What is your thought on the RCBS Uniflow

[Danodog]

I am slowly accumulating RCBS reloading equipment to take advantage of the $50 off a $300 dollar purchase. The offer ends in June. The last of the big purchases will be a powder dispenser like the Uniflow, but I see a few different variants. I usually see complaints that the Uniflow has difficulty with elongated or stick powders. I also saw that a baffle could be purchased as well as a stand to work with the Uniflow. I didn't want a cheap setup, but I can't afford expensive either. Here is my list of accumulated items so far.

1. RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme - $99 (Missed the rebate by a day so this item does not count towards the $300.

2. RCBS 5-0-5 Scale -$69
3. RCBS Pro Trim 2 Case Trimmer - $107
4. RCBS Powder Trickler - $24
5. RCBS .308/6.5x55 FL Reloading dies - $54
6. RCBS 2 and 3 shell holders - $15

The Uniflow can be found as low as $72 for the normal one. The competitive models I have seen from $90 to $190. What would you recommend from your experience?

Thanks in advance

Dan

[shoebox56]

I have the regular Uniflow on my Pro2000 and a standalone Uniflow Quick Change. Both are great. No issues at all. Uniflow with micrometer was surprisingly convenient when changing up power/loads.

[M1NM]

I've got an old Uniflow that came with both rotors. Never had a problem. With stick powder just move it quick and with authority and it'll cut right through the powder. You'll have to be consistant to get uniform charges from any powder measure of this type. I think the new ones come with the baffle.

[highpower790]

Nothing wrong with the uniflow.Ihave used one for nearly 20years and its all about being consistent with powder drops.+/- .02-.03 is all I need with the stick powder I use.

[Danodog]

Thanks guys. Do you recommend the baffle and stand?

[thomashoward]

Great start. RCBS has had me reloading for 35 years
never needed a baffle

[highpower790]

Thanks guys. Do you recommend the baffle and stand?

the baffle isn't necessary,buy it only to experiment,but again its not necessary!

[Divernhunter]

Stand is needed and baffle helps. I have 2. One with small drum and one with large drum. They work well.

[J-cat]

The competition model is better fitted and cuts powder more smoothly. It has a better easier to adjust micrometer.

[Danodog]

Kind of leaning with the standard Uniflow powder measure on Amazon. It can be had for $72.99 with free shipping. I figure I can order the stand too for $33, baffle is $7. The competition rifle is $50 more. ($121) Kind of hard to justify the extra cost if I have a trickler and the 5-0-5 scale. Thanks again!

[stilly]

I am slowly accumulating RCBS reloading equipment to take advantage of the $50 off a $300 dollar purchase. The offer ends in June. The last of the big purchases will be a powder dispenser like the Uniflow, but I see a few different variants. I usually see complaints that the Uniflow has difficulty with elongated or stick powders. I also saw that a baffle could be purchased as well as a stand to work with the Uniflow. I didn't want a cheap setup, but I can't afford expensive either. Here is my list of accumulated items so far.

1. RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme - $99 (Missed the rebate by a day so this item does not count towards the $300.

2. RCBS 5-0-5 Scale -$69
3. RCBS Pro Trim 2 Case Trimmer - $107
4. RCBS Powder Trickler - $24
5. RCBS .308/6.5x55 FL Reloading dies - $54
6. RCBS 2 and 3 shell holders - $15

The Uniflow can be found as low as $72 for the normal one. The competitive models I have seen from $90 to $190. What would you recommend from your experience?

Thanks in advance

Dan

Eww.

I despise the Uniflows. They were a great idea, till Hornady came by and made it better, and called it the LNL dropper. Then RCBS came back with the QC version and if I were to go for an RCBS Uniflow type, then I would look for the QC version.

The regular uniflow does NOT allow you to quickly empty out the powder without taking it off and turning it upside down. The QC might, but do they have an adapter that plugs in and turns the charge tube into a funnel to trickle into the powder can?

The Hornady LNL dropper allows you to buy a drain for $10 or whatever and plug it into either of the rotors and then let it down and the powder just flows on out.

That is my only observation after handling the uniflow and I am glad I got my LNL, but that QC uniflow, I have not handled, but QC means that they could have addressed the issues and improved slightly upon the Hornady version. Oh yeah, and the uniflows have a hard plastic powder resovoir where the hornady have cheap plastic walls, BUT, you can replace them with the same clean tubes from a closet world or organization place or whatever...

[Danodog]

Eww.

I despise the Uniflows. They were a great idea, till Hornady came by and made it better, and called it the LNL dropper. Then RCBS came back with the QC version and if I were to go for an RCBS Uniflow type, then I would look for the QC version.

The regular uniflow does NOT allow you to quickly empty out the powder without taking it off and turning it upside down. The QC might, but do they have an adapter that plugs in and turns the charge tube into a funnel to trickle into the powder can?

