In the market for a high quality powder measure, I would like some opinions. Money is not a big concern although I don't want to go to crazy. All opinions are greatfully accepted. My biggest cartridges are 30-06 & 45-70. Thanks, Boomer28
In the market for a high quality powder measure, I would like some opinions. Money is not a big concern although I don't want to go to crazy. All opinions are greatfully accepted. My biggest cartridges are 30-06 & 45-70. Thanks, Boomer28
You'll probably want two automeasures to keep the pace up. My vote goes to the RCBS Chargemaster.
Dillon 550 for a sliding style measure, Lyman 55 for a drum type. There are others, just stay away from plastic. Plastic parts = static = inconsistent charges, bridging, etc..
My parkinsonism that controls walking and balance has made me unable to work in the shop. VOTE RED * PRAY OFTEN You are welcome to message me here or send email to xlordsguitars@gmail.com.
Good info. I do have a RCBS Chargemaster 1500, but I don't think I want to go the double route. Want something faster for pistol plinker ammo & stuff thats not real fussy. Going to look at the Lyman & Dillon. Thanks, Boomer28 Keep the info coming.
The best I've use are from Hornady, have three of them now. Don't use my Redding or RCBS anymore.
To chsparkman: Wow you have 3 Hornady measures, first question comes to mind why do you need so many? I am not trying to be smart I am just curious. This grasshopper has a lot to learn. What don't you like about the Redding & RCBS? Last what is so sweet about the Hornady? To DougGuy I looked at the Dillon & could not figure it out, is it a stand alone machine, is it powered, or do push the bar back & forth like a Mec Shotgun reloader? Does the Lyman throw accuate consistant charges? Boomer28
Boomer the Dillon mounts on a powder through expander die, so when you use your press to push a case up into the expander to bell it out, it drops a charge at the same time, OR you can manually operate it each stroke. They work good either way.
My parkinsonism that controls walking and balance has made me unable to work in the shop. VOTE RED * PRAY OFTEN You are welcome to message me here or send email to xlordsguitars@gmail.com.
I have been reading up on this for the past couple days, and I have determined to get this after reading 100s of reviews:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/466...ProductFinding
For on the press, using a powder through expander die the Lee pro auto disk works well. Really most measures work well with the appropriate powder and technique.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees" Looking for an RCBS Ammomaster and H&R shotgun barrels regardless of condition
RCBS ChargeMaster
JDS QuickMeasure
These two measures are the cats meow!
take care
r1kk1
I have been using the Redding Match powder measure with an adaptor to mount it on my flow thru expander die (found on eBay). It has been a great set up throwing accurate loads with a variety of powders including Unique, Titegroup, Green Dot and 4227.
Hi,
The Redding is very nice used one for years now use a Saeco!
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If you want to buy the best powder measure available and one you'll never have to "move up from" just go ahead and buy the Harrell powder measure of your choice (whichever covers the range of loads you plan to reload.) They are the best out there at any price.
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
That Redding would be a good one for sure. I have a vintage Redding from about 50yrs ago saved back just for when I start loading my .308 again.
For the record, in all the years I have been reloading, I have been able to modify, deburr, swap out, clean & adjust just about all of the Lee gear that I have used, to make it work right and make it perfectly usable. The Pro Auto Disk powder measure is the single worst piece of Lee gear I have had and the single worst powder measure I have ever used. Period. I tried graphite powder, tried adjusting, finally took the *** off and tossed it in a box, with less than 100rds loaded from it. Junk.
The very best powder measure I have used, is a Lee Auto Disk, the old original one, with a CNC made billet aluminum adjustable charge bar, this one works SO WELL it ran my Dillon off the press and into a box. Sorry I cannot offer any of these bars for sale at this time, but just to show what can be done with some of this stuff to fine tune it, there is nothing wrong with the Lee, you just have to be mechanically inclined to get the best out of it.
My parkinsonism that controls walking and balance has made me unable to work in the shop. VOTE RED * PRAY OFTEN You are welcome to message me here or send email to xlordsguitars@gmail.com.
Had to stop for dinner, back now. You guys are going to laugh but I don't know what a flow thru expander die is. I feel a little overwhelmed you guys are head & shoulders ahead of me. I still don't understand why so many powder measures are needed. Is it one dedicated for each powder? Help a beginner out here. Thanks Boomer28
http://www.harrellsprec.com
Get a premium measure and never look back. I wrote the measure settings on the powder jug and they are pretty much always spot on when I go back to them. Other than charges below 15 gr it does it all. I may get a Schuetzen measure for the smaller charges.
You will learn far more at the casting, loading, and shooting bench than you ever will at a computer bench.
I would read some owner reviews before you spring for a Harrell's.
Boomer I don't know how often you change up your setups, many of us like to get a turret or a tool head and set it up for one specific caliber, so we change out the shell holder and the turret and we can be off and running with a different caliber in a matter of minutes. For this, you might want to invest in a powder measure for each tool head, I have 3 setups that I use, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .45 ACP each one has the dies sitting in a turret already adjusted, and a powder measure sitting on top of the powder through expander die.
In a way, it's almost like creating a bookmark, you can load and then say "Well, I was loading xxx grain boolit in .44 Magnum, and I was throwing xx.x grains of xxx powder," and all your dies and stuff will be set for that load. Then you do the same with other calibers so you can leave things set like they were. It makes less repetitive motion, and less chance you will forget to adjust the powder measure, or forget it has the wrong powder in it for .44 Magnum since you were just loading .45 ACP. It simplifies things for the reloader and it can also make things a LOT safer when establishing your own personal reloading techniques.
I don't think you can spend too much money on a powder measure. Your powder measure and your scale are the two most critical pieces of reloading gear you will own. Don't scrimp here, and don't limit yourself to just one good one. These are tools, and a man cannot do any better work than the tools he has to work with.
My parkinsonism that controls walking and balance has made me unable to work in the shop. VOTE RED * PRAY OFTEN You are welcome to message me here or send email to xlordsguitars@gmail.com.
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 |