Worth upgrading powder throwers?

[VarmLR]

I'm finally getting round to upgrading a few parts of my reloading kit, now that it's virtually paid for itself. First to go will be the Lee balance. Basic and ok to start with but not consistent (doesn't always sit square on the bearing which is infuriating), but it's cheap and got me started. I have a good used RCBS beam scale to replace that in the pipeline. I prefer to stick with beam scales than go digital. Next up is the powder thrower. I know that many people get on with the Lee thrower, and for the money it's simply unbeatable, but I do find it hit and miss, and am getting a little tired of faffing around with the thing. I have a few options which are:

 

1. keep it, set it to throw light and use a manual powder trickler
2. sell it and buy an RCBS Uniflow comp thrower (with trickler attachment) or something similar on the used market (the more expensive Harrels Custom thrower is out of budget) and add a £20 manual trickler
3. none of the above?....

Suggestions/thoughts welcomed.

[force64]

Just upgrade to the better beam scale and add a targetmaster.

 

Save your money and keep Lee powder thrower and just weigh out a charge a couple of grains under your target weigh using the powder thrower and finish off on the beam scales with the target master.

 

Andy

[MrCetrizine]

Yes, what he said ^^ You can't go wrong with a Targetmaster.

[alpha1]

Yep a target master and a decent set of beam scales

[VarmLR]

Thanks chaps, that's a good shout. Target master seems like a good idea.

[andybrock]

Or if you like throwing charges get a Harrells culver powder measure.

[Akeld]

I switched from a Lee to RCBS thrower recently, I still throw under and used to trickle but bought a targetmaster. The RCBS thrower is a lot smoother in operation

[gbal]

I pretty much trust my Harrell-based on 100 y bench rest performance,but now I have a tad more time,I use the Harrel to throw a bit short -.3 ish,and manually trickle into a "1066" type TUNED redding scale-seems best of both worlds,and no slower than a Full electronic Targetmster set up...but then I don't really believe sub .1g is reliably achievable -or matters mostly...except in the mind,and I'm a psychologist,and if I had the full Targetmaster set up,I would not change,either.

gbal

[VarmLR]

I switched from a Lee to RCBS thrower recently, I still throw under and used to trickle but bought a targetmaster. The RCBS thrower is a lot smoother in operation

 

 

Yes. I like RCBS kit. Good trade off between quality and price. The Target master is a good idea too for ultimate consistency if you shoot bench-rest or other comp, but as I don't, a manual trickler would probably do (I shoot target monthly, mostly to keep technique honed and to check loads but mostly, I'm out in the fields for vermin and deer control).

[VarmLR]

I prety much trust my Harrell-based on 100 y bench rest performance,but now i have a tad more te,I use the Harrel to throw a bit short -.3 ish,and manually trickle into a "1066" type redding scale-seems est of both worlds,and no slower than a Full electronic Targetmster set up...but then I don't really believe sub .1g is reliably achievable -or matters mostly...except in the mind,and I'm a psychologi,and if I had the full Targetmaster set up,I would not chnge either!

 

gbal

 

Sounds good but I have to weigh up the cost of going down that route with the Harrell as it isn't really any cheaper than a good used scale plus T-M, or RCBS thrower/scale plus manual trickler.

[Andrew]

Get a Jones. The best I've owned in 40 + years of reloading. Harrell next...~Andrew

[dannywayoflife]

Agree with the above. You CANNOT BEAT a beam scale and a TM! Throw a little light pop on hue scale press the button and bobs your uncle fannys your ant bang on the same charge EVERY TIME love my tuned scales and TM wouldn't change them for anythin

[alpha1]

I bought a tuned Hornady beam scale with my target master. The beam scale is fitted with a small camera it displays on my lap top. It's the dogs dang lies. Check it out on you tube.

[gbal]

Sounds good but I have to weigh up the cost of going down that route with the Harrell as it isn't really any cheaper than a good used scale plus T-M, or RCBS thrower/scale plus manual trickler.