The Hornady LNL dropper allows you to buy a drain for $10 or whatever and plug it into either of the rotors and then let it down and the powder just flows on out.

That is my only observation after handling the uniflow and I am glad I got my LNL, but that QC uniflow, I have not handled, but QC means that they could have addressed the issues and improved slightly upon the Hornady version. Oh yeah, and the uniflows have a hard plastic powder resovoir where the hornady have cheap plastic walls, BUT, you can replace them with the same clean tubes from a closet world or organization place or whatever...

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't even know there was a quick change version. I will look into that as well.

[Bumslie]

I have 2 uniflows. Old one with pistol drum, and new one with the "universal" drum that came with the rock Chucker supreme kit. I also have the Hornady measurer on my lnl progressive.

Given the choice, I prefer rcbs.

I don't see why stilly has such a complaint or need to "quickly drain the hopper. It's honestly not that hard to unscrew and pour back into the bottle. I own the dispensing funnel for the Hornady and I can honestly count on one hand how many times I've used it.

All volumetric powder throwers will struggle somewhat with throwing stick type powders. Just get it close and trickle the rest in if you're in need of exact charge weight.

If I had to start from scratch, I would buy this.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/491524/rcbs-quick-change-powder-measure

[stilly]

I have 2 uniflows. Old one with pistol drum, and new one with the "universal" drum that came with the rock Chucker supreme kit. I also have the Hornady measurer on my lnl progressive.

Given the choice, I prefer rcbs.

I don't see why stilly has such a complaint or need to "quickly drain the hopper. It's honestly not that hard to unscrew and pour back into the bottle. I own the dispensing funnel for the Hornady and I can honestly count on one hand how many times I've used it.

All volumetric powder throwers will struggle somewhat with throwing stick type powders. Just get it close and trickle the rest in if you're in need of exact charge weight.

If I had to start from scratch, I would buy this.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/491...powder-measure

Your link is the one I would pick if I had to go with RCBS.

I am paranoid about leaving or having powder in my hopper if I am not reloading. For paranoia AND for safety I will remove it when I do not plan to load for a few hours or so. I have drained my powder in the past year prolly 20 times or so. I usually do not put a lot of powder in to start, but when I do, I will cycle it through the hopper unless I am kinda of in a hurry, in which case I will attach the drain and let it flow back into the bottle, then remove the drain and slap it a few times, remove the top, brush it out and then allow the last few bits to cycle into a case and dump that back into the bottle. It saves me having to undo the screw on the base, then remove the spring and the turnbuckle and then pick the whole thing up and flip it over and pour out the powder (I could exaggerate the actions and make an infomercial face...). Why bother when I can just drain and brush?

Looking at the new RCBS QC model, If it comes with a pistol and rifle insert (meaning you do not need to change out rotors/drums) then that is better. One less thing you need to buy, apparently it comes with two metering tubes and a drain. I had to buy my drain seperately as my pistol rotor. My hopper only came with a rifle rotor/metering tube. There is a BIG difference. And in Hornady, you can not put the rifle tube into the pistol drum. You might be able to do it with the pistol insret (into the rifle drum) but why? It will stop functioning properly at that point I think.

When I had a Uniflow that someone brought me. In order to change out the rotor I had to unscrew the tube, or rather screw it all of the way in and back out the charging tube through the hopper itself. There was no way that it was coming out the bottom like the Hornady. Now THAT was certainly irritating. If you get to be like some of these guys that will buy different metering tubes for different powders because they do not want to go back and forth setting them back each time, then the QC or the hornady is prolly for you. I would say to go with the QC. BUT, instead of buying multiple tubes for various powders, Keep a pad of paper or something for notes and measure the tube length with your calipers and record the length for that powder/ charge. Then you can just go back to adjusting it later on and not have to guess. Certainly cheaper than buying multiple tubes...

Yeah I am just picky about this stuff. Both are good, but the QC is WAY better in my opinion and if it only has one rotor/drum that will use both pistol AND rifle inserts as well as coming with a drain tube, then it beats the lock n load hands down in both price and convenience.

The only other one that I would consider was that Lyman triple bar action expensive monkey mother****er that I saw for around $90. I think it is the 55# or something. I would have it but it does not look like it would play well with case activated linkage and I do not have the money to test it out. Maybe a call to them...

[bender152]

It did the job for me, but ever since I got a Chargemaster, I never needed it again. I ended up selling the Uniflow.

I had the baffle and stand. The baffle was recommended by people on other forums. It only cost a few bucks, so I went ahead and bought it.

The stand I needed as I had nowhere else to mount the Uniflow. The Uniflow doesn't include any real stand. It includes a mounting plate, but that's about it.

Regarding your list, a lot of people don't care for the powder trickler, but it's your call. (See this thread: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=985709 )