How many use the lee dippers instead of a scale?

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EugeneNine

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Just getting started and I have the lee hand press with the little dippers. I see there isn't much choice of loads for it, only a few on their chart and then only a few out of those that match the dipper. Can I find more references to use other powders with the dipper or should I just wait and buy a scale?

There isn't much choice of powder available, but I've found some not listed on lee's chart.
 
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I use both

EugeneNine said:
Just getting started and I have the lee hand press with the little dippers. I see there isn't much choice of loads for it, only a few on their chart and then only a few out of those that match the dipper. Can I find more references to use other powders with the dipper or should I just wait and buy a scale?

There isn't much choice of powder available, but I've found some not listed on lee's chart.
Click to expand...

The chart is not very accurate. I check what the scoop throws with a particular powder on the scale no matter what the chart says. I've got a little Lee balance scale that works great for about $25.
 
I also use the dippers and check the weight with a scale instead of going by the chart. The chart is usually pretty close, though.
 
I'll use the dippers if I'm assembling a service-level load, but not for anything approaching a top-ender. They just don't have the consistency or flexibility of a measure, nor the accuracy of a scale.
Buy a scale. It's the second-most important piece of your reloading gear (after press & dies). A measure will save you some time AFTER you've developed consistent, accurate reloading habits. Hope this helps.

Larry
 
++^^
I use them all the time instead of a scale for loading. BUT, I verify first with a scale what the particular scoop is throwing. It can vary (a lot) from what the chart may say depending on the technique you use, the particular lot of powder, how much humidity it's absorbed, ect.
No max loads directly from a scoop.
They are handy though for those that load up small batches of different caliber ammo and don't want or need to set up a powder measure each time.
 
Every reloader needs a scale. While I use dippers I concur that they seldom dip a charge per the slide rule like chart. With practice you can get consistent charge weights however.

For handguns, I look for a "dipper load". I don't always want to change what my Dillon is set up for when I'm only going to load 50 or so rounds.

For rifles, I use the dipper to dip a charge into the scale pan and then bring it up to desired weight with the trickler. Occasionally I work toward a dipper load for a rifle cartridge but only when I am using a ball powder.

Hope it helps.

Jim
 
I always wanted the most consistent loads possible. So even when I use Lee loaders that you knock to gather with a hammer I use a good powder drop or scale. Been loading since 1979 and started with a Lee Loader in 303 British. I load 130 cartridges in just about every way possible. I made a few dippers for Black Powder, and have used Lee dippers for shot charges on BP shot shells, but never smokeless powder. Ivan
 
I use the dippers to measure shot for my homemade 45 colt shotshells. The dippers they provide with their dies are a joke. I have a set of 7.62 x 38 Nagant dies and the scoop is marked 3.0 CC. You can't fit that much powder into the case. Spend a few bucks and get a good powder measure and scale!
 
dippers

Eugene,

I'm fairly new to reloading also. I use Lee dippers a lot, although not like you think.

I strongly agree with other posters here regarding getting a scale.

Currently I'm loading with IMR 4350. It is a very large / course particle powder that doesn't work so great in my RCBS powder drop.

I have a full set of Lee dippers. I also have a beam scale. I use the dipper that gives me close to the load I want. Drop it into the pan of my scale, and then use a trickler to get the right amount.

As others have mentioned, if you are new to the hobby, and don't want to spend a lot get the Lee beam scale.

My 2 cents
 
The thing with any fixed chamber measuring device is you are severely limited in your load selection. Sure, you can modifiy your dippers to deliver exact charges off the chart, but then you need more dippers & need to manage them. No thanks, an adjustable powder measure is sooooo much easier, reliable & more accurate.
Even if you use dippers, YOU MUST HAVE a good scale. The Lee guide is flawed, the charge wt you get is always lower than the chart. Your technique may also vary, a scale tells you exactly what the charge wt is. IMO, dippers are a WAG w/o a scale to verify them.
 
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When you get your scale, run 25 dipped charges across it to check your accuracy using a dipper. You will thank us.
 
I'll have to sneak a scale past the wife now :)
The problem I'm running into is that I can't find any of the powder listed on lee's sheet, dipper or scale. I found some other powders in stock so I went over to Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com and grabbed all for 9mm. However the bullets I managed to find are copper plated round nose. That chart lists plain lead round nose and FMJ but I don't see any plated. Cabelas has IIRC Win231 and IMR 800X. But the fact that my Lee chart doesn't list those as acceptable for plated RN but does for FMJ and RN and Hodgdon's doesn't even list plated I can't use them. I just grabbed the first bullets that became available.
 
