Reloading: powder dispensers
I'm not new to Reloading been at it for 25 years but I've always weighed each charge manually, one at a time. My shooting has primarily been rifle for shooting at the bench and hunting/varmint loads. Now I'm shooting more and shooting some pistol as well. Been looking at the RCBS PowderMaster dispenser and scale and also looking at a Lyman Digital Powder system. I'd like to hear suggestions along these lines and I'd like to know where to get them (Cabelas is my current source). I'm not out to change my entire set up I just want a powder dipensing and weighing system to cut down on this part of my little operation. Any suggestions and sources is appreciated.
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I have been cranking and crimping for about the same amount of time. The majority of my regular loads are for magnum handguns, with only annual loadings for a couple of rifles. For the most part, I have used a Lyman powder dumper to load 'light magnum' ammo. After 'calibration' of the coarse and/or fine volumetric scales to dispense a particular load of a specific powder, I will load all my empty cases in that lot for that partiular load. When changing to a different load that I already know the volumetric scale settings for, I can generally dial that in and crank along. ( for example, using IMR-4227, a setting of "11" on the coarse vernier will dump 23 grains, or for Bullseye a setting of "8" on the fine vernier will dump 5.5 grains) I will check the first few dumps on a scale, but for larger volume dumps (slow powders), it is generally right on the money. The smaller volumes (fast powders) are not quite as close at times and require a slight adjustment. The MAIN thing is that there is no significant variation in dump to dump so that I get a consistent set of rounds. If I set up for a coarse powder to dump 25 grains, and check the first few dumps on a scale and they are 25.1 grains, I may or may not adjust the measure. I have found that fast powders are not too much different using this dispenser, but sometimes if I try to return to a setting of 5.5 grains of Bullseye, it will measure out to 5.7 and I will re-adjust slightly until I get it back on. For all uses, I generally don't re-check the powder dispenser for maybe 100 rounds or so (unless I quit and return the next day).
There are different shape volumetric powder dispensers. The Lyman I use is a rectangular slot in a round (roated) drum. I did not think it would dump small charges repeatably, but it does.
On a related note, I look at the progressive machines every few years, but I still load one at a time. I don't use 'loading blocks' to hold 'all primed cases', then 'all powdered cases', etc.
Once a case is sized and primed it does not leave my hand until I have dumped the charge and crimped the projectile for a completed round.
WELL, that was longer than I wanted. Maybe I should just say that I have found my Lyman powder dispenser to dump repeatable charges after initial setting (and adjustment using a scale if required).
If we do not hang together,
We will most certainly hang separately.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Snellstrom
I'd like to hear suggestions along these lines and I'd like to know where to get them (Cabelas is my current source).
Almost all my reloading supplies are provided through these two excellent on-line retailers. Their prices would be much better then Cabelas and the people you talk to are very knowledgeable.
Both have extensive & comprehensive on-line catalogs.
www.grafs.com
www.midwayusa.com
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I am using the PACT trickler/scale programable combo and it is great. It throws accurate charges quickly and speeds up the loading process tremendously.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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Dave,
I C/P'd these simply because it is faster than me writing the same information. I type slow and then it takes forever to edit, sometimes. The author has the same experiences and opinions that I do, so it's like getting 2 for 1 with one response.
In addition to these comments about both the scales and dispensers, you need to bear in mind that neither of these tools function well under fluorescent lighting. It really screws them up. So will air conditioning and fans (air movement). You need to turn them on and let them stay on for about an hour prior to doing any serious or critical weighing.
I found that these systems just plain made me nuts with the waiting for the process to complete. Standing around, tapping my foot is not my idea of a good time. I have gone back to a good triple beam balance and a couple of excellent powder measures by Harrell's and my good old standbys for long kernal powders, the Lyman 55's.
A while back, I added two progressive presses by Dillon, both for pistol and so far they are producing very consistant ammunition for 4 different set ups. It even makes the production of .38 Special Wadcutters easy. FWIW.
Best.
Here is an excerpt from a review of electronic scales and dispensers:
Recently brought to market are electronic powder measures that dispense some preset weight, and I don't know exactly whether to include these devices here or on the Scales page. Pact, I think, is the one who first introduced these as a dispensing and weighing system which combined the electronic dispenser with the digital powder scale. RCBS quickly brought the same devices to market, which are manufactured for RCBS by Pact. A variation on this theme is the similar device marketed by Lyman (pictured at the right) which is called the Autoscale.
