Powder measure reccomendations?

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Craig28

Craig28

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I'm looking into buying a powder measure as scooping/trickling are tedious and time consuming.


I want a powder measure that can handle stick powders as well as ball powders(without leaking).

I'll be using it for everything from handgun loads to precision rifle loads.

Any reccomendations and input are welcome.

The RCBS Quick change and the RCBS Competition powder measures have caught my attention the most. Does anyone have any experience with either of these? Any pros/cons worth mentioning? Is the Competition powder measure just the Uniflow measure with all the extra bells and whistles?
 
I really like my RCBS Uniflo powder measure. Can’t comment on the competition one but it looks similar just with the micrometer adjustments.

The Lyman and hornady ones seems to get decent reviews as well.
 
sparkyv said:
Craig28, you are looking for the perfect powder measure. It doesn't exist. One may work well with some powders, and another with others. My 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Have to agree. I've got a Uniflow, 2 Harrell's Culvers, and 4 Dillons. All work well within their limitations (stick powders).

The best I have for the extruded stuff are the Harrell's and even they require trickling if you want the charge "exact". My favorite feature on the Harrell's is their "click" adjustments which makes it easy to record your settings and adjust.
 
I bought the Lyman Brass Smith powder measure last year...it's ok. It works pretty well with darn near everything I have (save Varget). I'll say that I cannot get reliable drops form it, regardless of powder. I've tried all the tapping, clicking, whatever mojo to try to get the thing to drop uniform every time, but it just won't. I've just resigned myself to having to trickle up to precise loads using it as a base charge.

I'll say that swapping the thing to throw larger vs small charges is a serious pain in the rear. So much that now I have it set to throw in the 20-something grains pre fine tuning and refuse to take it down to the single digit throw range. It just takes too long to do that. Eventually, I may buy another and have them side by side, one for 20-35g loads, one for <10g loads.
 
The ticket to hand drop powder measurers is a Hornady vibartor battery operated powder trickler.
They cost right around $40.
I am useing two of the Hornady poder measurers, one is set up for pistol the other for rifle.

Hand turning a powder trickler is pre-historic for only $40. No matter what kind of powder thrower you buy, treat yourself to the battery operated vibratory trickler and thank me later.

When loading stick powder buy the (SHORT CUT) powder.

When i usevthe long cutv tuff i'll pick up on the handle untill there is resistance, relieve the preasure just a little a couple of times then it will slide threw with out chopping in up.

Then finnish off with the vibratory trickler.
 
In my world the two most difficult powders I throw are H110 and IMR4198. Opposite ends of the spectrum. I've not tried the H110 in a Uniflow, but it binds up the drum on my Ideal #5. The 4198 is a long grain extruded, that I think would give you similar problems as stuff like 4350, 4064, and 4831. I throw lots of Varget, Rl15 and IMR 4895 with my Uniflows and don't think they are too bad for that range of kernel sizes.

Thinking outside of the box, my go to for H110 and 4198 is a Belding and Mull Visible. The measure is no longer made, but B&M still sells drop tubes and hoppers. Its a different beast but handles the big extruded stuff really well. No binding with H110. They are still available on ebay from time to time.

https://revivaler.com/the-belding-and-mull-visible-powder-measure/
 
With powder measures/throwers you basically get what you pay for. Regardless of the measure, they all measure by volume. If your desire is to have the exactsame charge weight for every load, odds are, you still will have to trickle. But for the vast majority of handgun loads and most rifle loads, measuring by volume is still going to produce accurate ammo. Seems the cheaper Lees are prone to the most leakage going by rants on these types of forums. Biggest trick to any powder measure is learning the quirks of the one you own.
 
I will say that the Lyman has not leaked at all. I've ran H110, 2400, Varget, Tight Group in it...no messes were made.

My only beef with Varget is that it seems to catch some of the powder when you're throwing it. The lever will stop in place, then you must apply more force to get it to articulate fully. Almost like it is chopping one of the powder "sticks" in two parts.
 
