Recommend a: Digital Powder Dispenser

[BallisticsBoy]

Hi Guys,

Which digital powder dispenser would you recommend?

I’m currently using a Lyman Gen 6 which is constantly short measuring, and drifting (which requires constant recalibration).

Are there any which are known for their reliability?

Cam.

[Catch-22]

I've conducted what i think is the most comprehensive test I've seen done anywhere on the RCBS Chargemaster Lite. 

http://ukvarminting.com/topic/38699-rcbs-chargemaster-lite-arrived-today/?tab=comments#comment-306888

In all honesty I've not had it long so can't say how it's performed over years of use, but so far I've had zero issues. Though please note my recommendations on how to get the best from it.

Generally I've got results either bang on or to witching 0.02gn, but no worse than 0.04gn. 0.02gn is about 3 kernels of N140, or about 1-2 kernels of VARGET. Not bad!!

Id say that before you ditch the Layman Gen6, try getting some signal line dampeners (magnets that clip round your power source - you can get them off amazon). It's also worth getting a surge protector/line conditioner. Plug that into the wall socket and then plug your Gen6 into that. Both these things will help reduce magnetic fields and power surges which all contribute to drifting. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00UB0G4DQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_OG8aBbFX34CC1

If you don't mind spending big money, I'd personally get the Auto Trickler Combo along with the A&D FX-120i scale. That's about £750-800 all in, so quite a step up from a £250 scale. Accuracy is reported to be also 0.02gn but this does it automatically and without the need to trickle up to final weight in order to achieve the accuracy, whereas I've found trickling up is essential with the CM Lite. 

Good luck!

[VarmLR]

I use the Gen 6 and have had zero issues with it.  I've fitted a shooting shed "thingy" to it which has improved consistency and accuracy further.  Very pleased with it.  In all honesty, I don't think there's a great deal to chose between any of the electronic load dispensers these days but all of them almost without exception needs fettling to get the best from them.  The Gen 6 also benefits from at least 30 minutes warm up time and not the 2 minutes that the handbook describes.

[Reloader54]

I tried to convince myself I needed one of these digital type gadgets but after extensive searching it seems they are less accurate and consistent as well as needing to be altered or "improved" in some way, [shouldn't be necessary after spending hundreds of £,s really], ,than  a good quality beam scale, RCBS 10/10 being the favourite . the amounts of time dicking around with  various filters,anti spike devices could be spent actually enjoying time out with the rifle. opinions differ, that's mine. ?

[stottycake]

I had the hornady lock n load jobby, for a week and couldn't get it to dispense a consistent load,

So it went back,I'll stick with my beam scales ,

[BallisticsBoy]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

[VarmLR]

20 hours ago, Reloader54 said:

I tried to convince myself I needed one of these digital type gadgets but after extensive searching it seems they are less accurate and consistent as well as needing to be altered or "improved" in some way, [shouldn't be necessary after spending hundreds of £,s really], ,than  a good quality beam scale, RCBS 10/10 being the favourite . the amounts of time dicking around with  various filters,anti spike devices could be spent actually enjoying time out with the rifle. opinions differ, that's mine. ?

That's all very true, but they are what they are and the point to them isn't to offer lab grade weighing accuracy but to speed up reloading, so it's a compromise.  I used 10-10 beam scales for years but got fed up with having to take an entire afternoon out to load 50 or 100 charges which I can do in a fraction of the time with the Gen6.  What you choose I guess depends on cal and use. E.g. if your aim was  benchrest you might want to throw by volume and maybe trickle up for absolute precision; if for informal target and hunting, OCW parameters and cal might make throwing to 0.1 perfectly acceptable.  I'm in the latter camp and being able to throw each and every charge to within 0.1 for my 6.5 and .308 in around 25 to 30 seconds is a real plus (15 secs for .223).  I couldn't do that with powder thrower, beam scales and trickler....more like three times that amount of time.  I still use check scales to double check the odd charge but can't ever see myself going back to the faff of throwing, adjusting, throwing (to get it in the ball park) then weighing, placing in pan and waiting for it to settle before trickling.  If I went over (which was often) I'd need to start again.  It's one of those personal reloading choices we each make and what suits one may not suit another.

[Reloader54]

26 minutes ago, VarmLR said:

That's all very true, but they are what they are and the point to them isn't to offer lab grade weighing accuracy but to speed up reloading, so it's a compromise.  I used 10-10 beam scales for years but got fed up with having to take an entire afternoon out to load 50 or 100 charges which I can do in a fraction of the time with the Gen6.  What you choose I guess depends on cal and use. E.g. if your aim was  benchrest you might want to throw by volume and maybe trickle up for absolute precision; if for informal target and hunting, OCW parameters and cal might make throwing to 0.1 perfectly acceptable.  I'm in the latter camp and being able to throw each and every charge to within 0.1 for my 6.5 and .308 in around 25 to 30 seconds is a real plus (15 secs for .223).  I couldn't do that with powder thrower, beam scales and trickler....more like three times that amount of time.  I still use check scales to double check the odd charge but can't ever see myself going back to the faff of throwing, adjusting, throwing (to get it in the ball park) then weighing, placing in pan and waiting for it to settle before trickling.  If I went over (which was often) I'd need to start again.  It's one of those personal reloading choices we each make and what suits one may not suit another.

