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Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 18

Can anyone discuss the advantages or disadvantages of using a powder baffle? It looks like it goes between the threads of the bottle and the reloader. Is the idea here to provide a consistent pre-drop on the charge bar so the volume of powder in the bottle does not add variable pressure and compress the powder in the charge bar?

Is it a useful accessory?

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

There are two sides here-kinda like the universal charge bar-either completely for 100% or 100% against--I prefer the PLASTIC baffle for finer grain powder but also use the zinc ones with no trouble either.I find a more consistent throw with the baffle--BUT other factors are involed here too--one of the more important is consistency with the operation of the machine--Is the bench securely mounted???And never forget the arguement of static electricity effecting the powder drop

Guest

I noticed the drops were being affected esp. when the bottle was drawn down to a quarter full. I went to the powder baffle and have received consistent drops regardless of the amount of powder in the bottles...

Guest

The baffles work well, I have had better experiences with the zinc one, I have had static problems during the winter with the plastic one.

The baffles work great with most powders. Fluffy powders like Steel and 800-X, don't meter well, and the baffles make the problem worse.

I have baffles on all my machines, all the time and when I get to the fluffy powders I weigh the charges.

Joined: 07 Oct 2008 Posts: 74 Location: MO Ozarks

One additional advantage that seemed really positive to me was the way the baffle minimized powder seepage around the bar. When you install the baffle you remove both the rubber and the metal washers. This allows the spring-loaded tube to seat directly on the bar and, for me at least, stopped 90+% of the powder leakage.

Between grounding the reloader and using the baffle I've managed to get my powder drops to stay within + or - 0.1 gr. pretty consistantly.

All things considered, I'd have to say that the Red PC baffle was the best $4.95 I ever spent.

Guest

BC,

I had forgotten all about the powder seepage issue, just another plus for using a baffle.

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

Baffles is good. Wink

Go for zinc.

I use a powder baffle on every progessive loader I own except for my .410 grabber. I use 13.7 grains of WW296 for my .410 charge weight 296 ball powder meters as accurately without a baffle as with one in this one case.

Be advised though. Your thrown charges will be more uniform in almost every case but most will also be lighter as well. So carefully weigh the first ten charges on an accurate scale before you accept the bushing in place as correct. I can't stress this point enough.

Every bushing chart I've consulted in the last 20 years is way too conservative. I've found most charts are inaccurate by being about 2 full bushing sizes on the light side when a baffle is used. I've found some charts to be as much as three bushing off. The only way you will find the proper bushing is to check weigh the first 10 charges carefully.

Liability issues are the main reason why the charts are so written. The manufacturers understand that an underload will not hurt much except performance. They are willing to accept the fact that some of the undercharged loads will not cycle an autoloader. The loads will not damage the gun either. The overly conservative charts also force a reloader to select a bigger bushing to get the proper charge weight as well. Doing so negates any liability factor automatically.

This does not mean we have to accept undercharged loads to remain within safe parameters. Simply select the bushing that throws the closest charge weight to the designated one for the powder being used without exceeding a maximum charge weight. Your loads will perform better and so will your autoloaders if you shoot one. In short, know what your bushing is throwing before you accept it as the correct one. Use a scale for testing every new load and for every new batch of powder as well. you will be veery glad you did.

Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 367

12ga 600, back in 1973, came with opaque plastic baffle, got a 20 600 in 1982, without one , the got a 16 600 in 2000. Pick-up baffles at the last Vandalia "Grand American" shoot.
Now all have own baffles.

Even use homemade baffle for CF reloading.