBS powder measure.
The tests for the Dillon and Arrendondo powder bars were conducted on my Dillon 550B press.
The tests for the RCBS powder measure were conducted on my Lee classic single stage press.
This ensured the RCBS powder measure was solidly anchored.
While I do not know of any load recipes that use 2.0 grains of Power Pistol.
To allow someone to compare, the results from Test One to the results from Test Two.
The target weight for Test Two was also 2.0 grains.
A GEMPRO 250 electronic scale was used to measure the loads.
This scale has an advertised accuracy
of .02 grains.
Before testing began, I verified the scale.
As seen in this photo.
Using an RCBS checkweight.
Once the powder assembly was ready. I dispensed and individually weighed 100 charges each.
That was 100 charges for the Dillion.
100 charges for the Arredondo.
And 100 charges for the RCBS.
To test for accuracy, the following statistics were created from each of the 100 charges.
Minimum charge.
Maximum charge.
Average charge.
Range. Which is the difference between the minimum and maximum.
Standard deviation.
Average weight of the first ten charges.
Average weight of the last ten charges.
And mode count.
To test for drift or consistency.
The following statistics were created for the first 25 charges.
Then the second 25 charges.
The third 25 charges.
And then the final 25 charges.
Minimum charge.
Maximum charge.
Average charge.
Range.
Standard deviation.
Then by comparing these statistics for each group of 25. We can see if we are experiencing drift.
Like Test One, I let the numbers speak for themselves.
I have no preference for either Dillon, Arredondo or RCBS.
Or any other powder measure.
As you look at these results, keep in mind the scale has a .02 grain accuracy.
This is a level of accuracy, that most of us are not used to seeing when weighing powder charges.
For the Dillon extra small powder bar. The statistics for all 100 charges are as follows.
Remember, the target weight is 2.0 grains.
Minimum charge 1.92 grains.
Maximum charge 2.06.
Average charge 2.00.
Range 0.14.
Standard deviation .02.
Average weight of the first ten charges 2.00.
Average weight of the last ten charges 2.01.
For the Arredondo powder bar, the statistics for all 100 charges are as follows.
Minimum charge 1.92.
Maximum charge 2.08.
Average charge 2.01.
Range 0.16.
Standard deviation .03.
Average weight of the first ten charges 2.02.
Average weight of the last ten charges 2.02.
For the RCBS powder measure, the statistics for all 100 charges are as follows.
Minimum charge 1.86.
Maximum charge 2.10.
Average charge 2.00.
Range 0.24.
Standard deviation .05.
Average weight of the first ten charges 2.01.
Average weight of the last ten charges 2.01.
The statistical mode is a number that it's most often repeated in a list of numbers.
In the following table, the actual mode for each powder measure is highlighted in yellow.
A blank cell means the powder measure never threw a charge in that weight.
When you first look at these numbers,
your first reaction may be the numbers for your favorite
powder measure are spread out too much.
Actually, these numbers are close.
The difference between the lightest charge of 1.86.
And the heaviest charge of 2.10.
Is only .24 grains.
That is less than a quarter of a grain
across all 100 charges.
If you are used to seeing charge weights, to the tenth of a grain.
Then if we take this table, and arithmetically around to the tenth.
Then the table would look like this.
Now let's look at consistency.
This test was to determine how much the powder assemblies drift over the 100 charges.
Instead of reading the numbers to you. I'll go mute, and give you time to read them.
First the Dillon. [music]
For the Arredondo, we have the following. [music]
The numbers for the RCBS are as follows. [music]
In this section of the video, I'm going to show you how I have my reloading press installed.
I am not saying that any one of these factors helped or hindered accuracy.
I am just showing you how the press used to test the Dillon extra small
and Arredondo powder bars is configured and maintained.
I go into more detail on some of these things, in my powder leakage video.
The press is a Dillon 550B.
The workbench is solid wood.
This includes top, frame, legs and shelf.
The work bench's top is one and three-quarter inches thick.
The benche's legs ..
are three and one quarter inches square.
The bench is anchored on two sides to the house's wall studs.
The third side is reinforced with industrial angle iron.
The press is grounded. And the powder measure has additional grounding.
An anti-static dryer sheet is wrapped around the hopper.
I use CNC machined tool heads and they are clamped to the press.
I use Dillon's thick spacer bar as necessary when using the Dillon power bar.
I use Dillon's standard spacer bar when using the Arredondo powder bar.
And I use a powder baffle.
Both the Dillon extra small powder bar and the Arredondo powder bar,
have the UniqueTeK micrometer installed.
Since I started using this micrometer years ago, I cannot imagine reloading without it.
The RCBS competition powder measure has a built in micrometer.
I use springs or rubber bands, to power assist with powder bar return.
It is my opinion this gives a consistent speed and force, to the powder bar returning to station.
So if I'm a little slow in raising the press's handle one time.
And a little fast on another.
It doesn't matter as much, because the energy used to return the powder bar
comes mostly from the springs and/or rubber bands.
When I begin to see wear or aging.
On either on the bell crank cube.
Or spacer bar plug.
I replace the bellcrank cube. And I also replace the spacer bar plug.
And I also replace the body collar sleeve.
Which is inside the body collar.
I use Inline Fabrication's Intermediate Plate.
This is a steel plate that goes on top
of the Dillon Strong Mount.
For me it provides two benefits.
First, it connects the two tops of the Strong Mount using a solid steel plate.
Thus providing a more rigid mount.
Second. it provides a solid surface for the press to sit on.
Without the plate, the press can only sit on the two tops of the strong mount.
And the rest of the press is not resting on anything.
In this test, I did not see a runaway winner or loser.
All of them produced an average of 2.0 grains over 100 charges.
All of them had a statistical range of less than a quarter of a grain.
And all of them have a standard deviation in the hundreds of a grain.
However, the results of this test did reinforce the decision I made in Test One.
As you may recall, the purpose of Test One was for me to determine which powder measure
gave me the powder charge accuracy and consistency I was looking for
using my powder of choice when reloading 32 Auto.
So whether or not your favorite powder measure had the best numbers.
I hope this video was useful to you. And thank you for watching.
[dramatic music for rest of video]