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Posted: 8/30/2009 7:50:08 AM EDT
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I have been using my Dillon 550B powder measure and it has been fine for my .223 bulk loadings. However, I would like to buy a good quality powder measure for more custom loads.
I purchased a Hornaday Benchrest powder measure and tried it out but didn't like it. I don't know if I had a defective unit or what but I had a large unacceptable variation on the charges. I sent it back for a refund. I was looking at the Sinclar cataloge and saw that they had Harrel Custom Powder Measures. Does anybody have a Harrell Custom 90 or a Harrell Premium Benchrest Measure? Are they worth the money? |
| I have a Harrell's Premium powder measure and I think they are worth the money, but they will not work on a Dillon press. They are not threaded so can not be mounted that way. If you want the best press that can be adapted for use on a Dillon go with Redding"s BR-30. It's designed to be at it's best accuracy with throw weights around 30 grains (very close to .223 weights) but can used with charges up to fifty grains of most powders. Easily usable for .308 and even some .30-06 loads. Dillon sells the adapter system that will make it work with their press. |
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I have a Harrell's Premium powder measure and I think they are worth the money, but they will not work on a Dillon press. They are not threaded so can not be mounted that way. If you want the best press that can be adapted for use on a Dillon go with Redding"s BR-30. It's designed to be at it's best accuracy with throw weights around 30 grains (very close to .223 weights) but can used with charges up to fifty grains of most powders. Easily usable for .308 and even some .30-06 loads. Dillon sells the adapter system that will make it work with their press. I wasn't planning on putting it on the Dillon press but using using it as a standalone. If they are not threaded then how is it mounted? Does it come with a mount or do you buy that separately? I was also thinking of the Redding BR-30. |
| That's funny because I have a Lee PP measure, RCBS Uni-flow, & Hornady powder measure and the Hornady is best hands down so far. I do coat all my powder measure parts with dry molly to prevent static and sticking powder in the rotor. I wouldn't suggest the RCBS measure since it has a loose fit between the rotor insert and main body, I have heard good thing about the Redding BR measure though, it might be worth trying. |
| No Powder Measure is going to be balls on with extruded powders. Ball powders will be very consistent. Operation of the PM in a consistent manner helps with consistency. If you go thru an OCW load work up, you may well find a load that allows for a variance that is repeatable enough for you. |
| Powder drop measures use calibrated volume, not weight. If you are really determined to have accurate powder loads and you will be doing it as a separate operation, then my opinion is, you need to go to powder weigh as your loading method. Multiple ways to do this but is is normally done by trickling the last few grains into the scale. I chose the RCBS Chargemaster Combo that dispels and weighs the powder. It is probably not as consistent as a skilled loader manually trickling the last bit, but is consistent enough for my loads. |
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Powder drop measures use calibrated volume, not weight. If you are really determined to have accurate powder loads and you will be doing it as a separate operation, then my opinion is, you need to go to powder weigh as your loading method. Multiple ways to do this but is is normally done by trickling the last few grains into the scale. Prometheus powder measure |
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I have a friend who is a serious long range shooter (palma).
When the electronic scales were first comeing out he bought a couple and compared measured loads to loads thrown with his old Lyman (#55?) His conclusion was that the small % of change didn't make a great difference . This was the year that he won the Canadain National Palma Championship. YMMV |
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No Powder Measure is going to be balls on with extruded powders. Ball powders will be very consistent. Operation of the PM in a consistent manner helps with consistency. If you go thru an OCW load work up, you may well find a load that allows for a variance that is repeatable enough for you. I use a Lee powder measure to measure H4895 & Varget. All I did was to run walnut meda then corn cob meda through it and blew out with compressed air, then made a powder baffle for it. It measures +/- 1 gr. that good enough to shoot 1 moa. For match grade loads I the measue to dope 4 gr. lite a trickle to weight. That,s IMHO. Mike |
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Powder drop measures use calibrated volume, not weight. If you are really determined to have accurate powder loads and you will be doing it as a separate operation, then my opinion is, you need to go to powder weigh as your loading method. Multiple ways to do this but is is normally done by trickling the last few grains into the scale. Prometheus powder measure Good point. I had forgotten about this one. Hard to find the current price but over a year ago it was more than $1,000. |
