Powder Measure for rifle

[38 Super Auto]

I'd like to setup a single stage operation for loading rifle rounds. I have everything but a powder measure, so....

I need advice on a good powder measure for throwing charges of say 15 to 50 grains. I used to have a Uniflo, but I sold it :-o

I liked the Uniflow feel and performance, but am wondering if a Lyman 55, Lock and Load, or other measure is worth considering. Do any of these measures come standard with a baffle?

My mistake. I reposted this in the reloading equipment forum.

[PatMarlin]

I like the Uniflow best out of those. You can't go wrong with that measure as long as it's clean and working properly...:drinks:

[dromia]

I have the RCBS, Lyman and Hornady along with a few others. They all do the job as advertised with their own foibles.

The Uniflow is a fine measure and if you've liked it in the past then confidence in your tools is going to be a good 50% of your success with them.

I do find Hornady's quick change micrometer system a real boon if you are swapping between powders often.

Baffles really help to give consistency.

Lee's disk measure is a real accurate way of dropping powder too, just real fiddly for setting increments for load development. Once you've settled on a load and know the cavities that will drop that load then it is an accurate dispenser.

[jhrosier]

I have the Lyman #55, RCBS, and a Belding&Mull.
I like and use the Lyman most and keep it mounted in my Lyman AA turret press.
It seems consistent with most powders, even without a baffle.
For short runs of rifle ammo and black powder, I use the B&M.
The B&M uses a separate measure that must be dumped into the case, so it is a little slower.
The B&M seems to be much more consistent with bulky powders that the Lyman has trouble with.
The RCBS has a smaller diameter cutoff and is better with stick powders than the Lyman.
If I had to pick just one, it would be the Lyman.

Jack

[Morgan Astorbilt]

I've got several brands, and after many years, have come to the conclusion that the Redding measures come the closest to a custom target grade measure. They're the only measures I use for single stage loading.
Morgan

[montana_charlie]

Don't remember why I chose it, but I am (also) quite happy with Redding.
CM

[TNsailorman]

I have a RCBS Uniflow and an old Redding. Both do a great job for me but I like the Redding a little bit better. It belonged to my father and an uncle who pooled their reloading finances together to buy equipment back in the 1950's. Both are no longer alive and I guess when I am done with it , I will turn it over to my son and grandsons. The only powders I have had problems mettering in either one are the types like Unique. They don't throw them well as they seem to clump and stick.

[georgeld]

I've been loading since 1958 and never found a measure worth a damn until just a few months ago when I got tired of the Lee's less than perfect and disk spilling powder all over the place. Nearly burned the house down due to that and being stupid enough to cast at the same bench on carpet. even though it was vacuumed real well just before starting it wasn't near good enough and made the worst instant smoke I've ever been around.

Dropped a hot sprue between my feet and the smoke hit my face so fast and hard I didnt' even have time to tip the bucket of water over!

Once I caught my breath and got the wife and pets alerted, doors open, fans going I ran in there and dumped the bucket over. Ended up with a mighty lucky 20" patch of fur burned off the carpet was all. But, at the same time I stored 7 jugs mostly full of powder under the desk within two feet of where I was sitting and this burned patch was.
since then I do all casting out in the shop.

About 8 months ago I took advice from several others and paid the price for a new Uniflow. I've never been happier with a measure and i've had a good many, Including the lyman 55 I just recently gave away.

Since then I've got another Uniflow and two Lil Dandy's with 22 drums.

I need a few more of the smaller drums, or else the exact size's of the powder hole. IF anyone can provide that, I'd be grateful.

Thanks much,

[brshooter]

Harrell's powder measures are without a doubt the best. Ballbearing construction, positive metering, build-in baffle and very accurate. Adjustment barrel has click adjustments and are well marked. Repeatibility is superb. Not inexpensive, but it is one of those things, buy the best once and never look back. I have had Herters, RCBS, Belding and Mull, Redding and Lyman powder measures and was never satisfied with them until I bought a Harrells measure. Try Sinclair International and Harrells have a website allso.
Another nice thing about the Harrells measure is the removeable powder bottles, if you want you can have one for each powder you use. They have a plug in the bottom so you can refill them on the run. Any plastic bottle with a 52 mm mouth will work and I use the plugs from mailing tubes and a hole saw to cut the plastic, or buy them made up from Harrells. The drug store usually has some plastic bottles for the asking.
__________________________________________________ ______________

NRA Endowment Member
Life Member NYSRPA, IBS and NBRSA
Vet RVN

[Jon K]

+1 Harrell's, ditto,ditto, sold the rest and kept a Lyman 55 for charges under 5 grains.

Jon

[Ranch Dog]

I use Lee's Perfect Powder Measure. I shoot over 10K worth of rifle loads a year. Last year most of it was incremental loads for pressure trace work with my bullets. I determine the actual VMD of the powder and then adjust the metering rod (which is calibrated in cubic centimeters) and it will deliver an accurate load of powder. I normally dump the charge in the pan from my scale, weigh it to insure it is correct, and then charge the case. There are very, very few rejected loads. I've used it with H110, H322, H335, H4198, H4895, Benchmark, BL-C(2), Lil' Gun, and Varget. It works great.

Once I've worked through load development and don't change powder lots, I don't weigh the charges any more. I was in a hurry to write a report on my TLC379-235-RF so I dropped some loads of H322 for my Marlin 375 and shot this target at 50-yards. No, didn't weigh them. Just set the metering rod to drop 2.59 CCs of powder which with this lot of H322 equates to 36.0.

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/TLC379235RF/Images/360.gif

A fellow reloader sent me one that came in a kit he ordered. Now I have two on my bench. The second one is set up to drop loads of Cream of Wheat. Yeah, CoW has a VMD too!

I use a Lee turret press and with rifle cartridges that allow use of the auto-index feature, I use the Lee Pro Auto-Disk to drop the charges. These are the loads that I use for all the hunting I do. Most of the levergun rifle cartridges I shoot will need the double disk so I use a fixed cavity as the bottom disk and the adjustable charge bar as the top disk. Doing this does not limit you to the charges that the fixed cavities drop.

For pistol stuff, which has fallen to the side lately, I used the Auto-Disk on my turret press and the adjustable charge bar. I use the micro disk with my 25 ACP.

I do so much of this work, I have a spreadsheet that handles the Lee powder delivery systems and takes all the math out of it.

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/images/Reloading/SampleIISS.gif
Here is the sheet with the incremental loads, again I do it all by CCs

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/images/Reloading/SampleSS.gif
This sheet is for a load that I will use for my hunting, charged with the Pro-Disk. The bottom disk is fixed, 1.46 CCs and the Adustable Charge Bar is set to 1.29 CCs. I won't weigh these charges and they will shoot great!

[DLCTEX]

I use the Uniflow(2), Lyman 55(2), , LeePerfect (2) Auto disc (3), And Lee Powder scoops(when developing loads). Most of these are thrown onto a scale pan and topped off with a touch of the button on my electric trickler (rifle). Pistol are mostly dropped into the case. DALE