which powder measures the quietest?
- Thread starter boombag13
- Start date
The Auto-disc measure on my Lee turret press is definitely not the loudest part.
I have the hornady dispenser. The beeping on the unit is so bad I had to take it apart and disable the buzzer. The dispensing isn't very loud though- I'd call it similar to a microwave, but not quite as loud. I use it in the next room to my son sleeping and he doesn't seem to be bothered... but with the beeper it is loud!
Yeah, it is. However I won't ever give up my dispenser. The manual ones are pretty good, trickling up loads is better, but having a machine throw for you is so much easier. I used to check throws against my beam scale, but stopped because they are all within that 0.1 grain band and my loads are tolerant enough (I mostly reload lukewarm .308). For pistol reloading it wouldn't be my choice, but for precision rifle it is the cat's behind.
Honestly your press is gong to be far louder than any measure. The loudest part on every manual measure I've used is just the cracking of a grain here and there. You don't need to be hard on it, just consistent. Mount the press somewhere REALLY sturdy (like, bolt the table to the floor, even if it's concrete floor in three basement) and you should be able to be pretty quiet
Honestly, if the knocker is a real concern, the other option would be to simply get a small motor or aquarium pump (if you use a motor, you'd want to get a brushless DC motor, and use electrical tape and tape a fishing weight to the shaft, so it's unbalanced), and then when you turn it on, it will quietly hum away (you can get real quiet ones). Tape or strap it to the side of the powder measure, and it will vibrate the kernels into the measure. You couldn't just go "slam slam slam slam" really quick with it, but realistically, if you're using the knocker, then you're not going super super fast anyways.
Basically you'd measure out one charge, then move the handle back to the up position, and while you move to the next case, the motor/pump would vibrate the powder into the measure chamber, then you pull the handle back down and dispense, and then move the handle back up before you move to the next cartridge.
That second or three in between cartridges would be more than enough for the motor to vibrate the powder pretty consistently. I would actually guess it might even be more consistent than using the knocker, because you might not be perfectly consistent with the knocker
Basically you'd measure out one charge, then move the handle back to the up position, and while you move to the next case, the motor/pump would vibrate the powder into the measure chamber, then you pull the handle back down and dispense, and then move the handle back up before you move to the next cartridge.
That second or three in between cartridges would be more than enough for the motor to vibrate the powder pretty consistently. I would actually guess it might even be more consistent than using the knocker, because you might not be perfectly consistent with the knocker
Just measured my RCBS 1500.
War Room back ground noise - 33.2 dB
Unit running - 56.7 dB measured at 20"
Room next door back ground noise 33.6 - 44.0 dB (window open)
Unit running noise next room 33.6 - 44.0
I can barely hear it the next room. I would say that if they can hear it and keeps them awake then it is that they want they want to be in there with you.
Placing it on some styrofoam will reduce it by a couple of dBs so it does not resonate thru the table.
War Room back ground noise - 33.2 dB
Unit running - 56.7 dB measured at 20"
Room next door back ground noise 33.6 - 44.0 dB (window open)
Unit running noise next room 33.6 - 44.0
I can barely hear it the next room. I would say that if they can hear it and keeps them awake then it is that they want they want to be in there with you.
Placing it on some styrofoam will reduce it by a couple of dBs so it does not resonate thru the table.
Honestly, if the knocker is a real concern, the other option would be to simply get a small motor or aquarium pump (if you use a motor, you'd want to get a brushless DC motor, and use electrical tape and tape a fishing weight to the shaft, so it's unbalanced), and then when you turn it on, it will quietly hum away (you can get real quiet ones). Tape or strap it to the side of the powder measure, and it will vibrate the kernels into the measure. You couldn't just go "slam slam slam slam" really quick with it, but realistically, if you're using the knocker, then you're not going super super fast anyways.
Basically you'd measure out one charge, then move the handle back to the up position, and while you move to the next case, the motor/pump would vibrate the powder into the measure chamber, then you pull the handle back down and dispense, and then move the handle back up before you move to the next cartridge.
That second or three in between cartridges would be more than enough for the motor to vibrate the powder pretty consistently. I would actually guess it might even be more consistent than using the knocker, because you might not be perfectly consistent with the knocker
Or order a vibrator from ebay (the silver ball one), half the work and more than likely much cheaper and easier than a aquarium pump.
Honestly, I'd buy a nice redding powder thrower, and spend the rest of the money on a nice scale.
That would be if you are loading higher quantities.
If you're loading for precision, and don't mind taking extra time, then I would spend all of that money on a really nice digital scale, and then just use a scoop from a lee die kit (Or a similar small scoop) and scoop the powder out of a cup.
THat's what I do with my precision loads, well, I did. Now I use a powder thrower, and set it so that it throws under every time, then I use a trickler to trickle in just enough granules to bring it up to weight.
But honestly, a nice redding powder measure with the micrometer adjust is about the best you're going to get. There is another company, but the name escapes me right now (might be Harris... I think that's it), and they make a really nice high end Benchrest powder thrower. I don't know if there's a downside to it, but it's apparently very accurate - about as accurate as any volumetric measure is ever going to be (measuring powder by volume will never be perfect, simply because there are other factors which affect powder volume vs. weight (air space in between powder, size of granules), and the air space factor is affected by many things - the surface of the powder itself, the smoothness of the measure chamber, any vibrations present, etc.
My mailman will wonder what I, a male, am doing with a vibrator
ESPECIALLY a silver ball one!!!ewwwwwwwwwww......
My mailman will wonder what I, a male, am doing with a vibrator
ewwwwwwwwwww......
Ask him if he wants to hold the vibrator in place while you work on the load.
