Lyman #55 powder measure vs Hornady

[Buckeyeguy525]

I'm looking to get a decent bench-mounted powder measure for pistol and rifle. Looking at these two measures, it seems the Lyman comes with everything right out of the box for rifle and pistol, whereas with the Hornady I would need to buy a seperate pistol rotar and metering assembly? It also looks like the Lyman comes with a baffle? Also, can the Lyman be used with Lee powder thru die? Any info on either of these two is appreciated.

 

[ranger335v]

".. it seems the Lyman comes with everything right out of the box for rifle and pistol, whereas with the Hornady I would need to buy a seperate pistol rotar and metering assembly?"

You nailed it.

Baffles are good to have but they aren't rocket science, you can make one by folding a business card and placing it at the bottom of the hopper.

 

[Buckeyeguy525]

One more question: with the Hornady you can have seperate metering inserts for each load, but with the Lyman would I have to fine adjust the slides every time I switched loads? Or does it also have some kind of quick change feature?

 

[beatledog7]

True re: the Hornady inserts, though I don't find myself using different ones. It takes about 5-10 throws to calibrate the insert from, say, the 3.5gr Bullesye setting, to the 8.0gr 2400 setting. Trial and error at first, but once you've done it a few times, you'll get faster.

I have two inserts and still find it just as fast to change the setting on one as it is to change the insert. Unless you have just a few pet loads, chances are that with two or even a dozen inserts, none will be set exactly right for the next load you want to do.

 

[918v]

Using a rifle measure with it's huge metering cavity for small pistol charges results in inaccurate charges. There is a reason why pistol measures are smaller. I suggest you get a Redding 10X for pistol and a BR30 for rifle, or just get a RCBS Chargemaster.

 

[ranger335v]

"Using a rifle measure with it's huge metering cavity for small pistol charges results in inaccurate charges. There is a reason why pistol measures are smaller. "

True. And vice versa. That's why Lyman's #55 is so useful; only it allows a competitant user to vary both the size and SHAPE of his powder chamber.

Given how easy it is to reset a conventional measure it's never crossed my mind to try having a box of preset cavities set up for specific charges. And, given that different powder lots tend to have small differences in density it seems pointless anyway.

 

[918v]

It's not the same as having two dedicated match grade measures.

 

[Otto]

Also, can the Lyman be used with Lee powder thru die?

Yes and no. There's an aftermarket adapter that will work with Lyman and Redding measures.
I've used a #55 for decades but I feel the Hornady is a better measure.
The trouble I have with the Lyman is that it cuts grains of powder more frequently than with the Hornady. Throwing ball powder isn't so much an issue.

 

[Walkalong]

The Lyman is a great design, and if I had gone that route I would have two, one set up for rifle and one set up for pistol. I ended up with a 10X and a BR-30, which both work great for their intended purpose, and cover 99% of my loading very well. For .458 Win Mag I was forced to use the larger capacity (rotor wise) measure that came with my LNL, and it works fine for that.

 

[James2]

I have not had hands on the Hornady measure. I have used the Lyman for years for both pistol and rifle. It has three slides so you can choose the volume you need for anything. It will throw a very large charge if needed, or you can just use the top slides for small charges. Continuously adjustable.

It won't directly mount to the Lyman powder through die. I don't think it would be hard to adapt it. Since I load SS, I have not had the need. This measure even throws consistent charges of Unique, which I keep hearing doesn't meter easily. Yes, you have to re-adjust it every time you change powder or load, but it doesn't take long to do that.

 

[Offfhand]

Why limit yourself to a choice between these two measures when there are other choices better than either?

 

[Ultravox]

Why limit yourself to a choice between these two measures when there are other choices better than either?

And would you care to illuminate us as to which measures those "better choices" are?

 

[918v]

Redding 10x and BR30 are better choices. RCBS makes a competition measure that's a better choice. A measure with a tightly fitted and lapped in hopper will always be better than something like the Lyman or the Hornady.

 

[whtsmoke]

The lyman has beeb around a long time and is a very good measure, I have two of them one from the 70's and one older than that when they were orange in color. Trick to them is the calibrated bars and if you have a load you like just write down the numbers just like a vernier caliper and then when you go vack to it just set the numbers right and you will be really close with maybe a minor adjustment.

 

[GP100man]

If ya have lee dies look hard at the 2 auto disc measures , I use mine for pistol mainly as the plastics don`t like cuttin rifle powders.

The Lyman is nice as it is infinitely adjustable but the fine threads on the drop tube limit ya to seek accessarys from Lyman , they do offer powder thru dies for pistol & rifle .

The drop tube will fit the lee powder thru by just sittin in the bushing & I have used it that way for some rifle loads ,just watch the longer extruded powders they`ll bridge easily trying to go thru the lee die using the Lyman 55 , for this reason I switched to dumping in a pan weighing it then pouring it into the funnel sittin on the die.

Works ok for me as I only shoot my rifles at animals or paper , but I could see a faster set up needed for competition rifle where a few hundred rounds where needed .

 

[FROGO207]

I have both the Lyman 55 and the Pacific--now Hornaday-- measures that you ask about. I like the ability to "tune" the Lyman to fit the powder and give me an accurate throw. I find I use it for most of my loading. I use the Pacific when loading the big capacity cases 300 WSM, 300 WIN MAG, 500 NE, and such as the bigger capacity loads do not bother much. For small pistol loads I really like the Lyman the best. BTW I even own the Lee PPM and do use it for the pistol loading also.

 

[Offfhand]

Quoted from above:
"And would you care to illuminate us as to which measures those "better choices" are?"
Well, Mr. 918v supplied a quite serviceable reply, as you see. But I had other measures in mind. Such as those made my Harrell's Precision (see their web site) and the beautiful measure made by Bod Dodd. (RFD Knives). But the best of the best of best in manual measures is the Bruno. (See attached photo of the Bruno repeatable, utterly returnable, Culver click type adjustment.) Of course these measures cost more than ordinary measures but divide the price difference by the years they will be used and hundreds/thousands of times they will be used and the price difference becomes insignificant. But one also has to consider that increasing numbers of knowledgeable handloaders, especially benchrest shooters, who are the most knowledgeable and exacting handloaders on the planet, are now useing electronic dispensers such as the RCBS ChargeMaster rather than manual type powder measures. So consider these too, because as advised in earlier post, consider all the options before limiting your choices to a couple.

 

[918v]

Is the Bruno measure as difficult to empty as the Harrels? I had one but sold it because it was near impossible to get all the powder grains out whrn switching powders. It has a baffle built into it that stands in the way.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The Lyman is a sweet unit. Love mine.. very happy I got it like thirty five years ago.

 

[NCsmitty]

Having used a Lyman #55 measure for 3 decades now, I cannot imagine having or needing a more accurate measuring device for the money. When used as designed, it will throw all the powders that I use much tighter than the +-.1gr standard that most measures struggle to achieve. I really don't need a $250 powder measure.
The adjustable tube drop measures often have trouble with extruded powders bridging.

Thru-die measures are subjected to vibrations that will vary charge weights a bit, but it's not a problem for blasting ammo. I just don't use them.


NCsmitty

 

[Otto]

My next measure will be a Belding and Mull which after many years will finally come back into production.
Another measure few have heard of is the Quick Measure. It's accuracy is on par with a Harrels for half the price. http://www.quick-measure.com/
But for a progressive I still like the Hornady.

 

[918v]

What's so good about it?