Are High-End Powder Measures Worth the Price?

[callenlee]

I don't have experience with the other, more costly options. I've got the Lee Perfect Powder and it has worked great for what it is. As an earlier poster stated, it isn't the smoothest action, but has been plenty accurate. I just received a autodisk pro and the micro adjustable charge bar, but haven't used it yet. Charging cases is the slowest most tedious part of reloading for me. I'm hoping the autodisk helps expedite things. I'll be starting of very cautiously as I did with the perfect powder measure when I first began using it.

 

[cfullgraf]

To add to my previous post, I have a Dillon measure on my SDBs, they work fine on the Dillon SDBs particularly with 700-X.

I modified a Redding 10-X to run on my Hornady L-N-L. The Redding seems to work better with flake powder like 700-x and Unique than the Hornady measure.

I also like the micrometer adjusters on my powder measures. They do not improve the accuracy of the measure but they do make it easier to adjust and return to a particular charge weight, assuming you record the setting.

The Lyman 55 has a pretty good following, one of these days, I'll try one out.

 

[stubbicatt]

Cfulgraf, about that Lyman measure, my first "kit" back in the 80s was a Lyman, and it came with that measure. Perhaps it was my neophyte status, but I never was able to get that powder measure to throw consistent charges. Of a similar, "Culver", type, is the Harrell's I'm using now, which, while more expensive, is a very consistent performer.

Of course YMMV, but if your experience is anything like mine, I believe you will be happier if you buy the Harrells.

 

[cfullgraf]

Of course YMMV, but if your experience is anything like mine, I believe you will be happier if you buy the Harrells.

Yep, the Harrels are good, i already have one.

 

[Hangingrock]

I utilize a Belding & Mull powder measure. Some may find the powder charge dispensing nettlesome as opposed to unique. The design has fixed hopper, sliding secondary reservoir then a adjustable drop tube. Sounds more complicated then what it is. Accuracy of charge weights with IMR series powders is better than other measures I've used.

 

[Clark]

Bart Bobbitt, who posts at The Firing Line, says that shot to shot variation in powder charge does not matter much.
He has shot some great groups when the wind is not blowing.

Win. 70 in .308 Win., 40 shots at 600 yards, all inside 2 inches; 1/3 MOA.

Win. 70 in .30-.338 Win. Mag., 30 shots at 1000 yards, all inside 5 inches, 1/2 MOA.

And that is with a .3 gr spread

Old usenet posts from 20 years ago, before the WWW had gun forums.

http://yarchive.net/gun/ammo/reload_multistage_press.html

 

[Hondo 60]

My observations:

Different measures are best using different powders.

I have a blue progressive press.
The Dillon PM that came with it works best with
Tite Group, Universal, AA #5 & Varget.
All are usually +- .05gr (not 1/2 a grain, but 5/100th of a grain)

It does NOT work well with Unique, Lil Gun & 2400.

My Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure works GREAT with Lil Gun & 2400.

My Uniflow, works well with all except Unique.

(I don't have a PM that works well with Unique - so I have to hand weigh each charge)

 

[Peter M. Eick]

To add to the post above, I have observed that the wear patterns matter a bunch. I have 3 different uniflows. One has done about 300,000 rounds, one has done about 40,000 and one has done about 1,000.

The difference smoothness is dramatic. I don't have a cross over point, but somewhere between 40,000 and 300,000 it seems to stop getting better. But the difference between 1,000 and 40,000 is dramatic and the difference between 40,000 and 300,000 is quite noticeable.

My primary uniflow on my pro2000 will dispense 800x to +/- 0.1 grns routinely. This is a notoriously bad powder for dispensing. My new uniflow is more like +/- 0.5 grns in the same setup.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Who needs a powder measure stand?

I have had mine mounted directly to the bench for years...works just fine.

Here it is on the new bench I just built...I finally got moved into the bigger room and out of the cubby hole I was using as a reloading room.



The old room...

 

[GLOOB]

Your stand doesn't adjust to the perfect height to throw powder directly into the cases while they're still in your loading block.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I only use it for rifle rounds (30-06, 270, 243, and such)...rarely load more than 20 rounds at a time...I just do it by hand.

The only thing I use a block for is holding empty brass...once I pick up a case, it gets loaded before I pick up another one.

I'm a "one at a time" loader....each round is a work of art unto itself

And doing it that way breaks up the monotony of weighing and trickling every powder charge.

Off topic...I'm anxious to load a few rounds in the new room, I've been working all year and haven't loaded a single round since last October...thats gonna change in about 10 more days.

 

[fguffey]

then there are the old Ohaus powder measures, twofer one, or all-in-one, rotate the rotate for a small drum, turn it over for the large drum. Then there is the large Hollywood gun shop measure.

Expensive? The little dandy by RCBS is a large investment with 25+ rotors.

F. Guffey

 

[cdb1]

Am new to hand loading and have the Lee Auto Disk that came with the kit I bought. It will not throw the very small charges needed for .380 in some powders and will not throws enough powder for 30-06, .270 etc.

Two weeks ago I purchased the RCBS Chargemaster Combo. It cost as much as the kit I bought, but after using it several times it is worth every penny. Money is super tight right now, I had to sell a firearm to purchase the Combo. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[cdb1]

Am new to hand loading and have the Lee Auto Disk that came with the kit I bought. It will not throw the very small charges needed for .380 in some powders and will not throws enough powder for 30-06, .270 etc.

Two weeks ago I purchased the RCBS Chargemaster Combo. It cost as much as the kit I bought, but after using it several times it is worth every penny. Money is super tight right now, I had to sell a firearm to purchase the Combo. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[stubbicatt]

cdb1, congratulations on your RCBS chargemaster. The concept is super. I had one in the late 90s. I sold it when I got the cancer. I think you will really enjoy it.

 

[taliv]

i have the harrell and would not buy another. but i still use it about every day.

if you want to get crazy "high end", do a search for prometheus. i think they're $3000ish when you can buy them.

 

[Zcarp2]

Belding & Mull for extruded stick powders. I am very impressed. Dillon for all the pistol and flaked powders. Never had an issue with the charge weights once set.