Reloading preferences

[3t-]

Hello all,

Been reloading rifle and larger cal. handgun cartridges for quite a few hears now and even when doing several boxes at once I have always scale weighed the charge for each round. Just enjoy the accuracy and peace of mind that this brings.

Now I have a couple of Marlin 1894 38/357 levers to keep fed (bought one for each of the kids and they move up to 38's after some time on the Henry .22) So we can go through a few hundred rounds pretty fast. I use a Lyman turret press and would like some recommendations on a powder dump that you've had good luck with. The load that we like to use is 5.2 grns of Universal Clays under a 125grn Hornady XP.

I'm wanting something that will really keep the loads consistent.

What have you used and what do you like?

[Pitchy]

I like my 30 year old Lyman measure.

[J Miller]

3T,

I use a 30 + year old Redding #3 powder measure for those powders that meter well.
For 38 loads I use Winchester 231 or Unique. 231 meters most excellently but Unique does not.
For the .357 I prefer 2400. It also meters consistently.

With either 231 or 2400 I can set the powder measure and be certain my charges will be consistent. I do check them about every 10 throws though.

Joe

[3t-]

Thanks guys,

I should add that I do have a big ol Lyman 55 that I use for my black powder loads. Never tried it for smokeless so not sure how it would dump. I guess I'd just need to make sure I cleaned it pretty well between powders. Anyone use this model?

[COSteve]

You might want to consider treating yourself to a used Dillon SDB if you only reload for pistol calibers. Progressive presses just up the speed and ease of reloading tremendously. If you also reload rifle calibers, the 550B or better yet, the 650 with casefeeder is fantastic. My original 550B could easily pump out 400rds of straight wall pistol ammo per hour or 500rds per hour in a sprint. 200rds of necked rifle ammo was also no sweat with it.

However, a casefeeder is what enables a real speed increase of a std progressive press as I can pump out 800rds of straight wall pistol ammo per hour or 400rds of necked rifle ammo with my 650. Also, the Dillon powder measures do a first rate job with the popular ball powders. I re-check mine before a run and just load them now because every time in the past that I checked the powder measure mid run it always was spot on.

[Catshooter]

My RCBS Uniflow is what I use. It meters Universal Clays like the measure is empty. Can't tell any difference.

I use a Piggyback on top of my Rockchucker for pistol ammo. I check the powder level each time I change the primer tube (100 rounds) but it's a boring exersize as I have never had it change. Not once.

Can't help you on the .357 load as I don't shoot small bores, sorry.


Cat

[Sixgun]

3T,
I don't believe you can get hurt with any name brand measure. Pick the one you like. I like my dies, measures, and all off my reloading stuff to be RCBS. On the Pro-2000, I have the standard powder measure but with the micrometer thingy and that helps for repeatability with the competitive rifle ammo, plus RCBS measures also make handy rifle holders .---------Sixgun

[Ben_Rumson]

If you want the peace of mind that hand weighed charges give you... but done much faster than that....then a dollar to a doughnut says an electronic powder dispensing unit in conjunction with a Lee Powder Thru Expanding Die would be the way to go...The dispenser can weigh your charge as you de prime/prime /resize.. Then you would dump the weighed and waiting charge ... then replace the pan, press the start button again and another weighed charge will be waiting for you when you next need it...Works great for me.. I’ve got a Lyman...I love the thing...

[Leverdude]

Hello all,

Been reloading rifle and larger cal. handgun cartridges for quite a few hears now and even when doing several boxes at once I have always scale weighed the charge for each round. Just enjoy the accuracy and peace of mind that this brings.

Now I have a couple of Marlin 1894 38/357 levers to keep fed (bought one for each of the kids and they move up to 38's after some time on the Henry .22) So we can go through a few hundred rounds pretty fast. I use a Lyman turret press and would like some recommendations on a powder dump that you've had good luck with. The load that we like to use is 5.2 grns of Universal Clays under a 125grn Hornady XP.

I'm wanting something that will really keep the loads consistent.

What have you used and what do you like?

