Old RCBS Uniflow

[Hinnerk]

I picked up this old RCBS Uniflow powder measure this weekend for $5. Anyone know anything about when this style was made? Unlike current production, it has a bare steel drum, clear powder hopper, straight handle and egg shaped knob. Did all Uniflow measures come with three drop tubes or were the plastic drop tubes something more recent?

Advice on cleaning them up?

[nstoolman1]

I still use it. Got it in my Rock Chucker kit in '79 I believe.

['ol shooter]

I have two, they work great. I put the Micrometer adjuster in and it makes it really easy to dial your charges back in after using it for a different charge spec. Just keep a list of what settings are for what powder/weight and it only takes a few throws to get it dialed in. Mine are from '78-'79 also. They came with two plastic drop tubes, small and large. If you contact RCBS, they will give you a new powder reservoir for free.

[Win231]

Clean metal parts with alcohol. Drop a bunch of powder charges to coat the inside of the cavity with powder residue. Weigh several cases of powder & check consistency.

[Divernhunter]

I have 2. One set up with a large drum and one with a small drum. They had a metal large opening and a small opening screw in insert for the powder drop. The old ones --like mine--- did not have a plastic drop insert or 3 of them. If not RCBS the 3 plastic ones may be another brand.

A trick for better(more uniform) powder drops. Take a plastic 4-5" funnel. Cut of the spout about 1-2" from the large part. Place the funnel on top of the uniflow. Fill it up. Cycle the handle dropping the charges into a small cup. Once the powder has settled and forms a pyramid you are ready to fill cases. Use a consistent force and tap with the handle and NEVER let the funnel run out of powder. You will get very even drops of powder this way. The reason for the funnel is to keep a constant pressure on the powder column. I have done it this way for many years---until getting my electronic measure/scale--and can keep drops to .1gr with ball powders. This is much better than just filling it and running it down to empty. You will need about 1 pound more powder this way so if you buy powder 1lb at a time(not smart) you will now need to get 2 lbs.

[Hinnerk]

Divernhunter, great idea on the funnel. I was thinking also to use a baffle. I only just started reloading last year (all rifle) and have up until now weighed all of my charges one by one. I was thinking to try a powder measure and ran across this one by luck.

I cleaned and polished the drum, housing and drop tube with 1000 grit paper followed by Wenol polish. Then I washed the parts with 99% Isopropanol. It came with one steel drop tube only (as in photo). Currently, all my reloading is 7.65 mm or larger. I haven't measured the hole in this drop tube, yet, but it looks bigger than .22. So are you saying that originally, they came with only one metal drop tube?

[Divernhunter]

The ones I have had both the large and small drums and also the large and small drop tubes. If the one you have only came with one drum it may have only had one drop tube.

If you get an electronic measure/scale combo you will probably not use the Uniflow much. I now only use it if I am loading 500+ cartridges at a time. It was sure handy when I loaded 5700 rounds of 223 and 1400 rounds of 204Ruger at one time.

I do not use the baffle but I see where it could be useful especially if you do not use the funnel. When I got my Uniflow 's they did not have a baffle for them. That is telling my age and how long I have been reloading.

['ol shooter]

Last year I added a baffle and the updated drop tubes, so I can use a long or short tube as needed, as well as large or small. Old dogs can occasionally learn a new trick.

[stilly]

I picked up this old RCBS Uniflow powder measure this weekend for $5. Anyone know anything about when this style was made? Unlike current production, it has a bare steel drum, clear powder hopper, straight handle and egg shaped knob. Did all Uniflow measures come with three drop tubes or were the plastic drop tubes something more recent?

Advice on cleaning them up?

I think there is a QC kit that you can buy that will make it into a QC style and then you can attach a case activated linkage onto it and be ready to go and updated to modern...

Hmm, now that I think of it, it might just mean buying the different style drum and the tubes... Check with RCBS.

[Madpyro]

Still using mine after 32yrs.

[Hinnerk]

Good old RCBS is sending a replacement hopper at no cost. What a company!

[wbunning]

Good old RCBS is sending a replacement hopper at no cost. What a company!

Cool. Refurbing old gear and keepin' it flyin' is fun and satisfying. Often times the quality is superior. And, since you only paid 5 bucks for it, you can justify the price of a micrometer adjustment screw for it :-). Nice find, man!

[mikenpro]

+1 on the micro adj screw. Like every one else here my uniflow is old put still works great.

[John Joseph]

I've got one of these as well. No problems.

[bigbossman]

Be aware that the old Uniflow hoppers are a slightly different diameter than the newer ones. I called RCBS for the same thing a couple of times, and they sent me a couple of hoppers that did not fit properly.

On the third call I got someone who asked me to mic the rim, and then had me hold while he fished a comparable one from the "old stock" bin.