RCBS Uniflow -Added Baffle-Much Better

steamloco76 · Dec 4, 2013

I have an early 1990's RCBS Uniflow powder measure which I've used to throw well over 20,000 charges. It will meter most powders very well, unless the charge weights get below 5 grains or so.

While ordering some other products at Midway, I noticed they now sell the RCBS powder baffle that comes in the new Uniflow measures as a separate part for under $10. Added it to my order.

WOW- huge difference in consistency with Unique and 2400!
My 5.0 grain Unique charges all dropped within a 10th of a grain and I didn't have to keep readjusting.

If you have the RCBS Uniflow and don't have the powder baffle, buy the baffle it is worth the price.

arjay · Dec 4, 2013

Hmm I may need one.I use far more Unique than any other powder.

Kevin G · Dec 4, 2013

I was having same issue w/my Uniflow and Unique, baffle and smaller rotor solved the problem.
Kevin

Coaltminer · Dec 4, 2013

I have a '73 RCBS uniflow, I'll check it out. Thanks

SweetMK · Dec 4, 2013

Decades ago, I found the baffle to work great!

Mine is home made. Simply a piece of cardboard, bent in the shape of an inverted "V".

Cut to shape to fit in the powder tube.

Then cut a little "flat" at the bottom of each leg of the inverted V.

Stuff the baffle down near the bottom of the tube.

The powder goes past the baffle consistently, WOOT!!

I think I used a poker type playing card, so the cardboard would have a kind of plastic coating.

Now a days, that plastic that EVERYTHING ships in would probably be perfect.

You know the packaging, the clear stuff you can not get into without a Japanese sword!

JBnTx · Dec 4, 2013

That powder baffle is an absolute must have for the RCBS uniflow powder measure.

Peter M. Eick · Dec 4, 2013

Do you put your baffle at the bottom (where I do) or in the middle as shown on some of the Redding pictures?

SweetMK · Dec 4, 2013

Peter M. Eick said:
Do you put your baffle at the bottom (where I do) or in the middle as shown on some of the Redding pictures?

Depends on your loading technique. Near the bottom gives more capacity per fill.

Up just a little (1/2") seems to give more consistency, for me, anyways.

Peter M. Eick · Dec 4, 2013

I expect your observations are more universal than we expect. I have mine loose in the flow so it drops to the bottom. I have wondered if maybe up a bit would be better. Let's see what the crowd says and maybe we can improve our techniques.

SweetMK · Dec 4, 2013

Peter M. Eick said:
I expect your observations are more universal than we expect. I have mine loose in the flow so it drops to the bottom. I have wondered if maybe up a bit would be better. Let's see what the crowd says and maybe we can improve our techniques.

Mine is home made, and kinda "springy", so I push it to a position, and it stays.

Steve in Vermont · Dec 4, 2013

Just below the 1/2 way mark seems to work well in my Redding but everyone should experiment and determine what works best with their measure and powder. That's why the baffle is so easily adjustable.

Paul5388 · Dec 5, 2013

I think baffle position is largely dependent on how long your fingers are. I have a couple of baffles that have some spring tension to them. It looks like they are intended to be positioned and then left there when the hopper is emptied. I don't remember the brand, but I think they came from Midway or Graf's.

Steelhead · Dec 5, 2013

I made my own baffle from the bottom of a peanut can.
I defiantly does better with it.

snowman · Dec 5, 2013

I have the RCBS baffle and it is designed to drop to, and rest in the bottom of the reservoir. I'm sure it can be bent so as to hold it fast to the reservoir wall further up.

I use a Vihtavuori stick powder and I'm still not really sure how much the baffle helps with that stuff. It should help some, since it keeps the full weight of the powder from pressing against the bottom.

Regards,
Andy

SgtLumpy · Dec 5, 2013

This is fascinating stuff. I've never known of, heard of, a baffle. So I built one just now out of plastic coated cardboard.

Someone tell me the theory, please.

Does the full weight of the powder (unbaffled) somehow retard the desired fall of powder downward through the hopper?

I guess I'd always thought the opposite. I figured with more weight above the measuring hole, powder would be more likely to fall into the right place.

In use, do you install the baffle, then fill the hopper 3/4 full, then tap the hopper to make the powder settle? Do you have to keep an extra eye on the openings in the baffle to be sure powder is moving through them?

What - wit all the kwesthuns!

Sgt Lumpy

SweetMK · Dec 5, 2013

SgtLumpy said:
Does the full weight of the powder (unbaffled) somehow retard the desired fall of powder downward through the hopper?

I guess I'd always thought the opposite. I figured with more weight above the measuring hole, powder would be more likely to fall into the right place.

In use, do you install the baffle, then fill the hopper 3/4 full, then tap the hopper to make the powder settle? Do you have to keep an extra eye on the openings in the baffle to be sure powder is moving through them?

IMHO, if the tube is full, and no baffle, more pressure is filling the measure.
The powder weight is "ramming" the powder into the measure.

Near the bottom, there is less fill of the measure.

The baffle insures consistency.

No tapping,

The baffle could be 50% open at the edges, and still be effective.

You want the center column of powder weight supported by the baffle.

SgtLumpy · Dec 6, 2013

Well I tried it this morning.

I made a simple cardboard baffle that resembled the pics of the commercial, aluminum version.

Just got done running 100 powder throws just to see how consistant it was. My first powder throw was 4.1gr. My 100th was 4.1gr. And so was every throw inbetween. I wasn't loading cartridges, just checking how the powder throw was working with the cardboard baffle.

Without the baffle, I would typically get about half a tenth of a grain variance and consider it normal. (Lee LoadMaster and powder dispenser, micrometer volume adjustment option)

Thanks for the tip.

Happy, now, to be baffled...

Sgt Lumpy

mr-mom · Dec 6, 2013

Started out many years ago without the baffle, switched to using one about 10 years ago. Never looked back. Consistent, consistent, consistent!
Dave

Alk8944 · Dec 7, 2013

Here is an alternative to the bent metal baffles, and it is usable in any size of hopper instead of having to be sized to the specific hopper diameter. It doesn't interfere with emptying the hopper either. Just a medium size plastic kitchen funnel!

Bart45 · Dec 7, 2013

The Belding & Mull dispenser drops the powder out of a separate chamber with a window that always has the same amount of powder in it, rather than the main hopper Very advanced design for probably 50 years old.

RCBS Uniflow -Added Baffle-Much Better

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