eletronic powder trickler

[rcoody]

Well I am loving my Omega. Cut the time it takes to reload in half by getting rid of the electronic powder dispenser and using a lee powder measure to drop and the trickle with the omega.

After my experience with the inaccuracy of loads from the electronic powder dispenser I trust no scale.

I had purchased a Ohaus YJ 102 accurate to 0.02 gr. Wondered about its accuracy so I bought a gempro 250.

so now I drop charges with the powder measure, trickle on the gempro and check on the Ohaus. For some reason they weigh about 0.02 gr different. Doesn't really bother me because I am looking more for consistency than accuracy. They both drift but with two scales you spot it very quickly. If you just weigh the empty powder pan most of the time they self correct.

 

[Johnson184]

Where are you fellas finding these new Omega auto tricklers for sale? I checked their website, and they've been sold out for weeks now.

 

[barefooter56]

Where are you fellas finding these new Omega auto tricklers for sale? I checked their website, and they've been sold out for weeks now.

Johnson184,
Looks like after 3 years the OMEGA tricklers have really taken off!! Suggest you get one on backorder at SINCLAIR or someone. That way you are "standing in line" and not " looking in the window".

 

[Pdvdh]

Hopefully, I will never have to go back to a mechanical scale for my reloading.

I have included a file for reprogramming the ChargeMaster1500. I would suggest you write your current settings down while you're in there, just in case you make a boo-boo. Between these instructions and the straw, the CM takes on a whole 'nother personality. I've reprogrammed my CM 1500 and tricked it out with teh straw in the dispenser tube also.

JohnnyK.

Excactly. The ChargeMaster 1500 has been the best improvement to higher production reloading I've experienced in my 45 years of reloading.

However if you load a minimal number or rounds per year for LRH practice and hunting, an auto feed is really not that necessary, IMO.

The RCBS ChargeMaster is nice for higher count reloading, such as for the 5.56 AR-15 and 40 S&W pistols where between practice and plinking - a guy can burn through some ammo.

But I much prefer the elecronic/digital scale to the balance beam I've used for more than 40 yrs. I still keep the balance beam scale on my reloading bench, but it largely collects dust. If you solely have used and continue to use a balance beam scale, I'd encourage at least stepping out of the cave wearing some sunglasses, and trying out a good quality digital scale... Life is too short...

 

[engineer40]

This is going to throw a huge curve ball into everyone's methodologies, but interesting to think about none the less...

I remember watching a video from David Tubb where he says he doesn't even use a powder measure for long distance competitions unless he is shooting 1000 yards or more and using a charge weight of 65+ grains or more. Almost all of his rifle competition shooting, he just throws the powder for his reloads and does not even measure!

He stated that people put way too much emphasis on the powder charge weights and not enough on the things that really make a difference in accuracy like consistent brass prep. To paraphrase; "Your primer pocket hole makes a larger difference in accuracy than your powder charge."

He also said that as long as you find your rifle's accuracy node, that you could be up to 0.5gr off and still stack holes on top of each other! CRAZY!



All of that said I still measure my powder to 0.1gr. I use a cheap Lee Powder measure set 0.5gr light, throw onto a Frankfort Arsenal digital scale, manual trickle the last bit. I double check every 5-10 rounds on a standard 505 RCBS beam scale. Goes quick when I get into the groove.
​

 

[barefooter56]

This is going to throw a huge curve ball into everyone's methodologies, but interesting to think about none the less...

I remember watching a video from David Tubb where he says he doesn't even use a powder measure for long distance competitions unless he is shooting 1000 yards or more and using a charge weight of 65+ grains or more. Almost all of his rifle competition shooting, he just throws the powder for his reloads and does not even measure!

He stated that people put way too much emphasis on the powder charge weights and not enough on the things that really make a difference in accuracy like consistent brass prep. To paraphrase; "Your primer pocket hole makes a larger difference in accuracy than your powder charge."

He also said that as long as you find your rifle's accuracy node, that you could be up to 0.5gr off and still stack holes on top of each other! CRAZY!



All of that said I still measure my powder to 0.1gr. I use a cheap Lee Powder measure set 0.5gr light, throw onto a Frankfort Arsenal digital scale, manual trickle the last bit. I double check every 5-10 rounds on a standard 505 RCBS beam scale. Goes quick when I get into the groove.
​

Last I heard DT uses a PROMETHEUS unit.

 

[engineer40]

Last I heard DT uses a PROMETHEUS unit.

I'm sure you're correct. The videos I spoke of looked to be from the 1990's. I only posted the information because it was interesting to me and I think would probably would be for others.

I'm not sure where at during these 4 hours of videos he talks about it, but he talks about what I mentioned previously.

Looking back at my notes, I did say one thing wrong. He uses a scale for above 60 grains, not 65 grains.

But he does say with his testing; "1 grain in powder charge difference out of a 243 will make 1.5 inch difference at 250 yards. That's 1 whole grain, not 1/10th of a grain. And that good powder measurers will throw within 2/10ths every time."

