Spilling Powder While Charging Cases Help Please

[s1mp13m4n]

Hello everyone. I have an issue that I can not seem to solve. I am charging 38 special brass with Accurate #5. The brass is sitting in a 38/357 loading block. I am using a Lee funnel and Lee 0.3cc dipper. The dipped powder is going into the funnel. After I charge fifty rounds there is piwder on the block. The loose piwder fills about 1/3 of the 0.3cc dipper. What am I doing wrong? There should be no gunpiwder on the loading block at all.

[s&wchad]

That amount of powder over 50 rounds is negligible, especially when using Lee Dippers.

There are better funnels on the market, but I wouldn’t bother. RCBS funnels are good and I’ve used them for decades, but LEE funnels are fine. I recently picked up a used Frankford Arsenal set with specific caliber bushings, but I would never buy them at close to retail.

[bigggbbruce]

Dump.. tap, tap.. on funnel.. move to next case..

A little static electricity?? I have graphite I rub on to eliminate sticking on my scale..

[s1mp13m4n]

Originally Posted by bigggbbruce

Dump.. tap, tap.. on funnel.. move to next case..

A little static electricity?? I have graphite I rub on to eliminate sticking on my scale..

Did not think about static cling. Yep that is happening. I bet it is happening when I move the funnel from place to place. Dump tap tap. How simple is that? I’m an idiot. LOL

[ontargetagain]

Originally Posted by s1mp13m4n

Did not think about static cling. Yep that is happening. I bet it is happening when I move the funnel from place to place. Dump tap tap. How simple is that? I’m an idiot. LOL

No, not an idiot these are all things we have learned by trial and error
Could also be in your humidity issues where the powder is sticking to the funnel or moving the dipper too fast and the powder blowing off the top?
Now if you pick up a case and have a lot of powder in the block you better look for a hole in the bottom of the case, otherwise known as a missing primer LOL
The powdered graphite makes for a good dry lube on the funnel but you can also pour your powder through it a time or two and it will tend to naturally seal and become more slick too.
Karl

[AJ]

Check to see if your funnel is fully seated on the case mouth. I just started loading .38 ACP recently. I was having the same problem. I discovered that the shorter cases weren't properly seated in my funnel. I need to make a thinner loading block to let the case mouths be more exposed. (sounds kind of risque, doesn't it).

[Irate45]

I learned a trick many years ago to stop powder from clinging to a plastic funnel. I wash the funnel with liquid dishwashing soap and water. Don't rinse the funnel with plain water. Let the soap dry on it. Works on powder measure tubes also.

[DCC]

Invest in Lee Turret with Auto-measure...
I now have two - a three hole and a four hole and a total of about ten turrets all set up in different cals - PISTOL AND RIFLE
A lot of people slag off Lee vs RCBS etc I don't have a problem
But if anyone wants a RCBS 4X4 I got one For Sale
c/w 4 shell plates and a bunch of dies - buyer collects
BTW - I don't work for Lee and LIVE in UK.

[dmy]

Try a used dryer sheet on your dippers, funnel, mouth of the powder container, and even your loading block to remove static cling.

[s1mp13m4n]

Thanks everyone for the help.

[fredj338]

It can only be one of two things. Your funnel doesnt fit or your technique is lacking. Sounds like you sourced it.

[J. R. WEEMS]

Hmmm? Well, no matter how careful I am, I find a speck or two of powder when reloading. No matter how I wipe out the pan with a dryer cloth I find a speck or two hangs back in the pan then comes loose. Not enough to concern me but I dont like it either. I use a RCBS Charge Master, so each is loaded one at a time. I just clean it up and NEVER put it back in the can or reservoir.

[SMSgt]

When that happens to me, I find the mouth of the funnel has caught on the surrounding opening of the RCBS loading block, preventing the funnel from fully seating on the case mouth.

[F75gunslinger]

By "dump,tap,tap" he means dump the powder measure in the funnel, then tap it against the side of the funnel a couple times to tap out any loose powder. I too think that your funnel isn't seating all the way against the case.

[ArchAngelCD]

Are you holding the funnel with one hand while dumping the powder with the other? Holding the funnel will insure it's flush with the case mouth minimizing any spilling. Like said above, tap the side of the funnel to be sure all the powder drops into the case.

