OK, stop laughing. I compared the toylike Lee to an RCBS powder measure (and another one I've forgotten -- perhaps it was a Hornady) and all 3 were equally accurate with both ball and stick powders.

Run a spoon full of graphite or Motor Mica through the Lee and it will be quite smooth.

The Lee does look and feel like a toy, and I'm sure that if you dropped it, it would disintegrate and you'd have to buy another. RCBS would replace their measure if you managed to break it, but I think you can buy 3 or more Lee's for the price...

I use the Lee (and I hope nobody finds out... :-)

John P. Ball

Z

I�m telling everybody at the BR nationals in Brattvall next weekend

Now lets try to be serious for a short while.

I have not tried out Lees powder measure so I can�t really coment on it at all. I have only used a Hornady measure for all of my loading and find it very good. It trows powders like Norma 201 and N-133 as good as a Harrels or a Jones.

I would rank the Hornady alongside with a Redding, not as fancy but it does the job well. I don�t like the RCBS as much as the Hornady.

Stefan.

For the dollar, you had the best.

For a little more you could get a Harrell
Custom 90. $140 on-line. www.harrellsprec.com

They are fantastic and you will not be sorry.
If you plan on doing this for a while, I
would recommend it. Just the berries for
working up loads at the range if you do that.
Also so easy to return to charge weight on
loadings, because of the click stops on the
micrometer. Has a jewel-like quality you
will enjoy. Shooter's kind of jewelry! :0)

Chris

p.s. I used to have one of the hand-made
Culver converted Lyman 55's which the Harrell
is patterned after and I sold it in a weak
moment about 15 years ago, so don't feel bad.
They are collector items now...

The "door nocker" is on the Lyman.

The micrometer type adjustment on the Hornady is easyer to use than the RCBS.

It�s not as good as a Culver click type system but you can use it for some minor changes of the charge at the range for ex.

I have made some changes to my Hornady so it takes a powder bottle like Hogdons or a pill bottle. I also remade it so I can use drop tubes on it.

If money isn�t a limiting factor the Harrel is a given choise, wery nice measures!

Stefan.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stefan:
I have not tried out Lees powder measure so I can�t really coment on it at all.

---

Stefan, you're free to borrow mine. It'll make a convert out of you too...

I'm in the middle of moving (Morkullev�gen 18, not too far...) so that's one reason I wasn't at Brattvall last night. I'll try to make it to the Nat's though, should be able to try out the things Torsten has stashed away - I'm gonna buy a real gun now instead of putting all the money in the bicycles...

-- Mats

After much looking I have yet to see on any forum any evidence that Varget or VVN140 can be thrown any more consistently than the Lee Perfect measure does. Why spend more?

Regards

Ray Smith

quote:

---

Originally posted by vssf:
ssleefl

After much looking I have yet to see on any forum any evidence that Varget or VVN140 can be thrown any more consistently than the Lee Perfect measure does. Why spend more?

Regards

Ray Smith

---

Ray,

Although I, like you, sincerely doubt that even the best measures can throw short grain powders better than the Lee - if even as good, I also sincerely doubt that a Lee could be adjusted in as small and accurate increments as the Harrell and its likes... I also don't think it'll hold up to as much physical abuse going to and from the range. Thus, for BR and other applications where you will be

a) adjusting the measure up and down a lot,
b) travelling with it,
c) demanding it to throw very similar weights with similar settings under altering weather conditions,

a Harrell (or similar) is the measure to use. Add to that the sheer joy of owning such a marvellous piece of machinery. But of course, it would be WAY cool using a Lee measure to take home the Nationals with a .099" agg...

For cranking out accurate handloads at home, the Lee is all you need.

-- Mats

Rezdog- Why do you like the midway so much. That is one I haven't considered.

I'm trying to make good on all of the knowledge in this forum so don't be afraid to type. I have even done some searches and the Lee keeps coming up, but somehow I just can't see myself buying one. How does plastic shear powder?? If I go from the redding to the Lee I don't think I will be happy. I think I would buy another redding before doubling down and doing the Harrell thing. The guy I sold my redding to gave me almost replacement cost for it. Interesting that no one is talking up the RCBS which is probably the best seller. That speaks volumes in itself.

To the original poster, just buy another Redding, I don't think you'll be happy with the lesser units.

If a measure will throw charges consistantly enough that you feel confident not using a scale after initial setup, then IMHO, it is worth the money. If you are the type that weighs every charge, or dumps close and trickles, or checks every 10 charges, save your sheckles and get the lee. I wanted something I could confidently dial in and dump charges, and the Redding has done that with aplomb.

I have a 30 year old RCBS Uniflow. Since I hand trickle all my charges on a balance beam it is plenty good enough!

Don

How does plastic shear powder??

It doesn't a soft elastomer wiper eliminates cut powder.

All of what Mats says above.

Precision Shooting magazine tests.

Convinced yet? at the price if you don't like it you could use it to store pencils on your desk and still not feel robbed.

Regards

Ray

You know, I have buffers on a few of my firearms, not just my 1911. They are made of plastic. They work. Sometimes that's just how it is.

In the tests for repeatibility, one hundred throws, no measure was any better than a total 0.4 grain variation [range] from the desired value ... so much for those who insist they "always" achieve 0.1 every time !!

BTW -- www.midwayusa.com is selling the Lee measure for $17 in today's specials!!

I load 308 and 8/mm. Iget very good results.

Rich

Also check out their Safety Disk Powder Measure, works great for loading pistol ammo.

ZM

I use a Redding by the way.

David Schnabel

I was considering buying a new one, but after listening to you guys, maybe I just better keep it another 50 years or so...reckon I'll make it? kids think so, said I was too onery to die and was born to hang....

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

I wonder what is accuracy to you - a 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 grains difference ?

Accuracy with ball powders is so good that the spread is no more than 0.1g. Accuracy with long grained extruded powders is almost as good, usually no worse than 0.4-0.5g ES, but I always trickle up with these anyway. Shorter grained powders are good to 0.3-0.4g. Also, I've found the cubic centimeter measurement system works pretty good when setting it up for a different weight.

I'm not knocking Redding or anybody else. It's just that when most evaluate powder measures, they never define what's the "measure" of a good measure. IMHO the Lee is definitely good enough.

Martindog

Good informative thread though.

RSY