[johnandersonoutdoors]

Hello everyone. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I have been reloading for a couple of months on my first press, which is a Redding Big Boss 2. Every round has been hand thrown and weighed so far. But now it is time to add a powder measure.

So far I have looked at just about everything; from the cheaper Lee Perfect Powder Measure, to Lyman 55, to Redding, and very expensive Harrells which are built just down the road from me in Salem, Va.

I initially was thinking about the Lee because I have read reviews saying it gets the job done and I plan on getting a Dillon progressive down the road anyway. Although the more I thought about it the more I thought I should get a better unit. I read the the Lee can leak powder and such and I might not get a progressive for a while. Could be a year or two. So I want a quality powder measure. What would you recommend?

I need to be able to load pistol and rifle, up to 30-06 so about 60 grains. I am seriously looking at Redding because I know they make good products. The pistol measure though ranges from 1 to 25 grains so that isn't the best for rifle. Do some people just throw two charges?

[rcmodel]

Do some people just throw two charges?I sure don't recommend it!
Thats an accident waiting to happen!

The Redding comes with two measuring drums.
One for small handgun charges, and one for large rifle charges.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/246394/redding-match-grade-3br-powder-measure-with-universal-and-handgun-metering-chamber

RCBS has a similiaer feature with pistol & rifle drums.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/517346/rcbs-competition-powder-measure-with-handgun-and-rifle-metering-drum

Hornadys can do both with an optional pistol sleeve.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/290524/hornady-lock-n-load-powder-measure

The Lyman #55 can do it all with it's three slider adjustments.
I have three of them!
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/703838/lyman-55-powder-measure

rc

[R.W.Dale]

I have only ever used the large micrometer stem/drum in my rcbs

It will throw everything from a 32 acp charge to 300wby with the same drum.




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complains about

[johnandersonoutdoors]

rc,

I am new to this so I am not sure if there is something I haven't thought of. Based on what I have read the Redding competition pistol measure (throws 1 to 25 grains) is very accurate. Would it be a bad idea to throw two 15 grain charges to make a 30 grain .223 round, if they are accurate to a tenth of a grain per throw based on operator consistency?

Also you wouldn't have to change drums. I am not sure if that is something reloaders dislike doing as I don't have a powder measure yet. Is that a pain?

Another question I had is whether the lyman sliders are just as pleasurable to use as the micrometer adjust style use by Redding. Can anyone share their thoughts?

Thanks everyone.


Also. If I am planning on a dillon 650 down the road, should I get one of their powder measures? Would I be able to mount a dillon powder measure on a stand and/or use the case activated parts/feature to dump the powder?

[JLDickmon]

Lyman 55

[rikman]

I have a Redding 3BR & lyman 55. Both are awesome. I like the Redding a little better. It's just a matter of preference....


http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/FLYFIDO/3BR.jpg

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/FLYFIDO/55.jpg

[cfullgraf]

rc,

I am new to this so I am not sure if there is something I haven't thought of. Based on what I have read the Redding competition pistol measure (throws 1 to 25 grains) is very accurate. Would it be a bad idea to throw two 15 grain charges to make a 30 grain .223 round, if they are accurate to a tenth of a grain per throw based on operator consistency?

Also you wouldn't have to change drums. I am not sure if that is something reloaders dislike doing as I don't have a powder measure yet. Is that a pain?

Another question I had is whether the lyman sliders are just as pleasurable to use as the micrometer adjust style use by Redding. Can anyone share their thoughts?

Thanks everyone.


Also. If I am planning on a dillon 650 down the road, should I get one of their powder measures? Would I be able to mount a dillon powder measure on a stand and/or use the case activated parts/feature to dump the powder?

Changing drums on a powder measure only takes a few minutes. Not a big deal.

Having said that, I have powder measures set up for different size cases. I have accumulated them over 30 years of reloading. I use a Redding 10-X for handgun, RCBS Uniflow for small rifle, and a Midway Indispensable (discontinued in the late 90s) measure for 30-06 sized cases.

The Redding 10-X only comes with one drum, you would want one of the other Redding powder measures if you plan to load both rifle and pistol with it.

The case activated powder measure systems are not suitable for operating manually. Press mounting would work but would slow the process down when compared with throwing charges with the charge handle.

When you buy a Dillon press, it will come with one powder measure. Unless you want to have two measures set up for different range powder charges, the second measure might see little use.

I recently aquired a Harrel Culver style powder measure and am pleased with it but it is probably more expensive than most wish to spend.

Lots of folks like the Lyman 55. I do not have any experience with it. maybe someday.

I never had any luck with a Lee Perfect Powder measure. It just never measured up (pun intended) to the others that I have and it has long since left my inventory. Some folks like it.

[Lost Sheep]

What are you using to drop the initial charge before trickling up?

If you know you will be getting a different measure for use on a progressive in two years, I would consider holding off until then.

