Powder measuring?

[unique]

I’m getting setup to start loading rifle (243&308). The only thing I haven’t decided on is a powder measure. Would like to get some opinions good and bad on what powder measure that you are using. I’ll be hunting with these rounds. Would like to stay at $150 and under. Thank you for the help. Matt

 

[red_zr24x4]

What press?
single stage? Uniflow
Dillion? dillion powder drop
Lee? Uniflow

 

[Pistol boy]

I use the lee drum for 9,45,223,308. Works pretty good.

 

[unique]

I’ve got an RCBS Rockcrusher IV. Using RCBS X-series dies. I’ve been reloading pistol cartridges on a Dillon 550 for several years. Just now getting into the rifle reloading.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Get the needed Dillon conversion and the necessary powder drop, along with a Dillon rifle charge bar for the measure you already have and run your 550.

 

[bwframe]

If just getting started, why not go with the Lee stuff? You can get more sophisticated later, if you think it's needed.

 

[red_zr24x4]

If just getting started, why not go with the Lee stuff? You can get more sophisticated later, if you think it's needed.

My experience with the Lee powder measures is from the early 90's and at best they were not built that great.
For the disk measure, you were stuck with what ever was close to your desired weight. And the Powder throw (uniflow) would bind up. Both were all plastic, the screws would strip out, over time the plastic cracked.
If you already reload and you know you are going to keep reloading buy quality.
Not to mention, a Uniflow or anything Dillion will have a higher resale value than Lee. I'm not knocking Lee, I have a bunch of Lee dies,and started on Lee equipment. But if I would have known then what I know now I would have really thought about not buying Lee.

 

[senork]

For loading .223 and 30.06 I use a Hornady Lock n Load powder measure on my Dillon 550. I attach it to a Dillon tool head in the #2 position. It measures +- .1 of a grain. I t works well for me.

 

[Indy574]

I like my RCBS Uniflow. If you wanna borrow it and give it a test run let me know.

 

[John3354]

I'm a big fan of the Hornady powder measures. They're very well built and the metering inserts are cheap and quick to swap out so you can keep them set for different cartridges.

 

[openwell]

for powder measuring.

1. rcbs 505-10 scale

2. rcbs uniflow & a stand
I have two plus 3 lee powder stands that came with progressive powder meas. I use with lee loadmaster

3. powder trickler
allows you to get perfect rifle loads

4. powder funnel rcbs

5. set of lee dippers about $18 allows fast loads with rcbs scale

I got started with rcbs rockchucker kit.
it had powder measure. funnel. scale. calipers. press. reloading manual. cost me about $225 in 1986. quite a bargain.

 

[indyjohn]

For loading .223 and 30.06 I use a Hornady Lock n Load powder measure on my Dillon 550. I attach it to a Dillon tool head in the #2 position. It measures +- .1 of a grain. I t works well for me.

THAT is an interesting setup. I like the Hornady too, I switched from .223 to 9mm in a few minutes today. I use the RCBS 505 to QC the charge about every 15 to 20 rounds, I don't think I need to because the Hornady throws so consistently. It does pretty well with stick powders too. I run IMR 4064 & 4895 through it with regularity.

 

[Contender]

I'm a big fan of the Hornady powder measures. They're very well built and the metering inserts are cheap and quick to swap out so you can keep them set for different cartridges.

I agree 100%

 

[wingrider1800]

I have a RCBS uniflow that I have been using for more than 40 years and no complaints. I also used a Lyman for along side for years until a friend talked me out of it. I would check Ebay for used RCBS, Lyman or Hornady measures.

 

[JeepHammer]

I don't care for charge bar throwers, a lot of various things to consider,
Power in the bin/ability to drop consistent into the charge bar has a lot of factors...
Different powders fall differently, so inconsistency.

There are a crap ton of 'Fixes' for charge bar throwers,
Vibrators, weights on the powder column, polishing, all trying to address one issue or another.
It can take a BUNCH of tinkering to get one consistent with any given powder type.

For single rounds, I prefer a micrometer adjustable rotating drum type thrower.
RCBS or any of the better companies make these, and they are one throw at a time units, no batteries or electronics to get balled up, do quite well.
They are closer in consistency out of the box, and an inexpensive trickler can get you dead on when dropped onto a scale.

It's about what you are comfortable with learning, volume of rounds you reload.
Some like absolute accuracy, and go electronic...
Then have issues with scale drift, lights/electronics interfering with the unit, all kinds of stuff, so generally I recommend a manual unit to learn on/become proficient with.

 

[bstewrat3]

I have been dropping powder with the same RCBS Uniflow since 1978 and the only other measure I have bought is another Uniflow with a small drum. Choose the right powder and be consistent in how you manipulate the handle and its dead on.

 

[warren5421]

I have Dillon SDB, Dillon 550b, and RCBS Rock Chucker single stage. I use the Dillon powder measure to drop powder if I don't min a small difference between each drop. Type powder can cause a .1% difference in charge weight per drop. I also use a RCBS Uniflow which seems to be better than the Dillon but I have to operate every drop. I use both an RCBS electronic scale and an RCBS Beam Scale to weigh charges. Some rounds I load to my max has every powder drop weighed on electric scale with every 10th weighed on the beam scale. Starting out I would still buy the best beam scale I could and pick up an electric scale down the road. One of my friends likes the RCBS Little Danndy but I find it limits me on powders and charges.

