Safety Issue: I learn about the Lyman 55 measure

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I picked up a Lyman 55 measure at a gun show a few years back, I had never owned or used
one before. It had no drop tube/funnel unit on the outlet, so I machined up one from aluminum,
conceptually similar to the screw in plastic ones on my RCBS measures.

I finally decided to use it a couple days ago. I was loading a near full charge of W296 in
.357. My 550 is set up to turn out .38 Spl, and I didn't want to adjust the dies for the
longer case, run 50 or 100 rounds of full power mag loads and then set it back to .38 Spl
moderate loads, so doing this batch on the Redding Turret, single state style.

I have 50 cases all ready for powder in a MTM case holder plate, and after getting the measure
checked carefully, validating the individual throws with a 10 throw test. All was fine.

So I filled up the 50 cases, and for safety, I looked carefully at them......HMM. That last row
looks noticeably more full than the first row I filled. Nah, can't be, BUT, just to be safe,
better check. Dumped the last case filled into the scale pan......a bit over 3 full grains above the
setting.:eek::eek: THAT IS SCARY. I think the GP100 might probably have survived, but not
sure about the 586. Checked more. It had slowly increased, about .6 grains per row.
After dumping the cases back into the measure, I poured the powder out to examine the
measure. Looking down inside, the entire drum had moved right a bit, so the free end added
volume to the cavity. Looking more closely at this unfamiliar design - with multiple slides
and various thumbscrews. UH - OH, user error. One thumbscrew on the right side
locks the slides and the other keeps the drum from moving axially.

Lesson learned, all guns and fingers and eyes still intact.

Don't make the same mistake. And dump a sample charge at the end of a run and see if
it is still the same as when you started. Before you put the bullets in. If this had been
a small charge, like my std load in .38 Spl is 3 gr of Clays. Add three to that and things
will be very bad.

Ya'll be safe out there.

Bill
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I like my 55 for small charges. The ability to use the two brass slide to get started a wife, shallow cavity makes for better accuracy. Most measures give a deep, narrow cavity with small charges and I find they give too much variation charge to charge.

Yep, snug up the set screw that holds the big, black slide in place. It can move as you found out.
 

Intheshop

Banned
Mine was/is set for 19 or 20? g of 4759....a favorite '06 practice load.Still have a supply of that powder,just moved to others.Main measures are RCBS on a carousel.Pistols are those Lyman pistol measures on std loads,RCBS when working on testing.Once the load gets dialed in we machine a specific rotor.

Not to be contrary,but I just don't see why measures "seem" to be so complicated?Put up or shut up.....one of these days am going to machine up a few.Making several at a time isn't much more effort than one.

But thanks for the heads up.
 

JSH

Active Member
My very first powder measure was a Hornady. It worked fine for a long time. I then basically tripped over a Redding BR3. The Redding works great with ball,flake and short extruded powders.
I then started using sr4759.
This powder does not begin to cooperate with 99% of the measures I tried. And I did try a bunch thanks to a lot of friends.
I had all but given up for a good measure for stick powders. I had also procured a goodly amount of 4198 since the intital 4759 issue.
All of those large stick powders gave me nothing but grief as far as dropping a desired amount on any kind of consistent basis.
I went to a small one day GS at one of the VFW post. One gent had a BM measure in the box, we came to an agreement and it and home with me.
Well,this old world being in the big hurry it is,I can see why this fine measure, didn't "measure up".
They are a superb measure to say the least. If it will go through all of the openings the BM will best anything I have found,period. If I could have one measure it would be the BM with a micro adjustable magnum drop tube.

This brings up the grand old discussion of weight or volume. That falls in with the thoughts of accuracy, time of flight or bullet weight.

There is a lathe project for ya Bill. Make up a good drop tube for that BM. Polished brass and a fine knurling job:)

Measures all have their place as tools. Right tool for the job makes life a lot easier.
Jeff
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
SR 4759 is the reason I got the RCBS Charge Master. No problem no more.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I avoided that by never buying 4759.
I have an RCBS measure and hate it. Binds horribly with AA9 or H110. Just loose enough to let powder get between rotor and body and wedge it tight.
Most of my powder gets dropped thru a Harrels. It just doesn't do well with really small charges.
 

300BLK

Well-Known Member
I bought a can of 4759 many years ago and never again. The Redding with "pistol chamber" does fine with small charges of pistol powder, and ball powder flows like water through all (3) Reddings. I have a coupe of OLD Reddings besides. One is the cut-off variety that uses the removable measuring tube like the B&M, and another has an adjustment dial the size of a safe dial on it side.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I have an RCBS measure and hate it. Binds horribly with AA9 or H110. Just loose enough to let powder get between rotor and body and wedge it tight.

That's simply because you have the wrong RCBS powder measure. There, see how simple that was? :D
.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I have a NIB Chargemaster, never had the tape cut. Also have an Arcadia Machine Tool automatic charger, it's been rebuilt by the factory ages ago and does work, but it taught me that I don't like auto measures.

