Powder Dispensers
- Thread starter hughie
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KansasSasquatch
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Are you wanting something manually/mechanically operated or an electronic powder dispenser? If you want manual operated, I like my Hornady powder measures. They're VERY similar in design to RCBS powder measures but usually $10 cheaper. I'm also in possession of a Redding powder measure (got it through the pay-it-forward thread, giving it to a good friend of mine when he comes back from Ft Benning). The Redding is a very smooth operating powder measure but, it is much older and probably broken in better than my Hornady measures.
The only Lee powder measure I've ever owned was a Perfect Powder Measure. The ability to "turn it off" was nice but like everything Lee makes it was built to be budget friendly and not necessarily the best available. It leaked fine ball powders with every powder throw. But it did meter long stick powders nicely and without "crunching." But I think I'll personally stick with Hornady, RCBS, and Redding now and in the future.
The only Lee powder measure I've ever owned was a Perfect Powder Measure. The ability to "turn it off" was nice but like everything Lee makes it was built to be budget friendly and not necessarily the best available. It leaked fine ball powders with every powder throw. But it did meter long stick powders nicely and without "crunching." But I think I'll personally stick with Hornady, RCBS, and Redding now and in the future.
I like these:
http://55project.com/Base_Photos/RCSBDuo_Base-photo.html
http://55project.com/Base_Photos/OhausDuo_Base_Photo.html
They are olds but do a very good job.
http://55project.com/Base_Photos/RCSBDuo_Base-photo.html
http://55project.com/Base_Photos/OhausDuo_Base_Photo.html
They are olds but do a very good job.
tightgroup tiger
Member
If you are going to throw stick powder and want accurate charges the first time then the Hornady Auto charge or the RCBS Charge Master is the way to go.
If you don't mind charging light and running a dribbler on stick powder then Hornady, Lyman 55, RCBS Uniflow, or the Lee perfect powder measure all will work. All three of the first three I mentioned will cut sticks in half and will be hard to operate at times. The Lee perfect powder measure will not cut sticks but won't dispense fine pistol powders without leaking.
I have the Hornady on my LNL-AP and the Uniflow. I prefer the Hornady, I think I get more accurate charges off of it for a longer period of time then I do from the Uniflow.
For stick powders I use the Hornady Auto Charge. It works very well for most all the powders.
There is not "one measure works well for everything" as far as I know.
If you don't mind charging light and running a dribbler on stick powder then Hornady, Lyman 55, RCBS Uniflow, or the Lee perfect powder measure all will work. All three of the first three I mentioned will cut sticks in half and will be hard to operate at times. The Lee perfect powder measure will not cut sticks but won't dispense fine pistol powders without leaking.
I have the Hornady on my LNL-AP and the Uniflow. I prefer the Hornady, I think I get more accurate charges off of it for a longer period of time then I do from the Uniflow.
For stick powders I use the Hornady Auto Charge. It works very well for most all the powders.
There is not "one measure works well for everything" as far as I know.
stubbicatt
Member
I've been happy with the Harrell's measure, though the automatic or electric measures are nice when they work. In the late 90s I had a RCBS version, and it worked pretty good.
I use a Lee auto disc with the adjustable charge bar for pistol cartridges and am satisfied with its performance.
I use a Lee auto disc with the adjustable charge bar for pistol cartridges and am satisfied with its performance.
I have four different manufacturers drum style powder measures plus a Harrell Custom 90.
All of them work fine but I do fine they work better if I am not operating at the extremes of the metering cavity. Three of the four have two metering drums but I have multiple measures so that I do not have to swap out drums.
I have settled on a Redding 10-X for handgun, I even use it on my progressive presses.
I use the RCBS Uniflow for small rifle. Since I got the Harrell, the Uniflow only gets used on the progressive presses. With the large drum in the Uniflow, it works fine for larger rifle cartridges such as the 30-06, but I got a Midway Indispensable powder measure which works great with large rifle cartridges.