I been useing a Lee Perfect Powder measure a few years now & I like it. I load alot of light Unique loads with it, among a bunch of other loads & calibers, and find it suits me fine 99% of the time. Its troublesome with stick powders but I do them differently now. I dont know if they make one to fit on & be actuated by your turret press but I do know it dont take long to drop a charge & seat a bullet.
Alot of folks call them junk, they feel like junk, but in my experience it does what its suposed to do with boreing regularity. Staying within +/- .1 grains is easy with ball, short extruded & flake powders.
I'v got a RCBS chargemaster scale dispenser combo that I hardly use because its slower than the measure. I use that for the stick powders.

[Griff]

What Sixgun said.

But COSteve's suggestion holds fair merit also! Although a lot of "Sleasebay" is not "bargain central," there are a few!

[Jeff H]

I have been using the same RCBS powder measure for 29+ years and I like it.
I have had the small ID drum in for everything from a pinch of W231 up through 40+ grains of the various 4350s and it meterd very consistently.

I had a Lyman for a while and it was a very nicely made tool, but I am in sort of a groove with the way the RCBS handles.

My Dad brouight me up on a Redding, but one those didn't suit my budget when I goot started. I was going to "upgrade eventually but never found a need.

[3t-]

Thanks all,

Lots of good recommendations here. Going to watch the local Cabela's/Midway mailings to see what goes on sale. Does anyone use Hornady brand reloading tools and how do they compare to the RCBS and Redding?

[earlmck]

The key (I think) to good accuracy with a powder measure is the diameter of the drum. And convenience requires a good micrometer to go along with it. In the process of trying to get my Hornady progressive loader working satisfactorily I bought their "bench-rest" powder measure. Lots larger diameter drum than my wonderful little Redding that I have used for years and nowhere near as accurate. For your pistol, stick to something with a small drum such as Redding or the small-drum RCBS.

I use the Redding BR30: set it with a fine old Herter's scale, record the micrometer setting in my reloading notes, and after some 20+ years experience with this measure I don't even weigh loads to check except at beginning and end of a batch.

[FF1063]

I'm using the Redding 10X measure designed for handgun cartridges. Very precise with most powders including Universal, HP-38/W231, HS-6, Titegroup and Trail Boss.
The micrometer setting are great. Repeatable and predictable, saves a lot of set up time. I mount mine on my turret press in station 3.

For revolver loads I charge them all and compare them in a loading block then return them to the press for seating and crimping.

[Ji in Hawaii]

I think I'm in LOVE. What a beauty.

[stretch]

With either 231 or 2400 I can set the powder measure and be certain my charges will be consistent. I do check them about every 10 throws though.

That's how I approach it, Joe! And 231 and 2400 DO meter well.

The Lyman 55 is excellent, and the measure on my Lee Pro 1000
is superb using 231. It's always right on the money. Dillon
Square Deal B is last in terms of consistency. Mind you, it still
loads VERY good ammo.

-Stretch

[Shasta]

Here is a link to a thread from a couple years ago on powder measures. Perhaps it will add some food for thought:

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... f=1&t=7767


SHASTA

[damienph]

I have the Lyman 55 and the RCBS Uniflow. I use the 55 on my Lyman T-Mag Turret, and use the Uniflow when loading on my Rockchucker or Partner or old Texan single stage presses. They both work well and are fairly easy to set.

If I am trying new loads, I have a set of the Lee yellow plastic powder measures that get me close and then use an RCBS powder trickler to finish, if necessary.

The Lee plastic powder measure set works surprisingly well, once you select the right size "spoon". I always weigh EACH charge when using them though (on my RCBS 505 scale).

[rimrock]

Tried posting a picture, but it's oversized for the forum's requirements. Using junk I had on hand, I made my powder measure a little moor convenient for myself. I use a Lee Perfect Powder Measure mounted on a wooden block that pivots out of the way after I drop a charge. The powder measure drops into a funnel on top of my charging die. The wooden block is mounted on a smooth 1/4" rod behind my turret press. The wooden block is adjusted for height by loosening a hose clamp underneath and raising the block to the desired height.

Mostly, I use Lee Dippers just because they are easier than setting the powder measure for the needed charge. Each charge in a dipper is struck across the top of the dipper to level the charge with the top of the dipper.

rimrock

[Don McDowell]

For volume loading with little to no variance in charge weights, the Lyman 1200 dps works great. Some folks swear by the RCBS unit , and I see that Hornady has a digital scale and powder despenser combo as well.
I like the auto repeat feature it'll fill the scale pan while you're seating the bullet in the case you just filled, the darn thing will almost make you work up a sweat when working with small charges it fills the pan so fast.
Hornady's reloading tools are as good as RCBS's and Lyman's.

