Anyone using IMR Target? how are you getting good charge consistency?

Detritus

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Decided to try IMR Target this weekend. have not been able to shoot any loads yet as I can not get it to meter consistently through my current measure (Lee Auto-Drum), getting variations of over a grain, 3.2-4.7grs (this variation exceeds the charge range of this powder in .45acp with 230gr LRN, ie 4.3-5.0gr ).
If I can't get it to work with my pistol-ammo loading setup i'll have no use for it.

Is anyone here currently getting acceptable results (at the bench, ie acceptable charge weight variation) with this powder, and if so what measure setup are you using??

Thank you for your time and any help.info you can provide.
 
For powders that don't measure well in my Dillon measure, I strap an aquarium air pump to the hopper. The vibration helps settle the powder in the charge bar more consistently. Don't know if that would help or not with the Lee Auto-drum.
 
Isnt IMR a fairly small ball type powder? That should meter like water through the auto drum. I have multiple auto drums and they all meter great, even the larger flake powders Ive used rarely vary by more than .1gr. Something is wrong with your powder measure or setup of it, either the hopper isn't turned all the way on, something is gumming up the flow, or the drum is not making a full turn. Without knowing more about your set up I would guess the drum is not fully rotating. This can happen if the amount of flair you have set up is on the low side and variations in brass will put less pressure on the case activated part to fully rotate the drum. The other thing that comes to mind is you may have the screw on the back of the drum rotor too tight, that will limit the amount it will turn also. If you still cant get it metering well let us know, there are some other things we can look at.
 
For powders that don't measure well in my Dillon measure, I strap an aquarium air pump to the hopper. The vibration helps settle the powder in the charge bar more consistently. Don't know if that would help or not with the Lee Auto-drum.
wouldn't work, the hopper on the Auto-drum fits on/into the measure by gravity and friction with a slight bit of wobble, an aquarium pump would likely shake it right off the measure..

Isnt IMR a fairly small ball type powder? That should meter like water through the auto drum.

the following is a flake size comparison a member of another forum did, it's a better answer than I can give on that. since it's been forever since I've used anything but Bullseye, I don't really have a standard of comparison.


I'll be fiddling with the measure some over the next week or so, as well as trying my other press-mounted measure (pro converted auto-disk) to see what results I get.
 
I used to tap-tap-tap-drop the auto disk to get more consistent results with Unique.
 
a little fiddling and I am now getting consistent throws at 4.7grs. so I may have it figured out.

Now to see how this load works out
 
Fine ball powder or stick powder.......most variation ive had is .3 grains with the rcbs powder measure that came with my rock chucker kit. Dillon has been about the same with ball and flake powder, never tried stick powder in it.
 
Report after 100rds between to different pistols...
  • feeds and cycles without issues (most important factor for me currently)
  • Recoil is noticeably snappier than my previous load using Bullseye but not unpleasant.
  • have no chronograph so I don't have velocity data
  • observed accuracy... Not of the same standard as the test loads of Bullseye, but due to the facts that the testing was done offhand and I am woefully out of practice (long story, I haven't fired a round that wasn't at my monthly USPSA match in a year and a half), i'm not ready to blame the load yet. short version, I suck! as you will see in the attached pictures.




Ok on to the target pics (all but 16 rounds fired at 15yards)

First the majority of the rounds fired, through my pistol

4.7grs IMR Target (my gun)




Remainder of 100rd batch fired through wife's 1911. fact that I did this set 2nd, so was a little better wormed up, and her sights still retain their dots (paint in mine went flaky and dingy almost yellow so I scraped it out intending to repaint never did)




4.7grs IMR Target (trish's gun)




need practice, possibly dry fire, to correct issues before I can tell truthfully if it's a load issue or all me.
 
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