Fixed Powder Measures of brass

[Daryl]

These are some powder measures, made of brass tubing and of old ctg. brass.  With tubing, I cut it to length with a dull tubing cutter, which leaves quite a crimp on the end.  A wooden plug easily slides down to stop at the constriction, and a drop of two of CA will make the plug permanent. Drilling a cross-wise hole for the 'cord' is the last step after fiding what the measure throws. For that, I use a powder scale.  the measure is marked on the top with the weight powder it throws.

With brass ctg. cases, I de-cap the case, then turn off the end to flat with the flash hole, then with a tool in the lathe, or files, round the end. That leaves an area for marking the measure's 'throw' that stays a long time as it isn't a wear area. I solder a screw-eye or small cotter key into the flash hole for the cord or thong.

These measures run from 15gr. made form shortened .223 brass, up to 140gr. which are made from brass tubing.  The range pick-up "Ultra-mag" brass is really nice as it's capacity allows for up to about a 110gr. measure.  Cases in the .308Win. range make great 40 to 50gr. meassrue, while '06 cases make up to 70 gr. mesures if necked up straight.  From there up, I use short (.338) and long (.300 WTBY and .375H&H) magnum brass for measures up to about 85/90gr. when turned back to the top of the shoulder.

I prefer ctg. brass to tubing as the ctg. brass is stronger due to hardness and thickness of the wall itself.

[Mike R]

neat!  I have done similar things with brass cartridge cases--in my early days in MLing I found that the Dixie Catalog had a list in the back of how much Black powder would fill up a variety of cartridge cases--I still use an old brass .38 spec pistol case, which I soldered a copper loop onto the base of, for my .32 squirrel rifle--it holds ~24 gr fffg.  My very first measure was an antique brass case from an old Rem Rolling Block ~.43 something which I used as a [large] charge for a .36 H&A target rifle.  I have used an empty .45-70 case for another rifle. Handy and plentiful...

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

How do you go about necking up the bottle neck cases?

Also, perhaps it was here, I read about making a muzzle guard from .45-70 brass.  This works really well.  Just drill out a 3/8" hole in the bottom, cut the brass short, clean up any burrs and stick it on your ramrod. 

This will work well for .50 and .54 caliber.  Don't know about .58. 

I screw a cleaning jag with a cupped head onto the ramrod.  The muzzle guard rides on the ramrod between the jag and the endcap.  It's right there every time I go to load.

[Daryl]

A .45/70 case has a rim over .6" so should work for a gaurd in .54's just fine.

I neck cases up using a variety of expander buttons I either make or buy.  A .44 neck expander willneckup standard brass, ie: .468" head, like 8mm, .30/06,  whatever - about straight.  This will add another 8 or so to the capacity.

Second row from the bottom - 5th case form the left is a .458 Alaskan (my own wildcat) necked up to 50 cal, virtually straight before turning the end round.  The 9th case from the left,in about the middle, same row is a necked out .30/06 using a .40" expander die and has 70gr. capacity. The 3rd case fromt he right, same row, has had 1/2 the neck removed from an almost straightened 8mm mauser case for 55gr. capacity.

Second row down from the top, counting right to left, I used .300 WSM brass, with the necks and shoudlers turned off. They run 58gr. to 66gr. depending on the length.  Powder measrues -1,2,3,4,6,9,10 & 15.

The bottom row are .223 cases shortened to hold from 15gr. to 25gr., with the one on the far right holding 30gr. and made from brass tubing.

The first ones I made from cases, years ago, I didn't bother with the rims or extractor grooves, but I feel they look much better if those are turned off.

An electric drill held in a vice makes a poor-man's lathe and is the method I used for all turning brass and steel, using files, prior to getting my Dad's little lathe.  It's interesting on how 'fine' the work can be and what can be accomplished once you can get some practise.

The 2 on the far right, top row hold 125gr. and 140gr.,  both made from the hobby shop .015" wall tubing with pine plugs in the ends.

I'd much rather have a fixed measure, than an adjustable one. The adjustable measures (yes I have several), made of brass are OK, but heavy, clunky and anything BUT period correct.  I also prefer brass tubing to horn or bone as it's more accurate. The larger the hole in the top end of a measure, the more variation in powder charges you throw each shot.