This is a question that I’ve been asked on more than one occasion, and I’m always happy to answer it. In this post, we’ll answer the question of how many rounds you can get out of a pound of powder.
I’m not entirely sure where the misconception originated that a lb produces 40-50 rounds – I’m assuming because it’s just about perfect when you divide 50 by 1,000 (which is 4). But that’s not actually how many rounds you could get out of a lb of reloaders.
How Many Rounds Will A Pound Of Powder Make?
That’s a complicated question, to which the answer isn’t easy. It depends on how you measure powder. You can measure by volume or mass. If you measure by volume, you’ll get a different answer than if you choose otherwise.
Across the board and with no exceptions, it produces more grains of reloader than it does grains of finished ammunition per pound (about 7,000 grains per lb). 1 lb of powder, measured by mass, produces a little over 40-60 rounds, depending on reloader type and case capacity. Measured by volume, produces about 45-55 rounds per pound.
It also depends on the bullet weight you’re going for, so keep that in mind when you’re trying to gauge how many loads per one lb of reloading powders you use. For example, a 9mm round will contain less reload powder compared to rifle bullets. Data concludes that charge weight plays a significant role in determining whether you’ll be able to yield 7000 grains or use 50 bmg each loading per lb.
Consulting your reloading manual or forums & recommended communities is also a good idea if you want to stay updated about this discussion.
What Is The Best Way To Measure Reloaders?
You can measure reloaders by mass. You can hold one pound with your bare hands and know that a teaspoon weighs about 1/2 ounce. To measure by volume, you need to use something to weigh it out. A traditional way to do this is with a toilet scale. Most people buy a digital one that will weigh up to 150 pounds – if you weigh over 150 pounds on the digital scale, they’ll switch the readout to pounds instead of kilograms.
I personally like to measure by volume more often than by poundage because it’s quicker. However, when I’m measuring by weight, I buy the digital scale to make sure I get the same results. But I measure as much reloaders by volume as I do by load.
Power of 10 – A Possible Means Of Measuring Powder In Quantities (A Few Years Ago)
One of the ways that people used to measure powders was with U.S. grain weights and a version of the power of 10 table.
If you have a pound of reloader, you can put the weighed-out powders back into the original bag, and put an empty bag on top to weigh. You then measure how many U.S. grains (by weight) it takes to make 1 pound of powder (which is equal to about 453 grams).
ReloadingPowder.com: Recommended Reading & Discussion Starter For Your Ammo Needs
If you still aren’t sure what to do, you can always turn to one of our friendly experts. We have a lot of experienced people who are always willing to step in and answer any questions you may have about your chosen firearm or ammunition.
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