What are some of the better: as in most accurate & consistent powder measures on the market.??
Are the normal IE. rcbs,mec and lyman in the same league??

I'm all for Harrel's.

There are a number of very good powder measures on the market and it is in most cases how you use it, are you consistant? If not then RCBS has a electric one that is great.

Reload is right, it's all in the "wrist," so to speak...

I use a 25 dollar Lee Perfect Powder measure to outperform many 100 dollar measures on the market.

Ball powders will of course meter better than extruded (stick) powders, but some of the extrudes do pretty well--IMR 4895, short cut Hodgdons, Reloder series from Alliant, etc.

Dan

I use an old Lyman, it's worked for 20 years.
It's the technique that a reloader uses to dispense the powder.
When I'm setting up to load for my rifles I'll get the measure throwing the charge that I want then set to filling the cases. I weigh each of the first 10 charges, since I'm usually loading 50 or more cases, I'll weigh 4 or 5 some where around the middle of the run and I'll weigh the last 4 or 5. And if I need to refill the powder measure I'll weigh the first 10 charges like I did in the begining.
For practice rounds, most hunting rounds this technique works fine. For load testing, groundhog shooting each charge gets weighted.
Jim

I'm sure some will disagree but I use a Lee for throwing all my charges of Varget in .223 for service rifle competition. I've shot some pretty hot scores at 200,300 and 600 yards with that combo and never had vertical stringing at 600 which one could say was a result of inconsistent charges, Holds x ring which is 1 moa.

The "best" powder measurer on the market you already have part of. Nothing is better than you, the handloader, and a powder trickler - this will throw exact charges everytime. Of course "everytime" is up to you, not the equipment. Good loading to ya!

I have a very old Redding that I have used for years and I am very consistant with it and I understand all its inconsistencys and consistancys...It is so accurate that I seldom use scales except to set it with on rifle cartridges....

I bought a couple of very high priced measures (in the $300 range) over the years and was not nearly as accurate as my Redding, I ended up selling them at a loss..

Like the board says it is the consistency of the user that counts....

I bought a used Lyman 55 this year and I absolutely love it! Very fine adjustments are possible and with ball powders I weigh every tenth charge and they're all right on.
Yardbird

Buy a Culver type and you get repeatability. In other words, you can record some of your charges and very easily go back to that same exact setting. The cheapo Lee has a wonderful reputation with the stick powders. There have been numerous articles written about the subject including some very good articles in Precision Shooting. They basically say what's been covered here, be very consistent with each throw.

Otherwise, baffles help. Rather than pay $200-300 for one good rifle throw, buy the Reddings with one each for pistol and one for rifle.

Lastly, I know the BR crowd has looked at banging vs. not banging. The non-banging crowd seems to have more consistency. Linwood Harrell will tell you right over the phone to be gentle but consistent.

Not what you wanted to hear? I guess it's just too many choices.

Reed

There are several expensive and supposedly better measures on the market, but unless you're shooting serious benchrest or other extreme accuracy games, are really unnecessary. The standard measures from RCBS, Lyman, Redding, etc. will do you fine. There are many other factors having a greater effect on accuracy than small powder charge variations.

I splashed for a Harrel's premium culver. Small charges of fine powder are as accurate as my +/-.1gr scale but thus far it is defeated by larger charges of coarser powder such as VVN160 where variations of the order of .6gr occur.

I am willing to throw direct for my 222 but not my other rifles. This is not a problem as I load less of these rounds.

Belding and Mull Hands down is the best I've ever used. It'll throw perfect charges every time with smaller powders. I once stopped weighing after 60+ dead-on throws(and I mean DEAD-ON). With the extruded powders I can set it on the low side and only trickle in 2-4 pieces on powder to make it dead-on!!! I weigh every charge in my big stuff and only weigh every 20 charges in plinking loads. You can come back and hit the same setting at any time by recording the numbers on the micro-meter tube. The only bad part is Belding and Mull is no longer are in buisness.

Has any one tried the Forster powder throw? Just wondering if it stands up to the rest of there products and if it will meter different powders accurately.

If you want the mercedes in powder measure's the Neil jones $$$$ and the harrels I have both and they throw great. I still check every load on the scale. It is always right on with smalls grain powders. Some of the course powders they might throw a off charge now and then.

I use the Lyman Ideal #55, and it'll meter to less than .2 grains variation using RL15. If I change my throwing technique, I can get the load to change by about .2 grains, and I do this when developing a load rather than adjusting the measure every time. I'm very happy with the Lyman.