affordable powder measures

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The Lee Classic, now called the Deluxe, is a major improvement over the PPM. First the “drum” in the Deluxe is brass so even fine ball powders meter without leaks and despences consistently. Secondly the micrometer is “click” adjustable and repeatable. Every bit as good as my Harrell’s. I still use my PPM preset for IMR4895 for the M1 Garand. Only the Quick Measure handles IMR 4350 consistently but it is as expensive as the Harrell’s. The Classic is my go to bench measure. It’s just so easy to dial in and ready to get down to dispensing.
 
rsrocket1 said:
This line is a little confusing. What do you mean "bin is mostly gone"? Are you saying that the plastic powder hopper is deteriorated and maybe blistered or do you mean somebody "sort of" lost it?
The plastic hopper can be attacked by the nitroglycerin in double base pistol powders whether used over a long time or left in there too long, the hoppers will be ruined. You can do one of two things.

  1. Give RCBS a call and see if you can have them send you a replacement. The company is very good at taking care of its customers. You may be required to send the old hopper back before they send a replacement
  2. Simply buy a replacement hopper. Cheaper than a new powder measure
My Hornady LnL AP powder measure hopper has the same problem in that it gets attacked by the nitroglycerin in pistol powders. Even though I only keep powder in it when loading, a decades worth of loading has discolored the clear plastic hopper to where it looks smokey. I mostly load pistol powder with the LnL AP and rifle with the Lee Perfect Powder measure but the Lee hopper is still clear red and hasn't been affected by the powder at all.

If you buy the Lee PPM. Be sure to work some graphite into the drum or simply fill and dump a pound of powder (which is usually coated with graphite) through it so that it operates smoothly and also adjust the tension screw. Too tight and it will be difficult to operate. Too loose and you'll be leaking small ball powder all over the place.

Good luck
Click to expand...
the rcbs's bin is broke and missing some of the broken bits, i may have been weakened by powder but i don't know. the measure was sitting for a good 15 yard, last time i looks at it the drum was hard to turn.
 
All I've ever used are the Lee Auto-Disk, the Auto-Drum, and occasionally the PPM. They work for what I do and for easily metered powder. Would I like I nice machined smooth operating measure ? Sure, but for now what I have gets the job done.

-Jeff
 
JimKirk said:
You can build a stand out scrap metal
Click to expand...
That stand would be save against cruise missiles and the like! Job well done.

I have no on hands experience with Lee powder measures. So, no comment, The history here goes back to the late 1970's with the Uniflow. First up they are accurate. Secondly, they are simple. Thirdly, the Uniflow is made to last the ages.

Uniflow: I don't know anything about powder leakage or lack of accuracy. Accuracy, depends on the user. "Better" is a non-statement.
 
I have had trouble with my PPM leaking with W231. I find the Pro-disk to be accurate and no leaks. My Dillon powder measures are also great. I throw most of my rifle charges with my Chargemaster Lite now, which is a great machine, but not that cheap. I have no experience with the Hornady measure but recently I noticed it for $78 at Midway and you can change out the metering inserts to save your settings. It might be worth looking into.
 
I am still very new to the hobby and all I used is the Uniflow that came with the starter kit I bought. Before I even set it up, I bought the small rotor and micrometer metering stem to load pistol rounds. All I have used so far is ball powders with great results and no leaks.

Rule3 said:
You also will need a stand unless you want to use the flat metal bar and hang it on the edge of the bench or make some wood stand.
Click to expand...

upload_2019-1-3_19-15-21.png
 
Arkansas Paul said:
IMO, a powder measure is worth splurging a little on.
Click to expand...

I agree but I may have taken it to an extreme over 40 years of reloading.

I tried a Lee perfect powder Measure once in the 1990s for a while. It metered fine but I did not like the way it operated. My daughter's boyfriend was getting into reloading and I passed the Lee powder measure on to him along with an RCBS reloading kit which included an RCBS Uniflow powder measure at Christmas many years ago..

I have an RCBS Little Dandy powder measure, two RCBS Uniflows, two Redding 10-X's, a Midway Indispensable Powder measure, a Harrell Precision Culver 90, a Hornady L-N-L powder measure, a Dillon powder measure and a Lyman 55.

I like the Little Dandy but the fixed cavity rotors are a bit limiting and I have not invested in an adjustable rotor.

The Redding 10-X's, RCBS Uniflows, and the Midway Indispensable (discontinued by Midway in the 1990s) are similar design drum style powder measures but the drums are of different capacities. I find they perform well at powder volumes near the middle of their adjustment ranges and since they have different capacities, I use them for different charge levels. I have two Uniflows and Redding 10-Xs because one is used for single stage reloading and the other is modified for use on a progressive.

The Dillon powder measure is part of a Dillon SDB press. It works great. I do have the extra small charge bar for loading 380 ACP ammunition.

The Harrell Precision Culver 90 is used for precision rifle loads and for rifle load development. It throws consistent loads and is quick to adjust to a new powder charge for load development.

The Hornady L-N-L came with my Hornady progressive press. It works fine but I like my modified Redding 10-X better for loading on the progressive.

One of these days, I'll put the Lyman 55 into service.

All of my drum style powder measures have micrometer adjusters on them. I discovered the micrometer adjusters with the Midway powder measure and liked the way it worked. The other measures were updated over time.

The micrometer adjusters do not make the powder measures more accurate but do make returning to a setting easy and quick. Also, when setting up the powder measure for a new powder charge, the micrometer adjusters give some ways to make known adjustments during load development.

Micrometer adjusters are not necessary but they make life easier.

Apologizes for drifting off topic. Many folks like the Lee powder measures. For me, after using other powder measures, the Lee Perfect Powder measure did not measure up regardless of the price.
 
