Redding Powder Measure? Went with RCBS.

ToddDubya

ToddDubya

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So after this morning's fiasco with the Lee Perfect Powder I've decided it's time to cry the second time. The Lee measure worked pretty well for Varget, but it makes a freaking mess of the place with finer stuff. Reloading for me is supposed to be an enjoyable, relaxing activity, not a hassle that leaves me with the chore of cleaning up a bunch of spilled powder. And the Lee measure just doesn't have that smooth action that I enjoy with my Dillon/Redding products.

Before anyone starts in with "just buy a 650 and be done with it", I've already got a Dillon SDB that I use for my two main pistol calibers. I use the Redding single stage primarily for calibers that I don't shoot often. Ideally I'll upgrade to a full boat progressive once I get myself situated in another state, but for now the single stage really fits my needs.

Okay, so the first time around I was looking at the Redding powder measures. They look great, seem to have great reviews but cost 10x as much as the Lee measures, hence my current predicament. I'm ready to blow the dust off my wallet and treat myself to something nice, but before I do I thought I'd ask the NES braintrust for some feedback from those who have used it.

I have also heard good things about the RCBS Uniflow but it sounds like they really get you on the extras (stand, drums, micrometers).

Thoughts?

Oh yeah, I'd probably get the set with both drums for both pistol and rifle loads.
 
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Does the Hornady mount to a bench? It looks like you have to have it on a press or come up with your own mounting scheme.
 
I used Lee Perfect Powder Measures in my reloading classes for years, and recently upgraded to RCBS. I thought the Lees were OK for the money, but they would only work with certain powders, and I found them to be very inconsistent.

I'm very happy with the RCBS measures. I use Hornady measures for my own reloading, and like those a lot too. I would've got them for the classes, but I found the RCBS measures on sale, and they had a rebate.

Instead of buying stands, I use the single stage presses themselves. The presses for my classes are equipped with Hornady L-N-L inserts (the Hornady presses came that way, and I retrofit the RCBS Rockchuckers with the Hornady kits). I just put L-N-L bushings on each powder measure. and pop them in and out the presses as needed.

You may not realize it, but both the Hornady and RCBS measures actually come with "stands". They both come with a flat bracket like this:

bracket1.jpg


This bracket (the one in the pic is an RCBS) allows you to mount the powder measure a couple of ways. The powder measure threads into the big hole on the left end of the bracket. You can then use the two smaller holes to screw it to the edge of the bench or to a shelf above the bench (my first reloading bench was set up this way).

You can also thread the powder measure into the big hole on the left, and put your seating die through the big hole on the right, so that the bracket is a sort of 'washer' between the seating die nut and your press - you use the seating die itself to secure the bracket to your press.. Then you can simply charge the case with the powder measure, and immediately seat a bullet onto it.
 
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I use a Harrells measure for .223 using Accurate 2460 powder. I always believed in weighing out all my charges to extract the last bit of accuracy out of my loads, right or wrong it made me feel good and worked for me. Then came the 2460 and I knew that as a ball powder it just had to meter better than the Varget and other stick powders ever did. Really wasn't happy with it's metering through the Dillon or the RCBS measures so I bought the Harrells.

From day one, this is the most accurate metering measure I have ever seen. I only used it for the 2460 but I trust in it enough to change between the two loads I use it for and although I do weigh one charge each time, really feel I do not need to. Dial the number on and go, and it's dead on.

If your loading 231, bullseye, or any of the other flake powders I'm not sure your going to get anything that isn't going to drop some flakes. The Harrells might but I won't find out until I finish up about another 20 pounds of powder which may never happen!
 
Just to close the loop here, I went with the RCBS Uniflow with the small cylinder.

It showed up today so I promptly cleaned off the shipping/storage grease and got it set up. I ran a bunch of powder through it like the manual said to do, then set it up for some .38 SP loads with SR 4756 flake powder. Even though the directions said the larger drop tube is for .30 cal and up, I went with the smaller one and it worked just fine. I loaded up 100 and as far as I could tell I lost 0 powder. I verified the measure at every 10 rounds for the first 50 and it was dead nuts. I then checked it about 3 more times during the last 50 and it was still rock solid.

