Powder Dispenser

I been told that the electronic dispensers will not measure stick powder accurately. I'd like to get some input before I buy one. What say you?

What's heavier a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? My RCBS combo dispenser and scale does fine. At least none of my rifle bullets have blown up which is what a light load tends to do and no flat primers. H4895 is my all time favorite

Thanks for your reply. I used the wrong word in my question. I said measure in-stead of meter.

None are perfect, but they're worth having and using.

The problems with electronic dispensers are two-fold: some of them have lower quality scales and software than others, and they all are handicapped by the way the dispenser tube works. The dispenser tube issues can be handled in various ways, but the soda straw solution is probably the easiest.

I've had three, the first was an RCBS which I sold to lay in components during the shortages in 2008 (?). Later on I bought a Hornady and it was okay, but I just didn't think it was as good as RCBS so I sold it also. Now I have another RCBS and I'm keeping it. It may drop an overcharge of H4831 or H4895 now and then but I can deal with it.

I have an RCBS Combo and use lots of stick powder. Yes, it does drop a little too much from time to time. I just pinch a few granules out and re-check, but it can be a little frustrating.

BUT...I tried the "straw trick" just yesterday and only had about 2 out of 30 that went over.

I have no problem measuring any type of powder with my Lyman Gen 5 PDS.

As I said above, the problem is not measuring, its metering.

On the electronic scales not measuring stick powders well, I think it's better said that they don't meter/throw stick charges as well as ball powder charges. Heck, I wouldn't expect mine to. I have a Lyman 1200 DPS 2 (I think that's right), and it's great with ball powders but less exact with stick powders. Seems to often throw just a touch too much, so if I need 50.2 grains I'll program it to throw 50.0 or 50.1 grains, which will then give me what I need (usually).

If we imagine for a moment that we upsize the powder granules, with ball being the size of golf balls and the stick is the size of bricks, it seems reasonable to imagine that it would be easier to meet an exact desired weight with the smaller golf balls, rather than to throw another brick on to the scale.

That said, I have no plans to ever return to my RCBS 1010 and Lyman 55 for rifle rounds. I do still use the Lyman 55 on pistol charges. The 1010 is boxed and has been for a couple of years.

Sorry, you used the word measure in the post. Well it meters it just fine as well and without any issues. The tube that dispenses powder comes with a rubber insert that you can use if you find the powder if falling out as it stops on the desired weight. the plug has a smaller diameter hole and prevents an unwanted extra bump at the end. As far as measuring and metering, there are no issues with the Lyman auto DPS.

I had the Lyman Gen 3 and just moved to the Gen 5 and stick powders have never been an issue.

Thanks all. I bought a Lyman Gen 6 compact. Thanks for the input.

Let me know how you like the lyman...been looking at them also

Will do.

I would never advise a Lyman tool other than a bullet mold, but my nephew bought a Gen 6 and likes it. I need to go over there and see if the thing really IS worth a damn.

Why do you say that?

Because I've used reloading equipment for around 35 years and found Lyman stuff to be lacking.

Good bullet molds, though.

I have used a lot of diff brands of equip in the 48 yrs I've been doing this and most work well for me. LMK what you find out at your nephew's.

LMK what you find out with yours.

Will do.

I was just up at S&S Precision in Argyle. Talked to the gentleman in the shop for a bit as Im looking for a powder measure as well. He said he was using the Lyman Gen 5 and had nothing but good things to say about it. He shoots bench rest so I assume he pays pretty close attention to his reloads.

The Lyman Gen 5 and Gen 6 are the best on the market. I used the Lyman Gen 3 for years and it was great. Upgraded to the Gen 5 simply because the warm-up time is down to 3 minutes instead of 30 min.

Somewhat disapointed in the Gen 6. Set to throw 20.5 gr of IMR4198. Anywhere from 19.8 to 20.4, it got better as it went on, but never better than 20.4. Maybe I'm expecting too much.

RCBS.

Chargemaster down. In reloading section. I couldn't wait either.

