Lyman vs Hornady powder dispensers

[Guest CajunKen]

I am considering buying either the Lyman 1200DPS 3 Digital Powder System or the Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Charge. The RCBS; Chargemaster Combo is too expensive. I currently load and shoot around 100 rounds each of .38 spl and .380 Auto per week using a RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure. My charges are so inconsistent that I have to weigh each charge and am constantly adding or removing powder to get the desired charge. This is very frustrating and time consuming.

I welcome any comments good or bad about the 2 Systems.

Thanks

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I don't know about the price difference between the two, but the Hornady is just fine for

a metered powder drop. Does the RCBS use the discs? I never liked the idea of that kind

of drop. Aren't they dependent on powder type?

[dlm37015]

take your powder measure apart and clean it

[Jonnin]

the type of powder matters a lot. I like the fine grained stuff, like accurate, I think people call it "ball" powder? The more chunky stuff is more inconsistent.

How inconsistent are they? Should be no more than +- .2 grains per measured charge for most volumetric systems.

380 is a bastid to load. All I got to say there is find a powder that fills the case, 4 grains or so. The hot powders that use 2 grains are hard, very hard, to use. With a hot powder and a sloppy dispenser, you can really have wildy varying loads.

All that to say if any of the above are the issue (coarse powders, or hot 380 powder choice) you may be able to use what you have after some sort of adjustment.

[Guest CajunKen]

the type of powder matters a lot. I like the fine grained stuff, like accurate, I think people call it "ball" powder? The more chunky stuff is more inconsistent.

How inconsistent are they? Should be no more than +- .2 grains per measured charge for most volumetric systems.

380 is a bastid to load. All I got to say there is find a powder that fills the case, 4 grains or so. The hot powders that use 2 grains are hard, very hard, to use. With a hot powder and a sloppy dispenser, you can really have wildy varying loads.

All that to say if any of the above are the issue (coarse powders, or hot 380 powder choice) you may be able to use what you have after some sort of adjustment.

Jonnin:

Which Accurate powder do you like for Pistols?

[Guest canebreaker]

take your powder measure apart and clean it

What powder are you using? What powder measurer are you using now?

After you clean it, wrap a dryer sheet around it.

[Caster]

Which Accurate powder do you like for Pistols?

I use a lot of AA#5 but if I were loading .380 I would likely go back to #2. I used to use a lot of AA#2 but I moved to AA#5 and started getting better results in .45 acp and .357 magnum.

[Jonnin]

#5 is universal, it does well in most pistol calibers and I have had really accurate results with it in 9mm, 9x18, and 45. #7 for magnums or if you want to fill the case a little more for consistency, I use that for my .44 loads.

I did not like #2 in the 380, that is exactly what I was talking about: its a tiny charge and difficult to control without precise equipment. I burnt out the #2 in bigger calibers and will not buy it again. Even in the .45 it was a fairly small charge.

I also like the 2230 for 223 and it makes a good, light target load in bigger rifle calibers. It is not so good for making "real" loads for larger calibers.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Jonnin

[Caster]

#5 is universal, it does well in most pistol calibers and I have had really accurate results with it in 9mm, 9x18, and 45. #7 for magnums or if you want to fill the case a little more for consistency, I use that for my .44 loads.

I did not like #2 in the 380, that is exactly what I was talking about: its a tiny charge and difficult to control without precise equipment. I burnt out the #2 in bigger calibers and will not buy it again. Even in the .45 it was a fairly small charge.

I also like the 2230 for 223 and it makes a good, light target load in bigger rifle calibers. It is not so good for making "real" loads for larger calibers.

Really? I had really good results with it in .32acp and .380 Funny how different things pan out for different people.

[Jonnin]

Really? I had really good results with it in .32acp and .380 Funny how different things pan out for different people.

It WORKS great. The trouble I was having was that lee disk device, while great for making ammo FAST, is not super precise. It varies by .25 grains (or, if you prefer, +- 0.125, which means the hottest and lightest are .25 apart). Look at the load for 380 using #2 and imagine a .25 difference between rounds. Its almost 10% or so! Now look at the data for #5. The same .25 is less than 5%, if memory serves. It makes a noticable difference. Using #7 in 45 acp for the most accurate loads, the disk variation is low enough that the ammo made using the device still counts as match ammo. Using the disk and #2 in the .45, it is not quite match grade.

If you have a better scale and dispenser, I could see #2 giving really, really good results. It is a fine powder, its just difficult to use without solid equipment.

[mikegideon]

the type of powder matters a lot. I like the fine grained stuff, like accurate, I think people call it "ball" powder? The more chunky stuff is more inconsistent.

How inconsistent are they? Should be no more than +- .2 grains per measured charge for most volumetric systems.

The OP isn't talking about volumetric systems. He's talking about electric tricklers. My Chargemaster throws the same weight every time according to the scale. I was talking with Okey last night. We're going to weigh some charges from mine with his lab scale, and see how much they vary. My guess is they will all be within a tenth of a grain.

To the OP. I know the Chargemaster is expensive, but there's a reason they sell so many of them. They're the best. Read lots of reviews.

I have a buddy that just bought a Lyman, but he's hand trickling the final charge.

[Caster]

I got ya, I missed the disk thing. I hate those things.

[mikegideon]

There's a McDonald's straw trick for the Chargemaster that helps it meter extruded powders. My loads that really need the accuracy use Varget and Reloader 15. Cut a 1" piece of straw and shove it into the trickler. Keeps the CM from dropping a clump at the end.

[Guest CajunKen]

Hey Guys, I really appreciate your input, and this is what I've decided to do: 1. Hold off on buying one of the Electronic Scale/Dispensers.

2. Give my RCBS Uniflow Dispenser a good cleaning. 3, Get a small Bottle of either Accurate # 5, Hogdon Universal or Winchester 231, and see if that solves my problem. If it does, y'all will have saved me several hundred dollars. If not, then I will have to add the RCBS Chargemaster Combo to the list for consideration.

Thanks again

Ken

.

[mikegideon]

I don't think you NEED a Chargemaster if you're not shooting rifles at longer ranges. Loads for 600-1000 yards are persnickety about powder charge, so you have to trickle them onto a scale.

Uniflows are great if you have the right sized cylinder for your charges. I have one with the standard size, and probably wouldn't use it for pistol charges.

[Jonnin]

my bad, I thought the uniflow was a volume based tool. I know he was asking about buying electronic, my point was, he may or may not need it.

[dlm37015]

if he makes sure his uniflow is clean and uses aa5 everything will be good to go

[mikegideon]

my bad, I thought the uniflow was a volume based tool. I know he was asking about buying electronic, my point was, he may or may not need it.

The Uniflow IS a volume based tool. The Chargemaster, and the OP's two alternatives trickle onto a scale, and stop with a preset weight.

[allenwaddle]

I started off with the Lyman eletric trickler and it was very inconsistant, wound up with an RCBS and could not be happier.

Allen

[mikegideon]

I started off with the Lyman eletric trickler and it was very inconsistant, wound up with an RCBS and could not be happier.

Allen

Common story. I read a bunch just like it before I bought the RCBS

[USMCJG]

Common story. I read a bunch just like it before I bought the RCBS

+1. I read a LOT of reviews on dispenser combos before I bought one. I wound up paying the extra money and getting the RCBS too. When it comes to pretty much any other reloading tool, I would take Hornady or Lyman over RCBS. But when it came time to buy a dispenser, the reviews on the Hornady and Lyman were just too spotty for me.