Powder detection for reloading presses.

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MikelLikesIt
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My Press Choice: Progressive
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Powder detection for reloading presses.

Post by MikelLikesIt »

Hi all,
Someone mentioned the need for powder detection for reloading presses. Ive done some research and have found a system that would work easier and with less attention than whats out there from the commercial guys. You dont need to check each load, it will tell you if it is concerned with what it just inspected. Its auduino based, and uses a sensor called ‘time of flight’.

My big question is what you would expect from it, and whether I can achieve it. Heres what I know so far without it being on a press.

What it should be able to do: Detect a double charge or no charge, detect a charge approx 4mm away from optimum.
What it wont do: detect the difference between say 5.1 gn and 4.9, since its not stable to reliably measure the 1mm difference it supposedly can measure. Not sure how well it works on moving sources, but I can easily get 10 measurements a second with some averaging built in to remove error.

Now I am not a big coder, but can handle most of it I think. If you are a c++ coder and wouldnt mind advising some, I could surely use help. Everything is open source, So I doubt tht this will become a commercial effort, but it certainly could come in kit form For the parts to make it happen.

Please make any comments you think would be useful.

And check out my post on DIY primer detection, Ive used it now for a while, and it is very reliable. Hasnt missed one missed primer yet. Just get the detector led under the shell holder aligned well and you have success. Thats the hard part.

Thanks all.
Me and my accomplice
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UK-reloader
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My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Cheshire, UK
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Re: Powder detection for reloading presses.

Post by UK-reloader »

There is a very elegant mechanical powder detection solution I've used for 15 years, here in the UK.
I have three Lee presses but my progressive is a Hornady Projector, the predecessor to the lock & load.
I needed a quick way to ensure my 357 cases were charged, and the various powder 'cop' dies are little better than looking in the case. You could fail to notice either.
Then I discovered the RCBS lock-out die. This mechanical wonder won't let you complete the stroke if there's no powder or a double charge.
I can see the attraction of developing a fancy piece of tech, but I'm really happy with my lock-out die, and it doesn't even need batteries!
Good luck.
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