Hi,

I have been loading for a 300 blackout, and recently got some Hogdon Lil Gun.  For rifle loading, I use a RCBS chargemaster 1500, and have never had a problem leaving powder in it.  I am aware of the variety of reasons to always empty your powder measure, but usually set up a press for a caliber and leave it long term.  I have a progressive set for .40, one for .45, and remove the powder measure only rarely.

The Lil Gun seems to be gluing itself to the chargemaster, both the clear tube and the green plastic insides.  It's not static, it won't wipe off, I pretty much have to scrape it off.  I was loading most recently with H110 and it doesn't do this, and I've used a bunch of 4895 loading a variety of rifle loads.

Has anyone else seen this with Lil Gun or the Chargmaster?  We've been using the chargemaster for nearly 10 years.

Thanks,

Mark

I never leave powder in my dispensers but I have seen what you describe before. I have seen it in RCBS Uniflow dispensers also.

Some powders tend to react with the plastic when in contact for prolong periods of time.

So yes it is common and the cure is to empty it after each use.

Motor1

No personal experience but I did find this. :



I try not to leave any powder in the hopper at the end of a reloading session.

I am just spoiled by my experiences with pistol loading, I am not exaggerating that I may not empty the hopper for years.  I shoot matches 10 months out if the year, and just add powder without this happening.  I've done this with 231, bullseye, red dot and others.  I know people using a powder measure for rifle loading empty it, but lots of guy doing mass pistol loading don't.

I put an inch of lil gun in one of my Dillon 550 measures, I will leave it there for a week or so and see what it does.  I'm about to set up a 550 toolhead to do my blackout loading.  

Thanks again.

Jerzey Transplant, that sounds exactly like what happened to me.  Lesson learned.  We'll see if it's different with a Dillon powder measure.

Mark

Yea, that.

I've read some occasional comment about the same thing happening to others, I've read manufactures cautions to not leave powder in the hopper long term specifically because of the possibility of reaction with the plastic of the hopper, and I have done it myself when I first started reloading a long time ago.

So the bottom line is that powders can and will degrade the plastic of the hopper, so the longest I'll leave powder in a hopper is just overnight if I intend to continue on the next day. No longer than that.

Plus, keeping the hopper empty when not in use means that you get a chance to wipe it out with some alcohol and anti-stat before the next load, and that's a good idea anyway to keep the measure throwing consistently.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Yup, happened to mine as well...

This exact thing happened to me with my chargemaster. Lil gun etches quite heavily. It also has a tendency to stick in my powder measures - even the solid brass cylinder on my Harrell's. I have to really watch the charges as it will back off .1-.2 grains as some accumulates inside the drum.

Funny you should bring this up because the same thing happened to me this weekend. I only left the powder in my chargemaster for the morning (got halfway through and had to run the kids somewhere). Cleaning it out was very interesting because I had to coax it out of the spout. Some of the powder clung to the side of the plastic tube, but it was more like static that I have seen before.