My brother started with a Lee and it did not hold up so he went to Dillon SDB with the roller arm and strong mount, tools and all 3 trays. He is still using his RCBS beam scale to weigh powder to set his powder measure with. He uses an RCBS Uniflow or Dillon to drop his charge as he doesn't use max loads. His .45-70 GOVERNMENT is loaded on my 550b.

 

[JeepHammer]

I have Dillon SDB, Dillon 550b, and RCBS Rock Chucker single stage. I use the Dillon powder measure to drop powder if I don't min a small difference between each drop. Type powder can cause a .1% difference in charge weight per drop.

Exactly...
It's a debate I've had before, and it's the drop into the 'Hole' (cavity) of the charge bar, or cavity of a rotator.
The propellent can't fall into the cavity EXACTLY the same way every time, so WEIGHT differences...
The VOLUME changes depending on how the propellent packs into the cavity.


The debate is, and my point is,
A charge bar, scoop, etc is a VOLUME measurement, we attempt to limit the amount of VOLUME,
BUT,
Propellant is WEIGHT measured, and no 'Powder Thrower' does weight specific measurement.
There is a bunch of people that can't seem to differentiate between Weight & Volume...

When I use a rotating drum, I often 'Tap' the handle (double tap?) to settle propellant for consistency.
I haven't found a way to 'Tap' a charge bar, so they often have larger variations in WEIGHT when checked.

The second issue with my Dillon is the horizontal nature of the propellant cavity, the propellant doesn't seem to evenly fill the cavity many times.
I'm sure that's due to the shape of the propellant, ball power does a better job than 'Stick' (extruded) powder, and flake power is, ... well... Flaky.

I use a cell phone vibrator on the thrower with flake powder, while it's a PITA, it seems to throw more consistent charge WEIGHTS...
Kind of settles the static prone, sticky powders better.
Since the time factor the powder has to pack is limited by handle pulls in a self indexing progressive, it can turn out fairly consistent.

With extruded propellant, I use one of two (or both) methods to get better consistency.
Weights on the powder column keep a more consistent weight pushing propellant through into cavity.
When the propellant bin gets low, the charges often get below intended.

The second method is to put a funnel in the top of the propellant bin, keep funnel topped off.
With the funnel neck in the bin, I get a consistent weight of propellant in the bin/propellant column, weight on the orifice into the cavity.

I'm LAZY!
If I can keep the charge thrower producing consistent WEIGHTS, I go that direction instead of weighing every single charge...
Makes things much faster with more consistent charges.

For the basics, I'm sure the basic beam scale (gravity never lies, no batteries to die, etc.) is the best way to go.
There is ALWAYS a beam scale on the bench to check charge weights.
The mostly vertical, small diameter tube type thrower (gravity) throws more consistent in my experience.
There is a reason they have been so popular for so many years, and I'd say consistency is that reason...

 

[DMTJAGER]

I tried very hard to get my RCBS Uniflow powder measure to throw consistent charges of stick powder like RL-19 (338wm) H-1000 (7mmSTW) and IMR-4831 (300wsm) and never got it to work, it did throw HG powdrs very well. Went to a PACT electronic dispenser and scale and throw all charges light and trickle using my RCBS 10-10 BB scale. Works as fast and is more accurate than anything else I could afford.
My RCBS Uniflow, Hornady LnL and Lee Classic drum powder dispensers work very well with HP-38, Unique, IMR/SR-4756. Never tried my Lee drum with stick powder as I only intended it for use reloading HG rounds.

The Lee Classic drum gets a lot of bad press, and I admit I have only loaded less than 1k 9mm reloads with it, and only used it for 9mm reloads, but so far it has worked great and been very consistent by that I mean within +/- 0.25% of a grain for my 4.2 grain loads of HP-38 I have been using for my last 700 or so reloads. My one and only complaint about the Lee Classic drum is it does leak very very slightly but to me it's acceptably small leak.

I own reloading presses from RCBS, Hornady, and Lee and reloading equipment from just about everybody (except Dillon) from Redding to K&M to Lyman, so I am not what one could accuse of being a "Fan Boy" of any reloading manufacturer and I have had problems with enough different makers of reloading equipment to know none are perfect and I will give a scathingly harsh review of anyone's equipment or customer service if I find it lacking. And being 100% honest FOR WHAT THEY COST I can not really say a bad thing about Lee equipment. If I paid the same for a case activated Lee Classic Drum kit as I would a case activated Hornady LnL kit I would find the minute powder leak unacceptable but for $38 Vs $140 and a very good level of consistent accuracy I am willing to accept this small short coming. For others it is unacceptable and that's fine and understandable as this is a matter of personal preferences.

I own Lee dies, Lee Quick trimmers and a Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret press and once owned a Lee Progressive press (my first progressive) that worked great at making 38/357 and 45acp till it got destroyed. Yes my Lee Progressive had some issues I had to be careful about but it was well within my price range when no other progressive was and i made many 1000s of rounds with it and it served me well right up to it's untimely end.

Lee reloading equipment allow people on a strict budget the ability to get into reloading when they might not otherwise be able to.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Nothing wrong wit the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. I've been using the same one for 15 years. If you don't beat it around it will work fine. I also have 2 RCBS Uniflos. Using extruded powder, all of them will feel like they lock up a little when it cuts the powder kernel.
Using ball powders, flows like butter.