Will RCBS Little Dandy powder rotors fit Bonanza?

[trooperdan]

I have a couple of the old Bonanza powder measures that use fixed charge brass rotors, I only have a dozen or so rotors and they seem really scarce of the used market whereas the RCBS seem plentiful, if expensive! Can anyone tell me if the RCBS rotors work in the old Bananza measure?

[Pressman]

The answer is no, none of the fixed rotor measures have rotors that will interchange with any other brand.

[Green Frog]

As Ken states, each brand of fixed rotor powder measure has its own size and style of rotor. You can’t always do this ahead of time, but it’s best to choose a brand that offers the rotor sizes you need. My method, buying many different measures to get as wide a variety of rotors as possible, is too inefficient and expensive to call a good plan. I’ve resolved to stop buying new measures, and if I can’t hit a desired charge with what I’ve got, I’ll just have to use an adjustable measure like an Ideal #5 or Lyman #55 or perhaps a B&M. :cool:

YEAH RIGHT! Let’s see how long that lasts! :roll:

Froggie

[Mk42gunner]

You could always buy a mini (or not so miniature) lathe and a piece of brass to make new rotors. Just saying.

Enabler's are us,

Robert

[trooperdan]

Thanks for the info and replies guys... except you, Mk42Gunner! You don't know how close I've come to buying a mini lathe already! Just what I don't need is another hobby interest!! :)

[ulav8r]

Thanks for the info and replies guys... except you, Mk42Gunner! You don't know how close I've come to buying a mini lathe already! Just what I don't need is another hobby interest!! :)

It is not a hobby interest, it is an essential tool. :grin:

[Alstep]

I couldn't live without my lathe & mill. Always making up small parts like "M" die stems, etc.
Check out some model engineering shows. There's always vendors that have all kinds of good used machine tools and equipment.

[GONRA]

GONRA sez ya'll GOTTA HAVA home machine shop for a reloading hobby!

[Green Frog]

This thread has come off the rails a bit, but if the OP will bear with me, I noticed first in the Schuetzen Game (as practiced by members of ASSRA) that the really serious shooters fell into three categories, machinists, good friends of machinists, and guys with a lot of disposable income. [smilie=l:

I fell in the second category and although I inherited an 11” lathe and bought a little bench top horizontal mill, I’m better at turning good metal stock into scrap than anything else. As my machinist friends have passed away I find myself with fewer and fewer new toys like I could formerly have gotten from them. :cry:

Back on topic, if you do have or have access to machining equipment, an adjustable rotor like the one provided by BaileyBoat for the Little Dandy should be easy to make. 8-)

Froggie

[Rich/WIS]

Have the same measure and picked up rotors of E-bay, but that was years ago. Suspect the supply of spare rotor has dried up as the measure was discontinued quite a long time ago. Forster at one time had some still in stock and did get some from them, again many years ago. You might call them and see what, if any, stock they still have. I use mine hand held for pistol and mouse fart rifle loads and find it excellent, wish it were still made so at least rotors would still be available.

Forster (815) 493-6360

[Green Frog]

You know, if I were in your position, and I sorta am, the idea of taking a surplus rotor and making it adjustable would be attractive. This is done by drilling and threading the cavity almost through and using a set screw to set depth/chamber volume. You can adjust it through the drop tube without having to take the rotor out each time. I even have a spare double cavity rotor for a Lyman ACCUMEASURE so I can make a rotor with large and small adjustable cavities. The only tooling needed will be my drill press and a couple of taps to measure a large and a small set screw. Even I should be able to handle that! :mrgreen:

Froggie

[square butte]

^ Great idea ! ^ So simple, I am surprised no one has done it before. I do have one of Bailey Boats adjustable set ups - But yours sounds pretty darn good.

[Green Frog]

I can’t take credit… Bailey Boats suggested it to me when I asked whether he would be willing to make such a unit for me. He said it wouldn’t be profitable for him since even then the ACCUMEASURE was long discontinued and getting hard to find. To take it further, the same thing (at least on a single cavity basis) could be done with any of the old fixed charge rotors, Pacific, Bair, Bonanza, Hornady, etc.

For whatever reason, I’ve gravitated toward the old Pacific/Bair design and I may have to sacrifice one of my duplicate rotors for that to make an adjustable one. I don’t have any for the Hornady system, but there’s no reason the same principle wouldn’t work.

Froggie