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cfullgraf said:
The micrometer adjusters do not make the powder measures more accurate but do make returning to a setting easy and quick. Also, when setting up the powder measure for a new powder charge, the micrometer adjusters give some ways to make known adjustments during load development.

Micrometer adjusters are not necessary but they make life easier.
Click to expand...

I was a machinist for over 30 years so having tools that have dials and verier scales are very natural for me. I have a chart on my bench with all the powders I have used with the settings for the desired grains. So far this has been repeatable to within +- .1 gr. This has made resetting the measure for a different load quick and easy.
 
RMH said:
I was a machinist for over 30 years so having tools that have dials and verier scales are very natural for me. I have a chart on my bench with all the powders I have used with the settings for the desired grains. So far this has been repeatable to within +- .1 gr. This has made resetting the measure for a different load quick and easy.
Click to expand...

Yup, with good recording of information, you can have some excellent historical data that helps making future adjustments easy.

I generally use interpolation calculations. If the range is great, the variability of the calculated powder charge throw can be larger than desired. But as I dial in the powder charge and get close to the desired powder charge, the calculations give accurate changes needed in the micrometer adjuster.

Without the micrometer adjuster, it can be hit or miss and be more difficult to dial in the adjuster to the desired powder charge. The micrometer adjuster gives you finite amount of change that is needed based on the micrometer adjuster's scale.

With my Dillon SDB progressive presses, I have three of them and they remain set up for one particular cartridge. Hence the powder measure associated with each cartridge does not get changed much.if ever, during a loading production run. Here, a micrometer adjuster is money not well spent as if the powder measure needs to be adjusted, small turns of the adjuster stems is adequate.

I have three Dillon SDB presses, one set up for 45 ACP, one set up for 9x19 and the third set up for 380 ACP. The 380 ACP has the X-small powder bar but the others have the the standard small powder bar in the powder measures. I load 700-X in both 45 ACP and 380 ACP and the Dillon Powder measures work well with the flake, difficult to measure, powder.

FYI, True Blue is my current powder of choice in 9x19.

Again, a micrometer adjuster does not make the powder measure "more accurate", it makes adjusting the powder measure easier.
 
Here's a cpl pics of the powder measures that see right much work. The carousel is an aluminum sanding disc that isn't all that good for sanding( we have WAY bigger and badder in shop).... but is the real deal in it's new role.

I record the Uniflows stem height when writing down the load.... gets real close,next time. Use the small rotor as much as possible. The accumeasure on here is 10g Unique with an in house made rotor. Old Lyman 55 on back is set for one load of 4895. 20190104_071317_resized.jpg
 
Here's the pistol measures. These old Lymans get machined to work with Lee powder through's. They also get machined to accept over the counter clear tubing for hopper. We make the rotors in house. 20190104_071740_resized.jpg
 
troy fairweather said:
the rcbs's bin is broke and missing some of the broken bits, i may have been weakened by powder but i don't know. the measure was sitting for a good 15 yard, last time i looks at it the drum was hard to turn.
Click to expand...

Call RCBS they will replace the powder hopper(bin) take the rotor out of the measure and clean in. It is probably rusted,



 
I don’t trust the Lee PPM with some fine pistol powder. I spent about an hour throwing charges and weighing them to check for consistency. There was a pretty large margin in grains.
 
I use a Lee ppm for almost everything up to my magnum rifles, drops are within .1 up to about 45-50gr of stick powder, and .2-3 over that. mine is 12-13 years old now tho, hard to adjust and the little marks are all worn off.

it still does its job but its due for a replacement, I'll be looking at the autodrum or deluxe I use think.
 
i will call rcbs on monday about the parts i may need, i have to get some decapping pins and ask if they will replace 2 sizing rods, the part where the decap pin are bent.
 
Call: I have had missing or broken Uniflow parts replaced in the past. The new style rods take a different decapping pin. The old ones won't work on the new rods. Check out the video on the Uniflow. The rotor or drum is easily removed unless it's somehow frozen. Might be a good idea to see if there is any other RCBS gear that needs to be put back into service.

OT: Just started to reload 8mm Mauser. Got out my RCBS dies. Dies worked great and were made in 1964.
 
i just don't know how to ask rcbs about them relacing stuff, do u just ask if i could be replaced i don't know. the one die is the older style the 223 new one was a little bent when i got them new last year, it has bent more with the 200 or so case i sized. the last gun show the one guy there that i dig thru all the dies had the NOS rcbs dies in the old green paper boxes for $10. i got a 8mm set, i was out of money then i would have gotten them all if i had the cash he had about 100 all new. .
 
OK, Using H4831 (not H4831SC)
Lee PPM
H4831
63.5
62.9
63.4
63
63.6
63.4
63
63.3
62.9
63.1
63.5
63.3
63.1
63.5
63.2
63
63.4
63.2
63.5
63.1
Max 63.6
Min 62.9
Swing 0.7
Average 63.245
SD 0.223548

So nope, not really good enough to load with but not bad given small logs.
When Using H4831 I throw low and trickle up. (I don't shoot that much 7mm Rem Mag so I don't mind trickling)
H4831 is small logs, not known for it's metering qualities. (but it shoots well:))
about 1mmX2mm

http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/sample_detail.php?powder_id=71

Ramshot TAC (which does meter well)
54
54.1
54.1
54
54.1
53.9
54
53.9
54
53.9
MAX 54.1
MIN 53.9
Swing 0.2
Average 54
SD 0.08165
http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/sample_detail.php?powder_id=95
Not perfect but I could tolerate a .2gr swing if I was not loading at the MAX

So is the Lee PPM perfect no, but not bad.
 
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