birds with one stone, so to speak, as they can be used in just the scale/weighing mode. If you have a dispenser you also have a digital scale. (See the new RCBS trickler discussed below.) If you are one of the “weigh every
charge” crowd and have been thinking of moving forward from your old bal- ance scale into the digital dispensing age, the above dispensers certainly can simplify life at the loading bench for you. I know there are those out there who will question how accurate all of the above dispensers really are. I checked random charges of each type of powder dis- pensed on my Sartorius/Acculab scale and found no charge from any of the above dispensers varied more than 0.05 grain from the targeted weight. Whether dispensing charges or just weighing them, all of these units are more than accurate enough for their designed task. Of the four dispensers tested, my
two personal favorites were the RCBS ChargeMaster Combo and the Lyman DPS 3 units. Data entry into either was straightforward and positive, even for those digitally challenged like myself, and both had large easy-to-read backlit displays. I found the key layout of the ChargeMaster Combo more to my liking for no particular reason other than the fact that I found the keys more readable than those on the Lyman unit. The time for either of these units to dispense pow- der charges was quick, and the charges seldom varied from the target weight no matter what type of powder was be- ing used. The charge counter function found on both units is of great value if one should lose track of whether a given case had powder in it or not. The Lyman unit would be awkward for a left-handed person to use in contrast to the RCBS’s easy, either hand pan access. I liked the fl ip up scale cover of the Lyman unit bet- ter than the RCBS’s cover setup. If forced to choose between the two, I think the RCBS would get my fi nal vote over the Lyman unit mainly because the Charge Master Combo’s powder reservoir was slightly easier to empty, and that’s not a really big deal. So, other than that one concern, both the Lyman DPS 3 and the
In these closeups you can see the powder measure mounted activating arm and details of the feed mechanism and the bullet seating die.
Page 20 Spring 2012
RCBS ChargeMaster Combo are winners in my book and either would truly serve my needs well. THE SARTORIUS/ACCULAB SCALE Do you really need to know that
a Barnes 22 caliber 55-grain TSX bullet actually weighs 55.24 grains? For most of us varmint hunters who reload our own ammunition, the answer probably is a re- sounding no. Then again, there are those handloaders who are obsessed with details. These folks sort cases by weight and head stamp, weigh every powder charge for every cartridge loaded, and some even weigh and sort primers. Or so I’ve heard. I always have wondered just how
accurate all the weights I have dealt with as a handloader really were. We all take bullet weights for granted and assume that our scales (balance or electronic) accurately weigh the charges thrown by our powder measures. The fact that most of us have had no serious mishaps indicates to me that the current crop of measuring devices out there is, and historically has been, really pretty good. There are those in the handloading community who need and/or want the ability to weigh with more accuracy than 0.1 of a grain and for those folks here’s the answer. I just acquired a Sartorius/ Acculab precision electronic scale which is sold by the Sinclair International folks. You know, the guys who cater mainly to the bench rest/accuracy crowd. This unit has a capacity of 1,852
grains and weighs 2.5 pounds. Dimen- sions are 9.5" long x 6.5" wide x 4" high. This scale has a big footprint! Above and beyond weighing in grains and grams, this scale has a weight percent- age function for sorting cases and a counting function. Other features are too numerous to mention and most are way beyond this old country boy’s pay grade. Sensitivity when weighing in grains is ²⁄₁₀₀ instead of ¹⁄₁₀ like most reloading scales. The Sartorius scale has a glass air shield, and a fl ip up hard cover. There is a bubble level in the front allowing the scale to be leveled via the adjustable feet, and the calibration weight is held in a handy compartment at the right rear of the unit. Unlike most electronic products on the market, the Sartorius scale has a two-year warranty. After unpacking the unit (it was
like undoing a foam puzzle) I placed the Sartorius scale on the bench adjacent to
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212