*Perfect Custom Powder Scoop*
I have my perfect load worked out for .38 Special using Win 231 powder. I don't like using powder loaders because they can get out of adjustment. But with a scoop, it will never get out of adjustment. But I almost never need an exact cc amount that the Lee powder scopes use. So I came up with the following, using a shell case for the powder and caliber I am loading. This is specific to only one powder and one load. In this case it is the .38 special 4.2 grains of Winchester 231, using Hornady 125 Grain HP/XTp, to be used in a S&W 642-2. A full power load can be a bit harsh on my wrist after a day of shooting.
Lets begin by gathering all the stuff needed.
Powder, powder funnel, knife, caliper (any measuring device will do), glue, pencil, tube cutter, one shell (to be made into your reload powder scoop), and a reloading scale.
Set up the shell and the powder funnel on the scale, then zero out the scale.
Trickle powder in until you have the amount of grains you want.
For me it looked like this, with 4.2 grains pf powder.
Next, take the pencil and place it down in the filled shell until it touches the powder (if you cannot fit a pencil in your shell, cut off a Q-tip and use that). Then mark it at the top of the shell. This will let you know how much of the shell you need to remove. After that, measure it with your calipers. In my case it was 22.19mm so I needed to remove 22.19mm off the top of the case.
That should read 22.19mm, but my hand hit the zero button
Cut the shell down
Put the shell on the scale and zero it. Then fill the shell and weigh it.
(You may have to cut a few shells to get it right.)
Now carve out a notch in the pencil for the shell/scoop and glue it on there.
Clamp it while the glue dries.
Check the finished product at least 10 times to be sure it is right.
Label it and you're done.
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