Uniflow or electronic trickle measure

[milotrain]

I need a faster way to meter powder and I was going to buy a uniflow off ebay or the reloading section but then I started to think that maybe instead of spending $80 on a uniflow I could spend $280 on an electronic powder measure. I'm going to be trying to develop some high accuracy loads but they won't be the majority of what I shoot. A lot of what I shoot will be decent plinking loads and I may go to a 550 which would negate the uniflow. I currently rock the single stage press with a beam scale and a scoop.

Thoughts?

[Rotting]

My advice is to get a Uniflow and a powder trickler to use in conjunction with your beam scale. This method is actually considerably faster than a Chargemaster. The Chargemaster is, however, "easier" in that you press a button, wait for 30 seconds and your charge is ready for you.

[Bill Steele]

I think the problem with drops like the Uniflow (or a powder bar drop like the 550 uses) is when you want to use the larger extruded powders, they don't meter all that well, so you end up trickling anyway, if you want to get really close.

The way I process my rifle brass, using my 550 likely wouldn't be a significant advantage anyway.

I have used my Lee Turret and its AD powder drop when I loaded BL-C(2) and it worked great, so if you are using the right powders like ball or smaller extruded, a drop like the Uniflow or a 550 powder bar might be fine.

For rifle, I think one of those fancy automatic trickler style units would be the cat's meow, but I have been too cheap to get one myself.

[grant22]

I am with you. I've been reloading .223 plinking rds w/ H335 on my 550 which meters THAT powder very well.

When making precision rds, though, the 550 measure doesn't meter Varget well enough, so I just bought and received my RCBS chargemaster which so far, is great.

[milotrain]

Interesting. So basically it's not worth it for handgun ammo, and maybe I should spend the money on a progressive press for that and hand trickle all of my accurate stuff.

Actually that makes it a lot easier of a choice. A 550 is only a little more than an electronic. It's a lot more than a uniflow but if I'm trying to make handgun ammo then it likely doesn't make much sense for me to sit here with a single stage all day.

[Bill Steele]

Interesting. So basically it's not worth it for handgun ammo, and maybe I should spend the money on a progressive press for that and hand trickle all of my accurate stuff.

Actually that makes it a lot easier of a choice. A 550 is only a little more than an electronic. It's a lot more than a uniflow but if I'm trying to make handgun ammo then it likely doesn't make much sense for me to sit here with a single stage all day.

My 550 has been trouble free and terrific for loading handgun. Simplicity of operation, 400-500 an hour output, perfect for me.

The only caveat I would give on the 550 is it does not auto index. If you are loading a small powder charge in a large case (something I do a lot of), you have to setup a small light and look into each case to verify your powder drop prior to setting the bullet on the case mouth. If you are not good at being diligent with proceedures during loading, an auto indexing setup has a pretty big advantage in this area.

[damndave]

I have a chargemaster and it is not faster. It is much easier though.

[milotrain]

You guys basically suck. Now instead of not wanting to spend $120 on a uniflow I've just committed to buying a used 550B with 9mm, and 45acp dies on quick change plates.

Gross.

[anyracoon]

Welcome to the Blue-KoolAid club.
Oh by the way You can get a adapter to use a UniFlow on a 550 or 650 Dillon!

[milotrain]

Is the dillon 550 measure not great? Don't hear anything bad about it in a quick search. Hear it doesn't meter unique well but neither does anything apparently. I wouldn't have considered it but there was a used deal that covers a lot of what I want to shoot. Additionally my father bought a progressive 20gauge press way back in the beginning of time and he still uses it often. And because he and I both seem to go through the "shoot a bunch for two years then stop for two years then do it again" I'll bet he's using powder primers and shot that he bought when I was a boy.