Did you shoot your ammo yet? I might have missed the report.

[gwpercle]

It's very easy to NOT get the mouth of the funnel directly over the case mouth. Any offset or funnel leaning will leave grains of powder on the case holding block .
Make sure there is enough room for the funnel to fit all the way down and over the case mouth . A loading block hole that is too deep will interfer with the funnel .
After dumping powder into funnel , tap on funnel with dipper to dislodge any clinging grains , lift the funnel 1/16 th inch and tap again to make sure the flared case mouth isn't sticking to the funnel . I've lifted the funnel with a case stuck just enough to drop back down and spill a few grains of powder.
You can do the anti static soap coating / dryer sheet rubbing things , they help a little but not for long...tapping works best .
Gary

[mikld]

I got in the habit, many years ago, of watching what I was doing, especially when charging cases. I make sure the funnel is snug against the case, dip, dump (watching if any powder falls out around the case/funnel), and tap the dipper on the side of the funnel, and watching when I remove the funnel for any stray powder. I have a Lee funnel, an RCBS funnel and back when I was reloading .223, I made paper cones to use as funnels because my two funnels were not a "perfect" fit...

[s1mp13m4n]

Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD

Are you holding the funnel with one hand while dumping the powder with the other? Holding the funnel will insure it's flush with the case mouth minimizing any spilling. Like said above, tap the side of the funnel to be sure all the powder drops into the case.

Did you shoot your ammo yet? I might have missed the report.

Yes, I am holding the funnel upright so it does not lean to one side while pouring the dipper into the funnel. I noticed powder sticking to the funnel. That was my problem.

[Nevada Ed]

Plastic funnels are ok................... but I picked up a small hole
tin/aluminum one some where and it works for me.

Smoothed the walls out with some steel wool and gave it a wax job.

A good fit over the case is important..........
good luck.

[gwpercle]

Originally Posted by Nevada Ed

Plastic funnels are ok................... but I picked up a small hole
tin/aluminum one some where and it works for me.

Smoothed the walls out with some steel wool and gave it a wax job.

A good fit over the case is important..........
good luck.

Agree , small aluminum powder funnels are the best...hard to find but they work great, powders flows like water .

For transferring powder , from your dipping cup or from your measure reservoir back into the powder container a slightly larger aluminum or stainless steel funnel works so much better than plastic . I found a set of 3 stainless steel funnels , small , medium and large , in the cooking section of wally mart ... absolutely the best thing for transferring powder... beat plastic funnels seven ways to Sunday !
No static and free flowing.
Gary

[bigedp51]

What is the top of your loading bench made of, I had a buddy who put down a piece of Plexiglas that created static electricity problems.

Do you have any florescent lights near your reloading bench?

The type of clothing you wear can build up static electricity.

Is the funnel resting totally on the case mouth, depending on the case length the funnel may be touching the loading block lifting it off the case.

[J. R. WEEMS]

Originally Posted by Nevada Ed

Plastic funnels are ok................... but I picked up a small hole
tin/aluminum one some where and it works for me.

Smoothed the walls out with some steel wool and gave it a wax job.

A good fit over the case is important..........
good luck.

Well, another use for REN WAX?? Ha! We shall see.

[noylj]

I like my Lee funnel.
All plastic parts should be washed in soapy water and allowed to simply air dry.
I never liked loading blocks, so I just charge a case, compare powder height with previous cases, and immediately seat a bullet.

[ArchAngelCD]

Originally Posted by s1mp13m4n

Yes, I am holding the funnel upright so it does not lean to one side while pouring the dipper into the funnel. I noticed powder sticking to the funnel. That was my problem.

Sorry, I missed that.

Like said already, wipe down the funnel with a dryer sheet. It works.

[stansdds]

I wipe down the inside of my powder measure with a used dryer sheet, it really does help with reducing the static charge in the plastic.

[rwsmith]

.....don't work with all loading blocks. I've made a few blocks for cartridges that are rimmed or short.

[scotthickoryky]

Originally Posted by bigggbbruce

Dump.. tap, tap.. on funnel.. move to next case..

A little static electricity?? I have graphite I rub on to eliminate sticking on my scale..

yep,,, exactly,,,,, when i use my scales and funnel which is rare,,,,i dump and tap tap tthe pan on the inside of the funnel