Powder Measuring and Dispensing?

[270shootist]

What is the best (combination of accurate, repeatable and quickest) way to measure and dispense powder charges? I have used a balance beam-type scale, a $75 electronic plate scale and now a $30 hopper/tube-type dropper. They all seem to leave something to be desired. What are you guys using that won't break the bank. Say around $250 or less.
The balance beam was slow. The electronic scale I have is not repeatable, having to reset zero every ten or so rounds (which leads to distrust of that scale). The powder hopper also seems to throw unrepeatable charges (as measured by the electronic scale).
Thank you for your attention and wisdom.

 

[rcoody]

What is the best (combination of accurate, repeatable and quickest) way to measure and dispense powder charges? I have used a balance beam-type scale, a $75 electronic plate scale and now a $30 hopper/tube-type dropper. They all seem to leave something to be desired. What are you guys using that won't break the bank. Say around $250 or less.
The balance beam was slow. The electronic scale I have is not repeatable, having to reset zero every ten or so rounds (which leads to distrust of that scale). The powder hopper also seems to throw unrepeatable charges (as measured by the electronic scale).
Thank you for your attention and wisdom.

really depends on how accurate you want/need to be.

short range benchrest guys throw their charges with a powder measure. You can use you balance beam to set up a lee perfect powder measure that cost $25. Accuracy +/- 0.10 grain with the right powders. For most that would be fine. Dropping charges with a powder measure is the fastest method possible.

then there is the chargemaster. $350 It is the simplest way do dispense powder charges. Just set the charge weight and wait for it to dispense the charge. slow and not much more accurate than the powder measure.

Then there is weigh and trickle. The most accurate method. Most long range shooters weigh every charge. buy a gempro 250 for $125 on amazon and that same lee perfect powder measure. drop a charge, weigh it on the gempro and trickle it to the exact charge weight accurate to 0.02grains.

you pick

 

[Mikecr]

+1 rcoody
I love my ChargeMaster as the practical solution for me.

 

[270shootist]

Thanks already, guys. I truly appreciate the feedback.
I have the Perfect Powder Measure already and have used it with IMR 4350. My entry level Lyman digital scale gave me weight readings as varied as +- 0.7 grains with the dropped powder charges. Is this normal with the Perfect Powder Measure and that powder? Or is it normal for the Lyman scale to be that inconsistent? I recalibrated it multiple times and had to rezero muliple times also with no real seen improvements.
Also, what is acceptable charge weight differences for cartridges ment to shoot 500 yards and then cartridges ment to shoot 1000?
I used to finish trickle all my charges and kept them within 0.1 gr (I think) using the Lyman digital scale. That took a while when I reloaded even just 100 cartridges. Now I have been loading 200-300 WSM's. Ugggh!

 

[rcoody]

Thanks already, guys. I truly appreciate the feedback.
I have the Perfect Powder Measure already and have used it with IMR 4350. My entry level Lyman digital scale gave me weight readings as varied as +- 0.7 grains with the dropped powder charges. Is this normal with the Perfect Powder Measure and that powder? Or is it normal for the Lyman scale to be that inconsistent? I recalibrated it multiple times and had to rezero muliple times also with no real seen improvements.
Also, what is acceptable charge weight differences for cartridges ment to shoot 500 yards and then cartridges ment to shoot 1000?
I used to finish trickle all my charges and kept them within 0.1 gr (I think) using the Lyman digital scale. That took a while when I reloaded even just 100 cartridges. Now I have been loading 200-300 WSM's. Ugggh!

nothing is more frustrating than not knowing. A scale you don't trust isn't worth having.

Of course I don't trust any of them. In the pic below is my powder weighting setup in my camper. a lee perfect powder measure, a omega electronic powder trickler and 2 digital scales side by side that read to 0.02 grains. I trickle on one and then check the load on the other one. When they agree I am happy. All these digital scales drift. easy to catch it when you have 2 side by side.

 

[Sully2]

+1 rcoody
I love my ChargeMaster as the practical solution for me.

AMEN to that!