Of course-I had the harrel already-bench resters often just throw by volume,without weighing,and that does need a good thrower.

Having it,I continued to use it (though also a basic Lyman) as there no wear and tear anyhow. Obviously as you throw a bit under,and manually trickle up-it does not need to be accurate/reliable anyhow-though even the basic ones tend to be ok.

Put a bit extra into a tuned beam scale-that does give confidence and repeatability over the "out of the box and well used " factory spec ones.

g

[Swarovski1]

I would say what ever set up Tony Lenton is using to load his new British record breaking 6mm br has got to be good.4 shots in 27mm group at 1000yds.5 shot an inch higher.now that is consistant

[VarmLR]

Of course-I had the harrel already-bench resters often just throw by volume,without weighing,and that does need a good thrower.

Having it,I continued to use it (though also a basic Lyman) as there no wear and tear anyhow. Obviously as you throw a bit under,and manually trickle up-it does not need to be accurate/reliable anyhow-though even the basic ones tend to be ok.

Put a bit extra into a tuned beam scale-that does give confidence and repeatability over the "out of the box and well used " factory spec ones.

g

 

Yes. Just done a deal on a tuned scale. Manual trickler or T-M is next. Mind you, even with the Lee kit, the ammo is pretty darned good....0.5 inch at 200yds today with the .308 which I'm pretty happy with, especially as wind was a little variable.

[andybrock]

Yes. Just done a deal on a tuned scale. Manual trickler or T-M is next. Mind you, even with the Lee kit, the ammo is pretty darned good....0.5 inch at 200yds today with the .308 which I'm pretty happy with, especially as wind was a little variable.

0.5" at 200 yards, I'd stick with your Lee gear!

[VarmLR]

LoL....if only I could repeat that every time! I'm usually happy with an inch and a half at 200 yds with my hunting (stalking) loads....I never shoot large animals beyond that distance. The 223 is different. Its an endless source of frustration trying to maintain 1/4moa which is my target for precision using the custom rifle. That's needed for longer shots on steel or for precision corvid control. Yesterday I was shooting sub moa with the 223 but couldn't pull the groups together for some reason beyond 3/4moa and it's usually a tack driver. I know it's me and not the rifle. It's capable of far greater accuracy than I am. I think that the powder loads are more critical in the smaller calibre, hence looking for more consistently precise loading so the Lee scales have got to go.

[Murph]

LoL....if only I could repeat that every time! I'm usually happy with an inch and a half at 200 yds with my hunting (stalking) loads....I never shoot large animals beyond that distance. The 223 is different. Its an endless source of frustration trying to maintain 1/4moa which is my target for precision using the custom rifle. That's needed for longer shots on steel or for precision corvid control. Yesterday I was shooting sub moa with the 223 but couldn't pull the groups together for some reason beyond 3/4moa and it's usually a tack driver. I know it's me and not the rifle. It's capable of far greater accuracy than I am. I think that the powder loads are more critical in the smaller calibre, hence looking for more consistently precise loading so the Lee scales have got to go.

Definitely get rid of the lee scales. But the lee throwers are very accurate. I check all my throws with a gem 250 scale. Using h335 it continuous throws weights with variations less than .1 of a grain. If I was using extruded powders like h4895 then it's the scales with the targetmaster. Allen makes a fantastic trickler which is well worth the money.

[VarmLR]

I've now taken ownership of a set of tuned RCBS 10-10 scales plus usb camera (thanks Kev). It's able to discern when a single kernel of N140 is placed into the pan...nicely damped too.

 

Will use it with a manual trickler for now and a screen for the camera. The lee thrower I can't get to be consistent to anything like 0.1 grains. I suspect a little play around with torque of the thrower retaining screw and a more consistent application of the thrower is needed. I don't use the optional baffle but try and keep powder levels from dropping below the final few inches. I'll set to throw half a grain under and use the trickler to get it smack on.