Interesting item on Ebay

[1066]

 

This is the first time I've seen a Prometheus come up on Ebay - I thought they were sold on some sort of lease arrangement where you never actually own the product. I think this is a first generation version.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-Prometheus-Precision-Powder-Scale-Measure-Dispenser-W-Case-Works-Great-/111139002873?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e06699f9

[John MH]

Yes its a 1st Gen Model, is it worth the money?

[1066]

Although I'm sure they are very good machine Jonh, personally I wouldn't entertain it at anything like that price. I must admit I've never seen one in the flesh, but the only "clever" bit, as far as I can see, is the ability to dump the charge from the measure into the weighing hopper and then out of the hopper into the case. The basis of the machine is a beam scale - no different from any other beam scale, although maybe it has a longer than usual beam that aids accuracy. This first generation model is not an automatic type machine. You have to keep your finger on the trickler button until the scale comes to weight - The feed tube is attached to the scale arm so as the beam rises the feed tube moves away from the trickler feed, the overspill going into a collector tray.

 

The power trickler it's self is the Frankford Arsenal trickler which I have used, it's a very cheap, noisy plastic geared affair.

 

See it here in operation

 

I think there is an element of "emperors clothes" when you read reports from owners of these machines - If you have spent $2-3.500 on a machine I think you are very unlikely to admit that you have made a mistake.

 

(But then I would say that )

[John MH]

I have spoken with Brand Cole, the designer, in the past and he seems to know his stuff. David Tubb uses a Prometheus set up on a Dillon 650, they are probably quite good but I'd want to see one in the flesh before parting with my money. I personally don't think it could beat a tuned beam scale, video camera and trickler.

[1066]

I think the weakest link in the chain is the scale - we're now expecting more from them than they were ever designed for. Just as, only a few years ago, 1moa was considered the yardstick for a good rifle, now we tend to be a bit miffed if it will only do 1moa.

 

Just so with the regular scales, good scales were always reckoned to be +/- .1 grain, that's about 10 kernels of Varget powder, not really considered good enough now if you're serious about loading for long range.

 

So - You need a scale with a longer arm, it only needs to weigh up to say 100gns, it needs easily replaceable knife edges. You need a semi-covered powder pan so you could dump straight from the measure into the pan without it bouncing out and from the pan directly into the case without a funnel. When you pull the handle for the measure it starts the trickler running and you have an exact charge before you have seated the previous bullet.

 

Also I can't see the point of having scale with .00001gn resolution if a single kernel of powder comes in at around .02gn, you're really not going to cut a flake in half to get a better weight.

[Andrew]

An expensive bit of techno silliness if you ask me.

I have a Neil Jones Precision measure and an Ohaus Dial-o-Grain beam scale. I can't imagine needing more than that.~Andrew

[eldon]

All seems a bit OTT to me. Surely spending the money actually on shooting would be more beneficial than on this item at that cost.