Benefit of a Electronic Powder Dispenser?

[Mike D Texas]

The new Chargemaster Link and Supreme are a redesign of the original Chargemaster 1500 and have a redesigned drop tube and drop tube angle that solves the issues with the old Chargemaster 1500 requiring the McDonalds straw hack. The new Link is not programable so I cannot change the speed the tube rotates to optimize it for my powder. The Supreme has a learn mode that adjusts the spin of the drop tube to optimize the speed and accuracy of the throw for a particular powder, eliminating the need to adjust the speed yourself. I am only throwing about 55 grains of H1000 and for that it takes about 20 seconds. With the Supreme, it would probably cut it to around 12-15 seconds. The redesign also eliminates over charges, I loaded 100 rounds last weekend and only had one over charge, and it was only over by 0.1 grains.

Sounds like they made some worthwhile improvements over mine.

 

[j-shooter]

AutoTrickler v4 user here and I love the speed of powder measurement. It makes reloading much quicker for me. Obviously, it measures down to the kernel so accuracy is excellent.

 

[Jester560]

I use the Lyman Gen 6 and have had excellent results with it.

 

[DartonJager]

Bought a PACT powder dispenser and scale back in the late 1990's. Bought it because I was reloading a lot more CF rifle and stick powders and my drum powder dispensers were no where near accurate enough for me.

The PACT's advertised accuracy is +/- 0.10 grains and after having dispensed literally countless 10's of 1000s of powder charges with and using either or both a 505/1010 BB scale checking an average of 25% of those their accuracy claims proved correct about HALF of the time but half of the time it's accuracy was never higher or worse than 0.20 grains. and that was with my biggest charge of 80 grains of H1000 for my 7mmstw.

I have since the day I bought it trickled the powder charge to with in <1-1.5 grains then using a manual powder trickler and my BB scale got the powder charge up to my desired weight.
Oddly my PACT system always at least 95% of the time threw charges 0.5-1 grains lite but rarely if ever heavy.

Will admit it is finally beginning to have more deviation in its accuracy but still is very useful and saves me a ton of time. The fact I have been able to achieve sub MOA accuracy with all my CF rifle reloads tells me it does well enough for my accuracy needs.

I called PACT and asked about getting it re-calibrated and updated to a faster powder dispensing system they said just send it in they will likely just send my their newest model.
I have no other electronic powder dispenser to compare it to but I have been absolutely satisfied with it.

Love to buy an A&D FX120i but at this time can not justify the cost.

 

[RegionRat]

I called PACT and asked about getting it re-calibrated and updated to a faster powder dispensing system they said just send it in they will likely just send my their newest model.

That would be very good of them.

 

[RidgeTop]

I have used the Gen-6 for several years and it shows you exactly what it has dispensed. (Cabelas about $250.) I check it with an Analytical balance (calibrated with certified check weights) that weighs to .01gr and the Gen 6 is right on.
If you dispense a powder with kernels that weighs more than a .1 of a gr. you can not dispense to .1gr unless you cut the kernels into smaller pieces. .

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Yup, that's it. No magic, nothing special. Faster and fewer steps.



I used to do this. Bulk dropped on a bench measure then a Hornady AutoCharge, moved to a stand alone scale and trickled, with a Redding manual then a Dandy electric. I can't overstate how much an improvement the Dandy was in my three-step process, it was very easy to slide the weight on the stem and drop single kernels of anything, even ball powder - much easier to be precise than a manual trickler and I highly recommend them if you want to stay with the manual process.

I could drop to the individual kernel, all my charges were sub-.1gn variance, it was everything but fast pretty much. It got to be a beating and I do not enjoy weighing charges, so I upgraded.

