Most repeatable powder dropper?

JasonMPD

What's the most accurately repeatable  hand operated powder thrower you've ever used? For ball and/or extruded powders.

Gene L

 I think a Harrell Precision is the best you can get.  Very precise and repeatable.

Jay

For me it's been the Redding Match Grade 3BR.  Hands down, no comparison.  Like any other manual powder measure, it doesn't always do great with long extruded powders.  But I've thrown plenty of Varget and H4895 out of it with no problem.  The only time I get any issues with it is when trying to throw less than 5 grains for mild handgun loads.  They make a separate metering drum for that.  I just haven't bought it.  I've weighed charges out of it over the course of several hundred rounds at a time and have never noticed more than .1 grain difference in charge weight over the long run.  I also have an RCBS Chargemaster that get's used for everything except handgun plinking ammo where the powder charges are more than 5 grains.  For those, I use the Redding.  It's MUCH faster than the Chargemaster.  The Chargemaster does all of my rifle stuff and all of my target handgun ammo when I want charges to be spot on.

Linefinder

What Jay said. I've had great results with my Redding Match 3BR. I've even thrown RL22 into .270 cases with no problem and negligable variance.

Scooter had a Harrell thrower that impressed me a lot but for most uses of a manual thrower I have a hard time justifying the $$ difference.

I think you'd be pleased with the 3BR. FWIW.....no manual throws Varget and such consistently.

But I used to load .223 Rem in quantities approaching 1K.  A powder such as Ramshot Xterminator meters like water, and I'm not kidding.

Mike

Pegasus

The first version of the Autothrow was based on a Lee Perfect (piece of trash.)  It didn't have to be very accurate as the autotrickler completes the charge down to the kernel.  At any rate, when Adam introduced the V3 version of the Autotrickler/Autothrow, he got rid of the Lee unit and replaced it with his on design in aluminum.  It was much better for the Autothrow, but the Lee Perfect Powder Measure wasn't too bad and I only use Varget.

How much are you looking to spend?

JasonMPD

Pegasus said:

The first version of the Autothrow was based on a Lee Perfect (piece of trash.)  It didn't have to be very accurate as the autotrickler completes the charge down to the kernel.  At any rate, when Adam introduced the V3 version of the Autotrickler/Autothrow, he got rid of the Lee unit and replaced it with his on design in aluminum.  It was much better for the Autothrow, but the Lee Perfect Powder Measure wasn't too bad and I only use Varget.

How much are you looking to spend?

Up to $200 probably.  

Jay

I have to agree with Linefinder on using powders like Xterminator in the 3BR.  I've used that, CFE223, W296, Acc. No9 and several other fine powders like that.  It's almost like you're operating the measure while it's empty.  And very accurate.

It seems like the 3BR by itself is around $180.  If I had it to do over again, I'd get the one that comes with the universal and handgun metering chambers for $220.  But the handgun metering chamber will only be useful if you plan to throw 3-5 grain charges of stuff like Titegroup and the like. 

Also, I've measured Trail Boss with my 3BR and it does fine.  But it sometimes cuts the little O's.  I've read that it's not a good idea to cut TB.  But I never noticed any problems. 

ETA - I will note, I got the 3BR years ago with the recommendation of Linefinder, and I'm glad I did.  But before that, I had only used an OLD Pacific Tool and Gauge and a not quite as old Hornady.  So to me, the difference was night and day and I've never looked back.

Gene L

Well, I spend the extra bucks for the Harrell.  Not only is it very accurate, you can add longer drop tubes to drop charges farther when you need to do so. Like 4895 in a .222 case. It's a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, but probably the rest of them are as well.

snake284

Scooter Trash turned me onto the Harrell about 2 years before he died. Best Manual thrower out there. But as Linefinder said, their are others that will work if you tweak 'em.

I haven't used my Harrell since I got a Charge Master. But I don't load a large volume at once. So it does good for me. But I hear tell the Charge Master is slow when you're loading a large volume compared to a good manual thrower.

Linefinder

Truth is, today I'd probably buy the Harrell, simply because the $30 (?) difference doesn't mean as much to me today as when I was "starting over again"  at 52 years old.

Both do an outstanding job and leave all other manual throwers in the dirt. I know this from experience, I've owned a few of differing brands.

The Harrell felt a tad smoother than the Redding, but I can't say precision wise, there was a dimes difference between the two.

Mike