In the meantime, I have found (heresy alert!) a carefully manipulated dipper to be very precise, charge to charge.

Just a thought. Outside the box maybe, but certainly inexpensive enough to try, just on the possibility that a dipper would serve.

Dippers cannot cut or crush powder granules.

Dippers will never run empty without you noticing.

Dippers never go out of adjustment. (Though they are a pain to adjust initially.)

Dippers and a funnel generally do not develop powder leakage problems

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Lost Sheep

p.s. Lee Precision makes a set of 15 dippers for $13. Or you can make your own dippers by attaching a handle to a used, clean cartridge case cut down with a piping cutter or hacksaw and "tuned" to adjust the powder load with a file or chamfer/deburring tool.

[ArchAngelCD]

The RCBS Uniflow is a very accurate and easy to use powder measure.

[GLOOB]

The Lee PPM is an anomaly. It's dirt cheap. But it's one of the only measures with a hopper that can be shut off and removed. It has a rubber insert to reduce cutting of stick powders. And it's adjustable from most pistol charges all the way up to anything short of 50bmg.

It can definitely leak. A little lapping compound and some elbow grease, and it is good for anything but the finest ball powders. I have two. After a little TLC, they work flawlessly with H335/BCL-2, W748, W231, AutoComp, and the like. No crunching, no leaking. But H110 is still a challenge.

Sometimes elbow grease doesn't quite cut it. A hand drill can be put to good use if you are the creative type.
http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/SAM_aa.jpg

Just knowing I can buy exact replacement parts for dirt cheap for a long time to come, I have spent quite a bit of time tricking mine out. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Custom stand
http://s688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/?action=view&current=SAM_0216.mp4
http://s688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/?action=view&current=SAM_0213.mp4
Custom removable inserts:
http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/SAM_0235.jpg
http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/SAM_0228.jpg

[wgaynor]

Everybody's advice is spot on. Do not go cheap on powder throwers. It is one of the most crucial and exacting part of reloading. You certainly don't want to be known as "lefty" because you threw a double charge.

I have a lee powder thrower and hate it. Inconsistent with certain types of powders. I prefer little to no deviation in powder weight when handloading (I'm obsessive about this). I now use the powder scoops that lee makes with a beam scale and electric scale to double check my charges. Once I get close to the correct weight, I then trickle to the correct amount. Yes, I'm obsessive. Then again, I am loading for quality and not quantity.

With this method, I can average about 50 rounds an hour from start to finish.

[soloban]

I had a Lee and an RCBS powder measure. The Lee was surprisingly better on stick powder and didn't crunch and bind like the RCBS. The RCBS was great and very smooth, and consistent for spherical powders like Win 748. I wouldn't recommend it for long stick powder like the slow burning magnum stuff. Some of the smaller stick stuff like H322 or H4895 might be ok.

I got rid of the both and use an RCBS Chargemaster 1500 for rifle. Pricy but worth it. I still use a Lee Auto Disc pro for handgun reloading on the turret press. Very consistent with small powders like H110, PowerPistol, and Universal.

[918v]

Get the 10x and the LR-1000. The jack of all trades powder measures are masters of none.

[Hondo 60]

If you know you're gonna get a Dillon, why not buy a Dillon powder measure?
Buy a Dillon, a powder die & a funnel.

Yes, it's not cheap, but then you have it for when you get you Dillon.

[johnandersonoutdoors]

Lost Sheep,

I am currently using Lee dippers but none of them throw the correct charge. Looking for 5.6 grains of unique. So then I trickle up a bit. It is far too slow. But you have inspired me to recheck the dipper route. I am going to make a custom dipper to try to speed things along and save the $100+ on the powder measure for now and put that towards another m&p9 or another ar.

[James2]

Another vote for the Lyman 55. Its three slides can acomodate any powder in any amount you may want.

[GLOOB]

http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/scoop.jpg

If you're going the DIY dipper route, try this design. Just a piece of music wire bent around to hold the rim of a 380/9mm case. Then the free ends of the wire are slid into a length of brass tubing for the handle. You can pop new cases in/out in a couple seconds. Leave the free ends long, so you can slide it out a few inches to change dippers without the ends popping out. Then, not shown, crimp the end of the tube handle so the dipper can't rotate.

For 5.6gr of a really fine, dense powder, I prefer to use 1/4" brass tubing, to make a thinner, taller dipper. Just solder a bottom on, then cut a groove around the tube, near the top, for the wire to hold onto.

Oh, you said Unique. An unsized 380 case will hold about 7 grains of Unique, unleveled (my preferred way to dip! Why waste time to level? Heap it up as big as you can and weigh that amount.). A cutdown 380 case is perfect to throw 5.6 gr. The case in the pic throws 7.6 gr of Auto Comp. You won't have to cut down that far to do 5.6 of Unique.

[jcwit]

Excellent Idea GLOOB. Going to make that up on a couple of my custom dippers.

