Auto Powder Dispenser

[tomd27858]

I wanted to get a read on your thoughts of using an auto powder drop in lieu of a powder dispenser (volume) and a scale. Thoughts are to reload 45 and 30-30. May go to 9mm and 5.56 at some point. The interest in the hobby is around 45 and 30-30 since they are not calibers that I will feel pushed to produce high quantities. Reloading would be another hobby in a list of things I enjoy tinkering with.

I have access to a Lee turret and a mentor. The thought of using an electronic powder dispenser is that they are similar in price to a scale, trickler and a volume powder drop. Is doing so a mistake?

Seems like the Lyman and Horniday are popular choices with prices between $200~$300.

Thoughts?

 

[Laphroaig]

I don't think that getting an electronic dispenser is a mistake. It is a good tool for certain loading tasks. I do think it would be a mistake if it was your only way to measure powder. You should have, and will eventually want to have a scale of some sort.

I have an electronic measure (Chargemaster Lite) and do use it for small batches of rifle ammo . But it is slow and would make loading .45 very tedious.

 

[AJC1]

I use my chargemaster for rifle rounds and a standard powder drop for pistol. I use the chargemaster scale to set my drop so I dont need a second scale. A set of check weights are a valuable tool that verifies you get what you think your getting. Some dispensers are better than others but the scale is the most important part.

 

[jmorris]

Depends on the powder, firearm and you.

If you can’t realize a difference with weighed charges vs volume dispensed, trickling every one is a waste of time and money (assuming your electronic dispenser costs more than the measure).

Factory ammunition is all volume charges.

 

[AMraider]

I have used the ChargeMaster Lite for a couple of years now and it works better than I thought it would. I still double check every 10 rounds or so with my Ohaus scale. A habit I can't break.

 

[Varminterror]

For volume plinking, I throw charges. For precision ammunition, I use an automated dispenser.

 

[noylj]

powder measure vs powder dispenser
I love my RCBS ChargeMaster, but have never tried any other dispenser.
I have no complaints about volumetric measures, but find the dispenser is so much easier for load development, and I enjoy load development.

 

[tomd27858]

I appreciate everyone's insight. It is very helpful to hear other's thoughts. The comment regarding making loading pistol rounds too tedious is what was in the back of my mind.

Thanks again!

 

[Bill M.]

I have never used a auto charge system. For handguns, I am totally happy with throwing charges with a powder measure. I have a system worked out to prevent double loads. For the little rifle shooting I do I am fine with trickling up. I do not think I would like a chargemaster so I did not get one. And I just bought a new scale and powder measure that cost almost as much. And am happy with them.

 

[bullseye308]

I’ll be the odd man out. I load on a single stage and batch process my brass, keeping a few ammo cans of primed brass ready to load so when it’s time to load all I have to do is drop powder and seat the bullet. I use the Hornady electronic dispenser and without rushing keep up with it. It definitely sped up and simplified my loading as I usually load a few hundred at a time, sometimes more.

Once it has warmed up I zero the scale and run a few charges through it then verify the weight with a balance and check weights. As I’m loading I’ll randomly drop a round in the tightest barrel I have for that caliber making sure everything stays good.

 

[FROGO207]

To me you sacrifice time to get precision. For a~4 grain charge in 45 ACP it would not take long to dispense a load but you could work a measure five or more times in that time. There would probably not be any difference in most peoples groups either way you do it. I find loading by volume faster. If you want more accuracy you could throw a light charge into your scale pan and trickle your weight up. That is what I do with my precision loads.

 

[jmorris]

My homemade dispenser/tricker is more accurate than my Chargemasters and takes about the same time because I volume dump most of the charge, then trickle in the last little bit vs how the charge masters trickle in the entire charge.

Note that digital scale on the right is reading to the hundredths, not tenths of a grain.



That said, that precision would be wasted on any 45 ACP or 9mm I own and my 30-30’s as well. I volume throw for my 6mm PPC rifles too and they shoot tiny little one hole groups but the short ranges matches are held at (100/200 yards) don’t highlight improvements of exact charges.

I have won a lot of 3 gun matches using volume thrown charges and the speed at which I can load ammunition using volume charges vs weighed ones is dramatically improved.