Recommendations on a powder measure?

[SWO Daddy]

Slowly starting to put together my reloading setup and I think I'm ready to graduate from the lee scoops + trickler to a powder measure mounted on a stand.

Does anyone have any recommendations for something that can throw <5gn charges for pistol and >45gn charges for a rifle with reasonable (safe) standard deviation?

I was looking hard at the Hornady powder measure, but it looks like they nickle and dime you to death (have to buy a different drum for pistol?). I was also looking at the RCBS measure at Basspro but put it back when I saw made in China on the back.

Any thoughts or recommendations? I'm willing to pay more for accuracy (not looking for a $500 electronic contraption) and made in USA. Thanks.

 

[6-Pack]

I have the Lee Auto Disk for my range ammo. It works well and I usually get +/- .01 grains with it.

I also use the Hornady Auto Powder Measure (electronic trickler) for my more accurate loads. I really like this measure - dead nuts on when doing large or small loads.

 

[4g64loser]

Buying multiple drums for pistol/rifle is a thing. Beats buying multiple measures.

As far as made in usa, not sure any that are not boutique fit your bill here.

I have an old pacific for blasting rifle ammo. Great, and made here, but long bought out by hornady. You can find them used sometimes. If you want USA made and top shelf, that's Harrell's Precision. Made in virginia. By expert machinists. Prices match the quality, though. I can swear to that quality.

 

[Rockzilla]

Powder measures:
Find some old RCBS Uniflows, Lyman 55's, Ohaus Duo-measures they are out there
Redding makes good measures, Harrell's are on the higher end. Like you I have no
need for or want $400 stuff. Even have the ole RCBS Lil-Dandy for pistol with the
xtra rotors, plus adjustable rotors, works great

Here I have Duo-measures with Dramworx Pyrex hoppers, Old Uniflows, Lyman55's
Redding, and Harrells. and...old beam scales.

-Rock

 

[jr355]

Saw this in Baltimore Craigslist, still up. May interest you. Luck.

Reloading equipment LOT. - sporting goods - by owner - sale

$500 take everything in the pictures. Before you question the price check sold items on ebay. There's a lot more value than what I'm asking. I just want to get rid of it in one go. If you decide to...

baltimore.craigslist.org

 

[SWO Daddy]

Thanks all. I really like the looks of that Lyman 55.

 

[Squaregrouper]

The Lee Perfect Powder Measure can be mounted, is consistent within <0.1gr and is cheap- $35ish.
Mine is great for everything except really fine powders like H110, which leaks.
.

 

[FN509Fan]

I recently settled on the Lyman Brass Pro measure and stand after looking at all the options and am pretty happy with it.

https://www.lymanproducts.com/brass-smith-powder-measure

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[Enfield303]

I second the Lee Perfect Powder measure. I have used one for twenty years and it works from 2 gr. pistol charges up to 60 grain rifle reloads. It throws charges by volume so you need to calculate the volume of your chosen powder. Then I verify the charges on the scale. I have gotten very consistent reloads for everything from 38 S&W up to 30-06.

 

[Carroll]

I know RCBS and Hornady both offer a lifetime warranty. I bought a RBCS powder measure years ago and didn't realize when I bought it there are two dispensing drums available. The one I bought came with the one for large powder charges like a rifle. I called RCBS and attempted to buy the small drum for pistol charges. They sent me the small drum and wouldn't take any payment. Recently had the gears in my Hornady case prep go bad. Sent an email and Hornady got back to me in 30 minutes asking for my address and sent me a complete set of gears.

 

[rickyp]

The Lee Perfect Powder Measure can be mounted, is consistent within <0.1gr and is cheap- $35ish.
Mine is great for everything except really fine powders like H110, which leaks.
.
View attachment 390670

I have this one and a hornady powder thrower , but I use the lee the most. I like the fact I can close the hopper off and use it to put unused powder back in the can.

 

[wpage]

+ 1 Lee, even the individual dippers work well in the kits.

 

[rickyp]

For information plinking the dippers are great. I haven’t used them much anymore. I can not find updated powder table for them.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

The Lyman 55 is what I use when doing single stage loading.

 

[Melnic]

I also have a Lyman 55 and have had good luck with different powders for pistol
Only Rifle I use it with is 223 and H335
All other rifle I load by hand and use trickled to get verified precision


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Uncle Duke]

Powder measures:
Find some old RCBS Uniflows, Lyman 55's, Ohaus Duo-measures they are out there
Redding makes good measures, Harrell's are on the higher end. Like you I have no
need for or want $400 stuff. Even have the ole RCBS Lil-Dandy for pistol with the
xtra rotors, plus adjustable rotors, works great

Here I have Duo-measures with Dramworx Pyrex hoppers, Old Uniflows, Lyman55's
Redding, and Harrells. and...old beam scales.

-Rock

Just a mention on Rock's mention of the RCBS Lil Dandy, as these come up less frequently.

I absolutely love the Lil Dandy pistol powder measure. For batch loading using loading blocks, and if that's your preferred loading method, it's very quick. But rotors aren't cheap, and they also oftentimes don't correspond as well as one might like to the published charged weights that each rotor number supposedly throws. So before they made adjustable rotors, and in loading a bunch of different cartridges where some charges were just a bit too low and others a bit too high, I wound up over the years with a collection of nearly every rotor they make in chasing "perfect." If you find an old timer cutting one loose, with adjustable or a good selection of rotors for less than a Brink's truck, they're a Dandy indeed for a dedicated pistol cartridge measure.

 

[lazarus]

I have the Lee Auto Disk for my range ammo. It works well and I usually get +/- .01 grains with it.

I also use the Hornady Auto Powder Measure (electronic trickler) for my more accurate loads. I really like this measure - dead nuts on when doing large or small loads.

Their auto drum works extremely well. The accuracy is a bit lower on extruded powder. But flake and ball it works excellently. Extruded is within very safe margins. I’ve seen as much as .3gr low to .1gr once it is dialed in over 20 rounds with about half spot on and a quarter .1gr low. The rest .3, .2gr low or .1gr high

 

[BFMIN]

I have several of the Dillon specific ones, but also a Lyman #55 that's so old its grey, not orange!
I do find the triple setting (one slider & 2 micro screw) & "volume equivalent metering" a bit of a pain, but it definitely works & meters very consistently. The powder knocker is a great feature I wish more meter had one!