Drop tubing methods for the .44-77.

[Distant Thunder]

My 14" drop tube has a collar on it so it fits .40, .44, .45 and .50 caliber and only enters the cases about 1/16 of an inch. I set it on top of the case and pour or dump the powder into the funnel on top with my right hand while holding the collar against the case with my left hand. Like I said I like to keep it simple and this was the simplest drop tube I could figure. It's long enough to do the job and short enough to remain seated through the whole process.

With the case to be filled sitting in a hole drilled near the front edge of my bench my drop tube funnel is at eye level. I can see how and where the powder in going as I pour or dump. I then lay the tube down along side the loading block finger start my LDPE wad in the case and compress in one of the presses mounted on my bench. I dump the next charge from my old Pacific powder measurer and set it on the scale. I put the charged and compressed case back in the block and grab the next empty and place it in the hole in my bench. I pick up the drop tube and go again. Repeat, repeat and repeat until I have everything loaded.

Just dumping the weighed charge in the funnel saves all of 3 seconds so I can go either way. The targets on the 22nd will tell me what works and I'll go with that. I do think it will be interesting to see if there is a difference under match conditions. It's only one target each way so it may take some time to prove it out either way.

There is very little that can go wrong or break down, no batteries or cords and switches. That old Pacific will hold within a 1/2 grain total until about the last three dumps then it starts giving light charges and I add powder as needed. If 1/2 grain is not close enough I've never seen it show up on the target!

I spent the first 15 years trying to figure out how to get more powder in my cases. It's nice to now have to figure out how not to put quite so much in the case. Actually, if 88 grains shoots good I have no problem loading 88 grains. I just need something I can repeat each and every time I load. *5 grains would probably be about ideal, but 3 grains more isn't going to hurt that much. That's only 3 fewer cartridges per pound of powder.