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Author Topic: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.  (Read 1032 times)

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Offline Dusty Miller

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Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« on: July 02, 2007, 06:09:52 AM »
I've sorta been lusting for an electronic scale and power dispenser for the last year and right now I'm faced with three choices, maybe some of you guys could give me some input.  First up is the RCBS Chargemaster at $300.  It has a 1500 gr. capacity hopper and it allows me to store up to 30 of my favorite loads in memory.  A big plus here is that RCBS customer service is second to none.  Next up is the Lyman 1200 DPS II at $230.  Its hopper looks smaller than the Chargemaster but it'll store up to 100 loads.  Finally, at $220, is the PACT High-Speed Powder Dispenser and Digital Precision Powder Scale.  There appears to be no provision for storing load data.  Hopper capacity looks about the same as the Lyman unit. I'd like anybody with experience with one or more of these items to post some feedback, my credit card is jump'n around in my wallet!
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2007, 06:26:32 AM »
I have the RCBS and can highly recommend it. The Lyman has recently gotten an upgrade kit that increases it's speed and clean up ability. I know that Quick has recently posted about it. I do not know any thing about the Pact. I have found the RCBS to be easy to use and reliable as far as repeatability of loads. I caught my ChargeMaster 1500 on sale at $260, but if you watch the Lyman can be had at the $200 range on sale.
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Offline jasonprox700

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2007, 07:08:31 AM »
I have the RCBS and I highly recommend it.I have not used the other two.  By like LaOtto222 said, it is very reliable.  If you look around, you can pick them up for less than $300.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2007, 07:10:10 AM »
In my book now, the new  Lyman 1200 DPS3 is likely as fast as the RCBS and likely as easy to clean, so ya just have to weigh RCBS vs Lyman, they're both made in China as most electronics these days seem to be. The RCBS can be had for $250-$270, the Lyman for $200-$230. Can't say anything about the Pact, but read the review. If I were buying now, I'd probably go for the RCBS at Midsouth, even tho I'm very happy with the Lyman after the upgrade. Ricciardelli was real happy with his RCBS combo, and he was a dyed in the wool beam scale user!! If you go for the Lyman, get the DPS3, it's the faster one, or have them throw in the upgrade kit.

Tim

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,89877.msg546336.html#msg546336

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000157752400

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0004498923
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Offline PlacitasSlim

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2007, 08:11:40 AM »
I have used the RCBS for a couple years now and can highly recommend it
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2007, 08:43:07 AM »
pact and the rcbs are the same units painted a different colar.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2007, 08:47:22 AM »
Quote from: Lloyd Smale on July 02, 2007, 08:43:07 AM
pact and the rcbs are the same units painted a different colar.

If they're the same, how come they look different and more importantly, perform different?  ???

Tim

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html
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Offline Dusty Miller

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2007, 03:12:08 PM »
Quickdtoo, thanks for those links, I'm going with the RCBS, they are headquartered about 150 miles north of me and thems real good folk for customer service.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2007, 11:29:25 PM »
unless theyve changed something in recent maufactureing. Ive got a pact digital dispensor and scale and my buddy has an rcbs. Now these are both over 10 years old and they vary only in colar and stickers. I was told back then that they were both made by pact and that rcbs just buys them from pact. Its entirely possible that rcbs asks pact to make them to a slightly different spec now though. You can about bet that rcbs isnt making them themselves and id guess theres not alot of companys making them.
Quote from: quickdtoo on July 02, 2007, 08:47:22 AM
Quote from: Lloyd Smale on July 02, 2007, 08:43:07 AM
pact and the rcbs are the same units painted a different colar.

If they're the same, how come they look different and more importantly, perform different?  ???

Tim

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2007, 05:49:00 AM »
Well, it's pretty obvious from the pics and performance in the 2005 6mmBR review that they aren't the same unit any more, the RCBS was 64% faster than the PACT. ;)

Tim



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Offline PlacitasSlim

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2007, 07:57:46 AM »
The first generation RCBS units were made by Pact. The RCBS Chargemaster is not.
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Offline Wolfgang

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2007, 01:59:13 PM »
Dusty,

I can't speak to the Lyman or Pact but I've had the RCBS combo for about a year now and can highly recommend it.  I've found it to be accurate and fast as far as an electronic setup goes.  It is also easy to drain the powder from and clean and according to the instructions, you don't have to re-zero when changing powders although I do since the unit gets moved around when being drained.  All in all a very nice set up.

Wolfgang
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Choosing electronic scale & powder dispenser.
« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2007, 04:13:54 AM »
anyone know how the pact updated for more speed compares to the new rcbs. I never did get mine upgraded. It works great but its slow.
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