OT ... powder measures

[4t5]

I use a lyman 55 powder measure now ,but as my eyes age I find it harder to use,what measures are you guys having good luck with?

[Peter M. Eick]

I use an RCBS Uniflow. I actually now have 3 of them I think. One for small micrometer, one for large micrometer and one just because 2 is not good enough. They all work great and wear in nicely.

[Old Time Hunter]

Depends just how accurate you need to be. General loading up to 44 grains I use the Lee double disk dispencer mounted right on my Lee Classic Turret. When using a single disk it is extremely accurate, when using double disks, it has a tendency to fluctuate a slight bit. Not enough to concern though, the most it ever did was using IMR4895 at 40 grains...it moved as low as 39.8 and as high as 40.1.

For more precision I use the Lee Perfect measure, which looks a bit crude, but drops almost perfectly.

[Shasta]

For years I have used a pair of RCBS Uniflow measures, one for low volume charges and one for high volume charges. With fine grain powders they are very precise, and I don't need to weigh each charge. With coarse grain powder I drop a slightly underweight charge into my scale pan, then bring the charge to exact weight on a PACT electronic scale with an RCBS powder trickler.

I recently purchased an RCBS Chargemaster Combo electronic measure and scale, hoping to speed up the process when each charge must be weighed. It's not as fast as I had hoped, but still does the job a bit faster than my previous method. It is a marvel to watch it work!

For black powder cartridge charges, I use the Lyman 55 designed for black. It has a deep aluminum powder reservoir and a 2 ft. drop tube. It can be a bit finicky to get a specific charge set, but measures very evenly once set and I do not need to weigh each charge.

[AJMD429]

I still fall back on my cheap ($10) plastic 'dipper' set from Lee quite a bit. It takes but a second, and I don't have any qualms about skipping or double-charging. A funnel fit into the 'charging' die is the only other thing you need. Unless you weigh on a scale each charge, you're ALWAYS using a 'volume' measurement, and the Lee's are easy to use consistently and in my opinion not significantly inferior to a quality 'resivoir' measure - at least I've never been able to "shoot the difference." The most accurate ammunition I ever produced was using a Lee "target model" loader (with a piece of scrap PVC for a 'mallet') and those little measures. 6mm Remington cloverleafs all day long at 100 yards.

Hard to get all excited about any other type of measure in terms of accuracy after that!

As far as 'speed' of course whatever mounts to your progressive press will likely do - if you load several hundred rounds at a time you're not likely pushing for sub-moa accuracy anyway.

[dr walker]

I have a set of dippers. I verify and precision weigh powders with an old Herters scale. I used a friends electronic powder measure scale combo and thought it was a real great item, it is my next reloading purchase.

[Sixgun]

RCBS Uniflows--have three of 'em---Been using one for 36 years--------I hear 'ya on the eye thing. I use one of those gunsmith visors that magnify. Flips up when not needed. Also, I use very bright lights where my loading table is.-------------Sixgun

[Scott Young]

i have used a rcbs throw for years along with a lee perfect measure. i used a friends rcbs until i was able to come across one of my own. i love it. i have worked out a system that i can use the original dial and numbers and return to the same throw volume every time for each load.

[1886]

I have come to rely on the Redding measures. 1886.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have RCBS and Redding but the Redding gets used while the RCBS sets in its box!

[gundownunder]

I've been using the Lee Perfect Measure up til now but because most of my handloads for the 357 are with Alliant Unique I am going to have to get something better. At the moment I need to weigh every charge on the scales because the Lee Perfect is very inaccurate with Unique.
Lee themselves admit the perfect measure is not very precise with Unique powder.

[Tommy Reb]

Chuck 100yards, would you be interested in selling that RCBS Uniflow that is always sitting in its box?

[Charles]

I have a pair of Hollywood micrometer adjustable powder measure and an RCBS Handy Dandy with a pastle of rotors.

[Charles]

I have a pair of Hollywood micrometer adjustable powder measure and an RCBS Handy Dandy with a pastle of rotors.

[cnjarvis]

I've been using a Hornady Lock-N-Load powder measure for about 5 years and don't have a single complaint. In fact, I'd buy another if I needed it.

[Old Ironsights]

I use an Auto Disk on my Progressive & Dippers for my Lee Loaders... though if I want to get fancy I'll use Lee's "Perfect" powder measure when using the Lee Loaders...

[Noah Zark]

I have different measures for different loading requirements.

For the popular pistol cartridges that I shoot often and much, I use the Dillon measures that came with my two SDBs. They generally hold to within a 0.1 grams.

For pistol cartridges and rifle cartridges loaded with ball powder or some other equally easy-measuring powder which I load in a Rock Chucker, I use a Lyman 55 with one of those custom-made rotor inserts. I bought it over 25 yrs ago and can't recall who made it. It did make an improvement in repeatability.

For rifle loads using a stick power, I have three Belding & Mull powder measures with several of the micrometer measuring tubes. Once I found a charge weight, I never changed the setting on that given tube. The B&M 'Visible Powder Measure" is the only measure that I've found to meter stick powders as well as it does. And the B&M powder measure is still available new from B&M in Philipsburg, PA. At shows, the B&M measure is usually priced at $100-$125 in these parts, with one tube, sometimes no tube. On eBay, $75-$100 plus. It's worthless without a charge tube.



Noah

[Griff]

For rifle calibers, I use a RCBS UniFlow on their stand, pistls calibers are all done on a Dillon 550B, and shotshells (plastic hulls) on a MEC 600Jr; I haven't set up for brass hulled shotshells yet... infact, they made a couple of movies about my getting organized. "Mission Impossible"!

I've looked several times @ the Lyman with brass powder hopper, but when throwin' 70-90 grs. @ a time, ya tend to run dry in a hurry! Up till not I've just used an adjustable volume regulated muzzle loading measure for BP in my rile cartridges. One of my powderhorn... naw, you ain't interested in those type measures!

[scr83jp]

I bought an OHAUS 7200 DUO Powder measure in the early '70's for rifle & pistol been using it 38 years most accurate powder measure I've ever used, proved it to a friend who was watching me load 20g shells with powder and not weigh every 10th load I told him to pick one and weigh the powder which he did and it was right on.I bought another on ebay that I haven't used as yet