I have the Hornady L-N-L powder measure that came with the Hornady press. It works ok but I prefer the others. The Hornady is currently retired.
For single stage reloading, the Harrell is great. It is about all I use for single stage rifle cartridge loading.
I have a PACT auto powder dispenser but find it too slow for all loading except load development. Since I got the Harrell, I do not use the PACT much any more.
All of my drum measures have micrometer adjusters. The micrometer adjusters do not make the measures more accurate, but it makes returning to a particular charge very quick and it makes adjusting the charge very easy. Just remember to log the setting with your reloading data.
I used to use an RCBS Little Dandy powder measure for handgun. I still have the measure and all the rotors but I have not used it in decades. The measure works great but I got frustrated with the fixed cavity rotors and not being able to dial in my powder charge. Hence, I would not recommend dippers or other fixed cavity powder delivery systems.
Just my two cents worth.
All of them work fine but I do fine they work better if I am not operating at the extremes of the metering cavity. Three of the four have two metering drums but I have multiple measures so that I do not have to swap out drums.
I have settled on a Redding 10-X for handgun, I even use it on my progressive presses.
I use the RCBS Uniflow for small rifle. Since I got the Harrell, the Uniflow only gets used on the progressive presses. With the large drum in the Uniflow, it works fine for larger rifle cartridges such as the 30-06, but I got a Midway Indispensable powder measure which works great with large rifle cartridges.
I have the Hornady L-N-L powder measure that came with the Hornady press. It works ok but I prefer the others. The Hornady is currently retired.
For single stage reloading, the Harrell is great. It is about all I use for single stage rifle cartridge loading.
I have a PACT auto powder dispenser but find it too slow for all loading except load development. Since I got the Harrell, I do not use the PACT much any more.
All of my drum measures have micrometer adjusters. The micrometer adjusters do not make the measures more accurate, but it makes returning to a particular charge very quick and it makes adjusting the charge very easy. Just remember to log the setting with your reloading data.
I used to use an RCBS Little Dandy powder measure for handgun. I still have the measure and all the rotors but I have not used it in decades. The measure works great but I got frustrated with the fixed cavity rotors and not being able to dial in my powder charge. Hence, I would not recommend dippers or other fixed cavity powder delivery systems.
Just my two cents worth.
Potatohead
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- Mar 9, 2013
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Is anything known for being good for small pistol charges? (.380 and .32 type charges)
KansasSasquatch
Member
My Hornady (and I bet an RCBS Uniflow would too) is spot on down to 3.0gr with anything smaller grained than Unique (not including Unique). Red Dot is slightly smaller than Unique, but still pretty bulky, and my Hornady has no problem hitting on the money with 3.0gr drop after drop. I've never attempted anything smaller than 3.0gr of Red Dot except maybe 4.0gr of W231 and 3.5gr of Bullseye.
If you're willing to experiment you might try the Lee Auto Disk and the modification bds (or was it blarby?) posted about a couple weeks ago. He seemed to be having good results with small charges.
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Jesse Heywood
Member
RCBS Uniflow with the small meter. AA#2, 1.9 gr. #2 meters like butter, granules are smell.
ironworkerwill
Member
Correct! The Lee PPM had me so mad I almost threw it in the trash. Using H380 was a NO-GO!
However, if you lap fit the rotor it's good to go. After years of service, with a beer can baffle and a fitted rotor, it works great.
I have loaded 380 ACP with my Redding 10-X for years. i have done a few batches of 32 ACP with it and one batch of 25 ACP.
The 25 ACP is pushing the lower rated capacity of the 10-X but I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to dial in the itty bitty powder charge. There is almost no adjustment left though.
Potatohead
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- Mar 9, 2013
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Thanks for your answers guys...And I just finished the mod MaxxHavoc suggested on BDS's Loadmaster (I think Loadmaster, I forget which?) thread, where you move the cavities center more towards the middle of the Charge Bar by extending the thickness of the wall with epoxy. Im dropping 2.9 on the money every time now!
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