[abq87120]

I have a newer Hornaday LnL AP. The throw that came with it is very accurate. Consistant when half full and all the way down to the baffle at the bottom. Even with IMR 800-X, the corn flakes of powders. Actually, more like the shredded wheat of powders.

[Lost Sheep]

Lost Sheep,

I am currently using Lee dippers but none of them throw the correct charge. Looking for 5.6 grains of unique. So then I trickle up a bit. It is far too slow. But you have inspired me to recheck the dipper route. I am going to make a custom dipper to try to speed things along and save the $100+ on the powder measure for now and put that towards another m&p9 or another ar.
Thanks/ Some more hints:

A fired (cleaned, but leave the primer hole plugged up with the primer or something) can be cut with a $6 tubing cutter from any hardware store. Some people go to the trouble of soldering a wire handle to the case, but I found that a stiff plastic wire tie can do the job just as well. If the plastic is not stiff enough, heat-shrink wrap or duct tape wrapped around it will stiffen the "handle" part.

If you have some Lee Dippers, pick one that delivers more than you want, fill the bottom with enough wood glue that is delivers less, then use a drill bit (hand held) to adjust the amount of powder delivered.

Caveat: Getting consistent powder charges with a dipper requires GOOD TECHNIQUE. Consistency is more important than the actual method.

I recommend you develop your technique and see if you are satisfied with the consistency of the charges (even though they are off the actual charges you want) before you invest the time in customizing your dipper. If you don't have the technique to dip accurately, "tuning" the dippers is a waste of time. If you CAN dip accurately, then you are good to go making adjusted or adjustable dippers.

A truly adjustable dipper can be made by getting a machine screw that fills the diameter of the dipper. Make a hole in the bottom of the dipper and thread the screw in the hole. Now the bottom of the dipper is adjustable.

Good luck.

Lost Sheep

[ErikO]

So far zero issues with my Lee Perfect and TAC, throws 23.2 gr every single time after I got it set. Left it set for two months, came back and yes, 23.2 w/o any adjustments. That was going from a 100+ degree July to 50-60 degree September. Zero shift.

[johnandersonoutdoors]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

I have order and should be receiving my Redding Classic 3 measure with pistol and universal chambers. Orders from Midsouth two days ago and arriving today (great service even though they said on the site they were 3 days behind).

Rikman, I am planning on using some wood left over from when I made my reloading bench to build a wooden stand like you did for your Redding powder measure. Thanks for the pics, they are great.

[rfwobbly]

You'll really want to have that new powder measure stood up on an independent PM stand, or attached to a shelf. Don't mount it to the bench, since you only use it part of the time. Redding offers a PM stand, but here are some ideas...

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rRTCvGrCcMc/TSyQbX6QrsI/AAAAAAAACu0/trbUyZ43RhU/s800/IMG_4277.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7Oj70iZ_TeE/TgiwNtXlyhI/AAAAAAAACu0/5fVFF9gb3i0/s1024/PM%2520with%2520Stand.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-n8SAX3xEV7s/TsCVJz5GjuI/AAAAAAAAC5g/JO102EmZ9cs/s1024/Lyman%2520PM%2520Stand.JPG

There are 2 main ideas....
• Get the delivery port out far enough to use a "loading block" (first photo) to fill all 50 cases in a single session. This allows comparison of all 50 powder levels for added safety.

• Make it easy to move, but heavy enough so that it doesn't jump around during use.


Your Redding PM can also gain accuracy by adding a "baffle" to the interior. Do a Google on "Uncle Nick's Powder baffle" and cut one yourself from a beer can.

;)

[918v]

I have order and should be receiving my Redding Classic 3 measure with pistol and universal chambers. Orders from Midsouth two days ago and arriving today (great service even though they said on the site they were 3 days behind).

I used to own that very same powder measure. What you will find is flake type powders will get caught inbetween the measure body and the pistol metering insert because the insert and the main metering drum are not mated perfectly. Those mashed grains will then get inbetween the body and the drum. You'll see what I mean when you try Bullseye and 231.

[johnandersonoutdoors]

Hey everyone,

Redding info says that the measure must be degreased before use. Why parts must be degreased and what should I use? I have seen people talking about some type of alcohol. How about soap and water....would that work?

[NeuseRvrRat]

i use brake cleaner and a rag. brake cleaner is required to leave zero residue when it dries, so there's nothing to contaminate the powder.

[82blackbird]

I got a Quick Measure for my birthday a month ago and I could not wait to try it on my 308. I measured and weighed 40 loads of IMR 4895 and every single one of them was EXACTLY 45 grains. Talk about impressed!!! If this continues to be the norm I plan to let my granddaughter shoot my powder trickler. Without a doubt the best powder measure I've ever used and I started a long way back with a Texan.

[NeuseRvrRat]

I measured and weighed 40 loads of IMR 4895 and every single one of them was EXACTLY 45 grains.

45 gr or 45.0 gr?

there's a significant difference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_figures