Powder chargers

[osteodoc08]

I've got a Lyman that came with my Lyman turret kit. It works fair, but chokes on anything but ball. 296 makes it feel gritty. IMR4350 is horrible. 800x is another tough one.

What does everyone recommend as a good, reliable, consistent powder charger that comes with a stand or is mountable to a bench.

[CastingFool]

I have a Redding, works great with ball powder, like 748. With stick powder like 3031, or 4064, not so great, have to use my trickler to get the exact weight. Have used with Red Dot, but it's been so long ago, I can't remember how it performed.

[Mk42gunner]

I have an RCBS Uniflow with the large drum that I have used for years for just about everything, then I started loading miniscule charges of Red Dot for the .32 S&W Long; the large drum did not like dispensing 2.5 grains of flake powder. Shortly after that I bought a Lyman 55 (with stand) for $17.50 at an estate auction that works well with the small charges of Red Dot.

Most of the manual powder measures take a bit of using to figure out how to get the best consistency with each design.

Robert

[W.R.Buchanan]

On Rotary Powder Dispensers the fit between the drum and the housing will determine what it will work well with. Anything more than a couple of thousandths clearance will cause problems with fine powders such a s H110/W296.

All you can do is check these clearances before you buy. I have heard that the Redding PM's are pretty tight, and if you want to really go first class then a Harrell is probably the best there is.

None will work that consistently with stick powders simply because stick powders don't meter that well when dropped into a cylinder. Seems that the sticks all fall in a different way everytime.


Another way to go is an Electronic Powder Dispenser like a Lyman DPSIII. It will dispense any kind of powder there is, and they are about the same cost as a Harrell but infinitely more versatile.

Randy

[Rory McCanuck]

I know everyone will dogpile on me, but give the Lee Perfect Powder measure a try.
It may be a pretty ambitious name, but it works really well with extruded powders.
Mine leaked with fine ball before I lapped it, so I just use the CH for them, but it will do the job.
For the price of a stand, you get a powder measure too :-D

[mdi]

On Rotary Powder Dispensers the fit between the drum and the housing will determine what it will work well with. Anything more than a couple of thousandths clearance will cause problems with fine powders such a s H110/W296.

All you can do is check these clearances before you buy. I have heard that the Redding PM's are pretty tight, and if you want to really go first class then a Harrell is probably the best there is.

None will work that consistently with stick powders simply because stick powders don't meter that well when dropped into a cylinder. Seems that the sticks all fall in a different way everytime.


Another way to go is an Electronic Powder Dispenser like a Lyman DPSIII. It will dispense any kind of powder there is, and they are about the same cost as a Harrell but infinitely more versatile.

Randy

Here ya go! Best answer I've heard in a while...

BTW; Nuttin wrong with a Lee powder measure. I've used one for some pistol reloading where I can get consistency of .05 grain with W231...

[osteodoc08]

I'll look into the powder dispensers. They're costly though. I've already spent a bunch on a new press with accessories so I may just hold off until Christmas and make do. A powder dispenser like the RCBS Charge master 1500 would be awesome.

[country gent]

The Harrels are very good and accurate I have 2 a shutzen size and standard size. They are great but are expensive. If you can find one the old Bedding and Mulls are very good with stick powders but are I think they are no longer made, so you have to find a used one. The reddings are good and work okay. I have an extenivly rework rcbs uniflow heret that is good but not up to the 3 mentioned earlier. I ground and honed the housing to truely round. Ground sides of housing parrallel. Made a new drum with side plates limiting side play and with less than .0005 clearence, a micrometer up grade. It does okay but is not the equal of the Harrels or bedding and mull.
Operating a powde measure accuratly takes a complete consistency of operation, same exact speed, same bump top and bottom of stroke everything has to be the same. Sometimes the measure wants to have a certain amount of powder pressure, Charges will and can varu with the amount of powder in the hopper. A Baffle can help allievate this effect. I have cut them from old pop bottles. Fold an piece in halk and cut round to fit hopper, cut a notch or flat on lower edge to allow powder to flow from sides then find the correct hieght the measure wants

[David2011]

The old Saeco, if you can find one, is a very good measure. It meters all the stuff my UniFlow doesn't meter well. The Saeco housing was bored and the drum was hard chromed oversize. After chroming it was ground to fit the bore of the housing very closely. It will throw H4895 +/- 0.1 grain.

David

[Wayne Smith]

Belding and Mull is back being made. Mine is one of the old ones. I was fortunate enough to set up my reloading room before the prices of used stuff went crazy. I picked up the B&M, a Bair Pistol Powder Measure, a Pacific Pistol Powder measure, a Lyman 55, and an old Pacific Powder Measure for pennies on the dollar. I have rotors for the Bair suitable for the 38/357 and am making bushings for the Pacific Pistol Powder measure. I have three measures for the B&M made from 45-70 shells and will have a couple made from 45-120 brass as soon as a friend makes them. This is my most used measure.

[country gent]

Mr Smith, Hobby shops have thin walled brass tubing in the right diameters add a dowel with a cypped end and a 1/2" stop collar from the hardware store you can make an adjustable very close to the originals. The Brass tubing is normally in 12" lengths so 3 can be made pretty easy at a time. Sory for verring from the original post a little