 

[MagnumManiac]

I use an electronic Charge Master 1500 scale to set my thrower, then throw my charges. I check at halfway through, and the last round charged, I don't allow the hopper to go below half full, and use a powder baffle. With my Redding 3BR Long Range measure, I get consistent +/- .1gr charges with most powders. If I note a powder is throwing less consistent than to my liking, I will dump and trickle, but still keep it to +/- .1gr. Most of the powders I use, .1gr is 2-3 kernels, not enough to worry about.qA@1
When working up loads, I dump then trickle, always looking for a node that isn't finnicky in regard to charge weight, +/- .3gr is fine by me.
I have never seen a difference in trickling to exactly '0' weight and running a +/- .3 gr variance, it may make a difference beyong 1000yrds, but I don't shoot beyond that distance.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I have a Redding powder throw that I like very well. I throw around 6-8 charges into a pill bottle and dump it back in the hopper before dropping charges in my brass. I do this because the powder will setting and give funny readings if the charges are then weighed this would be a good practice with any powder throw

 

[270shootist]

I loaded 75 300 WSM cartridges last night. Used the LEE Perfect Powder Measure to drop the charge and then weighed every one on my Lyman digital scale. Only about five charges from the LEE were right on. The rest were as far off as +/- 0.7 gr using IMR 4350. I also rezeroed the Lyman scale every seven rounds or so or if the charge didn't look right, then I remeasured the previous round. It took about three hours, but all the charges in the cases looked spot on. My neck hurt, my legs ached and I ran out of beer . I'm thinking about getting a Chargemaster.

 

[rcoody]

I loaded 75 300 WSM cartridges last night. Used the LEE Perfect Powder Measure to drop the charge and then weighed every one on my Lyman digital scale. Only about five charges from the LEE were right on. The rest were as far off as +/- 0.7 gr using IMR 4350. I also rezeroed the Lyman scale every seven rounds or so or if the charge didn't look right, then I remeasured the previous round. It took about three hours, but all the charges in the cases looked spot on. My neck hurt, my legs ached and I ran out of beer . I'm thinking about getting a Chargemaster.

yep

there is art to working a powder measure. You have to do the same stroke every time and dump the charges slowly.

Some people never let the handle tap. Some people let it tap and the top and not at the bottom. Some people tap at both and some double tap. ball powders meter the easiest. Stick powders are trouble. Cutting grains in half really screw up your rhythm. If you have any friends that do short range benchrest talk to them about it.

I use a lee perfect powder measure and have practiced my stroke a bunch. I still do like you and put each charge on the scale. Sometimes when I have the rhythm down I will go 5 or more throws that need no trickling but there are those that are well out of the charge weight.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The only thing I will add, is that, if a kernel gets cut, that charge, and the following one are always dumped into the hopper, because I get 2 inconsistent charges when that happens with stick powder.
There is no NEED to measure every charge to '0', you will never see a .1gr difference over the chronograph, and volume is far more important than weight. I have a book with all my charge weight settings recorded by volume, I check the weight and take note, BUT, I don't alter the measure setting.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[rcoody]

The only thing I will add, is that, if a kernel gets cut, that charge, and the following one are always dumped into the hopper, because I get 2 inconsistent charges when that happens with stick powder.
There is no NEED to measure every charge to '0', you will never see a .1gr difference over the chronograph, and volume is far more important than weight. I have a book with all my charge weight settings recorded by volume, I check the weight and take note, BUT, I don't alter the measure setting.

Cheers.
gun)

one thing I will add here. Total charge weight and the accuracy of the charge makes a difference. Cases with a charge weight of less than 30 grains a 0.1 +/- could put you out of your accuracy node. When you are getting up in the 40-50-60-70 grain charges the 0.1 +/- becomes less of an issue.

 

[Mikecr]

I always wondered but never tested what MagnumManiac is talking about. Volume-vs-weight.
There are precision micrometer set powder scoops to achieve accurate charge volume. It would be interesting to test/compare this to charges matched by weight.

 

[rcoody]

I always wondered but never tested what MagnumManiac is talking about. Volume-vs-weight.
There are precision micrometer set powder scoops to achieve accurate charge volume. It would be interesting to test/compare this to charges matched by weight.

Try it. You might like it. Some reloaders on another forum are getting some impressive results. I am still trying to understand it.

Using Volume Measure Density