Howdy Guys,

I'm a casual reloader for the most bit. I work up loads for a few of my rifles and then load a box of ammo and use it that season. I was trying to think of a better powder system than what I do right now. I'm using a digital scale and a Lee meter. It's okay, but I'm wondering if I could do better.

Does anyone have experience with the RCBS PowderMaster Dispenser? I have the scale that interfaces with it and wondered if it was worth my while. A nice meter is similar in cost, but I wonder if its slow and / or reliable. Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
QD

I have the green scale and grey dispensor. Both are made by Pact. You will pay around 10% more for the green dispensor from RCBS, the Pact works with the RCBS just fine.

Mine works as advertised, but it's slow. A 70 grain charge of most any pwoder will take around 30 seconds to dispense. I used to do batch loading, meaning I would do each operation to all the shells at once. That left powder charging to be done while waiting for the dispensor to finish with each charge. I now do everything up to priming, then set up the dispensor. Then while it is working to measure the next charge, I prime the next shell. When it's done dispensing, I dump the powder, start the next one to dispense, seat the bullet, grab the next shell to prime it, and the dispensor is done, ready to charge the shell I just primed. Works great this way!

It beats the hell out of trickling each charge, or using a measure to throw light and trickle the last grain or so.

I have both the powder pro scale and powder dispenser to match..got them on a 'package deal".....the dispenser is accurate and slow....it needs to warm up a couple of mintues and the scale is sensitive to ANY drafts and vibration.....the electronic dispenser isn't worth it to me....after the fact...I wish now I had just bought one of the benchrest Culver type measures or other speciality item...I have two RCBS powder throwers one small drum and one large....one has the micrometer adjustment and I don't have too much problem getting accurate drops with most powder...I love the electronic scale but for MY type loading I kinda wish I hadn't got the dispenser but as part of the deal I got the dispenser much cheaper than a stand alone purchase and it is nice for some large grain powders and making test batchs of 'work up" loads.....HTH.good luck and good shooting-loading!!!!

If you're bent on buying something, buy the Pact trickler. It's FAST, and much easier to change powder when you want to. Much handier and faster than the dispenser IMO. I have several scales including one with a dispenser and after a few weeks I went totally and completely to the trickler system. I use the Lee powder dippers to dump a charge about a grain or less short of the desired charge then top it off with the trickler. For volume I use a mechanical powder dispenser to dump the powder, but the powder dippers take care of the majority of my needs.

dholepuncher has one for sale on the classified board. Seems to be a good price. You need to ask if it is the first generation(slow) or second generation(faster).

muck

Bob338,

Dumb question, but I have to ask it. What do you put your powder in to dip it? (It's kinda hard to fit one of those dippers in IMR can ) I'm just wondering about practicality / safety.

Thanks,
QD

Thanks for everybody else's suggestions.

No question is dumb. I use a clear plastic cup, about an 8 oz. one, and keep it right next to the scale with the appropriate dipper in it. I have a couple of large kitchen type funnels that enables pouring the unused powder from the trickler and the cup right back into the container without spilling when you're done or when you want to change propellants.

The next thing I'm going to buy for the setup is those relatively new Lyman combination pan/funnels which will eliminate the regular funnels. One less item to have on the bench. Only problem with those is you have to pick up the case to fill it, but that may help prevent double charging and spilling powder every now and then which I manage to do about once each session.

My trickler is the older style and I don't have any problems with speed. After you use the dippers a while it gets to where you can almost hit the exact weight you want, or be .1 or .2g shy. About half the time I'm dead on, which is why my bullet seating gets behind. I'm seating a bullet while the trickler is working and many times I get behind 5 or 6 cases it works so fast. If you miss by 3 or 4 grains on the initial dump, it IS slow but as you gain experience the speed is amazing. If you get to within about 1g or less, it's waiting for you when you've seated the last bullet.

It just struck me that maybe a Pyrex 1 cup measuring cup might be the ideal thing to put the powder in. With the spout they have you might not even need a funnel, and it's weight would prevent tipping and spilling though I've never done that.

I do need to load more! Thanks guys!

--QD

You might look at the new Lyman 1200 DPS. I'm going to buy one as soon as I can scrape up the cash. They're less expensive than the RCBS scale/dispenser combo, and everything I've read about them has been great. If not, then we'll know soon enough. I'll pass info along as soon as I get mine, which should be in the next few weeks.