Power Pistol with Pro Disk
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shovelwrench
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You can load with the disks without a scale.....
While it is a good idea to get a scale to check your drop weights, the disks always drop a little light. So using the chart and disk to drop the weight you want will always be safely less.
Its usually a few .1gr less then the chart will say.
Power Pistol is a great powder and more forgiving than faster powder choices.
Work up from the starting point for function and you'll never have a problem.
If your looking for max/+P type loads, DEFINITELY get a scale....
While it is a good idea to get a scale to check your drop weights, the disks always drop a little light. So using the chart and disk to drop the weight you want will always be safely less.
Its usually a few .1gr less then the chart will say.
Power Pistol is a great powder and more forgiving than faster powder choices.
Work up from the starting point for function and you'll never have a problem.
If your looking for max/+P type loads, DEFINITELY get a scale....
OP
JFerg
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I have the scale that came with the turret press kit but its junk. As much as I love the press over the old rockchucker I use to own at least the RCBS scale was reliable and easy to read. I got a digital scale on the way.
The only recipe I can find for Power Pistol with a 155gr lead bullet came with the Lee dies. At shows a starting charge of 6.7 and max of 7.0. According to their data sheet I should use the .57 hopper to load .40. I tried the .57 hopper and from what I can read from the crappy scales it threw a 4.3ish charge. I say 4.3ish because the way the scale is made its hard to get an exact weight. The .2-.5 all seem to be showing. I worked up to the .71 hopper and now seem to be getting a 6.7ish charge.
Two things: From what I see from other Power Pistol recipes 6.7-7.0 seems low compared to other loads. I bought the dies YEARS ago so I thought maybe the data sheet was outdated.
Has anyone else running PP thru the Pro Disk experienced low charges for the recommended hopper?
The only recipe I can find for Power Pistol with a 155gr lead bullet came with the Lee dies. At shows a starting charge of 6.7 and max of 7.0. According to their data sheet I should use the .57 hopper to load .40. I tried the .57 hopper and from what I can read from the crappy scales it threw a 4.3ish charge. I say 4.3ish because the way the scale is made its hard to get an exact weight. The .2-.5 all seem to be showing. I worked up to the .71 hopper and now seem to be getting a 6.7ish charge.
Two things: From what I see from other Power Pistol recipes 6.7-7.0 seems low compared to other loads. I bought the dies YEARS ago so I thought maybe the data sheet was outdated.
Has anyone else running PP thru the Pro Disk experienced low charges for the recommended hopper?
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shovelwrench
Member
WOW, yeah thats way off somewhere, I would expect 6gr from that disk....
The other thing is usually that plastic beam scale when checked against a digital is extremely close....
Try running one peice of brass through the steps (with the turret turning like it should) and then weigh the charge. Be sure the scale is zeroed with the pan on and somewhat level.... It tends to make a difference.
The only other thing is MAYBE, the disk isn't being thrown the whole way, you don't have enough powder in the hopper, OR you have some static buildup.
Its well known the disks drop light, but not that light, normally I keep upping the disk size till I get the drop I want. But again, I'm using a digital.
Try the scoop that came with the dies. It SHOULD give you a weight to check the scale against.
What size scoop did it come with, I'll get you a number.....
On a side note..
The PP data I have shows 8.2gr for a 150, and 7.3gr for a 170, (no 155s) so I'd say theres some wiggle room in your data..... (these are MAX loads)
The other thing is usually that plastic beam scale when checked against a digital is extremely close....
Try running one peice of brass through the steps (with the turret turning like it should) and then weigh the charge. Be sure the scale is zeroed with the pan on and somewhat level.... It tends to make a difference.
The only other thing is MAYBE, the disk isn't being thrown the whole way, you don't have enough powder in the hopper, OR you have some static buildup.
Its well known the disks drop light, but not that light, normally I keep upping the disk size till I get the drop I want. But again, I'm using a digital.
Try the scoop that came with the dies. It SHOULD give you a weight to check the scale against.
What size scoop did it come with, I'll get you a number.....
On a side note..
The PP data I have shows 8.2gr for a 150, and 7.3gr for a 170, (no 155s) so I'd say theres some wiggle room in your data..... (these are MAX loads)
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ageingstudent
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I'll second that my safety scale is accurate, but I don't like the way it works and I wouldn't trust it as my only scale. I use a small Hornady digital and just use the safety scale to check against the digital periodically.
Fiddling with it to get a good zero is a pain but once it is set it seems to do okay. Still wouldn't want it to be my only scale.
Fiddling with it to get a good zero is a pain but once it is set it seems to do okay. Still wouldn't want it to be my only scale.
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JFerg
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I would hope static wouldn't be an issue. I washed the parts in warm water and wiped out the powder hopper with a dryer sheet.
I've checked to make sure the disk is sliding fully front and back properly and it all seems to be working good.
When I measure the charge with the dipper that came with the dies I get a charge of about 4.8.
I've checked to make sure the disk is sliding fully front and back properly and it all seems to be working good.
When I measure the charge with the dipper that came with the dies I get a charge of about 4.8.
shovelwrench
Member
Yeah, a .5vmd dipper should yield close to 1gr more then that.
Like I said, there's no reason you cant work up to function by starting with the disk that's called for, loading a few from that disk and work your way up through a couple disk sizes larger.
Your starting disk size will probably operate the slide, without a scale you trust, that's all I would be looking for. Although, even at MAX load/disk size, you'll still wind up under the REAL max.
HERE is some additional data, if you notice, one fella has 8gr posted which is more along the lines of the data I have available. Handloads.com is a well trusted sight that I've come to understand verifies all posted loads with manufacturers data.
Like I said, there's no reason you cant work up to function by starting with the disk that's called for, loading a few from that disk and work your way up through a couple disk sizes larger.
Your starting disk size will probably operate the slide, without a scale you trust, that's all I would be looking for. Although, even at MAX load/disk size, you'll still wind up under the REAL max.
HERE is some additional data, if you notice, one fella has 8gr posted which is more along the lines of the data I have available. Handloads.com is a well trusted sight that I've come to understand verifies all posted loads with manufacturers data.
shovelwrench
Member
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This is not very "sound" advice and pretty much incorrect.
Some powders will weigh more, some less. with some powders the discs are not even close!. Your powder will weigh differently than my powder depending on lot number, humidity etc. The discs and dippers are Volume not weight.
Yes you need a quality scale, it's the most important tool in reloading.
If you do not weigh what the disc drops you are pretty much just guessing.
Use the discs and record the weights dropped, write them down. Then consult the manuals or powder companies for the start charge and work up from there.
PP is an excellent powder for the 40 SW, I use a lot of it also in 9mm. Been using the LEE discs for a long time.
OP
JFerg
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While I appreciate your effort to post Alliants loading data Shovelwrench, it still doesn't show anything for a 155gr lead bullet.
I went ahead and took a chance with the scales.I loaded some rounds with the .71 hopper disc to see how it would do. Although they were real accurate the recoil was pretty snappy. Not overkill from a factory load but noticable. Of course this could be a case of over crimping too. Bad habit left over from my SASS days. Think I'll ease up on the crimp a bit and use a smaller one next patch to see how it does.
I went ahead and took a chance with the scales.I loaded some rounds with the .71 hopper disc to see how it would do. Although they were real accurate the recoil was pretty snappy. Not overkill from a factory load but noticable. Of course this could be a case of over crimping too. Bad habit left over from my SASS days. Think I'll ease up on the crimp a bit and use a smaller one next patch to see how it does.
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