I saw my nephew's Gen 6 in action last night. It just isn't in the same league with the Chargemaster.

At least mine is working.

Just used the dispensing function on my CM for the first time. Awesome. Huge improvement.

The Lyman is accurate to 1/10 of a grain or 0.1. Are you using the rubber auger insert in the Gen 6?

No, not using the insert.

I have the Lyman Gen 5 and use the rubber insert with all powders, but especially with stick powders. It gives me a more even drop. I occasionally get a little extra powder, but since it gives you a live weight at the end of the drop, I just put it back and throw again.

That sounds like a deal. Thanks CC.

While I was watching my nephew's Gen 6 run, it seemed like the weight readout would over-react to the weight of the powder as it landed in the pan. We were trying to drop 50.0-grain charges and when the last bits of powder were hitting the pan I could see "50.0" flash momentarily in the display which I believe the software was interpreting to mean "whoa hoss" (naturally). But then when the scale would settle, the charge would be 49.9 grains. I suspect the scale may be just a bit too fast and the software may need a tweak to not shut off the dispenser quite so abruptly. But then another way to address it may be to decrease the distance the powder falls from the tube into the pan so that it doesn't deflect so much due to the impact.

That's just what I've seen watching ONE of these run, though.

The Gen 6 should throw within 1/10 grain of what you program. If you calibrated everything correctly, and your surface is level, and there are no air vents blowing on it, then return it for a new one. It must be bad. I have used Lyman for years and their DPS are usually right on the money. I will occasionally get 2/10 extra, once ever 50 plus loads. Take it back and get a new one. Make sure you install the small rubber plug that goes inside the auger. That will help.

Emotionally invested, are we?

Yes. My life and my son's life and my wife's life depends on an accurate powder amount in each round. If you reload, aren't you emotionally invested?

If it stopped and read 49.9 then it was within 1/10 of a grain which is the margin or error. So for 50, it might read 49.9 or even 50.1 and still be at 1/10 of a grain accurate. No tweaking of the software is necessary.

Well, here's the thing: I have an in-depth understanding of electronic systems, how systems interface with each other, systems that are software intensive, yada yada yada, etc. etc. I've been at it since the middle 70s. What I am telling you is that this is two different but quite simple systems interfaced digitally. When that scale reads the target weight, even for an instant, the dispenser's digital interface is triggered by the scale telling the dispenser's microprocessor that the target weight has been reached and the STOP command is sent to the dispenser's motor control. It's no more complex than that.

When a device controlled as these systems are, there can only be one reason for the dispense function to cease prematurely and that is that the scale has seen---if only for a very brief instant, the target weight.

Trust me. Many thousands of folks flying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft do. I know what I'm talking about.

Once again we are on the same page with how something works. These are not complicated systems compared to many others. Biggest difference between a $300 and a $3000 powder drop are the sensitivity of the scale and precision of the drop itself, but basically they work the same way as RiverRider described.

Yes, it slows itself down to trickle and then continues as necessary to meter out the powder. It then produces a live real time weight at the end of the dispensing. for yo to approve of the amount dispensed.

You are correct the software shuts the dispensing when the target weight is reached. In this case the tolerance is 1/10 grain either side of the amount input.

Their are no user adjustments on the machines. Either they dispense to tolerance or they don't. If not, they should be returned for a new unit.

The accuracy of the scale itself may be +/- a tenth of a grain, but the STOP is a digital function and there is NO tolerance there.

The Gen 6 offers no control over much at all that I could see, but I did not look at the manual. The Hornady and RCBS machines DO allow you to adjust page gets related to speed and the way the dispenser behaves as target weight is approached, and that provides a little more flexibility.

The quality of the scale, including its own processor and software, is a major factor in performance. The RCBS scale is superior.

X2

The accurate to +/- 0.1 grain is the accuracy of the scale, not the dispenser. As it you weigh a bullet that comes out to 150 grains, the true weight could be as much as 151 or little as 149 and the scale would be correctly functioning.

I like my chargemaster a lot.

I'm begining to like my Lyman more and more.