I want to develope Pet Loads for My T/C(barrels) guns. Should I get the PACT digital dispenser/Scale system or the Harrel premium "culver" model #11-600 powder measurer. I have heared nothing but good things about the Harrel power measure. I would like to get 0.1 grain accaracy. Is this possible? I call upon those which have more experience and knowledge about the subject than I for help. I went ahead and ordered the new pact system which can dispenser 50 grains in 18 seconds. Thank you for your time, Twyman

[ 07-01-2003, 19:52: Message edited by: Twyman ]

Do you own a GOOD scale now? You can't start out making good loads with out one and or verifying them. Using only a "good" scale you can achieve the 0.1g accuracy you desire but it's slow and time consuming. With a scale on the bench you can pick up a good measurer like the Harrel (Redding & others)and achieve your goal. You'll find it takes a bit to get dispensers (manuel screw adjustments) set. Here's where the auto dispensers / scales come into there own, they are faster but not without their problems. See the discussions here on Beam Scale vs. Electronic. Another problem you'll encounter is that the ball powders lend themselves to easier measurer in the "dispencer" types of powder measurers than the stick type. Here the trickle type of scale measurers do much better.

I have been served well by my old Ohaus scale and Redding measurer over the years. But with a good scale I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Scout Master 54

I have both PACT digital scale and a RCBS balance beam 5-10? . I was hoping for something faster than hand powder tricker. Thank you for your input. Twyman

Then by all means look at the PACT. I don't have one but have heard good things about them.

Scout Master 54

I just got off the phone with PACT. PACT is comming out with a faster Dispenser that will be much faster.The old dispenser will dispense 50 grain loads in 45 seconds the new one will dispense 50 grain loads in 15 seconds. They are working some out problems now. I am thinking about waiting alittle. Twyman

Twyman - That sounds like a nice system, I'll have to check it out myself. I received my copy of Shooting Times yesterday and I saw an ad - Lyman is offering a Digital Powder System with memory to hold 20 of your favorite loads. They are claiming .1g accuracy. They call it the Lyman 1200 DPS. Check it out at www.lymanproducts.com Good Shooting!

Scout Master 54

Faced with some of the same dilemma, I bought a Redding RD-30 which does a good job and is easy to set up with the micrometer dial. I throw the loads from the Redding into the PACT pan held in hand. Most stick powders will come within 0.1 gr. If the weight is off a little, a few grains of powder added or removed by hand will change the weight. Since the PACT scale takes about 5 seconds to recheck the weight, I gently blow on the PACT pan to make it check quicker. By the way, PACT says you should always put the empty pan back on their scale before throwing the next load. This permits the scale time to recalibrate the zero point. This is what you would naturally do if you were using the PACT mechanical dispenser.
Ron

I read an article that compared several makes and models of powder measure to include the Harrel. The opinion was that spending the extra money on the Harrel only served to empty your wallet faster and provide you with some bragging rights. All the measures they tested had almost exactly the same results when it came to consistancy and accuracy. This was manual powder throwers tho, not the dispenser/scale combos that are out now.

Ruger#1

Twyman

The biggest obstacle to getting any manual powder dispensor to give consistant throw weights is the operator. If you don't work the measure the exact same way each time, the throw weights will vary. I found that a light but solid "tap" of the lever at each end of the stroke gives me the most consistant result, but you may find a different method gives you the best results.
Also, a freshly filled measure needs time for the powder to "settle" to a consistant density before the throw weights begin to be the same time after time.

I like the Lee Perfect Powder Measure. It has a lockring that is secured by a small rubber O-ring and once set, it does not allow your setting to change. The grads are relative, but that is of no consequence. I set it up, get the measure and then throw a half dozen charges to settle it in, and go to town. I always manipulate the handle the same way and tap it to drop every last little ball of powder. I will scale a charge every 20 or so, and they never change. The Lee powder scale is acurate to 0.1 grain and you can split that to 0.05 grain if you trust your aging, tired eyes.

rootbeer:

I sure wish I could get my Lee to work that well -best I've been able to do thus far is get it within .25gr. total variation(or however you say that). I must be doing something wrong. I'll try again today and see what happens.

[Twyman: Please pardon me for butting in like this; I tried to delete this post but couldn't see how to do it.]

[ 07-12-2003, 23:44: Message edited by: Deutschlander ]