RCBS Uniflow 3 and stick powder

[maroonandwhite]

I just setup my new UPM-3 today and am having some (expected) trouble when using stick powder. IMR 3031 in particular. 
 

I’m doing the break in process by running 1-2lbs of powder through it to get a layer of graphite on the surfaces. On almost every pull it hangs up when trying to “cut” the charge. It seems to be common sense that this is going to happen with larger sticks of powder as opposed to flake or ball powder. Are there any tricks out there or is this just the nature of the beast. The charges can be up to 1 gr higher when this happens. With flake powder they are almost perfect. 
 

[leroy]

An old time problem with stick powder and these powder measures.  We always threw em a bit light, then trickled em on the scales to the exact weight...  All the vari volume powder measures have this problem... Sigh...

leroy

[RED333]

1 minute ago, leroy said:

An old time problem with stick powder and these powder measures.  We always threw em a bit light, then trickled em on the scales to the exact weight...  All the vari volume powder measures have this problem... Sigh...

leroy

This is the very reason I made a trickier, throw lite and trickle to weight.

[maroonandwhite]

2 minutes ago, RED333 said:

This is the very reason I made a trickier, throw lite and trickle to weight.

Recommend a trickler? I know they are a simple thing but the RCBS looks the best built to me. I’m also considering a beam scale over a digital but for now my little digital Hornady will get the job done. 

[Quavodus]

I use to load a lot of IMR4350, it measures like a bad dream. I just ran the measure sort of firmly. Seemed to work ok.

[maroonandwhite]

Just now, Quavodus said:

I use to load a lot of IMR4350, it measures like a bad dream. I just ran the measure sort of firmly. Seemed to work ok.

I don’t have any other stick powder to compare but it seems like this 3031 is extra thick. Like it would be tough to shear it off. Even with a firm movement it will just stop it in place occasionally. 

[leroy]

Maroon.  

RE...Recommend a trickler? ... I like the RCBS trickler.  They used ta be cast aluminum.  Plenty heavy enough n smooth.   Have trickled a bunch of 300 win mag loads thru em .. 

leroy.

Edited October 18, 2020 by leroy

[Raoul]

1 hour ago, Quavodus said:

I use to load a lot of IMR4350, it measures like a bad dream. I just ran the measure sort of firmly. Seemed to work ok.

Same here. Seemed to work pretty well.

[maroonandwhite]

I tinkered with it more last night and think I finally found a rhythm with the stick powder. Once I developed a little muscle memory for when the “catch” comes on the up stroke I was able to apply a little more pressure to shear off the powder. 
 

Im still eventually going to get a beam scale and powder trickled but for now I can make do with a slight variation. It seems to be about +- .03grains. 
 

Im impressed with it though. With flake or ball it’s dead nuts consistent. I’m about to experiment with some 125 grain bullets in the .308. I normally shoot 180’s but just for fun I want to see how the lighter bullets behave. 

[Ray Z]

Best bucks I ever spent on reloading equipment. [ Well after buying my rock chucker ]I used to hate to load bottle neck cartridges before someone here suggested this......    https://www.brownells.com/reloading/powder-handling/powder-measures-dispensers/chargemaster-combo-scale-and-dispenser-sku749008386-33642-71484.aspx.

Next step was the length of time it took for it the throw a charge. Here again it was here that I got a code that changed the time it took for it to go from fast to trickle on the charge.

[Grunt67]

Yep! No way around it that I've ever found. Throw light & trickle.

[Ray Z]

Not only was the chargemaster faster, but it eliminated another possible  problem in missing a charge once in a while. Love mine. Well worth the bucks. 

[mike_f]

On 10/19/2020 at 11:00 AM, maroonandwhite said:

I tinkered with it more last night and think I finally found a rhythm with the stick powder. Once I developed a little muscle memory for when the “catch” comes on the up stroke I was able to apply a little more pressure to shear off the powder.

snip

The proper rhythm certainly helps.

Also consider getting a powder baffle to help with charge weight consistency (didn't see one in photo). They're cheap & help charge weight consistency with all types of powder grain shapes.

https://www.rcbs.com/powder-measure/accessories/powder-baffle/545.html