looking to update/add to my reloading bench, wondered if anyone has opinions/experience on either machine. i've read good reviews on the RCBS,but don't care to buy something made in China...no matter how good it works. anyone know where the Lyman DPS3 is made? if the Lyman is made in China, i'll be weighing my charges with my scale(a 1010) for a while more. i've survived this long with a powder measure and a scale, i'm sure i can last a while longer.

I've also wondered about the DPS3. The original Lyman get sub-par reviews compared to the RCBS.

Not buying goods manufactured in China will be an increasingly difficult position to take as the years go on, I'm afraid. It's no longer cost effective to manufacture many goods in the U.S., and that situation will NOT be getting any better. Developing countries will be taking more and more of the service and manufacturing jobs from the U.S.

Our future is in technology, research, etc -- intellectual capital. Kids better go to college, or they'll be making less than their parents did.

I guess that was off topic, huh?

PACT is made in the USA I believe, yup Grand Prairie Texas. They offer a digital powder dispenser and scale combo, at Christmas they were going for $199.99 for the set, which is less than the other two models you are considering.
6mmbr.com did a test with all three of these units and the Pact nor the Lyman measured loads as fast as the Rcbs. Great review you may want to read. FS

I read that article and ordered the rcbs the same day. Great machine. Sure speeds up load developement. Mark

The RCBS usit gets great reviews. I don't own one, but bought one for my oldest son who shoots high power competetively, and loads a lot. He loves it.

Don

Odione,

I recently purchased the RCBS after reading the compariosn done at 6mmbr.

I like my chargemaster but I have not noticed any accuraccy improvement over my old lee manual dispenser and rcbs 5-0-5 scale..

It takes longer to load the same number of rounds using the chargemaster...it is very sensitive to the type of powder used. Granular powders like Varget and IMR 4350 routinely overcharge...requiring you to set the scale for a lower weight and then either trickle or tap the powder tube dispenser...again....time consuming.

The RCBS does work great with ball powders like H-414 or H380... very accurate metering...

All in all..if I had to do it again..I don't think I would shell out the 260$ for the RCBS again...

Hope this tiatribe helps....

Cheers

I have had my RCBS for about 2 mos. now.I have no problems with it using IMR 4831 or 4350.I have to say it is a welcome addition to my reloading bench.I no nothing about the Lyman and can not remark about their unit. OB

I havee the Lyman but seldom use it. It is accurate, no doubt, but slow, and time consuming to set up and clean. Great Toy. roger

I have an RCBS unit and love it. I weigh all the charges it "makes," and it is quite accurate. I find that if I leave it on, it starts "accurate," but if I turn it off and it has to warm up, it takes a while to settle down.

It is more accurate with ball powders and with small granular powders because it works by having the screw turn about a half turn every couple of seconds, and weighs the results. The ball powders and small granules drop a smaller amount of powder on each turn; therefore, it can come closer to the set weight.

My unscientific observation is that with a ball or small granule powder it will typically weigh a little light (+.05gr) for about half the loads, right on for about a quarter of the loads, and heavy on about on about a quarter. On a large granule powder, it will tend to run the opposite with about half running heavy.

Overall, it is as accurate as my old Lyman balance beam which is sensitive to where it is sitting on its shelf and if I rest my hand on the shelf while it is settling.

Where the RCBS really earns its keep is when you are loading "ladder" loads during testing. You just punch in the new weight and let 'er rip.

I have to say that, along with my Bonanza Co-ax, it is one of the best things I ever did for myself. Kudude

PS: One of the potential problems is forgetting to close the drain when you finish emptying the well. I finally painted the top red to remind myself. And don't forget to run the powder out of the screw or you will mix powders on first few new loads and have to dump them. k-d

I've got a Lyman DPS3. Its been really good. The only problem I've encountered with it is that it is inaccurate in the presence of cell phones. I have to keep mine over 6 feet away to maintain accuracy.
Apart from that its been a real asset.

I've got the RCBS and currently load for 338-378 Wby and 30-06. The 104.1 grains of IMR-7828 meters perfectly as does the IMR-4831 for the '06 which are both extruded powders. It takes me longer to seat the bullet then it takes the Chargemaster to throw the next charge, even the 104 grain charges... It will occasionally throw a charge that's .1 grain heavy but that reads on the scale so you know it. If I reload 20 or so of the monster cases, maybe 3 will be overcharged and I'll simply re-dispense that charge... I simply love this machine...

Ken....

I've had a Lyman DPS II for a couple years, the only complaint has been the speed was a bit slow and emptying the powder box wasn't the easiet to do, but after upgrading with the $20 DPS III kit, those complaints no longer stand. It's much faster dispensing and simple to empty. But....if I were to consider a new dispenser now, the now faster US made Pact would be considered before the RCBS, it sells for the same as the Lyman, and according to Pact, it's much faster than the older Pact unit. Both the Lyman and RCBS are made in China.

http://www.pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=126

I got the RCBS chargemaster for X-mas and so far have been very happy with it. Don't know anything about the Lyman.

I have both, the RCBS is a far better more reliable unit......................DJ

My RCBS puked. Keyboard problems. It's going back to the factory?

I went back to using my "OLD" Pact. It might be slower thab the 7 snows of winter but at least it works.

The RCBS will be listed in the want adds as soon as it returns.

Bill

I've got the Lyman unit and think it's the greatest thing since bottled beer.

My RCBS works great, when it works. I will give RCBS credit, though, for replacing the units when they fail, no matter how many times.

I have the Lyman 1200 DPS III and it works great! For powders such as 4350 you have to screw in a restictor attachment which makes it a tad slower but it throws consistent loads as verified on my 5-0-5. No problems as long as I do my part...

thanks for all the replies...
i'm starting to wonder if my Ohaus powder measure and Ohaus scale are still the best, the powder measure gets me close and the scale finishes the task. set-up time is probably not much different. i'm not planning on loading quantity...just quality. i'll have to rethink this "investment". there's some other tooling i'd like for the loadin'bench.
i guess i'll ponder this a while longer...

Read these reviews, it may help you out.

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html