ITS, if you engineer a measure, consider making it like a Belding & Mull, but make it usable, and don't use a truck suspension spring for a shuttle return when a ball point pen spring will do. Oh, and make it so it can be operated with one hand while the other does something useful like, oh, I don't know, maybe holding a primed casing under the drop tube?? Splendid concept is the B&M's shuttle reservoir, but really really lousy execution. If my old dinosaur RCBS Uniflow didn't work so well I'd throw them all out and make a proper one....my lathe came in today!
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I have a NIB Chargemaster, never had the tape cut. Also have an Arcadia Machine Tool automatic charger, it's been rebuilt by the factory ages ago and does work, but it taught me that I don't like auto measures.

ITS, if you engineer a measure, consider making it like a Belding & Mull, but make it usable, and don't use a truck suspension spring for a shuttle return when a ball point pen spring will do. Oh, and make it so it can be operated with one hand while the other does something useful like, oh, I don't know, maybe holding a primed casing under the drop tube?? Splendid concept is the B&M's shuttle reservoir, but really really lousy execution. If my old dinosaur RCBS Uniflow didn't work so well I'd throw them all out and make a proper one....my lathe came in today!

Break that Chargemaster out of the box and give it a go because nothing you describe is remotely close to it's function or operation. Truck suspension spring? Shuttle return? It is very much one handed operation. Try it out before you dislike it so much. :confused:
.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
I went from an RCBS to old Lyman 55. Had good luck with it. For every 50 rds, I have a habit of setting it, measuring the first couple drops, then a middle drop and a last drop. Occassionally, I do have to dump 5 rds or so, but usually all good.
 

Edward R Southgate

Component Hoarder Extraordiniare
Always had good service from the 55 . I got 4 of them as well as a #5 and they can be a tad difficult to set up but they are pretty accurate with the powders I use . I also have several of the plastic Lee measures that work well and 2 of the Belding & Mull measures .
 
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Ian

Notorious member
Break that Chargemaster out of the box and give it a go because nothing you describe is remotely close to it's function or operation. Truck suspension spring? Shuttle return? It is very much one handed operation. Try it out before you dislike it so much. :confused:
.

I was referring to the Belding & Mull, an almost brilliant contraption,if it weren't for the shortcomings I mentioned. If the Chargemaster works like the AMT unit, and it should (same basic design), I don't think it will suit me but you know, but you're right I should at least try it. The AMT was slow and distracting, I could throw a charge in a pan, trickle it up and have it in the case before the noisey contraption had piddled out a charge.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
The RCBS is slower than I would like but I pour the powder from the pan into the case and set the pan back on the scale, most times by the time i seat the bullet it's ready for the next case. Larger charges take a bit longer sometimes but it's worth it to me for the accuracy with the stick powders.
 

300BLK

Well-Known Member
ITS, if you engineer a measure, consider making it like a Belding & Mull, but make it usable, and don't use a truck suspension spring for a shuttle return when a ball point pen spring will do. Oh, and make it so it can be operated with one hand while the other does something useful like, oh, I don't know, maybe holding a primed casing under the drop tube?? Splendid concept is the B&M's shuttle reservoir, but really really lousy execution. If my old dinosaur RCBS Uniflow didn't work so well I'd throw them all out and make a proper one....my lathe came in today!

Reddings "cut-off" measure was simpler than B&M's.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Red...696583?hash=item361b351107:g:L2IAAOSwHLNZTe6r
 

JSH

Active Member
I probably messed up some years back. I had a 55 that had been worked on by one of the Harrels. It is long gone.

I have one of those Reddings! Bought it at a flea market for chump change. I have never put it to use. Yet.....

You guys that dislike 4759 were missing out until they quit making it. I did not run around and buy all I could lay my hands on. I did buy what was offered to me when others found out it was going to be history. I tried a LOT of powders when I started casting for bottle neck cartridges. None of them gave me the grief or happiness that 4759 has. Some will say 5744, others will mention trail boss, neither is in the same league as 4759. 5744 is pretty close, but still no cigar when it comes right down to it with 308-35 Whelan sized cases.

Back to the powder measures. I would sure like to hear any input on the Forster powder measure. It is an iron copy of the Lee style. Somewhat of a BM and Redding combo. I have heard that they are pretty good with a variety of powders.

On the binding of the rotors and such when using the "fairy dust powders". When was the last time you took on apart and cleaned it?

I tear mine down on a fairly regular basis,according to usage and clean with alcohol. The rotors may need to be wiped down several times to get good and clean. I then hit them with a hair dryer. A small dusting of graphite when reassembled.

Jeff
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I used the RCBS just a couple times. Decided I didn't care for it so it went back on a shelf. It was given to me by someone no longer reloading so I wasn't really attached to it. The rotor and housing were clean. WC820 is so fine it found a small crevice to get into and wedged the rotor tight.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I too am a fan of the RCBS Charge Master 1500. A little slow, yes, but I do other things while charging cases. Size bullets, seat bullets, case prep.....
With powders like SR4759 this powder measurer is invaluable.