Welcome to THR
Craig28 said:
I want a powder measure that can handle stick powders as well as ball powders (without leaking).

I'll be using it for everything from handgun loads to precision rifle loads.
Click to expand...

index.php


You may want to check out C-H 502 micrometer powder measure with separate pistol and rifle micrometers. It is a very accurate powder measure with standard die threads so I could use it on my Dillon 550/650 presses - https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/powder-tools/502

If you are not familiar with C-H (Now CH4D), it's one of the last true American company that does all the manufacturing in the USA, like Lee Precision. Their products come with lifetime warranty.


Several years back, Los Angeles Silhouette Club member conducted comparison tests with various powder measures (Using more difficult to meter powders) and C-H 502 produced lower standard deviation than most other powder measures including Harrell and this was primary reason for me buying the C-H powder measure - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/c-h-502-micrometer-powder-measure.761239/

SD - CH4D / Redding / Harrell / B&M / RCBS / Lee / Hornady / Lyman 55

AA #9 - 0.000 - 0.000 - 0.000 - 0.000 - 0.032 - 0.000 - 0.043 - 0.037
I 4227 - 0.025 - 0.032 - 0.038 - 0.102 - 0.000 - 0.051 - 0.031 - 0.061
Unique - 0.145 - 0.127 - 0.150 - 0.100 - 0.129 - 0.142 - 0.139 - 0.185 us
I 4198 - 0.138 - 0.177 - 0.103 - 0.125 - 0.169 - 0.141 - 0.170 - 0.114
SR4759 - 0.128 - 0.099 - 0.151 - 0.127 - 0.146 - 0.157 - 0.135 - 0.205

Average - 0.087 - 0.087 - 0.088 - 0.091 - 0.095 - 0.098 - 0.104 - 0.120​


I conducted 10 drop test in this thread using some more difficult to meter powders like Unique and got following powder charge variances - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/c-h-502-micrometer-powder-measure-10-drops.834894/
 
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I have a Redding Match Grade 3BR with their two Metering Chambers, the Universal and Handgun. USA made. No complaints.
 
RCBS Uniflow (can be used from fleaBay) with the Small cylinder, and you'll want the micrometer stem pretty soon. This will be the last measure you need, until you buy an electronic dispenser.
 
Laphroaig said:
In my world the two most difficult powders I throw are H110
Click to expand...
I just did 10 powder drop comparison with W296 (Same fine ball powder as H110) using C-H, Redding and Lee Pro Auto Disk.

10 drops of powder charges were put back in the hopper to settle the powder before 10 consecutive drops were weighed:

C-H 502 micrometer:
  1. 9.70 gr
  2. 9.62 gr
  3. 9.62 gr
  4. 9.70 gr
  5. 9.68 gr
  6. 9.64 gr
  7. 9.78 gr
  8. 9.70 gr
  9. 9.64 gr
  10. 9.78 gr
Range - 0.16 gr


Redding micrometer:
  1. 9.54 gr
  2. 9.58 gr
  3. 9.64 gr
  4. 9.64 gr
  5. 9.56 gr
  6. 9.76 gr
  7. 9.66 gr
  8. 9.48 gr
  9. 9.58 gr
  10. 9.46 gr
Range - 0.30 gr


Lee Pro Auto Disk: (.61 cc disk hole)
  1. 9.16 gr
  2. 9.16 gr
  3. 9.08 gr
  4. 9.20 gr
  5. 9.12 gr
  6. 9.18 gr
  7. 9.16 gr
  8. 9.12 gr
  9. 9.08 gr
  10. 9.12 gr
Range - 0.12 gr
 
Last edited:
I have a Redding 10-X, BR-30, and PR-50 powder measure. They work within a range of grains based on their number (the 10-X does 3 to 20, BR-30 does 20 to 40, and the BR 50 does 40 to 60). Between these three measures I can easily get exactly what I want with a tremendous degree of repeatability. I'm talking 100+ throws average 0.05gn variation between throws. The "universal" measures can do a much wider range but not nearly as precisely in my experience.
 
