[overkill0084]

Today I was trying to load some .40 S&W using Accurate #5 and my powder measure was binding up and just generally giving me a hard time. The measure in question is a Lee Perfect that came with my kit. Up till now I was doing fine with it, but it has been more fussy lately. I think that it's past it's sell-by date. So, I head on over to the friendly neighborhood Sportsman's warehouse with a RCBS Uniflow on my mind. Oddly enough after I broke the "Don't Open the Boxes" rule I was sort of let down, the Uniflow didn't have that cool micrometer feature. Heck, even Lee made the effort with theirs. Further down the shelf there was a Redding #3BR Match Grade model (Universal Micrometer Unit version). So I tear into the box (that rule again). I found it had the cool (though probably unnecessary in the grand scheme of things) Micrometer feature. The downer was that it was noticeably more than the Uniflow, even factoring in the RCBS need for a separate purchase of a stand. I ended up saying screw it, the last time I bought a Redding device (my scale) I was quite happy with it. So Home I went, with my new toy.
This thing is the real deal. It's built like a piece of 50's equipment, I mean that in the best possible way. Cast iron & machined steel. The only plastic is the reservoir & the drop tube. The Micrometer feature feels very precise and can be locked into place. It throws my AA#5 consistently and even does OK with Unique (haven't tested any other powders yet). Overall it feel like a piece of precision equipment. It's like going from a Yugo to a Mercedes. Worth noting: The Universal Micrometer unit is supposedly good for charges as low as 5 gr & up to 100. I found that it throws as low as 2.5 gr of AA#5, but I didn't check consistency. I haven't tried other powders, if the low end becomes a problem, I may need to order Pistol micrometer unit. We'll see. For those in the market, it's worth at least a look. The only thing I miss about the Lee is the ability to remove the hopper for easier emptying.