Powder Measures

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  • VERT

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,800
    113
    Seymour
    I am in need of a good powder measure. Hate to break the bank but I have learned to buy once cry once. Looking for something to load handgun and small rifle. Should be able to handle a variety of powders. Easy to adjust. Accurate. Leaning towards an RCBS Competition (people seem to have good luck with the UniFlow), Redding or a ChargeMaster Lite. Any recommendations would be welcome.
     

    noylj

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 8, 2011
    284
    18
    Powder Measure:
    Bench-mounted--best has been the cheap Lee PPM. It leaked with fine powders for a long time, but I simply put some paper under it and poured the leaked powder back in the hopper. Extremely consistent. Second best was the Hornady L-N-L powder measure.
    Press-mounted--I use the Lee Pro Auto-Disk a lot on my 1050s. It have been very consistent and once you know the actual packing density of your powder, you can find your own Gn/CC factor. For an adjustable cavity measure, the Hornady L-N-L is great, but I tend to use the Dillon measures as they are available and almost as consistent. I run an RCBS Lock-Out die to catch inconsistencies, but it tends to catch cases with larger/smaller internal volumes then the case I used to set it up.
    There is no powder measure that does better than +/- 0.1gn over 100 rounds, but I have never seen any effect on target.
    For powder dispensers, all I have used in an old RCBS (the Pact under the RCBS name) with the dispenser and scale separate and IR beam for communication and hated it. Bought an RCBS ChargeMaster over a decade ago and never looked back. I use it for working up loads and a powder measure for known loads.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

    Future 'shootered'
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Nov 8, 2016
    3,900
    113
    At the Ranch.
    Same here... for press mounted we use the Lee Auto Drum. Accurate and low cost. Watch FortuneCookie45lc's youtubes on it. For the bench, use a Lyman Gen6. Buy it from Brownells to get lifetime warranty.

    Saving our pennies for this little gem: https://www.autotrickler.com/ Talk about cry once buy once. This is it.

    Good luck. :ingo:
     
    Rating - 100%
    128   0   0
    Jan 28, 2009
    3,656
    113
    I have 2 Uni-Flows and a Lee PPM. I use the Uni-Flows for 5.56 and 7.62 and the Lee for pistol. I use more ball type powder for pistol and the Lee works just fine. Also used the Lee for rifle ball powder, no problems. The Uni-Flows works better with the stick powders.
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,800
    113
    Seymour
    I have not tried the Lee Auto Drum. I started off with the old Auto Disk and had no problems other then the plastic hoppers were chintzy. They measured accurately, just didn’t match the charts. I have a Lee Rifle Powder Die. I assume that would work on any press with the Auto Disc or Drum Measures???

    I would still like to get a powder throw or measure though for load development and such
     

    Backpacker

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    27   0   0
    Apr 5, 2008
    932
    43
    Greenwood
    Another vote for RCBS. I have a Uniflow with both cylinders. I also have their "Little Dandy" rotor system. RCBS has been good quality and reliable. An accurate scale is a must.
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,800
    113
    Seymour
    Another vote for RCBS. I have a Uniflow with both cylinders. I also have their "Little Dandy" rotor system. RCBS has been good quality and reliable. An accurate scale is a must.

    Yeah, Dad has had good luck with his 40 year old RCBS. I like the looks of the Competition Powder Measure with the baffle. I reload in my garage and prefer the idea of a mechanical throw to go along with my beam balance and check weights.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    Another Uniflow user. Once I get it set, as long as my throw is consistent, the charge is. I only load pistol and my procedure is to throw 10 charges and weigh each one before I start loading. Then I weigh every 10th cartridge to check. I am usually within 0.01 or right on.

    I do keep the powder level in the tube within a somewhat narrow min and max. I don't know if the consistent throws and powder levels make a difference in accuracy but being in manufacturing I like to keep things consistent and repeatable.:)

    If I was loading precision rifle rounds I would still use it but I would weigh every cartridge. This is one of the reasons I don't load with a progressive. I'm too anal and with a progressive I wouldn't be making all the checks I make throughout the loading process.
     

    drm-hp

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jan 23, 2019
    298
    43
    Brownsburg
    Harrell Bros. Is the best, most accurate, and repeatable of all the measures listed above.
    That being said, I just bought a RCBS Chargemaster after using one that a friend has. He shoots Palma, weighs every charge that goes into a case. The Chargmaster now weighs it for him/ us. It is fantastic!
    Weigh powder, dump into case, put pan back onto scale (it now weighs another charge) take case and seat the bullet. Repeat,repeat, repeat.......
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,800
    113
    Seymour
    I picked up a Lyman #55 that was hiding on the back shelf of the gun shop. I took it apart and clean then dusted with some graphite. Looks like a decent product for the price. Well constructed. My guess is it will take some time to adjust the charges but I like the small size and idea of the versatility I can screw it on the edge on the bench or mount it to the press.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,174
    113
    Ripley County
    Anyone use 800x? If so do you have a powder measure that accurately throws it within 0.1gr every time? I use a perfect powder measure it throws it within .3 gr. Then I use a powder trickler to get it to where I want it. I load a lot of 10mm and love 800x.
     
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