I have two questions, 1 what is probably the best powder dispencer,( with consistentcy grains dispenced) and what is probably the best dispencer on a budget ie.. worth its money with a good price
thanks
skinner

Harrell's and Redding respectively.

I believe that the 20 dollar Lee Perfect Powder Measure, when properly adjusted and operated, will serve you as well as any.

I've never owned a Harrel's, as Bob mentions above, but hear much good about them. They aren't cheap, though.

Another one, which has an excellent reputation, is called a Belding and Mull. They are out of production, but were some of the best.

Try a Lee. You'll only be out 20 bucks if you don't like it. Mine beats the RCBS which costs much more...

Dan

Dan, are you refering to the Lee that has the red container? I used to have one of those and I thought it was worth about 10 bucks at the most, it got me by but was not very accurate at all and was a replaced by the Redding I use now that is very accurate even though I still weigh and trickle them all. I hated the Lee I had, I'd swear you are using a different one but never seen a different one for 20 bucks though. It leaked powder too, kind of hung up in the thing if I remember right. It or the RCBS I used will NOT cut through the long stuff as the Redding does easily either. No experience with the Harrel, they're not cheap or inexpensive though. I would go with a USED Redding at least, before I blew the $$ on the Lee IMHO. Dan, straiten me out?

I have no idea what the best would be. But for the money the Lee is hard to beat (with small grain and ball powders). I have one and it works well, but it does not feel inspiring. It wouldn't be my first choice but I'm on a budget.

I had a lyman a while back (before wife and kids) and I liked it. It was ~$45 back then, probably a lot more now.

The Lee will leak if it's not adjusted right, especially with flake powders. If it's tightened up enough to retain the flaky powders it's a little "sticky" in operation. It's best to use a grey powder for the first few pounds through it - the graphite lubricates the innards and, while not smooth, the operation becomes tolerable.

[ 12-07-2002, 01:30: Message edited by: Loren ]

It is true that the drum tension screw must be adjusted correctly for the type powder you're using.

Take a look at this link:

http://216.219.200.59/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&t=000248

Take care,

Dan

Green788,

Been a while since I was over there, read the link and remember the screw on that drum too. Glad you have luck with yours.

Ive got an rcbs a lyman and a couple lees but my new favorite is the little rcbs little dandy.

I'm with Dan on this one. I bought one and liked it so well I bought 2 more and dedicated them to a certain caliber. I took mine apart and cleaned the parts and hit them with a tiny bit of moly powder. Putting it back together and taking a little time to adjust the side tension, it worked great. When it comes to H110 or AA2520 it just plain SUCKS! The powder would "ooze" out the sides unless you cranked the adjustment tension so tight you couldn't operate it. However, with any bigger powders (Varget, 4064,etc.) it is the best measure I have used. I think the wiper "pushes" the kernel aside instead of trying to cut them. I would check every 5th round on my electronic scale and it was within .1 gr 95% of the time and never more than .2grs. I then started checking every 10th round with the same results. I then trusted it to just throw them and move on. I still check at the beginning and end of each batch and it hasn't let me down yet. Granted, they look and feel like junk but they work. For the ball or flake I use a Redding. I use the Lee for 223, 308, and 6.5-284.

Just my $.02

Keith

I have noticed that whatever anyone happens to own and paid good money for is the best, and that applies to powder dispenser, reloading presses, guns, calibers, dogs, and race horses, even wimmen!!

But the real deal with powder measures is the one your used to, have learned it ways, and can be the most consistant with, is the best one...They are all the same...I have been using an old Redding for that last 50 years and I can still use it better and toss more accurate loads with it than with that custom job I paid $300. for and sold for $150. a few years ago...Any benchrester will tell you the same.

I had two Dillon dispensors and used them for different rifles, they worked pretty good but any inconsistancy in the loading and they were not reliable, with pistol powder anyway. I remember setting up with H110 and I caught it dumping 3.0gr over an already max load in just 10 to twenty rounds with the 454 Casull and that was it. Had I not seen that the powder looked a little high and weighed it to check, I'd of been screwed!! My measurer now sets to the side of the press not on it, and all pistol loads are weighed! Their powder check station I think is put there for a reason! The stick powder never gave much problem although it wasn't extremely accurate or anything or didn't cut as well as the Redding either. Trying to cut through the sticks are what changes the consistancy in throwing charges to a great extent in my opinion. My uncles RCBS was very nice compared to my Lee, but the Redding cut like a razor and didn't shake things up trying to slice through sticks like the RCBS seemed to have a little more trouble doing. The Redding works very well with ball or flake and is consistant too. All will get the job done faster reguardless, and if trickling to the final wt you will have accuracy with all. Just a fair assesment of the ones I have used, nothing more, nothing less.

My opinion on the whole thing is one must be consistent in technique. I have used a Redding, a Dillon and the Lee. I have found that they are about equal but the Lee gets the nod. To me it is like shooting a gun, bow, or throwing darts. The same actions, or technique every time will get you repeatable results. To each their own though.

I just bought a bunch of Lee gear. I have had good luck so far with everything. The Lee Perfect Powder measurer was screwy at best when it was new. I ran a hopper of IMR4350 powder through and it still didn't dump powder worth a shit. I pumped through a pound of powder through it and it works great now.

My friend was leary of it so he weighed each charge of powder. I was suprised how well it dumped IMR4064.

I've only used the Lee but I would recomend it. Just dump a pound of powder through it at first.

I have used nothing but a redding and it suits me just fine. You might try a little fun experiment... take one of your accurate and known loads, weigh your charges individualy and vari them by +- .5 grains... see if you can see a diff in accuracy, on the 3 rifles I have tried, I havent seen a diff maybe others will?
Take care
smallfry

A lot depends on what you are loading. I have happily used an RCBS for rifle charges for 25 years. I use Lee Discs for pistol charges and am reasonably satisfied. I have one that goes on the trick dies and one that I modified to be lever operated. A couple of years after I modified mine, I noted that Lee introduced the same thing from the factory. Dunno if that is still available.

The best pistol measure I ever used had a 1" rotating bar under the hopper and took rather expensive brass bushings for each charge. It was dead accurate, easy to use, and absolutely reliable, but I am an experimenter. After a couple of months, I sold it to a fellow who was not going to load anything but .38 wadcutter target loads and service equivalent .45 ACP.

I find rifle charges a lot easier than pistol since I load maybe 50 rifle cartridges at a time as opposed to 500 and up for pistol. The measure does not have to be dead accurate since I set it up to throw no more than I want, drop the charge into a scale pan, and trickle in enough to bring the beam to zero when I am loading the long stick powders.

I have 2 RCBS powder measures and have never had a bit of trouble with either, I just took reciept of a new bonanza/forster tho and i'm looking forward to trying it out