Author Topic: Powder Thrower Emptying Port  (Read 6231 times)

Offline gtermini

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Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« on: June 28, 2019, 10:06:44 AM »
I got sick of taking the thrower off the press to dump it out, so I put a fitting and cap in the throat to empty it a little easier. The fitting was just some random, weird flare tube thing I found in the drawer and soldered a plug in the nut. I drilled and tapped 1/4 NPT by hand just deep enough so the fitting is flush inside. It dumps all but about 5 cases worth of powder out of the thrower in under 30 seconds. I think I saw something like this online somewhere else and ripped it off. If I did it again, I might find a longer fitting to have more room to hold the powder jar.





Greyson

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2019, 10:14:07 AM »
Darn good idea! I don't reload much anymore, but that would surely be very helpful if you shoot a lot of reloads requiring different powders

Offline gtermini

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2019, 10:33:30 AM »
I don't throw much besides bulk 223, as I use a chargemaster and/or hand trickle for precision rifle, which is the majority of what I do. That goofy little turret usually stays set up for 223 throw-seat-factory crimp with either H335 or WC846. I don't love leaving powder in the thrower, and this helps me not lazily cop out of of draining it. One of these days. I'll step up to the big boy leagues and get a blue press.

Greyson

Offline goodfellow

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2019, 10:44:33 AM »
That's the caliber I used to exclusively reload (.223). Then back in the late 80s - early 90's I was able to score a lot of .223 eastern block steel cased surplus at $0.07/rd and quit reloading. All my AR rifles eat steel case cartridges without fail, and I never bothered to reload .223 brass again.

Offline muddy

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2019, 10:37:36 PM »
Great idea. Ray do you have issues finding a range allowing to run the steel cases? Most I go to want brass only.

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Offline goodfellow

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2019, 06:57:01 AM »
Great idea. Ray do you have issues finding a range allowing to run the steel cases? Most I go to want brass only.

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Yes Tim -- around here there are no indoor ranges that will allow steel jacketed ammunition anymore. They'll allow steel cases, as long as the bullet itself isn't steel jacketed, and they usually test it with a small magnet for suitability. The NRA range was a holdout until last year when they put in new backstop armor plating, and after that "upgrade" they banned the ammo.

Now I take my rifles out to a friend's 100 acre property and I can shoot steel jacketed ammo all I want.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2019, 06:59:10 AM by goodfellow »

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2019, 08:02:12 AM »
I've never seen a ban on steel cases around here. However, they do ask you to not shoot steel jacketed ammo due to the danger of starting a brush fire. We are under a red flag warning today as we have low humidity with some winds. I hear plenty of people shooting on BLM land everyday behind the house.

Offline muddy

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2019, 09:25:15 AM »
Ok guys had a brain fart. Of course it's the bullet there worried about, some stupid reason I had it in my head that they were taking about the case duh


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Offline goodfellow

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Re: Powder Thrower Emptying Port
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2019, 09:37:49 AM »
I've never seen a ban on steel cases around here. However, they do ask you to not shoot steel jacketed ammo due to the danger of starting a brush fire. We are under a red flag warning today as we have low humidity with some winds. I hear plenty of people shooting on BLM land everyday behind the house.

There is a difference (often misunderstood) in the banning of steel cased cartridges vs. steel jacketed bullets. Some ranges collect and sell their spent brass to reloaders and/or recyclers. It takes a lot of effort to separate the steel and aluminum cases from the brass, because the recyclers buy it by the pound and will monetarily penalize the range if they inadvertently mix steel/aluminum in with the brass. Hence, many ranges will ban steel altogether but will allow aluminum because it just isn't as prevalent. Some ranges ban both (steel and aluminum) to make the recycling easier.

Most all indoor ranges ban steel jacked bullets. Most eastern block surplus ammo is made from lead bullets that have a thin steel outer jacket covered by a wash of zinc or copper. The thin steel jacket is banned mostly due to the fact that it often sparks when it hits a solid -- such as rocks or steel barriers. In an indoor range that spark can (under certain circumstances) cause unburned powder in the air to ignite. It's mostly a scenario at ranges that don't have proper ventilation, but many ranges can't get insurance coverage (or are charged a premium) if even that remote possibility exists. Hence no steel jacketed ammo at most indoor ranges.

At outdoor ranges in most of the country steel jacketed bullets are OK. In brushfire country in the western states though, it's often prohibited. At the indoor ranges where I shoot, the range officers will check your steel cased ammo bullet tip with a magnet and certify it as acceptable. Also, there are many variations. Some brass cased ammo has a steel jacket (Stryker 55g FMJ 5.56x45 brass cased ammo has a steel jacket for instance), while some steel cased ammo is now produced as being "Range Friendly" -- meaning it has no steel bullet jacket, but just a plain copper jacket over the lead bullet (i.e. non-magnetic).
« Last Edit: June 29, 2019, 09:40:02 AM by goodfellow »