JRE said:
I use loose, and a few years ago a couple of my friends turned me on to weighing my loads rather than just measuring them by volume. Every load weighs exactly the same to the nearest 0.1 grain. My accuracy got way better after doing this, but just rember that 100 grains by volume does not equal 100 grains by weight (more like 75 grains by weight plus or minus).
Make your conclusion after reading this!! Found this on the gunners den web site
"Measuring Powder Charges.
Black powder is measured by volume and weight, 80 grain volume equals 80 grains in weight. Black powder substitute powders are all designed to replace black powder by volume and volume only according to powder granule size.
Example: 80 grain FFFg black powder replaced by 80 grain FFFg Hodgdon 777 by volume measure only.
Do not weigh any black powder charge and then use an equivalent weight of any of the substitute powders, the consequencies of such an experiment will most likely not be good for you or your muzzleloader.
Working Up An Accurate Load.
Adjust your powder charge within the limits of safety, check muzzleloader manufacturer recommendations. A well made muzzleloading rifle should perform well with 80 to 100 grain volume charge of 2-FFg black powder for hunting.
Firing a series of 3-5 shot groups, start your powder charge at the lowest manufacturers recommendation, up your powder charge 5 grains per group until you have reached your muzzleloaders manufacturers maximum charge recommendation, this will determine what charge works best for your rifle with your projectile choice.
Fine Tuning Your Load.
Up to this point you have been using volume measure, now you can drag out the powder scale and fine tune your powder charge. We'll say that your most accurate powder charge was 90 grain volume charge of black mag3 powder, your 85 grain volume measure of black mag3 was pretty good but not as good as 90 grain, your 95 grain volume measure of black mag3 was pretty good but not as good as 90 grain. To fine tune your powder charge, you now scale weigh your 85 grain volume measure powder charge and you scale weigh your 95 grain volume measure powder charge. Working up from your lowest scale weight, again fire 3-5 shot groups 1 grain weight at a time till you reach your highest scale weight, this will give you the most accurate load that you can achieve with your rifle and bullet combination by selecting the smallest group of your weighed charges.
Make A Powder Measure.
Now that you have an exact load for your muzzleloader you need to make or buy a powder measure that will throw your powder charge by volume exactly the same, for loading consistency. Do not use weighed charges of any powder, black or otherwise other than to work up an accurate load."
