Inconsistent Powder Drops on Your MEC — The Baffle Might Be the Problem

The Setup

I was shooting with skeet World Champion Wayne Mayes — rest his soul — and he recommended Hodgdon HS-6 powder for 28-gauge loads. HS-6 was kinda hard to find, but I bought a bunch and reloaded a few boxes.

The Problem

The loads were inconsistent. Some felt fine. Then others came out with a force that made the .410 seem powerful by comparison. What was going on?

Had I misread the recipe? I double-checked it — nothing wrong. Somebody suggested that cold weather might decrease the power, and that the small 28-gauge made it more obvious. But that didn't explain why one shell would be fine and the next almost a dud. Besides, this is Massachusetts, not the North Pole.

I pulled out and examined the Universal Charge Bar. Was something obstructing it? Nothing.

This wasn't supposed to happen to the author of MEC Shotshell Reloading Secrets.

The Fix

Then it hit me: the powder baffle.

Here's the thing about the baffle. It's designed to make powder drops more consistent by forcing powder to sprinkle down lightly as it snakes through. But it relies on vibration to keep the powder flowing. When you've been reloading long enough that your movements get smooth and efficient — less wasted motion, less vibration — you can actually defeat the baffle's purpose. The powder stops flowing through it consistently.

I reloaded a few boxes without the baffle, leaving everything else identical: same primer, same powder, same charge, same hull, same wad.

What a difference. It felt like I'd doubled the powder charge — in a good way. Solid, consistent loads. And a noticeably cleaner bore. While using the baffle, there had been a lot of unburnt powder in the barrel. Removing it fixed that too. My best guess is that the shape of HS-6 granules doesn't flow well through the baffle, leading to partial drops.

What This Means for You

The powder baffle is not sacred. It's a tool that works well under certain conditions and poorly under others. If you're experiencing inconsistent loads and you've already ruled out the obvious culprits — wrong bushing, obstructed charge bar, incorrect recipe — pull the baffle and run a test batch.

If consistency was the baffle's job, you can approximate that yourself: keep the powder bottle filled to a consistent level rather than letting it run low before topping it off. Powder level in the bottle affects drop consistency more than most reloaders realize.

Quick Troubleshooting Checklist for Inconsistent Powder Drops

• Check the bushing first. Wrong bushing number is the most common cause of consistently wrong charges. Inconsistent charges point elsewhere.
• Inspect the charge bar. Any obstruction or burr in the bar will cause erratic drops.
• Check powder level. Running the bottle too low causes inconsistent drops. Keep it at least one-third full.
• Consider the powder type. Some powder granule shapes flow through the baffle better than others. Flake powders and certain ball powders can be problematic.
• Try removing the baffle. Especially if you're a smooth, experienced reloader or using a powder that doesn't flow well through it.
• Check for moisture. Powder that has absorbed moisture can clump and drop inconsistently.

Want the complete reloading system? My MEC Reloading Guide covers load data, press setup, component selection, and troubleshooting for every major MEC model — all in one place.