Wow...that $6-700 worth of powder measures.

Maybe some day...but for now I'll have to stick to my less than accurate Lyman and a trickler.
 
I have been using this, since the dawn of time, and it is a Pacific Deluxe Powder measure

kftRhCv.jpg

9esA4fK.jpg

I do have a Redding and a Lyman. I have learned that gravity still works inside powder measures, and I think the shorter hoppers of the Redding and Lyman are there to fool reloaders into thinking they more precise. Hydrostatic pressure is calculated as rho X G X H, with rho being the density (of a liquid), g being gravity, and h being the height of the column. Even though gunpowder is not a liquid, I am of the opinion that the basics still apply. The higher the hopper column, the more pressure there is at the bottom, and so powder charges dumped when the column is high, should be greater because the pressure is higher, than powder charges dumped when the powder column is low. Short hoppers just fool reloaders with the illusion of precision because there is less column pressure variance than a powder measure with a tall hopper.

However, short hopper measures require a lot of refilling.

Given that column pressure varies with height, I don't see how any powder measure with a rotor dispensor is going to be any more "accurate" or "precise" than any other. They all work on the same principle.

I like the tall hopper on my Pacific, which is why I have kept it, and I like the cast iron body and steel rotor. It is a heavy, well made powder measure. I have finally purchased a new rotor, from Hornady! (they still have parts) because the edges on the chamber have rounded due to cutting kegs upon kegs of stick powder charges. No matter what powder I have used, short grain throws better than long grained, ball powders throw better than stick powders. If I want precise charges, I have to weigh them.

This is still a great balance.

N6ixH7V.jpg

I will say, weighing individual charges with the short stick powders may be un necessary. As long as you keep below maximum charges, you won't see much if any dispersion due to powder charge variances. Even out to 600 yards. That is with a hand held weapon. I cannot comment on bench or bipod weapons as I am still a sling shooter and the human error in aiming and shooting is still greater than my ammunition error.
 
TBL65 said:
I really like my RCBS Uniflo powder measure. Can’t comment on the competition one but it looks similar just with the micrometer adjustments.

The Lyman and hornady ones seems to get decent reviews as well.
Click to expand...
TBL65 said:
I really like my RCBS Uniflo powder measure. Can’t comment on the competition one but it looks similar just with the micrometer adjustments.

The Lyman and hornady ones seems to get decent reviews as well.
Click to expand...

Is this an older model uniflow or one of the newer ones? I think the competition powder measure may just be the uniflow with a micrometer and powder baffle.

I've seen some complaints with the lower end lyman and hornady measures. Perhaps the ones at a higher price point work better. I have lots of hornady equipment including most of my dies. I have some tools from Lyman as well. I know they both make quality stuff.
 
sparkyv said:
Craig28, you are looking for the perfect powder measure. It doesn't exist. One may work well with some powders, and another with others. My 2 cents.
Click to expand...

I'm new to this. I just got into reloading about 3 or so months ago on a redding big boss single stage press.

To rephrase I guess I was trying to get the best measure I can for the money. I don't want something cheap/problematic that'll leak ball powder like CFE223 or Power pro 300mp.

I'm just looking for something that'll do the job well and get me by.

Between a trickler and a scoop I spend around 2.5 hours minimum charging 50 .357 magnum cases. I'd like to speed the process up with a decent powder measure that won't make a mess.
 
Chuck R. said:
Have to agree. I've got a Uniflow, 2 Harrell's Culvers, and 4 Dillons. All work well within their limitations (stick powders).

The best I have for the extruded stuff are the Harrell's and even they require trickling if you want the charge "exact". My favorite feature on the Harrell's is their "click" adjustments which makes it easy to record your settings and adjust.
Click to expand...

