WTK: Drop tubes?

[colt933]

I have one of these:

Frankford Arsenal Powder Funnel 16 Nozzles 4 Drop Tube

Is it really doing any good as a drop tube, if I pour slowly?

I'm not doing any crazy over-pressure loading. I'm just looking to mitigate some of the crunch with published compressed loads.

Thanks!

 

[Mr Smith]

I have the exact same Frankfort arsenal kit and the Forester drop tube funnel.
When I tried dropping my charge of 47.8 grains of H1000 in my 243 cases with the Frankfort kit, it filled to the middle of the neck even with the supplied drop tube. The Forester drop tube filled the same charge to just under the base of the neck.

 

[bruddah]

I have the exact same Frankfort arsenal kit and the Forester drop tube funnel.
When I tried dropping my charge of 47.8 grains of H1000 in my 243 cases with the Frankfort kit, it filled to the middle of the neck even with the supplied drop tube. The Forester drop tube filled the same charge to just under the base of the neck.

Interesting. Wonder what the main difference was?

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Main difference is powder to mid-neck vs neck base.

Just funnin--would like to hear input on this as well. Have a ol' drop tube somewhere I used for black powder cartridges--thought about digging it out.

 

[Mr Smith]

Interesting. Wonder what the main difference was?

I'm not sure other then the Forster is more narrow and the Frankford has a larger tube that necks down at the caliber specific nozzle.


Here is the two funnels next to each other and I have measured out 50 grains of H1000 which is a lot of powder for a 243! don't use this load at all as it is only to show how the drop tube works.

These are fired Winchester 243 cases that have not been resized or cleaned.
Left case: 50 grains H1000 using Forster drop tube. It's hard to see with the picture but it is right at the shoulder/body edge.
Middle case: 50 grains H1000 using Frankford Arsenal funnel with drop tube. its right at the shoulder neck junction.
Right case: 50 grains H1000 using Frankford Arsenal funnel with only the 6mm adapter. it's into the neck on this one.
I did not tap the cases after pouring them, I just dumped them in.

 

[Niles Coyote]

I have the same two funnels, I think with the frankford the powder falls until it gets slowed down by the plug in neck size contraption before entering the neck... so in the end it is like not even using one in the first place and also the reason I purchased the other...

 

[colt933]

Thanks to all for these great responses!

 

[xdeano]

Tip the funnel to the side just a hair and pour the powder on the side so it swirrels down the funnel and tube. Kind of like the charity funnel at the malls. This will roll that powder in really nice.
Xdeano

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Get away from short factory tubes.
I made mine, one from a straw the other from an hollow arrow shaft just tape them to your 30cal or larger funnel. The longer the drop the more compaction you get.

 

[bruddah]

Get away from short factory tubes.
I made mine, one from a straw the other from an hollow arrow shaft just tape them to your 30cal or larger funnel. The longer the drop the more compaction you get.

Interesting.

 

[colt933]

Tip the funnel to the side just a hair and pour the powder on the side so it swirrels down the funnel and tube. Kind of like the charity funnel at the malls. This will roll that powder in really nice.
Xdeano

I do this with the funnel/drop tube that I have, but it doesn't really seem to do much. I think the other poster is right about the powder hitting a lip at the bottom off the drop tube.

 

[1lnbrdg]

Some of the funnels on the drop-tubes need to be reamed out a bit. They are way smaller than they need to be. You may can open up the Frankford funnel a little and get it to working correctly

Dillon powder funnels work better if they are opened up a little and then polished. It stops a lot of the bridging inside the funnel.

 

[mclevela]

I have the same kit, found it not really much help.

Got a 8" drop tube with much better results.