Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measure - have one? Your thoughts?

[bedbugbilly]

I recently needed a powder measure where we winter in AZ as I have been gathering reloading things here so I don't have to haul them back and forth to Michigan. I ran across a nice vintage Lyman 55 - I have several in MI and I like them and they do all that I want. Until you start looking for something though, you don't always know what is out there now as far as new offerings.

In looking at options for a powder measure, I ran across the "Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measure" that I hadn't been aware of since I hadn't been looking for a measure. IIRC, I read where Lyman was dropping the old reliable "55" so I'm guessing that their "Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measure" is what they are replacing the "55" with???

I don't want to start a dispute over what brand is better than another - I'm just curious to hear if anyone has one of the new (I have no idea of how long they have been out) Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measures? Are you happy with it and if you have used a "55", how does it match up to the "55" that has been used for years?

I have owned/used a number of different brands of powder measures but for what I reload and the powders I use, I always seem to end up pulling one fo the 55s out of the cupboard. At some point, I'm going to want to add another powder measure here and if the Lyman Brass Smith Powder Measure is very similar to and works as well as the old 55 models, I would probably give one a try.

Thanks!

[BigAlofPa.]

I have one and love it. No leaks and throws bulkier powders like the dot powders and unique right on the money. No plastic in it too. It's much more consistent than my lee perfect powder.

[mattw]

I do not have one... but to me it looks like it is going to have a standard round cavity like many measures and it does look like a decent adjuster. I wonder if the handle can be flipped from one side to the other as I run my RCBS measures backwards. You know adjuster sticking out of the back and dump on the down stroke. I do not think one can have to many brands of measures, some will handle a given powder better than others. The design looks solid and I may have to try one just for giggles.

[bedbugbilly]

Thank you - that's good to hear!

I have a couple of the Lee Perfect Powder Measures - they worked OK but once I found one of the old Lyman 55s - I just preferred the 55.

I should have mentioned the powders I use - usually Bulls Eye, Red Dot, Green Dot and Unique.

Thanks for the mention of "no plastic" as I was wondering about that as well.

My rifle cartridges I usually batch load and use a scale for each load with H335, Varget, etc. as I'm not loading large quantities at one time. If I am using Unique, RD, GD or BE for rifle loads with cast - I do usually set up the 55 to drop the loads in them.

[Binky]

I own 7 or 8 powder measures (really closer to a dozen), including a Brass Smith. The Brass Smith works well for me but isn't any better than my Redding, Lyman 55s (yes, more than one) RCBSs (again, more than one). They all have their own learning curve and work better with some powders and not so much with others. My Redding is and always will be my favorite, mostly because it was my first and only for many years. As I use it more, the Brass Smith is moving up the list of favs. Good luck with you choice. You can't go wrong with any of the top brands.