EugeneNine said:
I'll have to sneak a scale past the wife now :)
The problem I'm running into is that I can't find any of the powder listed on lee's sheet, dipper or scale. I found some other powders in stock so I went over to Cartridge Loads - Hodgdon Reloading Data Center - data.hodgdon.com and grabbed all for 9mm. However the bullets I managed to find are copper plated round nose. That chart lists plain lead round nose and FMJ but I don't see any plated. Cabelas has IIRC Win231 and IMR 800X. But the fact that my Lee chart doesn't list those as acceptable for plated RN but does for FMJ and RN and Hodgdon's doesn't even list plated I can't use them. I just grabbed the first bullets that became available.
Click to expand...

Here's some info about reloading plated bullets that you might find helpful Berry's Frequently Asked Questions â?? FAQ's
 
If you reload a scale is a necessity. I was using the Lee powder dippers as I found them accurate enough, and quicker than my RCBS Uniflow powder measure.

But, in winter the static electricity caused the powders to cling to the dipper and I had problems throwing the charges so I quit using them.
 
Wash them in dish detergent

semperfi71 said:
If you reload a scale is a necessity. I was using the Lee powder dippers as I found them accurate enough, and quicker than my RCBS Uniflow powder measure.

But, in winter the static electricity caused the powders to cling to the dipper and I had problems throwing the charges so I quit using them.
Click to expand...

Wash them in dish detergent and let them dry w/o rinsing the soapy water off. Voila. No static.

Some peeps wipe everything with clothes dryer sheets to keep static down.
 
I use dippers in conjunction with a scale. Checking any load that does not look or feel right. I have an old coffee mug which I dip from. I find that if the powder level in the mug changes dramatically my throws from the dippers will start changing. Dippers work fine, but you have to have a scale or you'll never know what you are really loading. These days I only go through a few hundred rounds a year, so weighing each load is not a big deal.
 
I use a Lee dipper to trickle the power into the scale pan. don't mess with them otherwise.
 
I'm an old reloader. When I was young, I watched my father (1950s), then when I got a little older (1960s) I worked and he watched. Every move like a hawk. By 1970 I was out on my own and loading. And I bought a set of the then Lee dippers and a Lyman scale. For most general shooting loads, the Lee dippers worked fine. I particularly like the smallest one listing 3.0 gr of Bullseye. It became my standard go to load for 38 wadcutters.

Someplace along the line I picked up a newer set of dippers. I don't recall that I've used them, but I don't care. There's no way I'd use dippers for anything even approaching maximum loads. But for mild play loads they work just fine. I'm not sure why all the hesitation here.

In my piles of junk I've got a couple of stand alone measures. Now the 2 sets of Lee dippers. And a few beam type scales, one new digital electronic and a very old chemistry balance beam. But if I'm loading light target loads, I use the dippers.

And I have a routine. I dip the powder and pour it in the case. Then I put the dipper down and pick up a bullet and start it by hand. Then into the press it goes. I will never charge more than one case at a time and then I always seat the bullet. I works for me and I'm not changing.
 
rwsmith said:
Wash them in dish detergent and let them dry w/o rinsing the soapy water off. Voila. No static.

Some peeps wipe everything with clothes dryer sheets to keep static down.
Click to expand...

Appreciate that, but it did not work in my case. I do not know why because your assistance is "conventional wisdom". But the measure still had powder "clunging/clinging" to them.

I use them for loading my blackpowder handgun cartridges.
 
I use the Lee dippers sometimes when I load a few rounds to try, but I do check every 10'th round with the scale. These dippers are accurate as long as you always dip in a consistant way.

I believe these cartridges were .32 H&R mag.....
 
Cabelas had Hodgdon Tightgroup in stock. Looks like I need 3.9 grains starting and the .3 dipper is 3.5grains so too small already and I read in a lot of places that they are actually calibrated a little low. So scale is on order. I'm betting if they had a .4cc dipper it would be about right as the .5 is too big. I may take a cartridge and make one like I saw on many forums.

My range is 250 miles away so I want to keep a small minimal setup that I can carry there easily. Right now everything fits in a plastic ammo box.
 
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