IS ANYONE USING THE PACT AUTO POWDER DISPENSER?

[WolfFox]

IS ANYONE USING THE PACT AUTO POWDER DISPENSER?
If so how fast is it? Does it work really well? Is it worth it? I want a powder dispenser and I am thinking of either getting the PACT Auto Powder Dispenser to go with my PACT digital scale. I am also looking at getting either the PACT Auto Dispenser or a RCBS Competition Powder Dispenser (include both rifle and handgun metering drums)? Which way would you go? I will be loading mainly 30-30 and a few .223 accurate loads. Other than that I want to experiment with say 40 loads of different handgun loads. Would I be better off with the RCBS Competition Powder Dispenser?

 

[Lennyjoe]

Me and my reloading buddy are in the market for a quality dispenser and have decided on the RCBS model.

Go to the link below for a comparison of all three (RCBS, Pact and Lyman).

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html

 

[WolfFox]

Thanks for the link... The problem is is that I already have the PACT scale which I really do like. Not sure if I should now go with the PACT auto dispenser. Will The RCBS Competition Powder Dispenser be faster for what I want it do or will the PACT do just as good with about the same speed?

 

[snuffy]

Yup

I've had the pact/RCBS scale for7 years. I got the dispensor about 3 years ago. I'm very happy with it, but it is slow, especially with large charges, over 50 grains can take 30-40 seconds to dispense. The ones they're selling now have a faster dispense rate, and the older models can be upgraded to that higher rate.

The advantage of the newer dispensors is that they have a "memory" ability. A dispensor like the pact, RCBS, and Lyman have to "learn the density of the powder they're measuring. With the pact, you have to do that,(calibrate), each time you use it. As soon as you shut it off, it looses the calibration for that powder. The RCBS and Lyman have a memory for up to 40 different powders density calibrations. (Not sure if both are the same).

As for accuracy, the pact will dispense whithin a tenth grain repeatably. It's boring it's so good. It don't matter if it's ball, flake or extruded powder.

I modified my batch loading technique, I now have the dispensor set up and all my cases ready to prime. I prime the first one while the dispensor is running. When it finishes the load I drop the powder into the case, hit dispense again, seat the bullet, prime the next case and the dispensor is done, ready with the new powder charge.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

Haven't used it in quite some time, but I have one of the older PACT dispensers as well. I wanted weighed charges for some highpower ammo (though I was told, correctly, that I wasn't shooting well enough to worry about my charges that much) and some for hunting. Running charges for .223, .308, .30-06, the dispenser was a bit slow, but I recall simply seating the bullet as the next charge was dispensing. Didn't seem too bad. Most of the time I throw the charges with the equivalent of the RCBS competition measure -- an old Uniflow retrofitted with the powder baffle and micrometer adjustment screw. Works fine as well. BTW, I got the PACT unit as I also had the PACT scale -- from before they had the dispenser, so I had them retrofit the scale to work with the measure. The previous post about the convenience of having a newer dispenser with calibration memory sounds like that would be a useful feature.

 

[Car Knocker]

I read on a forum where a guy had a powder measure set up next to his auto dispenser. The measure was set up to drop a short charge into the pan through a tube and the auto dispenser only had to dribble about 5 grains to get to the set weight. He claimed it was very fast and accurate for production loading.

 

[Rico567]

I have the RCBS scale/dispenser combo made by PACT (not the new Chargemaster), and I use the dispenser every time I reload large rifle cases. I have had this equipment for several years; it has given me no problems. As has been stated earlier in this thread, it is almost boring accurate. The drawback mentioned is also true. It will take a while to dispense 50 grains of Varget. The newer Chargemaster is supposed to be much faster, but since you already have the compatible linking PACT scale & want to use it, there is a workaround given in the dispenser manual, which is what I use. Set up your powder measure to throw around .5 gr. low, throw that charge into the pan, set it on the scale and hit the "Dispense" button on the dispenser. It will bring it up to exact weight in a few seconds, cutting WAY down on the time required.

 

[WolfFox]

I've decided to send the RCBS Competion powder dispenser and stand back when it gets here and buy the PACT auto dispenser. I have the Dillon 550 so I'm not concerned with using the powder dispenser for large production loading. Mainly for 30-30 rounds in other low production loads.