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I have a friend who is a serious long range shooter (palma). When the electronic scales were first comeing out he bought a couple and compared measured loads to loads thrown with his old Lyman (#55?) His conclusion was that the small % of change didn't make a great difference . This was the year that he won the Canadain National Palma Championship. YMMV The Lyman 55 works essentially like a Harrel. A man named Culver made a click adjustment mod for the Lyman measure, and the Harrel is called a "Culver Type" measure. I'm still kicking myself for passing on four I could have bought for $20 each earlier in the summer. All of these good measures with a baffle installed will throw charges to the same precision as the Harrel, about +/- 0.2 grains. That's essentially zero for short to medium ranges out to 600 yards. Beyond that, everyone I know weighs and trickles charges anyway. There's a hint above, but everyone should know that keeping the powder at a uniform depth is extremely important for uniform charge weights. |
| I have a Harrell and really like it. The great thing about the Harrell is the click adjustment. The clicks have a calibrated index system which works as follows: Lets say you find that a particular load "X grains" of powder "A" comes out at an index of 40-2.3. Then you find that another load of "Y grains" of powder "B" takes an index of 50-6.2. After loading some other loads you can instantly go back to the first or second load or dozens of others that you have recorded. The other great feature is the click adjustment. On a 6 click measure each click is equal to about 0.1 gr. or on a 4 click measure each click is about 0.15 gr. The measures are very smooth since they run on needle bearings. I have used other measures that have a so called micrometer calibrated adjustment but they are nothing like the Harrell. I ordered mine directly from Lynwood Harrell. He is very nice and helpful to talk to. |
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Powder drop measures use calibrated volume, not weight. If you are really determined to have accurate powder loads and you will be doing it as a separate operation, then my opinion is, you need to go to powder weigh as your loading method. Multiple ways to do this but is is normally done by trickling the last few grains into the scale. Prometheus powder measure Good point. I had forgotten about this one. Hard to find the current price but over a year ago it was more than $1,000. The original Prometheus I version is obsolete (the basic model was approximately $1300, while the electronic upgrade was around $1700). Now the Prometheus II retails for around $2800. |
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Powder drop measures use calibrated volume, not weight. If you are really determined to have accurate powder loads and you will be doing it as a separate operation, then my opinion is, you need to go to powder weigh as your loading method. Multiple ways to do this but is is normally done by trickling the last few grains into the scale. Prometheus powder measure Good point. I had forgotten about this one. Hard to find the current price but over a year ago it was more than $1,000. The original Prometheus I version is obsolete (the basic model was approximately $1300, while the electronic upgrade was around $1700). Now the Prometheus II retails for around $2800. Zediker in his book "Handloading for Competition" has a section on the Prometheus, including a couple of pictures of David Tubb's. Page 320 if anyone is interested. |
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I have a Harrell and really like it. The great thing about the Harrell is the click adjustment. The clicks have a calibrated index system which works as follows: Lets say you find that a particular load "X grains" of powder "A" comes out at an index of 40-2.3. Then you find that another load of "Y grains" of powder "B" takes an index of 50-6.2. After loading some other loads you can instantly go back to the first or second load or dozens of others that you have recorded. The other great feature is the click adjustment. On a 6 click measure each click is equal to about 0.1 gr. or on a 4 click measure each click is about 0.15 gr. The measures are very smooth since they run on needle bearings. I have used other measures that have a so called micrometer calibrated adjustment but they are nothing like the Harrell. I ordered mine directly from Lynwood Harrell. He is very nice and helpful to talk to. I went ahead last night and ordered a Harrell Premium BR Measure from Sinclar. I will see how it works out. |
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Here is theRedding BR-30 if you are anyone else is looking for one in stock.
EWP |
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The consistency of any powder measure is YOU, and how you use it. I currently have an RCBS, a Lyman 55, A Redding BR3, and a Hornady, and all throw a damn good charge,, if YOU learn how to use it properly. Nomex on 'Borg Well I wouldn't say ANY, but you are correct to an extent. There are things you can do to most PM to get much more consistent throws like non-stick anti static coatings, dry lubes, and such help allot in my findings alone. |
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Always set your PM up to charge the drum on the upstroke if you can, use a funnel with a piece of clear plastic on the end of it to where the end is just about 2" above the drum. when you put powder in the funnel, it doesn't go above the end of the tube, a better baffle.
Develop a system that you don't knock the PM more than lightly touching stroke and down, it unsettles the powder somewhat when you do. If you use on a progressive, don't slam the ram up or down, but a gentle stroke will get you a charge within + or- a tenth, mostly better Always give the powder time to drop into the case, also I find that if my strokes are at the same speed of throw, I get a more consistent charge. These are just a few items that will help you throw a more consistent charge. I've tried the method of tapping the handle to settle the powder, but if you look close with a magnifying glass, you can see the powder move upward. This system is for stick powder, ball is a different animal, tapping is best for it. I only use stick powder anymore, and yes, I do sheer powder, if it's a hard cut, I check it 'Borg |
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