The consensus seems to be powder measures aren't fond of stick powders.

I wouldn't mind trickling powder here and there to get everything perfect. Anything is faster than what I'm doing now
 
Typetwelve said:
I bought the Lyman Brass Smith powder measure last year...it's ok. It works pretty well with darn near everything I have (save Varget). I'll say that I cannot get reliable drops form it, regardless of powder. I've tried all the tapping, clicking, whatever mojo to try to get the thing to drop uniform every time, but it just won't. I've just resigned myself to having to trickle up to precise loads using it as a base charge.

I'll say that swapping the thing to throw larger vs small charges is a serious pain in the rear. So much that now I have it set to throw in the 20-something grains pre fine tuning and refuse to take it down to the single digit throw range. It just takes too long to do that. Eventually, I may buy another and have them side by side, one for 20-35g loads, one for <10g loads.
Click to expand...

I was looking at that model a while ago. The price point seemed to be on par with Lee. I heard a few complaints regarding that measure leaking powders like CFE223

I'd prefer not to get bogged down cleaning up spilled powder. I appreciate all the info. People only go into so much detail in the reviews on midway.

I'd like to get a decent powder measure to start and if I need to I'll pick up a different one down the road.
 
Get the lee Autodisk, inexpensive and handles pistol powders just fine. I don't use mine for rifle or stick powders but use it for pistol and a lot of different powders with good results.
 
TBL65 said:
I really like my RCBS Uniflo powder measure. Can’t comment on the competition one but it looks similar just with the micrometer adjustments.

The Lyman and hornady ones seems to get decent reviews as well.
Click to expand...
Highland Lofts said:
The ticket to hand drop powder measurers is a Hornady vibartor battery operated powder trickler.
They cost right around $40.
I am useing two of the Hornady poder measurers, one is set up for pistol the other for rifle.

Hand turning a powder trickler is pre-historic for only $40. No matter what kind of powder thrower you buy, treat yourself to the battery operated vibratory trickler and thank me later.

When loading stick powder buy the (SHORT CUT) powder.

When i usevthe long cutv tuff i'll pick up on the handle untill there is resistance, relieve the preasure just a little a couple of times then it will slide threw with out chopping in up.

Then finnish off with the vibratory trickler.
Click to expand...


Wow they're only 35 bucks on Midway at the moment. I picked up a lyman powder trickler for about half that a while back. I'm thinking I may have made a mistake.

IMR 7828 SSC is the longest grained powder I'm currently using. I don't see the regular 7828 these days. I take it that it metered poorly, so they discontinued it.
 
Laphroaig said:
In my world the two most difficult powders I throw are H110 and IMR4198. Opposite ends of the spectrum. I've not tried the H110 in a Uniflow, but it binds up the drum on my Ideal #5. The 4198 is a long grain extruded, that I think would give you similar problems as stuff like 4350, 4064, and 4831. I throw lots of Varget, Rl15 and IMR 4895 with my Uniflows and don't think they are too bad for that range of kernel sizes.

Thinking outside of the box, my go to for H110 and 4198 is a Belding and Mull Visible. The measure is no longer made, but B&M still sells drop tubes and hoppers. Its a different beast but handles the big extruded stuff really well. No binding with H110. They are still available on ebay from time to time.

https://revivaler.com/the-belding-and-mull-visible-powder-measure/
Click to expand...


I always thought ball powders were supposed to meter the best. I know I get resistance with my trickler using Powder pro 300mp which is identical in appearance to H110.

I'm liking leaning towards and RCBS at this point. I'll take some more time to research. I'm in no real rush.
 
Highland Lofts said:
When i usevthe long cutv tuff i'll pick up on the handle untill there is resistance, relieve the preasure just a little a couple of times then it will slide threw with out chopping in up.

Then finnish off with the vibratory trickler.
Click to expand...

I'll keep that in mind if I end up with any long grain extruded powder.
 
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