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What is the best inexpensive powder thrower.

greg vess

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Well so far the cheap piece of crap single throw job bit the dust and I need a good replacement. I want a good one but I don't want to have to shuck out 150 bucks for one. All I want is the simple manual thrower that is accurate hopefully to a degree. What brand is praised for it's consistency and reliability.

I like to take my time and weigh out every throw so a high tech auto weigh thrower is just not needed for my style of powder measuring.
 
https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/scales-measures/55-standard-powder-measure.html

This is what I've used for years and am incredibly happy with it after upgrading from a Lee
I looked at this one today and I think I am going to get it. The one I have I got working again but it's just a cheap piece of junk that comes with a reloading kit. I managed to get some reloading done today but this powder thrower hardly ever throws the exact weight. I either have to dump a few little granules out or trickle some in. Very time consuming. If I could just improve that to a 50/50 ratio I would be elated. I expect the new one would be a little better. This little Lee junk is OK for just learning but when you get to going you want a little more accurate measures.
 
I get good results from RCBS Uniflow measures. I keep 8 of them stationed (too lazy to empty one to change powders).
Tried the auto-expensive electronic nuclear digicom types but they are painfully slow compared to a magnetic balance scale and a trickler with a good uniflow.
 
Another vote for the Lyman 55. I do not like the lee I could not get consistency with it. As long as my technique was consistent the 55 would throw within 0.1 grains. If you plan to weigh every load just get a few different size scoops and a trickler. No need to throw imho
 
Obviously, what you want will be based upon what you are attempting to accomplish: push-the-limit-loads, or on-the-.001 grain benchrest competition loads, or ?

If you are primarily doing pistol loads or nothing longer than a .308, I have found the Lee Auto-Disk measure to be highly consistent and accurate ... IMHO, 0.10 Grain consistent accuracy is about as good as you will get in an inexpensive measure for a progressive press ... that's the level of performance that I get from my Auto-Disk.
 
I have the Auto Disk, Lee PPM, Uniflow and an ollldddd Pacific (now Hornady...not Hornaday).

I like the Lee PPM for Unique. With Unique it will throw very consistent for me. I flick the side of the drum on the upstroke (think Lyman 55 "knocker") and it is very accurate with Unique. Other powders not so much.

I like the Pacific for Bullseye. It will throw to the 10th. It is also very accurate. I do have a piece of masking tape on the tube that says "Bullseye Only". It throws Bullseye like no other, but certain powders have issues in it, so I stick with Bullseye.

The Uniflow is used for rifle stick powders that get "trickled up" to the weight. I have never found Uniflows to be super accurate using IMR type stick powders. Trickle up and you're good.

I have only played around with the Auto Disk so I can't speak of its accuracy.

I will say that certain powders will melt your hopper. Bullseye for one. I melted my Pacific and etched my RCBS. Hornady sent me a new tube for the Pacific.

I am fairly new at reloading (first pulled the press handle in 1998) so my opinion is just that.
 
I'm using a Lee perfect powder measure it throws H4350 and varget pretty consistently, used to have a RCBS and Redding to me this is just as good. set it to run .2 grains under my load and trickle the rest. still faster than my old RCBS auto trickler.
 
I'm using a Lee perfect powder measure it throws H4350 and varget pretty consistently, used to have a RCBS and Redding to me this is just as good. set it to run .2 grains under my load and trickle the rest. still faster than my old RCBS auto trickler.
That's what I have now. It's not that bad but I like my throws to be dead on at least 50 percent on the time. I have to add or subtract from each load now. There has to be a better device. I weigh my projectiles and separate them and my powder throws are dead on each time. So that's a bit anal for some but that's just me. The lee isn't a complete piece of crap but it is kind of cheaply made. I just want a little better measure. 100 bucks isn't to much to spend for a little better results. I love my little lee press. It has sleeves for all the dies so I can just drop it in, rotate until it snaps and it's ready. Really makes die changes a snap. The Lee perfect powder job came with the kit. I upgraded my scale to Hornady one, and I use Hornady dies so really the only other upgrade I really need is the powder measure.
 
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