Auto powder dispensers

Donut Slayer · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:53 pm Post subject: Auto powder dispensers

How many here use auto powder dispensers? I have used a Hornady auto scale and dispenser and love it. I dont see how I reloaded without it before. Before that I used a RCBS beam type scale with a Lee perfect powder measure and a trickler.

TRBLSHTR · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I've got -but seldom use anymore one of the lyman super duper 1200 or sum sutch with all the upgradee stuff that really amounts to a more expensive load of crap!I load for accuracy as much as possible without going into the bench rest realm of total analism,but the powder measure is only good to about +-.2tenths of a grain.Somewhere in their technology department the techies have'nt figured out that zero means zero.So I'm back to the old tried and true -lyman ohaus beam scale and trickler for accuracy!
......And for Vince-I know that you are not enamored with the 223 round for efficiency-however I am,and with the oldbeam scale I have taken a almost stone stock rem 788(cheapest gun they ever made I believe)chambered in 223,and shot several .375"c to c -5 shot groups@100yds,and killed many game critters from deer on down to sage rats(ground sqirrels)as long as the shooter can place the bullet-the 223 will perform!I also learned at the hands of uncle sam on m-16s!Small calibers to me-just means the shooter needs to train to be a better shot!Remember the movie-Patriot(ibelieve was the name)with one of your down under guys(mel gibson)when he was telling his sons about shooting british soldiers in an ambush on a road"aim small-miss small/aim big-miss big!I know it's hollywood-but still sage advice!

Have a nice weekend to all! Very Happy

gelandangan · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

Made one myself a while ago..
quite good control too, but have not been loading enough to warrant the use of it.
Beside it took the fun out of reloading .. to me anyway..

Vince · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:04 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I use a Redding Balance Beam scale I bought back in about 1981 and it does the job nicely for me. I throw a load about .5 grain short from my Redding Powder Throw then finish the load with my homemade trickler. Its certainly not the fastest method of handloading, but it is accurate.

My shooting buddy has one of the new fangled electronic powder measuring/trickling machines and loves it because of the speed and (he believes) accuracy of powder charges.

Hey Troubles...I was discussing the virtues of the .223 round with my shooting buddy only today. He believes that I should look at getting either a .223 or a .308 rifle to round out my rifles holdings. He made a good argument for either/or of both calibres, and I must admit the .223 is looking better and starting to grow on me, but I must admit the "bigger is better" mentality I am enfused with is steering me towards the .308 calibre.

I think my dislike for the .223 round was born about the same time I took a dislike to the Ruger brand, revolvers in particular. This dislike was the product of a moron I unfortunately had to shoot with when in the Army Pistol Team. As far as he was concerned the Ruger product was the ONLY one out there worth considering, and if you weren't shooting .223 in your rifle then you had no idea as to what constituted an accurate effective round. He would butt into conversations etc, extolling the virtues of these two things and run down everything else. Suffice to say he did not, and still doesn't many years later, have a good name or reputation in shooting circles here.

Like you, my introduction to the 5.56mm came in the form of an M16, shooting the M193 round, I carried when in the Army. Only complaint I had with the M16 and M193 round was the need to clean the extractor every couple of magazines when firing on auto.

dhc4ever · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:48 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

Vince,
Which one you get will depend on what you want to shoot.
On a historical note, remember that 5.56 was adopted so troops could carry more rounds and were easier to shoot. Also they envisioned fighting people with a similar mindset where if you wounded someone you needed 10 people to look after them. Not the last 3 wars weve been involved in where youre better off all round killing them out right.
Didnt the yanks pull the 7.62 M14 out of mothballs for just this reason?

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I don't reload near as much as I use to. So I still use the RCBS 505 and a trickler..They work just fine for the amount I reload

Gil Martin · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:06 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I have an RCBS Model and have never used it. I use three RCBS 505 scales and weigh every rifle and handgun charge. For shotgun, I use various powder bushings. All the best...
Gil

Suzanne · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:53 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I don't use one but only recently bought an electronic Hornady scale to check my loads from my Lee powder measure. The Lee measure goes high and low all the time (maybe on specific powders) and the beam scale is slow going. I suppose if you buy one of those auto powder dispensers/scales you'd want to double check with something else anyway. It's too annoying to be unsure.

Suz

Bushmaster · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:12 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

Anal?? Who's "anal"??

I have been using a RCBS Powder Pro electronic scale for the last 15 years (same one). It seems to be accurate to within +/- one tenth of a grain. and it's much faster then a beam scale which is accurate to within +/- one tenth of a grain also. Being faster the a beam scale is quite handy for me as I WEIGH EVER POWDER CHARGE before it goes into a case, handgun and rifle. I also have a 5-0-5 RCBS beam that sits on a shelf with a plastic dust cover over it.

I clean EVERY primer pocket too.

Anal?? Who's "anal"??

Bushmaster · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

ByTheWay Suz. When using the Lee powder dispensers (or any other dispensers) note the barometric pressure. It seems to have an effect on whether the dispenser will be high or low.

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:14 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I've been using a PACT scale and powder dispenser for years. When I first got the scale I just weighed stuff for a while, comparing the PACT with my RCBS beam scale. The PACT was every bit as accurate and a whole lot faster. The powder dispenser also works well but occasionally stops a couple tenths short or goes over a couple tenths. It tries to throw a the correct charge as quickly as possible and you can tell that it is constantly self-adjusting. I have complete confidence in this system.

Bushmaster · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:28 am Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

Yup...In the early days Pact made the RCBS electronic scales.

gelandangan · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

Aladdin's flying carpet..

lesterg3 · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:58 pm Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

No pics, I use a small electronic scale then the powder goes to the balance beam scale, YES Vince I am anal. If I spent $300 for one of them fancy new auto powder dispensers the powder it dispensed would then go to the small electronic scale, and then to the balance beam. Just an extra step, this way I keep the $300 in my pocket.

PaulS · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Auto powder dispensers

I am fortunate in that I have a lab scale that I use to test my reloading scales. My scales will hold close to +/- .05 grains between 20 and 75 grains from one time to the next. My lab scale is good to .01 grains. The funny thing is that my RCBS powder thrower will hold tighter tolerances than my reloading scales do when using ball powders. I set the charge thrower by throwing ten charges into the pan and then weigh that on the scale. once it is "set" I throw single charges and test them - the reloading scale shows them within .i grain of the target weight but when weighed on the lab scale (it's an Ohaus scale for my chemistry lab) the thrown charges are so close to -zero- deviation that I don't bother with using the scale after it is set up. I used to weigh each charge but I found that the thrown charges were more accurate than the weighed charges. (that was what led me to check them against the lab scale)