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Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? (Read 5906 times)

JCHannum Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 435 Location: Toledo Joined: Aug 8^th, 2007	Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Sep 19^th, 2013 at 10:12pm	Print Post
	I have a new in the box 50's vintageLyman 55 powder measure. It is orange with the knocker on the spout. It does not seem to be consistant in throwing a charge. I was aiming for 4.0g of Unique, and got weights varying from 3.6-3.7g to 4.2-4.3g. I have had similar results with 4227. This seems excessive to me. Is there anything I should be looking for, it is clean and all appears to be tight and proper. Is this the best I can expect from this measure?

	Jim H.
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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7265 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #1 - Sep 19^th, 2013 at 10:30pm	Print Post
	Are you using just the "D" slide? If so, try it with the D & E sides together. A setting of 10 with the D & E, is suppose to be 4.0 gr. Frank

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JCHannum Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 435 Location: Toledo Joined: Aug 8^th, 2007	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #2 - Sep 20^th, 2013 at 9:58pm	Print Post
	I am using the original setting table for the measure. It recommends using the top slide set at 8 for 4 grains. I ended up with it set at 10. The sheet is dated 1954, I believe Unique has been reformulated since then which could account for the difference. I will try using both slides the next time to see if that helps. My other measure is a Lee plastic measure which throws a charge within +- 0.1g. I had hopes of similar repeatability from the Lyman.

	Jim H.
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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #3 - Sep 20^th, 2013 at 10:22pm	Print Post
	The addition of a powder baffle might help to improve things? JLouis

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Fred Boulton Oldtimer Offline Posts: 801 Joined: Jan 6^th, 2007	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #4 - Sep 21^st, 2013 at 7:01am	Print Post
	Mine came with a powder baffle. it was hopeless---totally inconsistent. I threw the baffle away and all my problems with the measure disappeared. Fred


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RJM Full Member Offline Posts: 212 Location: State of Confusion Joined: Oct 15^th, 2006	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #5 - Sep 21^st, 2013 at 1:39pm	Print Post
	Sinclair makes a powder bottle adapter that incorporates a baffle. I have these on Lyman/Culver and a Redding measure - they work well, do not increase the variability, and are convenient. Before I put the adapter on the Redding, I tried combinations of one and two baffles in various positions in it, but no combination was better than just the one that came with Redding from the factory. The Culver has the advantage of click adjustments, while the Redding has a micrometer. Both are easy to adjust once you've made a plot of measure reading vs grains of a particular powder. With very light charges of powder, you're better off with a pistol measure. Redding also offers a second micrometer for measuring light pistol charges. Ohaus also made a measure that had two separate micrometers for light pistol charges, and rifle charges. The multiple scales on the factory Lyman 55 have always seemed to me to be more trouble to adjust. Right now my Lyman/Ideal 5, 6, and 55 measures just sit clamped to a shelf for display. Regards, Ron


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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #6 - Sep 21^st, 2013 at 6:44pm	Print Post
	RJM wrote on Sep 21^st, 2013 at 1:39pm: Right now my Lyman/Ideal 5, 6, and 55 measures just sit clamped to a shelf for display. Regards, Ron They do certainly make a nice display, but I'd quit shooting BP if deprived of the use of my 5 & 6; especially the #6--I enjoy using it so much I'd go into the business of selling reloads if I thought anyone would buy them. And I never weigh BP charges anymore, because I've found the settings on the slides are so accurate. I fitted the #5 with a baffle shaped exactly like the one in my Redding BR, because I also sometimes use it for large-grained smokeless powders I don't want to run through the Redding. Oh yes...if you ever find that your #6 is taking up too much space on your workbench, let me know.


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Elijah Ex Member	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #7 - Sep 21^st, 2013 at 7:54pm	Print Post
	About a year ago I bought one off ebay just to say I had one. I fooled with it for awhile and consigned it back to the old box it came in. My Ohaus DU-O-Measure is the most accurate measure I've ever owned.


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boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7542 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #8 - Sep 22^nd, 2013 at 11:15am	Print Post
	I only use two measures for fast pistol powers. Bonanza fixed rotor's for almost everything or the Harrell's Small Pistol-Schuetzen when working up loads. Get the charge right I modify one of the Bonanza rotors to throw the charge found with the Harrell's. Either one throws consistent Unique W231 or Hodgen Clays. Bonanza is faster to use, you move it over the loading block cartridge to cartridge rather than mounted My Orange 55 won't throw anything but Black Powder consistent, even with Black it won't throw as good as the Belding and Mull. However some of the older 55's with Bushed housings will throw better than the newer Orange all cast models. Precision is just not there with the newer Lyman's Boats


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Cat_Whisperer Frequent Elocutionist Offline No 1, 9.3x74R Posts: 3877 Location: Mountains of Virginia Joined: Apr 17^th, 2004	Re: Lyman 55 Powder Measure too much to expect? Reply #9 - Sep 22^nd, 2013 at 1:33pm	Print Post
	I have several vintages of 55's. Some are accurate with some powders, others with other powders.

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