Powder measures

kscardsfan · April 17, 2009, 08:42 PM

Anyone got any recommendation for an economical powder measure while my PACT is getting serviced? Not being able to reload is making me kind of cranky and people are starting to notice lol. I don't need anything for benchrest accuracy or things like that, just something to keep me and my hobby going.

a7mmnut · April 17, 2009, 08:47 PM

Are you talking "automatics"? For the old manual type, I've got Lyman, Lee, and RCBS. All work fine.

-7-

kscardsfan · April 17, 2009, 09:48 PM

No just the old ones like Larry Potterfield is working in his "Wednesday Nights at the range" commercials on OLN or whichever channel its on.

kscardsfan · April 22, 2009, 10:59 AM

bump it.

**Mike Irwin** · April 22, 2009, 12:20 PM

Lee Pro Disk.

GeauxTide · April 22, 2009, 12:47 PM

I used an RCBS Uniflow for almost 40 years and then there was Lyman DPS III.

CPTMurdoc30 · April 22, 2009, 12:54 PM

+1 for RCBS

Mine is on its third owner since it was bought brand new. I sent it back and RCBS FREE of Charge replaced all the guts hoper and handle. Can't beat that with a big stick.

kscardsfan · April 22, 2009, 12:56 PM

Is the RCBS pretty tight and repeatable when you throw charges?

Suicide*Ride · April 23, 2009, 05:17 PM

Don't know what you're loading, but if it's pistol you could search auction sights (Craig's list, fleabay, etc.) & try to find a RCBS Lil Dandy Pistol powder kit.

The hopper has interchangable numbered rotors. I don't remember where, but somewhere on the internet there's a chart that lists specific charge weights for a specific type of powder. When your PACT is returned, you can always sell them & get most (if not all

) your $$$ back.

Buy 1 or 2 rotors for the powder charge you load with & "Git'r done"!

Quote:

Call RCBS Customer Service at
1-800-533-5000 for discounted prices on select "seconds."

86040 - LITTLE DANDY PISTOL POWDER MEASURE
https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Mai...&route=C07J026

Lil Dandy Rotors
https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/Mai...J026&route=C07

RamSlammer · April 24, 2009, 12:39 AM

Hmmm. . . Wonder if that RCBS Little Dandy will fit over Lee Powder through Expanding Dies?

gunrac · April 24, 2009, 08:05 AM

I purchased a PACT over a year ago. Nice outfit. Just curios, what kind of problem you had with yours. Did they give you a turn around time? You have me wondering whether I should have kept my ol' uni-flow for a back-up.

abber · April 24, 2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Is the RCBS pretty tight and repeatable when you throw charges?

Depends on which RCBS. My kit came with a Uniflow, which I upgraded with a smaller rotor, micrometer, and baffle. I load only for handguns, but the .460 pushes the capacity limit on the .500 rotor. I am very happy with the measure now, but to buy it in its current configuration is not exactly economical. I like the accuracy and repeatability though.

wncchester · April 24, 2009, 11:51 AM

No inexpensive volumetric measuring device, such as our powder measures, can possible measure coarse items such as 4831 in the volumes we need with high precision. But, they can dispense accurate charges of finer (4831 SC, VARGET, etc.) powders or any ball powders that meter well.

The basic design of practical priced powder measures peaked long ago and there are no secrets to them. The current RCBS, Hornady, Redding's are most popular and, with accessory pistol chambers, are quite versatile across a wide range of charges. The Lyman 55 is slightly different in its drum settings but highly respected by its users. Any of them will do as good as the others IF the user develops proper consistancy in operating the lever!

Lee's inexpensive little plastic "Perfect" measure seems to work better than the others for coarse powders, but not so well on ball powders. Meaning it tends to leak the fine stuff if it's not set up/adjusted correctly and THAT causes some folks trouble!

Not much of anything that rotates works great with fine flake powders. The thin particles get caught in the moving parts and jam the drums up a bit!

**Mike Irwin** · April 24, 2009, 11:53 AM

"Lee's inexpensive little plastic "Perfect" measure seems to work better than the others for coarse powders, but not so well on ball powders."

Yes, they tend to leak, but I can't question my Lee's ability to throw monotonously consistent charges of ball powders.

wncchester · April 24, 2009, 12:07 PM

1234567890

kscardsfan · April 24, 2009, 12:13 PM

The scale won't read/sync up with the powder measure itself. It is locked on "test" or something to that effect. The people at PACT said they're repair dept. is backed up around 6 weeks

so I'm pretty much hamstrung until I figure out a suitable replacement for a while. I'm not sure what went wrong with it, I just got it out of the box and started setting it up and it locked up on me lol. Me and electronics have a checkered past you could say

**Mike Irwin** · April 24, 2009, 12:54 PM

Is it me, or is there a very distinct echo in this thread?

RamSlammer · April 24, 2009, 01:07 PM

AA powders grind my Lee Auto Disc measure to a halt as it's so fine as to get crushed in the movement as the disc moves under the hopper. The Pro version with adjustable charge bar does okay.

wncchester · April 24, 2009, 09:09 PM

Is it me....Is it me .... Is it me ....

Dunno. ??

harry carey · April 25, 2009, 10:38 AM

the uniflow works better than most. some more expensive measures will not work cold !!! bridged charges if cold ! the above post about large cylindrical powder is correct. the pact scale has issues. i use an old rcbs elec. (pact) to short throw rifle (lg. stick powder) and then use a manual trickler with an old non-magnetic redding scale to get accurate charges. I have about a dozen measures . a Harrell won't throw IMR stick powders as good as a uniflow but throws H335 perfect and benchrest type powders .

