I was looking in to buying a scale/dispenser combo and just wondered what everyone thought. the two that I am choosing between are the
Smartreloader ISD Digital Powder Scale and Dispenser
and Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Charge Powder Scale and Dispenser
I know that some of you guys are gonna tell me to go with the RCBS but I'm not gonna spend the money to buy the green stuff. So what are your opinions on these two?

Go with the Hornady for peace of mind & a reputation for supporting their customers.
Smartreloader has some items that have been slated for poor quality & I'd not take a chance with something as critical as powder weight.

The RCBS is available for only $30 more than the Hornady if you shop around.
OK, so I have the Chargemaster 1500 but national bias isn't a factor seeing as I'm a Brit.
In fact; if you spend $300 on RCBS products, there's a $50 rebate offer from Natchez, so you get more stuff for less:
http://www.natchezss.com/produ...ID=RC98923&src=tpCtg

Ive been using a Lee powder measure and a Hornady scale for quite some time. One look at the Lee scale and I knew that wasnt gonna cut it. I like the Hornady scale, and I just purchased a Lyman 55 powder measure. Im hoping it will perform as well as the reviews.

For what it is the Lee powder measure works quite well. My biggest issue with it was that long stick powders seem to tend to plug up the drop tube but I havent read about anyone else with that issue..

Ive seen a lot of rave reviews reguarding the redding powder measure..

Personaly I decided I would rather have a tried and true vintage Lyman than the new made in china stuff (smart reloader) for about the same $. YMMV..

I bought a Lyman 1000gr digital scale about 16 years ago. I used it to weigh wood arrow shafts for my part time wood arrow making business that my wife & I ran @ that time.

When I started reloading centerfire rifle ammo 10 years ago, I dusted off the digital scale & pressed it into service.

I use a Midway manual charge thrower to throw charges about .3gr to .5gr under the desired amount. I dump these onto the digital scale pan & trickle powder from a battery powered trickler (again Midway) to finish out to the nearest .1gr.

This set-up has several advantages. Most of all cost, but I can also throw charges very fast & the scale can also be used for weighing cases, bullets, etc.

I feel no need to go to a fancy, smancy electronic device that will not be any more accurate, will be slower, less versitile & cost considerably more.

Since you probably already have a manual powder dispenser, this is an option you might want to consider.

There's this of course,which is cheaper & simpler:

http://www.targetmasteruk.com/

quote:

Originally posted by Oddbod:
There's this of course,which is cheaper & simpler:

http://www.targetmasteruk.com/

But slower.

The digital scale/manual thrower/trickler combo is very quick.

quote:

Originally posted by wildcat junkie:

quote:

Originally posted by Oddbod:
There's this of course,which is cheaper & simpler:

http://www.targetmasteruk.com/

But slower.

The digital scale/manual thrower/trickler combo is very quick.

Take into consideration the whole process of weighing, charging & seating & electro-mechanical powder measuring is more efficient (& thus faster), because you can seat the bullet on one cartridge whilst the load for the next one is being dispensed.
For any rifle loads except +/- .3gr plinking loads, an automated powder dispenser of one form or another is faster.

powder dispenser

fast and accurate to 1 kernel of extruded powder

I have a PACT automatic dispenser/scale...the scale works fine but the dispenser clogs with extruded powders, very frustrating, so I use the scale and a RCBS powder measure and trickler.

ive got both the pact set up and the lyman 1200 both work fine. If i was to start over id probably go with the rcbs just because there warantee is so good.

quote:

I have the Chargemaster 1500

I too have the Chargemaster 1500.

I would be doing you a disservice not to tell you how good it is.

I can load for HOURS and never need to recalibrate.

I use check weights after every charge and it is rarely off (not even the .1g ) and if it is a simple touch of the zero button clears it up.

I have had my since the year they came out and never a problem.

If it broke tomorrow I would have a new one the next day…

Natchez had the RCBS unit for $300 with a $50 rebate, $250 is a good price for the RCBS unit.

BigB