[Old Savage]

Wow COSteve is fast - don't think I ever did more that 175/hr with my 550B but have targets to show the loads are very accurate.

[Griff]

One thing I thought about earlier to say, but neglected to do so, was:

Using a powder drop measure with a rotary drum is very dependent on consistency of your actions. If you slam the drum up one time then gently rotate it up the next, I can assure you that your powder dumps will vary quite a bit. If you're using a Lyman 55 for BP, you probably already know that.

Even when setting the powder bar on my Dillon, I measure at least five charges with every change in setting that I make... maybe I should rephrase that... I make at least five drops where I measure the powder charge without varying more than width of my mark on my RCBS 5-0-5 scale. That's way less than a 10th of a grain (0.1). I've yet to be able to measure closer than that... and yet to find that as cause for variation in my loads.

When loading bulk .30-30 ammo on my single stage (50 rounds or more), I weigh charges for at least 5 charges that don't vary for the same amount, then check charge weight every 10th round to ensure I'm still dropping charges consistently.

It's all about technique... consistent technique equals consistent charges.

[3t-]

Yep, Griff that is a big part to consistent powder throws. As an update I did pick up an RCBS perfect powder measure and have used it to load some 38s. It seems to run pretty accurate if I do the same "technique" on each throw. I weigh every 10th round or so on my 5-0-5 and have had good results.

I appreciate all the comments on this thread. I can see where changing out the powders too often can be a bit of a pain so I may keep saving up my pennies and get a few of these so I can have some dedicated stations for my handgun calibers at least.

[BAGTIC]

My Redding #3 powder measure is 51 years old. I can throw 1,000 charges and they will all be under 1/10 grain variation. I firmly believe the secret is developing a consistent rhythm. If I feel a granule obviously hang up or get cut I dump it back in the hopper and throw another. It is easier and faster than checking it on the scales.

[M. M. Wright]

I have an old, (about 50 years) Herters model Perfect measure that is very consistant but most of my pistol and bulk rifle loading is on the Dillon 550B. Even the 220 Swift varmint loads from the Dillon are very accurate. Only hassle is changing the charge bars from small to large so I got two measures. I have an old Lyman measure with brass hopper for black but use the Herters more, it's easier to adjust since I made my own barrel for it.

[Old Savage]

My experience is consistent with Griff's. I measure every rifle charge to as accurately as I can with a trickler. But, I also have tried not weighing but trying to be consistent with the RL550B with the manner of operation and at least in the 270 did not find any difference in accuracy. I have wondered if throwing by volume rather than weight doesn't create some other control such as the surface area of the powder within the load which is as accurate of more accurate than controlling by weight.

[COSteve]

Wow COSteve is fast - don't think I ever did more that 175/hr with my 550B but have targets to show the loads are very accurate.

Actually, I've found that the speed is a byproduct of consistency, not the other way around. I also had my 550B set up ergonomically to minimize movement. When I get into a rhythm where all my actions are consistent, the round count goes way up. Its when I feel like I'm casually reloading with no effort at all that I can really fly. I also found that when in my rhythm, the powder drops were extremely consistent. Another item is to keep the powder measure full as this helps with consistency. I top it off with every primer tube. My charges don't vary don't vary 1/10th grain (as verified by my D-Terminator electronic scale). Not surprisingly, that ammo shoots very consistently at <1MOA.

However, I made a few custom mods to my 550B (as well as later to my 650). I wanted a removable bullet bin and empty case bin as well as a mounting bracket for my allen wrenches. Dillon only had a fixed bullet bin and hadn't developed their case bin or tool bracket yet so I fabricated my own. In all honesty, mine turned out to be more ergonomic than Dillon's and the bullet bin could be removed which is helpful with a small work space like I have. For a complete list of the mods I made to both my 550B and 650, check out THIS THREAD on AR15.com

[Boreman]

Been using my old Redding measure with the micrometer metering device.It has always provided good consistent charges.

[roughcreek]

I've been using this one with good results.
http://www.quick-measure.com/qm.htm

Accurate and consistent (even with stick powders) and it is an easy one handed operation or mount on a Dillon.


Regards,
Roughcreek