**Mike Irwin** · April 25, 2009, 11:20 AM

I've never had my Pro disk come to a stop when using AA powders, but I have to make a little catch basin and tape it onto the front of the measure to catch the powder that leaks and is pushed out by the disk.

Yeah, it's annoying, but I can deal with it.

I could use my Uniflow, but it won't sit on top of my Lee press.

April 17, 2009, 08:42 PM	#1
kscardsfan Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 30	Powder measures Anyone got any recommendation for an economical powder measure while my PACT is getting serviced? Not being able to reload is making me kind of cranky and people are starting to notice lol. I don't need anything for benchrest accuracy or things like that, just something to keep me and my hobby going.

April 22, 2009, 12:20 PM	#5
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Lee Pro Disk. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 22, 2009, 12:54 PM	#7
CPTMurdoc30 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2008 Location: Stafford VA Posts: 969	+1 for RCBS Mine is on its third owner since it was bought brand new. I sent it back and RCBS FREE of Charge replaced all the guts hoper and handle. Can't beat that with a big stick. __________________ Solving Virginia's Ground Hog problems 50gr at a time.....

April 24, 2009, 08:05 AM	#11
gunrac Member Join Date: January 19, 2008 Location: central ohio Posts: 19	I purchased a PACT over a year ago. Nice outfit. Just curios, what kind of problem you had with yours. Did they give you a turn around time? You have me wondering whether I should have kept my ol' uni-flow for a back-up. __________________ NEVER APOLOGIZE.... AS IT SHOWS SIGNS OF WEAKNESS

April 24, 2009, 11:51 AM	#13
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	No inexpensive volumetric measuring device, such as our powder measures, can possible measure coarse items such as 4831 in the volumes we need with high precision. But, they can dispense accurate charges of finer (4831 SC, VARGET, etc.) powders or any ball powders that meter well. The basic design of practical priced powder measures peaked long ago and there are no secrets to them. The current RCBS, Hornady, Redding's are most popular and, with accessory pistol chambers, are quite versatile across a wide range of charges. The Lyman 55 is slightly different in its drum settings but highly respected by its users. Any of them will do as good as the others IF the user develops proper consistancy in operating the lever! Lee's inexpensive little plastic "Perfect" measure seems to work better than the others for coarse powders, but not so well on ball powders. Meaning it tends to leak the fine stuff if it's not set up/adjusted correctly and THAT causes some folks trouble! Not much of anything that rotates works great with fine flake powders. The thin particles get caught in the moving parts and jam the drums up a bit! Last edited by wncchester; April 24, 2009 at 12:03 PM.

April 17, 2009, 08:47 PM	#2
a7mmnut Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: NC Foothills Posts: 1,150	Are you talking "automatics"? For the old manual type, I've got Lyman, Lee, and RCBS. All work fine. -7-

April 17, 2009, 09:48 PM	#3
kscardsfan Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 30	No just the old ones like Larry Potterfield is working in his "Wednesday Nights at the range" commercials on OLN or whichever channel its on.

April 22, 2009, 10:59 AM	#4
kscardsfan Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 30	bump it.

April 22, 2009, 12:47 PM	#6
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	I used an RCBS Uniflow for almost 40 years and then there was Lyman DPS III.

April 22, 2009, 12:56 PM	#8
kscardsfan Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 30	Is the RCBS pretty tight and repeatable when you throw charges?

April 24, 2009, 12:39 AM	#10
RamSlammer Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 722	Hmmm. . . Wonder if that RCBS Little Dandy will fit over Lee Powder through Expanding Dies?

April 24, 2009, 11:53 AM	#14
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	"Lee's inexpensive little plastic "Perfect" measure seems to work better than the others for coarse powders, but not so well on ball powders." Yes, they tend to leak, but I can't question my Lee's ability to throw monotonously consistent charges of ball powders. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 24, 2009, 12:07 PM	#15
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	1234567890 Last edited by wncchester; April 24, 2009 at 09:07 PM. Reason: Dup. post

April 24, 2009, 12:13 PM	#16
kscardsfan Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 30	The scale won't read/sync up with the powder measure itself. It is locked on "test" or something to that effect. The people at PACT said they're repair dept. is backed up around 6 weeks so I'm pretty much hamstrung until I figure out a suitable replacement for a while. I'm not sure what went wrong with it, I just got it out of the box and started setting it up and it locked up on me lol. Me and electronics have a checkered past you could say

April 24, 2009, 12:54 PM	#17
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Is it me, or is there a very distinct echo in this thread? __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

April 24, 2009, 01:07 PM	#18
RamSlammer Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 722	AA powders grind my Lee Auto Disc measure to a halt as it's so fine as to get crushed in the movement as the disc moves under the hopper. The Pro version with adjustable charge bar does okay.

April 24, 2009, 09:09 PM	#19
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Is it me....Is it me .... Is it me .... Dunno. ??

April 25, 2009, 10:38 AM	#20
harry carey Member Join Date: April 25, 2009 Location: georgia Posts: 67	the uniflow works better than most. some more expensive measures will not work cold !!! bridged charges if cold ! the above post about large cylindrical powder is correct. the pact scale has issues. i use an old rcbs elec. (pact) to short throw rifle (lg. stick powder) and then use a manual trickler with an old non-magnetic redding scale to get accurate charges. I have about a dozen measures . a Harrell won't throw IMR stick powders as good as a uniflow but throws H335 perfect and benchrest type powders .

April 25, 2009, 11:20 AM	#21
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	I've never had my Pro disk come to a stop when using AA powders, but I have to make a little catch basin and tape it onto the front of the measure to catch the powder that leaks and is pushed out by the disk. Yeah, it's annoying, but I can deal with it. I could use my Uniflow, but it won't sit on top of my Lee press. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.