Thread: Beams scales vs automatic powder dispencers

Beams scales vs automatic powder dispencers. Hi i am just wanting peoples ideas on what works better. Pros and cons that are not so obvious (Not speed) haha. Brands people are running. If you are running beam scales, what tools are you using in conjunction with the beam scales. cheers Tim

[QUOTE=Tim Dicko;868377]Beams scales vs automatic powder dispencers...............ideas on what works better.......what tools are you using in conjunction with the beam scales......../QUOTE]

Just puchased a Lee beam scale because of the never ending WARNING WARNING WARNIGNS on the dispensers NOT TO BE USED FOR BLACK POWDER...........which is what I want to measure.

Being of a doubting nature, I also have a set of 17pcs Digital Scale Calibration Weights .US$8.47 free delivery from AliExpress to reassure me......





A Link https://tinyurl.com/yxqbfjms

Also, as helpfully mentioned by cordite in this thread

https://tinyurl.com/y2zjoaa6


I'm looking for one of the old fashioned glass / metal sugar dispensers as the powder container / pourer. I think i saw one at the equivalent of the $1 shop

Why not both in one?

Originally Posted by Tommy

Why not both in one?

Not sure whose post you are replying to.

If mine, it has the usual DO NOT USE FOR BLACK POWDER. it's ONLY a trickler so it requires a beam scale and "is not suitable for use with the Lee safety scale, RCBS 304 or RC130 scales."

I going to beam scale's after trying digital. I got sick of drifting digital's not being able to trickle on the scale etc.
Powder thrower trickler and Beam's for me form now on.
The digital scale is a Lyman 1500 and is utter poo, between this and my Ezy Prime mentioned in another post I'm not very happy with Lyman right now.
I've just brought a new RCBS M500 and have a Hornady powder already

Beam scale, installed at eye height. Make sure it is level and balanced.

Combine it with powder scoops and an electronic trickler, and you will be smiling

I have a Lyman gen 6. One of the cons that wasn't immediately obvious was that the scale will not settle down and properly zero if there's something electrical nearby.

By that, I mean I had a makita 12v battery about a foot away, the scales wouldn't zero properly. When I removed it, they settled down right away.

Fluoro lights are said to have a similar effect.

They are also senstive to vibrations and air currents, so mine sits on a trolley independent of the press. I also work with the garage door down.

All these things aside, I love my Gen 6 and wouldn't be without it. Sooooo much easier than using a Lee perfect powder measure.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

I have a Lyman gen 6. One of the cons that wasn't immediately obvious was that the scale will not settle down and properly zero if there's something electrical nearby.

By that, I mean I had a makita 12v battery about a foot away, the scales wouldn't zero properly. When I removed it, they settled down right away.

Fluoro lights are said to have a similar effect.

They are also senstive to vibrations and air currents, so mine sits on a trolley independent of the press. I also work with the garage door down.

All these things aside, I love my Gen 6 and wouldn't be without it. Sooooo much easier than using a Lee perfect powder measure.

I have Lyman Gen6. Had it for ages.
It is a plasticky, tinny unit.
Had issues of bushings cracking because powder dispensing pipe was bent.
Had new ones fitted by Lyman in the states and they sent it back with a heap of spares for free.
I remove the pipe often to check for course powder in the bushings as well.

Never had issues with the scale itself but Lyman said there was a lot of pistol powder under the scale that could cause issues if not careful.
So I regularly clean under the load scale with very light compressed air.

Otherwise I have had no issues with zeroing or dispensing powder.
I also have a battery drill within a foot of my scale
When it finally dies I may look at something else or just replace it with another.




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I use Chargemaster Lite, checked against scientific balance it's always been within 0.1 gr accuracy. Make sure it's level and let it warm up for half hour. That's just my experience with my machine.

For consistent loads it's hard to beat a beam scale without spending thousands of dollars, I usually do a rough charge on electronic scales and finish it on a beam scale. Having a level solid bench makes a big difference. Planning on getting a chargemaster light at some stage, but if I'm being fussy will still finish loads on my beam scale

I've had both a target master and a chargemaster. Ran the chargemaster and the target master side by side a few times and sold the target master. Just found it a bit clunky to set up and the fine trickler was not that accurate, nice idea though. Now the trickle function is stuffed on my chargemaster and it is out of warranty. It is still usable but it is a pain......

One thing that has worked out for me was buying a tuned beam balance from a guy in the US called Scott Parker (see Scott Parker « Daily Bulletin). I bought a redding new, tuned from him and then when I saw how accurate it was I sent him an old lyman I had and got him to tune that too as a spare. That was a few years ago they may be a bit pricey now with increased freight charges, but they are granule-of-powder sensitive, I always check them with RCBS delux check weights and they are bang on.

I am now wondering about going back to a quality manual powder dispenser and an electronic trickler. The chargemasters are good when they are working well and within their warranty period but after that.... I feel they are not that well built.....

Weighing powder is for amateurs. I hand count the powder granules. Far more rewarding

Originally Posted by Gibo

Weighing powder is for amateurs. I hand count the powder granules. Far more rewarding

I guess pensioners have to pass the time somehow

Lyman gen 6 here too, after years of trickling into a beam I wouldnt be without a dispenser now.
Mine is right next to two old running chest freezers and run from the same socket and under two big double floru tube lights.....I dont own a battery drill.
It goes great as long as it has had plenty of time to warm up.

It has also survived not one but two floods from above when the wife managed to flood the kitchen and the resulting water rained down on my reloading bench.
Both times I thought oh thats it shes stuffed but both times I just gave it a few days to dry out before trying to power it up and it was fine!
Big thumbs up from me

Originally Posted by Gibo

Weighing powder is for amateurs. I hand count the powder granules. Far more rewarding

I tried that but ended up with really light loads.


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