Reliable powder measures and progressive loaders

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toothpick

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I've been reloading 9mm for about a year now and I've been thinking of getting a progressive or turret press to speed operation. However, the one problem I've consistently had and which is keeping me from buying a progressive/turret is that I've had a hard time getting a reliable throw from my powder measure. The throw is always somewhere in a range instead of where I want it. It's usually only a fraction of a grain but when the difference between a normal load and a max load is 0.4gr that makes a difference.

What I don't want to do is buy an expensive setup and find my loads that I *want* to be at 4.0gr are ending up anywhere from 3.7 to 4.3.

Manually measuring each charge with a progressive/turret is possible of course but that kind-of defeats the purpose of the setup to begin with.

Are there ways to make progressive/turret powder measures give very accurate charges for handguns? Are there electronic meter/scale setups for progressive/turrets?
 
My Dillon 550 powder measure is within 0.1 of a grain with the powders I use like Bullseye, Win 231, Win 296, H110, AA No9, most of which are ball or small flake powders. The 0.1 of a grain is the occasional extreme once you get it set it is almost always bang on.
 
The powder I'm using is 700-X which has flakes about 1.5mm across and a larger RCBS powder measure.

Does anyone know if the RCBS handgun powder measure can be fitted to one of their progressive presses?
 
My Dillons throw Varget, H4895, VV N-320...and probably any other extruded powder just fine. Its all in the stroke:jerkit: so practice, practice:D;)
 
which RCBS measure are you using? the Uniflow? if so it comes with the Pro2000 along with the micrometer metering screw. this is a great manual indexing press.
 
If you want to go the turret route, I'm using an RCBS turret on which I have the Uniflow mounted in a case-activated linkage. Works fine for medium volume loading. I'm using a Hornady Projector progressive, also with a Uniflow and the case-activated linkage for higher volume. As stated by others, any of the ball and small flake powders should work fine.
 
Thanks for all your input. I bought a pound of Bullseye yesterday and it is a much smaller flake than 700-X. I have a RCBS Uniflow measure and with Bullseye it throws within 0.1gr of where I set it now. Most throws are dead on. I guess the larger powder flakes combined with the small charge were messing things up.
 
Slavex said:
which RCBS measure are you using? the Uniflow? if so it comes with the Pro2000 along with the micrometer metering screw. this is a great manual indexing press.
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I heartily agree with the above statement. Based on gunwriters Kenneth L Walters and John Taffin's recomendation that the 2000 is better than the 550 Dillon, I bought one and sold my 550. I have found the RCBS 2000 to be better than the 550 in several ways, which it should be because they coppied a lot of the 550's design once the pattent's ran out.
, and then made improvements.

I am told that RCBS will introduce a RCBS 2000 with auto-index at this years S.H.O.T. show, along with a retro-fit kit for existing presses. Midway already lists the retro kit for 80.00$.

I can't see why auto indexing would be needed, unless maybe a case feeder is to follow.
 
The rotary powder throws - found on the RCBS Pro 2000 and Hornady LNL AP are the most accurate with a variety of powders.

Having said that, the slide-bar types are good enough when used with ball or modified ball powders.
 
ooooh auto indexing? I'll dust the 2000 off for loading .45 if that's the case (pretty much all 9mm on the 1050 these days).
 
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