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Thread: Review - Lyman Gen6 automatic powder scale

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Review - Lyman Gen6 automatic powder scale

    I first started reloading as a kid at 16 years old, loading .38's and 12 gauge shells for trap shooting and put it down for 35 years. Two years ago I started reloading for rifles and have been making due with an old Lyman 55 powder measure and a 505 scale.

    I finally treated myself to one of these:



    $180 delivered, about $100 less expensive than the RCBS.

    It came somewhat un assembled. You have to put the reservoir on it then it becomes somewhat permanently attached.



    It has a 50 gram calibration weight, plus a tube restrictor for smaller powder and a small brush and some basic maintenance seals.



    It needs to warm up for three minutes prior to use, and should be calibrated every time, which makes warm up and ready to use time less than 5 minutes.
    I could not get mine to calibrate, so I called Lyman, and they walked me through pushing the scale base from left to right, which can happen in shipping. It was a pain and took me about two hours to play with it, determine it wasn't working and call Lyman. Lyman's customer service did not take the call at first, and had to call me back. So we got it to calibrate and I had to put it away because I was out of time for the day.

    It has a really nice slim profile and can be easily stored on a shelf.

    I decided to use it today for the first time. It went through it's 3 minute warm up cycle and calibrated just fine. I decided to use X-Term today and load some test .35 Remington rounds from 34 gr to 37 gr by .5 increments. I poured in the powder and it started coming out of the side. There is a gate that must be closed prior to use and It took me a few minutes to clean up and close it. X-Term is a small ball powder and it meters well but can get everywhere.

    The instructions say with a small powder like this to use the restrictor in the tube. It easily went in and in just one powder throw it was right on the mark at 34 gr. However, with a small ball powder like X-Term it "bounces" when it hits the pan, so it can be a little messy and it might bug you if you are a neat freak like me. A few grains here and there can build up during a loading session. I suggest keeping it in something like a dinner tray when loading if you want to keep your bench powder free. The small brush supplied with the unit is supposed to be used to clean off any extra powder. I use compressed air.

    The touch screen works really well. To set a load you type in the weight and press enter and it will discharge it fairly quickly. If you select the repeat function it drops the charge and then waits for you to put the pan back and drops another, and tells you how many times it has repeated. This is handy if you are keeping track of how many of a certain load you are making. I dropped five at 34 grains, then set it to 34.5 gr and hit repeat. It dropped each charge right on the limit each time. I made seven different charges, a total of 35 drops and it was off by 0.1 gr one time, so the powder went back into the hopper. I finished my powder charges at 37 gr.

    Clean up was simple but not real fast. On the left side of the scale there is a chute that folds out, and then a gate that is opened by sliding it up with your finger. This opens the powder reservoir and allows it to empty back into your container placed under the chute. The reservoir can easily hold a full pound of powder and can take 30 to 60 seconds to empty. Once the reservoir is mostly emptied, I used an air hose to clean out the body and drop tube. It is not neat. You will spill some powder in the process.

    Overall it was a big improvement over my manual scale and powder measure. I like the touch screen and slim design and repeatability and accuracy. Cleanup could use a little improvement. I feel it is certainly worth the money spent.

    D

  2. #2
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    MrWolf's Avatar
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    Nice writeup. I was curious on how they worked. Thanks.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
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    I would suggest keeping the compressed air away from the unit unless it's made for cleaning electronics. ESD kills boards. And while it may not happen immediately the damage is done. If it's like the Chargemaster the brush will clean it out just fine. May take longer but you don't risk killing the electronics.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy marvelshooter's Avatar
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    I like it. Where did you find it for $180 delivered? Every place I looked wants at least $50 more.

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
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    Regarding ESD, I live in South Florida and the humidity is high enough that we almost never have static. I work in the computer / electronics biz.

    I shopped hard for and bought it through Natchez.

    D

  6. #6
    Boolit Master VHoward's Avatar
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    ESD from compressed air? I can see it if you touch the airgun nozzle to the bare circuit board, but that's not necessary to blow dust and dirt off of electronic devices. Hold to nozzle a few inches away and viola, no ESD. I'd be more concerned with odd forces being applied to the weight sensor by the compressed air. Just be careful.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
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    I use the compressed air to clean out the powder bin. No electronics in there.

    D

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by VHoward View Post
    ESD from compressed air?
    We've been told by multiple manufacturers to not clean off their boards w/ compressed air or nitrogen. This is in HVAC equipment but electronics are electronics. Most of the damage is done because techs don't wear grounding straps when handling the boards. Just passing along what I've been told by many sources.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy bluelund79's Avatar
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    Great price on that. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a nice alternative to the RCBS Chargemaster

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I bought one of the first ones to arrive at our local SW about a year ago and am quite happy with it. Ball powders do tend to bounce out of the pan a bit but putting a cardboard spacer under the pan before zero to raise it some helps.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master FLHTC's Avatar
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    I have the Gen5 and oh what a treat it is to dispense 200 rounds of the same load.........accurately! I had been on the fence with one of these for years and was completely blown away by it's accuracy. I use electrical tape to deaden the pan and it stops the bounce of powder granules. No more trickling!!!!

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy josper's Avatar
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    I just bought a Gen6 this week and I like it very much. I'm interested in the compressed air problem. I build my own computers and know enough about static that I always wear one of those wrist grounding straps when working on them. I'm curious about the thing with using compressed air. Does that also apply to "caned air" This is what is commonly used for dusting off motherboards, air coolers [for processors] , keyboards , and cooling fans. It says right on the can .For computers,electronics, automobile, cameras, crafts. I think your talking about compressed air as from a shop air compressor. The problem there is water vapor in the air. Correct me if I'm wrong.
    Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live or die on this day. Live or die on this day.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master VHoward's Avatar
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    I've used compressed air from a small compressor when cleaning and repairing computers before with no problems. However, the board is enclosed on this powder dispenser and you won't be directing air anywhere near the electronics, so you should be OK. Personally I don't see the need to blow this thing out with compressed air. I have Hornady's version of this and it works fine. I wouldn't load for my rifle without it anymore.

    And the electronics engineer at work uses compressed air from a compressor all the time on the electronics around the shop. He doesn't seem to think it's harmful.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master TheDoctor's Avatar
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    Rapidly moving air can build a charge. Think about lightning. Or a helicopters rotors, which seem to do it a lot more when it IS humid. I have never had ESD that I know of using compresses air, but remember, two millivolts can open a MOSFET. Takes more than 1000 times that amount for you to feel it.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master VHoward's Avatar
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    I've felt static charge discharges more often when I lived in Arizona much more than I ever have here on the Oregon coast. Still no need to used compressed air to clean these powder measures though. A soft dusting brush and your not going to get anywhere near the sensitive electronics to cause ESD.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Big Dan,

    Thanks for posting your review. I have a Lyman DPS 1200 (1st Gen), with the Turbo upgrade, that I've been using for at least ten years. It's fast enough, and accurate enough, that I weigh my charges for everything. I hate the thought of trying to get along without it. I've thought about going with the RCBS Charge Master when it finally dies. It looks like the new Lyman Gen 6 should be worth considering too.

    Thanks,

    Dave
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  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy mwells72774's Avatar
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    Anyone having screen issues with this dispenser?

  18. #18
    Boolit Master VHoward's Avatar
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    I bought one to replace my Hornady version.. I have not had any trouble with the touch screen. My Hornady decided it wasn't going to hold zero anymore.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy mwells72774's Avatar
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    If it's not hot I'm the shack then the numbers fade out

  20. #20
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    I have had no issues with mine. YMMV

    Slim
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check