Electronic Powder Measure

[TXCOONDOG]

Are they accurate when throwing powder charges?

Any information that you can provide such as accuracy, brand, quirks, etc. is appreciated.

[blaster]

yes.
I have the Hornady electrotonic scale & powder dispenser. it is very accurate. the only drawback is its slow metering out the powder. no problem when loading a few cases but makes for a long session if you are loading a few hundred rounds and have to weigh every charge. unless I am loading max or precision loads, I just use my manual powder dispenser and use the electronic scale to set it up & check the loads.

[Rooster41]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012873626?msclkid=17de0e2daea211ec821d71805854370a

I have the Lyman Gen 5. I have had it about 3 years and love it. When I first got it I tested the charges on my Lee beam scale (I know not probably the best scale to do this) and they were right on. I does come with a reducer to put into the barrel. Some of the stick powders need to be slowed down or they will over charge. One quirk I have found is most powder will charge .1 grain less. For example if I set a charge for 30.0 it will dispense 29.9 grains. I calibrate it before every use with the included calibration weight. When I pour the charge into the case I seat the bullet and the scale usually has the next charge ready for me when I use the repeat function. It will also count the charges, so if you loading your 50th round and the counter says 49 you know you have a squib in there somewhere. I always look at the end of every row of my reloading try, so every 10 rounds. This is the only electric powder dispenser I have used so I have nothing to compare it to, but I would recommend it.

[John A.]

I have the Hornady auto dispenser.

It is accurate and I like it a lot, but it's pretty slow especially when throwing very small charges.  Some really fine powders will throw more than you want, which you'll get a warning beep so you know to dump it and start over again.

It does better with flake and stick powder than it does really fine powder.  (like enforcer for instance) But it isn't terrible with any of them.

It throws most of the charge at higher speed and then automatically slows to a trickle charge, which is what takes so long.

There are manual settings you can go in and over-ride that, but I don't know anyone that ever changes the settings. 

[Graybeard]

I have a RCBS Chargemaster that I really like. It's very accurate after the first couple of throws. I like the way it reweighs the charge after dispensing and confirms it. There is a beep when it is done. It's pretty quick, too.

[Kenk]

I run a Chargemaster as well, and does a really nice job. These can also be tweaked to speed up the drop speed if desired, as well as other things like turning off certain beeping sounds.

[TXCOONDOG]

Do you guys think it's faster than throwing a lite charge with a manual powder measure and trickling to desired weight with a beam scale?

[Graybeard]

Definitely, and it doesn?t require much attention. I can do other things while the Chargemaster does its thing.

[Kenk]

Evening TXCOONDOG, Below are the Charge Master 1500 tweaks I received from RCBS last year.  If you do end up getting one, and want to make any changes, please  verify these steps with RCBS

Per RCBS Tech Support - Charge Master 1500 Speed Adjustment

1. Turn the unit on. 
2. When 0.0gn is on the display, press BOTH the ENTER and the EDIT MEM keys on the dispenser at the same time.  Hold for a second and then release.  If done properly ADJUST PARAMETER should scroll across the display followed by HSP 00015.68    (This number represents the number of grains away from your entered charge when the tube will shift from fast speed to medium speed.  That is at 15.68 gn from your target charge the dispenser will shift from fast to medium speed.)  To speed up the unit, this number needs to be decreased and to slow down the unit, this number needs to be increased.  (On a slow unit, I would change this number to11.00 gn this is done by pressing the following keys:  1 1  0 0 ENTER (pressing the enter key sets that value and moves to next setting in program in this case, to medium speed to slow speed setting) 
3. HSP 00003.42 should scroll across the display now.  This number represents where the unit will shift from medium to slow speed.  Using the same process as before in # 2.  For a slow unit I would change this number to 2.50 gn this is done by pressing the following keys:  2 5 0 ENTER (pressing the enter key sets that value and moves to next setting in program in this case, to slow speed to trickle speed setting)
4. HSP 00001.08 should now scroll across the screen.  This number represents where the unit will shift from slow speed to trickle.  Using the same process as before in # 2.  For a slow unit I would change this number to .90 gn this is done by pressing the following keys:   9 0 ENTER
5. This is all the adjustment that needs to be done to the unit.  You need to press the ENTER key to cycle through the rest of the program. (approx. 22 times) The unit will start its normal initial countdown process when this is done.  You need to test out the dispenser now.  Enter your target charge and dispense.  I usually disregard the first charge.  Throw a few charges at these settings to see if they will work for you.  If they don?t, return to step # 2 and repeat the process.  NOTE due to powder variations you may have to adjust the unit for each powder.  If you have any questions about this matter please call our customer service line 800-533-5000 and one of our services representatives can assist you.

[TXCOONDOG]

I appreciate the feedback all.

Been looking at the Hornady Auto Charge Pro and RCBS Chargemaster Supreme.

I have an older Redding Beam Scale (over 50 years), sent it off and had it calibrated. It's super accurate but a pain as it's sensitive to even breathing near it...... definitely cannot have a fan or ac on.

[TXCOONDOG]

I need recommendations for a digital scale too. I will use this scale to sort brass, bullets and as a backup....besides my eye sight isn't the best any more and digital scale is a lot faster/easier to read.

[John A.]

Yeah, I understand about the eyes.

I have a cheap hornady digital scale for backup.

Actually, I have it sitting underneath of my manual lever powder dispenser.  I rigged up my own little setup.  Laugh if you want, but it works.  Easy to zero out.  Just make sure the little cup is on the scale when you turn it on.  Or, you can push the tare button.  I like the hornady because you can change the scale reading from grain, gram, oz, etc.  The grain is the default setting.  But it's nice that I can do other things with it too.

I just used a few small scrap pieces of pressure treated 1 by decking and glued another small scrap piece of wood (paint stirrer) to help square up the scale and to keep it in place and raise everything up closer to the dispenser.

While I guess it's a bit unorthodox, it works.

This is the first time I've tried to post pics here, so not sure if this will work.



You put the base of the scale against the metal arm that holds the powder dispenser and the paint stick



And this is what you get when you're done

[Kenk]

I?ve been using the My Weigh Gempro-250 for a few years, and works well to verify everything is good on the ChargeMaster. As long as my check weighs match up, I?m set. From what I can tell, the Gempro-250 has been discontinued, however I believe they make a Gempro-300

[The_Shadow]

I still work with my RCBS 5-10 Balance Beam scale since 1978, having checked the accuracy against known weights and my small digital scale it remains very accurate to this day.
Cleaning and dusting the "V" blocks and notches with a small paint brush keeps any dust accumulation down too.

I set my RCBS UniFlow to drop exact or slightly below the charge weight depending on the powder being used.
I Trickle if necessary to get an exact measured charge, I dump it into the casing and place that case in the shell holder of the press.
Then dump a powder charge the scale pan, placing it on the scale so it settles down for the proper weight reading.
Next, I place a bullet on the casing sitting in the shell holder and seat it, place that cartridge in the cartridge bin.
Repeating till all cases have been properly loaded, seated.

I then go back to the bin and apply the proper crimp to all cartridges.

This method has provided safety, great accuracy, repeatable results over the many years!

[Geeman]

It depends on the powder.  800x (fantastic 10mm powder) has really large flakes and it regularly over-charges on the RCBS, so caution is needed when playing near maximum charges.  I love the measure.  It's just mechanical things have limitations.

Greg