I'm looking for a new powder measure. I like Redding Products a lot. Will be loading for 223 up to 30/338. Some handgun. Tell me which is your favorite & why.

Thanks in advance

[ 09-04-2003, 01:53: Message edited by: Dennis 81082 ]

Harrell Culver is the best one I have ever used
Check Sinclairs for them.

Hope this helped

Doc in Texas

I've had 2 RCBS Uniflow's for 20 yrs. I keep one set up for small charges and the other for large charges. They work great with the flake and ball type powders, ok with the "Short Cut" stick types and poor with the larger stick types like IMR 4350. I haven't found any thing that works well with 4350. RCBS's warranty is fantastic, I broke a hopper last year due to my own fault, I called RCBS and asked how much for a replacement. They wouldn't tell me and sent one free of charge. I have heard some say that the RCBS units are not consistant, but mine sure have been. I find that doing each charge consistantly (same stroke etc.) has always delivered consistant charges. Good luck.

Scout Master 54

Good old Lyman 55.

Harrell's. You can call them direct. Great folks to deal with. It's the Rolls-Royce of the powder measures, without a doubt.

I've been using an old Ohaus for many years. Has 2 cavities and is really well built. May be able to fine one used as not made in several years.

Lyman 55 is very similar, but need to get larger hopper (availavle from Lyman) if you are doing larger rifle loads.

I have also used the RCBS and they are OK. Just not in the same league with the Ohaus or Lyman.

Regards,

I have a Lyman 55 Classic (b/p or smokeless, large 1lb aluminum hopper with powder baffle) and i like it alot, it's very consistant and very easy to set up.

I USE A LEE PERFECT POWDER MEASURE IT'S INEXPENSIVE ,EASY TO SET UP,EASY TO USE, AND ACCURATE.

I have a
Dillon, CH, RCBS, Ohaus, Redding, Lyman 55, Bruno, Hollywood, and 2 Lee -
and I use an electronic scale for precision loads in 6PPC.

One can spend alot for a powder thrower and may find it works disappointingly inconsistent: you need to develop a throwing technique for your measure and your powder - there is no need to spend much money for the hardware (all of them work fine).
Do not believe in 1/10 grs accuracy - it's 4/10, and this is enough with most rifle loads, imho.

Harrells is probably the best. It's certainly the most popular with benchrest shooters, but it's
going to cost you a pretty penny. I've had a Redding for 30 years, and it still performs excellently. I like all Redding products. It doesn't do a great job with IMR4064, but not many measures do. You need to make a special 9" thrower handle for that. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

I used to use a Lee perfect measure, then switched to a Redding BR-30. The lee unit works fairly well, but if you run ball powder through it, like H-110, it gunks up the works and spills out the sides. Also the stand is flimsy.

I like the BR-30 unit, but the powder chamber is too large when throwing small powder charges, ie under 10 gr to cleanly and evenly through charges. There is a pistol sized chamber to do this, but I've never gotten around to getting one.

If I had the $, I'd get the Harrel, but since I don't, I'm quite happy with the Redding unit. It is accurate and consisant enough that for many of my loads, I simply record the powder and measure setting, and just use that setting to produce more ammo. However I don't use that when working with max loads.

I've got an RCBS Uniflow and a Dillon and am happy with both. I read an article earlier this year that compared a bunch of them, the Harrell was included in the tested throwers. The outcome was that all of them performed about the same. They made the point of saying that the only thing you get by spending the extra money on the Harrell was a lighter wallet. It really didn't work any better than any of the others. They all work on the same basis, that is volume, not weight. Ball powders usually throw most consistently, followed by flake and then lastly stick.
I don't particularly like Lee equipment except for their dies, but a friend of mine has their 'disk' measure and is very happy with it.

Good shooting,
Ian

You may find the following helpful:

http://www.schuetzen.net/powder_measures.htm

I know this sounds cheap and slow but I weight EVERY powder charge. I use the Lee Powder dippers and find them fast and accurate with all powders after you get used to the technique of dipping. With the combinations of various cc measures you can dip and tap and load very accurately pretty fast. I can "keep up" with several of my friends that throw a little light and trickle weigh. The dippers cost very little and no trickler is needed. Been doing it this way for 35 years and never had a questionable load. RCBS 505 and Lyman electronic scales.