My Auto Tricker V4 over the A&D FX-120i combined the speed of my bulk dropped, precision of the trickler, and accuracy of the scale all into one 15 second or less hands-free process. The prime benefit of the AT is that I can remove it and use the scale separately, I measure case volume and other weight variances often enough that I would keep a lab balance around either way, the AT sits on top of the scale I would have if I had kept my AutoCharge. So it's actually less tool duplication for me. RCBS makes multiple lines of Chargemaster/Matchmaster options, their only downside (for my use) is the scale is built in and I want it separate.

I really like the way the way the Danddy works in the videos. I think that is the way I am going with a trickler. Thanks for the reference. I am just getting started. And that looks like it would come in quite handy with a digital scale. I have two beam scales if need be. But man that thing looks like it would save a lot of aggravation. Is there a need for extra hoppers or should I save my money ?

 

[RidgeTop]

Bought a PACT powder dispenser and scale back in the late 1990's. Bought it because I was reloading a lot more CF rifle and stick powders and my drum powder dispensers were no where near accurate enough for me.

The PACT's advertised accuracy is +/- 0.10 grains and after having dispensed literally countless 10's of 1000s of powder charges with and using either or both a 505/1010 BB scale checking an average of 25% of those their accuracy claims proved correct about HALF of the time but half of the time it's accuracy was never higher or worse than 0.20 grains. and that was with my biggest charge of 80 grains of H1000 for my 7mmstw.

I have since the day I bought it trickled the powder charge to with in <1-1.5 grains then using a manual powder trickler and my BB scale got the powder charge up to my desired weight.
Oddly my PACT system always at least 95% of the time threw charges 0.5-1 grains lite but rarely if ever heavy.

Will admit it is finally beginning to have more deviation in its accuracy but still is very useful and saves me a ton of time. The fact I have been able to achieve sub MOA accuracy with all my CF rifle reloads tells me it does well enough for my accuracy needs.

I called PACT and asked about getting it re-calibrated and updated to a faster powder dispensing system they said just send it in they will likely just send my their newest model.
I have no other electronic powder dispenser to compare it to but I have been absolutely satisfied with it.

Love to buy an A&D FX120i but at this time can not justify the cost.

.1gr + or - is nothing as a percentage for a 80gr. rifle charge. Different story for fast pistol powders with light charges.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'll be different. I've had Hornady and RCBS . I bought a Franklin Arsenal Inteladropper 3 years ago. Love it. It measures and programs different powders . Makes it dump faster . It's never more than 0.1 off.

 

[RidgeTop]

View attachment 399132

After you calibrate each balance do you then weigh say a 50gr or 100gr check weight on each one? How do they compare?

 

[338 dude]

After you calibrate each balance do you then weigh say a 50gr or 100gr check weight on each one? How do they compare?

One will back up the other almost all the time if they disagree I re-zero

 

[RidgeTop]

One will back up the other almost all the time if they disagree I re-zero

If you calibrate each one with their recommended procedure, taking the weight of a check weight after calibration (same weight on each), they should be exact. If not, one or the other is not calibrated accurately.

I assume the factory specs. for the two balances are both accurate to .1gr. The mfg. usually hedge their product performance by saying accurate to + or - .1gr. That is quite a spread.
Any questions about balances feel free to ask. I sold analytical balances for years, balances that weighed to .000001gm

 

[RidgeTop]

Gen-6 Top Pick for accuracy. Lyman put their name on one as did other manufacturers.
Can't beat the Gen-6 for operation, accuracy, consistency, ease of operation and best of all price. I got mine from Cabelas some years ago for $250.

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This is my set up. Gen 6 weighs to .1gr, Analytical top loader weighs to .01gr.

 

[RidgeTop]

I thought the information in the Mettler website may be helpful in dealing with reloading charge weights. I sold Mettlers for 15 years. They are one of the very top manufacturers of balances - in the World.
Reloading requirements are not complicated and the basics of weight determinations are the same across the range. I hope this info is helpful in using your balance.

Laboratory Weighing

Laboratory Balances, Analytical, Precision and Micro & Ultra Micro Balances, Powder & Liquid Dosing, Moisture Analyzers, Test Weights

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