I purchased an RCBS Uniflow powder measure and the micrometer adjustable insert. I have the new PACT combo unit which is fast and accurate, but I figured for some hunting rifles and or semi-auto's it would be faster to use as long as it would get withing .1-.2gr every throw. I have not purchased the baffle yet,..byt I figure that is a must so that will be soon.

Anyone have any experiences with these? how accurate can they be with the stick powders?

Thanks

JustC,

I've played w/ the Volumetric powder methods alittle and found them to vary quite a bit when loading rifle rounds. I use my Lee setup for speedy pistol reloads and it is pretty good for that typ of loading. I've found the smaller the "sticks" the more accurate. It's really no different than shooting factory rounds heck youd' be surprised at the variances in even some of the top-of-the-line factory loads out. It probably would be just fine for auto loaders or lever guns since bench rest accuracy is not typically the norm for those types of set-ups.

I wonder how well it would do w/ ball powders? Haven't tried it but, might be a pretty good method.

Good Luck!

Reloader

I have found mine to be pretty good, depend on the day and how "I" feel. Some of the IMR stick can vary +/- .5 grain, but I dont feel this is a problem shooting the larger bores. Finer stick powder like IMR4227 and similar meters perfectly. Ball powder is a dream, but that's not due to the measure. Flake powder is not as good as ball/small stick but better than big stick (4064, etc).

I found that how I am doing each day is the true measure of the Uniflow, not the measure itself.

Don't expect within .1 or .2 gr EVERY throw with coarse stick powder, but no problem getting that with ball and fine stick and withing .3 gr with flake like Unique.

I grew up on a Uniflow, so that's what I got when it was time to spend money on my own set-up.

JC,

Mine gets stick powder to within half a grain of what I want usually. Almost all the charges it throws with stick powder are within one grain of the average.

It is also difficult to throw consistent charges with flake powders.

Ball powders meter very well (plus or minus 0.2 grains consistently) through my RCBS.

Of my three measures, the el-Cheapo Lee meters stick powder the best, the Dillon measure on my RL550 does flake powder the best, and the RCBS stays in a box in the back of my reloading tool cabinet, underneath a Forster trimmer I don't use any more (the RCBS is vastly better).

H. C.

Any powder measure throwing consistently within .1 grains is a pipe dream. Ball powder or not. .5 grains is doable, but something in the .3-.4 range is probably a reasonable goal. I've got several different powder measures on extremely stable (custom made stands) and my Harrel powder measure ( one of the finest I know of) will throw within .2 grains with reasonable consistency. My RCBS would not do that. Several loads in that range and then one way off. I make concerted effort to throw the same way for every drop, i.e. arm to top and 2 taps, and then to bottom and 2 taps with as close of pressure as I can manage, if I thorw indescriminately my weights show that for sure.

I'd throw 20 or 30 loads to get your powder flowing through the measure well and weight them all to get a good feel for what you can expect.

Good Luck!

All powder measures are as accurate as the person tossing the charge...Get a routine and stick with it..Do it the same way everytime...I seldom weigh a charge with any powder except large grain powders like 4831 in which case I will weigh about every 10th one...

7 drops will get the powder flowing so do this before you start, after you get your load throwing correctly....then get after it...

Notice that benchresters never weigh a charge as they say the powder charge within reason is the least important part of accuracy..I agree as long as your not at absolute max...

Atkinson is right. BR people throw charges all the time, and shoot groups that are unbelievable. It is the person doing the throwing that amkes the difference. Now, shooting 600yds and beyond, weighing powder is important. Varying velocities show up way out therer. But powder charge isn't the only thing which affects velocities and extreme spreads.

Thanks guys,..I was wondering if I was doing something wrong. I threw some H380 in and was within .2gr consistently and with N165 she was a bit more variant. I have the PACT combo and will absolutely weigh every single charge for my 600-1000yd matches,.I just figured for a 200yd max range hunting rifle or something like a heavy barreled colt sporter that the thrower would speed up the loading process.

I bet I am the only guy who bought a powder thrower AFTER he bought a programable dispensor/scale combo

The small cylinder will show less variation if it has enough capacity for the charges you throw. I prefer the AMT Autoscale for large charges of stick powders above 50 grains.

Ray Atkinson, WE AGREE ON A TOPIC!!!! Harrel builds a superb measure and that's why you see so many of them at the BR matches!!! I use the RCBS measure for Accurrate, Winchester 760, BLC-2, H-414 and even VARGET and just run the reloading tray under the drop for a lot of different stuff! For the 4350,4831,3031, and the other sticks, I'll use the old Belding&Mull(the original load chart is on the wall over the loading bench!!) I still check every 5th round or so on the scale!! I may be a bit slower than the "electronic" gurus but that's the way I do it! Using the measure on 6BR,7BR,204,222Mag....there is no way the electronics are faster than the RCBS measure!!! GHD

I guess it depends upon the person and wha tthey like. I am sure the measures are good but just like so many I don't trust them. I was using a Lyman powder despenser for awhile but quit and went back to the electronic scale. And since I am not worring about hurrying everything it works real well.

How to get a consistant powder charge...rap the handle three times to the top of it's arc before lowering it to drop the powder.

I did testing and found 1 tap was ok, 2 taps was better, 3 taps very conistant and 4 taps same as 3..no need for the fourth one.

I figure it allows the powder to settle the same in each volume.

I do notice that a full load of powder in the powder container will throw heavier charges than when it is almost empty.

I used to weigh each one...got the micrometer stem and now go every 5 or ten.

This is with I4198 and I4895...long stick stuff.

Jim

Most powder got through my Uniflow so well, it couldn't be better, but....


1) Not usable with 800X
2) A pain with IMR4895 stick powder
3) A double pain with IMR4350 stick powder

quote:

Originally posted by HenryC470:
JC,
in the back of my reloading tool cabinet, underneath a Forster trimmer I don't use any more (the RCBS is vastly better).

H. C.

Henry, I know you're a smart guy, so it can't be that you can't figure out how to use the Forster, so it must be that I have never figured out how to use the RCBS trimmer.

My 20y/o Uniflow unit serves me very well, if used as most have mentioned; consistant cycles of the handle, and ball or small stick powders. The small extruded powders are getting more common (yeah!Benchmark/Varget/RL7 etal), and charges fall into the +/- 0.2gr worst case, ball powders better than that. I've had a Lyman DPS1200 for a year, so use of my Uniflow has dropped some.
Didn't have a baffle for my Uniflow until last year, and can't see any real difference in accuracy. Not always possible, but I try to keep the hopper at least half full. Maybe that helps.

I set mine to throw slightly less than what I want, then I throw it on the scale and level it off with my trickler. Still pretty fast operation and all my loads are exact.