Powder throwers for my new scale ?

[CZ550]

I bought a Acuulab scale and I was looking at powder throwers for throwing charges then trickling up with the Aculab. I have a RCBS chargemaster, but I would like to have couple more throwers so I can leave my most popular powders in them at all times. I absolutely loathe changing powders in my chargemaster.

What do u guys think about the $30.00 lee powder thrower? I don't think I will need it to be very accurate that's what the other scale is for. I have never used a Powder drop so I honestly don't have a clue about these things.

Would I be better off saving some coin and buy another Chargemaster or higher end powder drop.

 

[memilanuk]

The Lee Perfect Powder Measure (PPM) throws stick powders about as consistently as my Harrell's Custom 90 that cost a lot more. The Harrell's doesn't feel like I'm going to break it, though having a nicely machined metal body instead of a plastic wiper...

For throwing 'close' and trickling up, the PPM is hard to beat on a dollar for dollar basis. Its cheaply constructed in every imaginable way, but it works.

Years back there was an article by a fellow in PS magazine titled 'Accurate to a Tenth' where he took a bunch of measures of various makes, from Belding & Mull (sp?), Harrells, Lee, etc. etc. etc. and threw a lot of charges thru 'em. He tried running them fast, running them slow, knocking/ going soft, you name it. *None* of them were accurate to a 10th, and with medium to long cut extruded powders, the Lee was about as good as the expensive ones costing 10X as much.

 

[Killshot]

I'm with you CZ, I spent the $$$ on the Acculab and the Omega powered-trickler* and went cheap with the Lee Powder thrower.

It throws charges close enough. Just set it a few tenths light and trickle up.


/* best $60 spent on my loading tools.

 

[1066]

There was an interesting article comparing throwers, including the Lee PPM printed in Targetshooter magazine earlier this year. The results may surprise you.

Page 61.
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1r9h5/TargetShooterMarch20/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A//www.yudu.com/item/details/296782/Target-Shooter-March-2011

 

[dmickey]

One thing that the others have forgotten. Never, never, NEVER leave powder in a powder thrower where the powder resides in a plastic hopper! The acids in the powder will melt the plastic, getting plastic coated on the powder kernels. This can (and will) cause ignition problems.

 

[in2deep]

The Lee is really great as mentioned and there is a screw on the side of the handle that let's you tailor the drum tension for smaller or larger kernels and I think that's why it throws extruded powders like Varget as good ( actually better) as any other measure....
it sounds contradictory but it doesn't crunch and bind Varget like the more expensive units with tighter tolerances and hard machined brass surfaces and it has a softer more slippery teflon? wear surface for the drum that supposedly aids in that regard too.
One of the few times where the cheapo model is actually better than expected.

 

[CZ550]

I leave powder in my chargemaster all the time it has plastic hopper ?

 

[ReedG]

The neatest thing about the Lee measure is the removable powder hopper. Just a twist, slip it off. It throws good enough for use in a trickle-up setting for sure. And, if you want, you can afford to have four of them!

 

[TimP]

One thing that the others have forgotten. Never, never, NEVER leave powder in a powder thrower where the powder resides in a plastic hopper! The acids in the powder will melt the plastic, getting plastic coated on the powder kernels. This can (and will) cause ignition problems.

In the past I have left powder in my Redding powder measure for a day or two without even thinking about it. I recently bought a Harrell's measure and filled it with Vit 550. I was checking/getting use to throwing charges with it and left the powder in it for a number of days. Until I noticed the hopper was discoloring. Today most gun powders are packaged in plastic containers. What is the difference. I would like to think that the people selling these items would know their intended use. Should I throw away the hopper and the powder that was in it.