Electric powder dispenser/scale?

[BoilerUP]

With a baby at home, my time to spend on reloading has been greatly reduced. As such, I'm thinking about getting an electric powder dispenser to speed up the process, because powder going from the powder measure to the pan to the beam scale to trickling to pouring into the case seems like the part that is really slowing me down.

Curious what units other Hide members use and how much it really speeds up reloading...and if its possible to achieve good accuracy with it or if I should suck up the beam scale and deal with the time investment.

 

[bohem]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

It's definitely worth it.

I can hustle and beat the Hornady machine using a beam balance and a trickler, but I have to actually put effort in.

With the machine I can read a magazine and drink beer while it fills up the pan. When the machine beeps I note that the charge is within spec on the display, pour it into the awaiting brass, and start the process over again.

 

[Goldbeachman]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

For a combination of extreme speed and extreme accuracy, I'd recommend a Prometheus. I just got done Kryloning mine. Not kidding.

 

[Juanjo322]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I'm very happy with my RCBS Chargemaster combo.. does the trick, I wish I could afford a prometheus..

-Juanjo

 

[jbroadnax]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I love the Lyman. I haven been using one for years.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

Seems like reviews on the interwebs have the RCBS Chargemaster as the "best" unit, at least in terms of reliability & repeatability.

Seems like Hornady and Lyman units are less reliable, at least in terms of pissed-off owners offering their insight on MidwayUSA...hehe

 

[rc2125]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

Been using an RCBS for a couple years now, it's like having an assistant, very handy. It has times where it is spot on and also times where it throws quite a few extra .1 or .2's

 

[squeek-k]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I bought the Hornady one. I don't think it saves me any time at all. I need to try it with a diffrent powder with bigger grandules, as AA 2520 pours out like water, and scatters small bits outside the pan. I'm going back to a RCBS uniflow measure and my 505 beam scale as soon as we buy a house.

Funny thing about that Hornady electric setup, DO NOT play music while you reload if the subwoofer is mounted near it. Just saying.

 

[DamnDave]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I have the RCBS Chargemaster and love it. From the second I put the tray on it takes roughly 20 secs to dispense 44.2gr of Varget. I do have the upgraded settings and use the McD's straw trick.

You can get it for around $300 and RCBS still has the $50 rebate.

Here is a video of it in action doing 42.5gr Varget in 19 secs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrxdoCgQwkM

 

[25MAN]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I have the Hornady Lock n Load and love it...definitely saves a little time but much easier on the eyes to look at those nice size digital numbers then stairing at a small line on the beam scale waiting for it to stop and line up. I use IMR type powders and have had no issues what so ever.

and yes as long as you keep you loads the same they are just as accurate.

I didn't trust it at first so i put the first few pours on the beam scale and it was spot on.

get one you will not regret it.

 

[theogre_52]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

Just picked up a Chargemaster last weekend. I love it saves me time I can be seating / sizing while it throws the next load.

 

[Nimzoblanca]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I also have an RCBS Chargemaster. Works fine although the charge it dispenses is roughly .2 to .3 grains higher than what my Hornady balance beam scale reads. So in order to duplicate my load of 94.0g on the balance beam, I set the Chargemaster for 93.8.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

I use a Chargemaster 1500. It has definitely sped up my reloading. However it does sometimes miss by .1gr and rarely by .2gr. My solution is to dump my dispensed charge into my Rangemaster 750 to verify it. If it's off I trickle or just dump the charge and grab the next one. Doing it that way gives me the extra piece of mind and doesn't take much extra time.

I have reprogrammed mine and done the soda straw mod. It works well with RE15, RE17 and IMR4064. I haven't run anything else through it.

However, I will tell you that if your brass prep is not automated, you will save more time there than with a powder dispenser. It didn't take me that long to throw and trickle with a Lee Perfect Powder Measure and the RCBS Rangemaster 750. I really started saving time with my Power Trim Pro and Trim Mate. A Giraud or Gracey trimmer would really knock out the brass fast.

 

[squeek-k]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

OK, update on the hornady. I was loading up some 300 savage, and useing varget. And it ran like a champ! I guess with the Lock and load, it likes powders with large grandules.

 

[lethal93ta]

Re: Electric powder dispenser/scale?

brass prep is what took me forever loading, I finally broke down and bought a giraud, its by far the best thing I ever bought for reloading.Im using a hornady LNL progressive press and the powder measure that is on there works great Ive never had a problems with that I check every couple rounds when Im loading I just dump the powder from in a case to my beam scale to be sure.