 

that's what I said, only more concise. 

[VarmLR]

Well, it isn't what you said nor concluded in any way shape or form, but there we are...?

[Reloader54]

1 hour ago, VarmLR said:

Well, it isn't what you said nor concluded in any way shape or form, but there we are...?

I said,, "opinions differ, that's mine".

You said,,  " It's one of those personal reloading choices we each make and what suits one may not suit another."

 

no offence but that looks pretty similar to me.

[Chanonry]

5 hours ago, VarmLR said:

  I'm in the latter camp and being able to throw each and every charge to within 0.1 for my 6.5 and .308 in around 25 to 30 seconds is a real plus (15 secs for .223).  I couldn't do that with powder thrower, beam scales and trickler....more like three times that amount of time.  

Really? That's not my experience.

A Lee plastic scoop, a powered trickler, beam scales and a wee camera will do it as fast as I can seat the bullet.  The load I am working up for 243 was showing ES of 8 fps yesterday, so its not producing crap either. How does it take 90 seconds for one round ????

Are you guys are missing the big picture and disappearing down a techie rabbit hole here? If scales need to be running in a kind of "isolated clean room environment ", surely its in the too hard box ? Certainly the - cheaper solutions exist box.

No, well, Just Sayin'.  I am happy for you guys to do whatever so no shouting please, who cares really.

If I had more nuts I would have bought electronic scales a while back as well (beam scales have their issues too ?), but posts like this put me off. Its a lots of £££'s to have problems.

[Kevgun]

I must be Lucky! i have a Lyman Gen 5 , not had any issues with Drifting, i do switch it on 60 mins before i start and i don't have a Mobile or any electronics in my reloading room, so maybe that's why

who knows, i started with the Lyman gen 5 so i don't know any different, but i was watching my friend the day with a scale and thought i might lose patients with that system. Maybe if i was target shooting or in competition i would need to be more accurate.

[meles meles]

We use a Lyman Gen 6, allow it to stabilise for 30 minutes afore we use it (time which can be well spent double checking our load data and brass) then crack on. No faults so far in about 2 years of use...

[Vortex]

Got the Lyman Gen 6, the small one. Had it 2-3 years now and I can’t fault it. 

 

[drum]

I still have the original lyman dps.Must be 10 years old and still going strong.I wouldnt trust it to dispense every load spot on though so if i want to dispense  45 grains i will punch in 44.8 and trickle up the rest.Works for me.

[VarmLR]

17 hours ago, Chanonry said:

Really? That's not my experience.

A Lee plastic scoop, a powered trickler, beam scales and a wee camera will do it as fast as I can seat the bullet.  The load I am working up for 243 was showing ES of 8 fps yesterday, so its not producing crap either. How does it take 90 seconds for one round ????

Are you guys are missing the big picture and disappearing down a techie rabbit hole here? If scales need to be running in a kind of "isolated clean room environment ", surely its in the too hard box ? Certainly the - cheaper solutions exist box.

No, well, Just Sayin'.  I am happy for you guys to do whatever so no shouting please, who cares really.

If I had more nuts I would have bought electronic scales a while back as well (beam scales have their issues too ?), but posts like this put me off. Its a lots of £££'s to have problems.

I timed my last loads out of curiosity and these were the figures I was getting. It seems a little faster with the new adaptor than the original.

I think that some of the views against the electronic scales are being either a little exaggerated or overblown.  I wouldn't go back now I've tried them.   Many people (like myself) get on with them just fine and there's nothing hard about them.  I take your point though that a powder scoop, scales and trickler work well but having tried that method, I couldn't match the Gen 6 speed really but that's just me.  Others might find the scoop method quicker.  Each to their own.

[Martin52]

I replaced the black plastic part at the end of the Gen 6 dispenser tube with the Shooting Shed 'thingy'  -  it made a difference by reducing the variance in what was generally only a minor under-throw anyway, to about 0.1 for a 46.0 gr charge. 

[Martin52]

and here's a link to the other thread on the S/S 'thingy.

 

[phaedra1106uk]

I did the same "Guinea Pig" trial for the Hornady L'n'L version a few years ago, it certainly improves things.

Have to say I'm very happy with the Hornady, adjustable slow trickle rate and cut-in point via a couple of button presses, get the odd +.2gr with ball powders but setting the slow trickle cut-in point back a further .2gr means it's quite a rare occurrence.

When I was testing the "Thingy" I did a sample of 25 charges, all were withing -0.0 to +0.1gr which is more than good enough for my shooting, I introduce a much larger set of variables to my shooting than the powder dispenser does!.