The only one of these that I have used has been the RCBS. It operates as advertised, but I find it slower to use than a conventional, manually operated powder measure. I have never loaded using the Lyman Autoscale, but I have watched one in operation. I was not impressed. I think that this is the device that was originally marketed by an outfit called AMT in Arcadia, California. I suppose that Lyman bought the manufacturing rights to it, but in common with the similar RCBS/Pact device, it had trouble with long kernel rifle powders and was too slow for my liking.
In my judgment, a better system is to use a conventional powder dispenser in combination with the infrared versions of the RCBS/Pact digital scale along with the electronic powder trickler. You can be charging one case while the electronic powder trickler is topping off the previously dumped charge, and this moves along pretty smoothly.
http://www.reloadingpro.com/Powder_Dispensers.htm
And then this:
Digital electronic scales have started to become popular with handloaders fairly recently. RCBS has a system of electronic scale and powder measure (the Powder Pro Electronic Dispenser and Powder Pro Digital Scale) that work together to dispense a preset amount of propellant. Both the electronic powder measure and electronic scale are actually made for RCBS by Pact, and Pact markets exactly the same equipment under their own brand. These scales have a 1500 grain total capacity. While they are faster and somewhat easier to use than standard beam balance scales, they are no more accurate and are subject to wind currents every bit as much as a beam balance scale. In addition, they are somewhat more delicate and generally not quite as portable. They also are not as quickly responsive as a beam balance scale so that if you are trickling in a little powder at a time you need to do it slowly so that the electronic scale has time to respond. After having said that, I will add that I have used the RCBS scale for about four years now without any problems at all.
Since I mentioned something about scale portability, I will expand upon that a little. The Powder Pro/Digital Precision scale needs household current to operate. There is no provision for battery power. RCBS, Pact, and others make digital scales that are battery powered only or are convertible in the sense that they can be operated either from household current or by battery. The Pact BBK scale and the RCBS Partner Electronic scale are both powered by battery only, while the Pact BBK II scale can be operated with household current as well as battery. These RCBS/Pact scales all have a 750 gr. capacity.
Dillon Precision also makes an electronic scale that operates on standard AC current or on battery power, which is the D-Terminator (pictured at left). This scale has a 1200 gr. capacity. I've used this scale for a couple of years now without any problems. Quite often I put this scale right next to my computer when weighing bullets and/or brass and enter the values directly into a spreadsheet. This is certainly more convenient and less error prone than recording the weights at the loading bench and then fat fingering them into the spreadsheet. The cover-like object immediately to the right of the scale is an air shield that comes with the scale, but I use it mostly for a dust cover or as a convenient stand for a powder trickler.
As I mentioned above, variations on the standard scale theme are the new electronic powder dispensers and digital scale combinations like those from RCBS and Pact.
http://www.reloadingpro.com/Handloading_Scales.htm0 -
If you are going to load pistol you should look at a progressive press I have loaded thousands of rounds on a star and they cant be beat dillon also make a very good powder measure for their units I found that most powder measures for rifle are a compromise when they come to small charges on pistols.I have also tested thousands of rounds on a ransom rest and even useing bench rest type reloading gear and style I can't load better ammo then on a star and dillon 0 -
If you get one of the Lyman that dispences and in it own little scale that is all one unit you will have to glue in the bushings on the spout tube. Two friends of mine have them and they could not figure out why there was a half of a pound of powder that "disapeared" when loading. They soon found out where it went when they moved the dispencer. I still do it manually. I like the Lyman and will be getting one as soon as I get to GA. I am saving for my Bushmaster now. I can't wait to get out of the Republic of California.
Ray
(7 Days and a wake up till out of CA thanks God)
More Powder, More Lead, More Dead0 -
as a side note (which can be verified by calling PACT directly),..the NEW models of the PACT combo are MUCH MUCH faster than the older identical versions. I purchased mine just after christmas and have tested it even with long grains such as Retumbo, H1000, RL22, IMR7828, etc. This combo will accurately throw a 95gr charge in under 30 seconds!!! I leave mine plugged in and turned on with a good surge protector,..that way, no warm-up time is needed. I find that by doing this,..I can get perfect charges with only a small percentage varying by +/- .1gr (easily fixed by dipping out a few kernals). Also,..I have another digital RCBS powder pro scale,..which I intermitently use to test random charges from the PACT combo. Both scales agree 100% of the time,..which goes to show the accuracy of the NEW PACT combo. I was skeptical,..but after getting a money back garantee from PACT, I took the plunge and couldn't be happier. It is one of my most usefull loading implements to date,....and I have just about everything on my bench.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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