He gives an example that the US Team loaded 300,000 rifle rounds for competition on a progressive press just throwing the charges. That ammo produced 2 inch groups at 600 yards.

One more thing, just because I found it interesting, is he also said... In his opinion, probably the biggest thing that people do wrong and produce not accurate ammo is using a resizing die that the center ball stretches the neck too far.

[ame]https://youtu.be/NUnrYp0NH38[/ame]

[ame]https://youtu.be/Igse-APgpEc[/ame]

 

[rcoody]

well I dumped the chargmaster.

Now I throw charges with a $25 hornady powder measure. I have been pleasantly surprised by how accurate it is. When I am loading 50 rounds and I set the powder measure up carefully I would say 75% are +/- 0.05 grains.

Second step Is to trickle with the omega on my gempro. Many times it is just check and dump into the case. If I am doing a series of loads increasing 0.3 to 0.5 grains the omega really comes into its own. Don't bother getting the powder measure that accurate. Just use the omega.

I then have a second digital scale a ohaus YJ that I check the gempro weight on. I just don't trust scales

With this setup it takes my a third of the time to charge a bunch of cases than with the chargemaster and it is so much more accurate.

Now I can truly agree that I have found some wide accuracy nodes and in most cases throwing charges, which is very fast, is plenty accurate.

I will continue to throw charges and check and trickle.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Consistency is everything, especially with Bergers. Once in the 'node" as Berger terms the sweet spot for jump, the slightest change in propellant load changes grouping, oftentimes appreciably.

I sure like the Omega auto trickler and my Ohaus / RCBS 10-10. I can hold consistently. 1/10 th grain of any propellant across any number of charges and that equates to consistent groups.

Is it really worth $169.00, not really but to replicate the design would cost a lot more.

Stan has a great idea / product thats workable for the accuracy shooter.

I'm quite happy with mine.

 

[parshal]

I used mine this weekend at the range on a board on the center console in my truck with howling winds outside. I used a powder scoop and finished with the Omega. I'm not even sure I'll use the Chargemaster anymore. The scoop and finish with the Omega is faster.

 

[rcoody]

I used mine this weekend at the range on a board on the center console in my truck with howling winds outside. I used a powder scoop and finished with the Omega. I'm not even sure I'll use the Chargemaster anymore. The scoop and finish with the Omega is faster.

I put my chargemaster away. So much faster to dump with a powder measure and trickle with the omega.

 

[Bart B]

I see no need to get powder charge weight spread less than 1/10th of a grain.

Especially when benchrest records through 300 yards are set with charge weights thrown directly from the most precise/accurate measures made with a 2/10ths grain spread.

Sierra Bullets meters powder charges to a 3/10ths grain spread shooting their best match bullets into 1/4 MOA groups at 200 yards in cases not prepped in any way.

I think there's more important things in the accuracy games to get obsessed about.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I see no need to get powder charge weight spread less than 1/10th of a grain.

Especially when benchrest records through 300 yards are set with charge weights thrown directly from the most precise/accurate measures made with a 2/10ths grain spread.

Sierra Bullets meters powder charges to a 3/10ths grain spread shooting their best match bullets into 1/4 MOA groups at 200 yards in cases not prepped in any way.

I think there's more important things in the accuracy games to get obsessed about.

I practice the 'other stuff' as well. Reason I stated that was because I did it real time on my range across 3 different sticks of the same caliber, 2 sending Bergers and 1 sending Sierra's I found that charge inconsistencies cause spread inconsisties across all 3 rifles. The Bergers were the worst I might add. The Sierra rifle was the most forgiving but then the BC of a Sierra is quite a bit different than a comparable Berger VLD.

Not too concerned with actual charge weight amount but more concerned that the charges are uniform across a number of loaded cartridges. The Omega does that very well becuse it entirely eliminates the human factor (of twizzling the trickler knob while intently watching the scale pointer). I throw a grain or so less than my set amount and let the Omega do the rest.... and it's fun to watch the pointer ever soi slowly rise to the reference line and shut off, time after time.

I never was much good at playing a pinao. I've always had trouble getting my right hand to do one thing while my left (or my eyes for that matter) are doing something else.

Because I load hangun loads too, those small charges are ideal for the Omega to just dump in the scale pan and forego my Harrell entirely.

Not an obsession at all, just for me (at least) an easier way of reloading.

 

[Pdvdh]

I'm going to live within the confines of 0.1 grain on my larger rifle cartridges because I'm not about to start cutting cylinders of powder in half to gain 0.05 grain consistency. That would be necessary with some of the larger kernal powders. And it doesn't sound like very many believe less than 0.1 grain measurements are necessary with the larger powder charges. 0.1 grain is 0.1% of a 100 grain charge.

Whereas 0.1 = 0.4% of a 25 grain charge in my .223. Might be something special about the 0.05 grain accuracy for the smaller case capacity shells.