I thought I'd like the idea of installing it to my press under the seating die, but tonight I didn't want to go through the trouble of changing my die. I ended up just clamping it to the bench and that worked really well so I'll probably stick with that.

The only thing I didn't like was that the small powder drop tube claims to be good for .22 cal but it's only slightly smaller than the mouth on a .223 case so it looks like it might spill out the side if you don't line up the case just right. I haven't tried it yet so maybe it'll be a non-issue.

Compared to the Lee I had been using this thing is the bee's knees. It was very consistent and didn't spill powder all over the place. I'm very pleased.
 
good choice. i use both redding and the rcbs uniflow, like them both equally. bought the redding a long time ago, honestly, if i needed to replace it, just the cost factor would deter me and i'd get a uniflow.
 
Ack, I loaded some .223 with Varget (stick) today and my results were less than consistent. I was typically in the +/-0.1 grain range, but some that I measured were +/-0.2 grains, so I dialed back to a slightly lower charge. I saw another thread on polishing the main cast part of the measure so I might look into that. I am still very pleased with how the Uniflow spills no powder. Lee does okay with stick but makes a complete mess with ball and flake.
 
I found with my hornady used manually I needed to really dial in my "throw" of the handle and the drop needs to be mounted solid. I use mine on the single stage as EC describles.. Although in my head a .2 grain swing is not terrible in my head. I would lean on most inexpensive scales have less accuracy than the powder drop?

so check your scales accuracy. many inexpensive scales scales are only accurate to .1 grams or about 1.5 grains anyway.
I use a scale thats .01 gram or .15 grain accuracy claim?
The RCBS 502 beam scale is also rated at .1 grain accuracy
 
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Just a note on Lee. I won't tell your they are good you can decide yourself.
Although I have the new auto drum and it works well. Also the new pro auto disc is a huge improvement over the old one. I'm using H110 for 30 carbine with the pro auto disc and there is only a faint sign of powder leaking after 800 rounds so far.
 
ToddDubya said:
I'm not. Would that making a big difference from charge to charge? I can see it varying over the course of the hopper, but I don't see one drop to the next varying by much.

I just ordered one to try.
Click to expand...

No idea. I use the same measure but with a baffle and I don't see that kind of variation with Varget.
 
EddieCoyle said:
No idea. I use the same measure but with a baffle and I don't see that kind of variation with Varget.
Click to expand...

It'll be here in a few days. I'll take a bunch of measurements with and without and report back.

Disclaimer: My scale is an el-cheapo but it does tend to be consistent.
 
If it's a low end electric, just make sure you're taring it frequently. I have two el cheapo digitals I use. Both are spot on if you tare them frequently. If you leave them on for a while they start to drift.

I check them frequently against my Chargemaster. Never an issue if you tare.
 
Hmm...

I took a series of measurements both with and without the baffle with the hopper close to full, replacing the powder after each measurement and it almost seems more consistent without the baffle. Odder still is that when I added the baffle I was getting about 0.2 grains more per drop.

I learned that when I get caught on a kernel I either need to push through it or give it the back-and-forth with the handle and dump that charge back. When using the back-and-forth rocking to fight through the stuck kernels and that gave me quite a bit more powder. Just pushing through didn't seem to affect the charge or the following charge at all.

I just watched a video where he has his measure set up to dispense on the down stroke vs the upstroke, which is how I have mine set up. It makes sense to do it his way; it never occurred to me.

All this RCBS talk makes me think I should fix the title of this thread.
 
Alright, so I reversed the drum so that it drops on the downstroke. I have no idea why I set it up the other way other than I just put it together and that's how it was. Between that and the baffle it's much easier to get consistent throws. I'm happily in the +/- 0.1 grain range with Varget now.
 

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