Autotrickler

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Today, I got to use my buddy's Autotrickler. We have a 1000 yd, 2-day match next week and I needed 120 rounds plus sighters for the two days. Doing it the old fashioned way with my Uniflow and a trickler is tortuous and why I never was interested in precision rifle shooting back in the days of mechanical scales. The Autotrickler is a version 3 I believe. He got it last year and I see they now have a Version 4 and it is very different from his. I've read that some prefer the Version 3 over the 4, but for personal reasons, not quality or performance.

For those not familiar, it is a powder measure similar to a Uniflow, but operated by a stepper motor. Then there is a separate trickler that is also run by a stepper motor. Both are connected together with a high grade pharmaceutical type digital scale that is accurate to 0.01 grain. I may be wrong about that. It might be 0.001 grain. It's been a while since I read the scale spec.

Once you set up the scale for the desired powder charge, you put the cup (a glass shotglass with a handle) on the scale under the spout and it automatically dispenses a load. It shuts off when the load is correct. You dump the cup into the case and put it back on the scale. By the time you put the case in the press and seat the bullet, the next charge is just finishing up and sometimes it is done and waiting for you. I was using H4895 which is very coarsely cut stick powder and it meters poorly. So, the initial powder drop can vary by a great amount making trickler time longer. They recommend setting up to be within 0.1 gr of the desired load. But with that powder, it was close to impossible. Getting it that close resulted in regular overcharges from the powder measure which means dumping it and starting over.

Once you are set up, loading goes very smoothly. No frustration over hand tickling in powder and then going over and similar annoyances. I loaded 100 rounds in about an hour and that included my teething period. Went to lunch and loaded the other 50 and I'm ready for the match.

If I decide F-class is for me, I'm gonna need one of these or at least build something similar. The Version 4 is about $500 and the scale is another $500. They do not make the scale. But they have selected it from a high end vendor. Google Autotrickler if you are curious. They are also the makers of Shotmarker which we use at Forbes and boy does that make life simpler. Info on that is on the same website.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Yep, I've been using the RCBS Chargemaster since they first came out. Wouldn't be without it.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
i use the lyman DPMS-2 and a powder dump.
dump set push and seat the bullet from the last one while the scale does it's thing.
no rush, but you ain't really dawdling along fiddling around either.
 

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
I have the Lyman DPS 5 (I think), and it’s very useful.
The accuracy of the dispenser varies with powder geometry. But whenever I use coarse stick powders, I can often tolerate a little variation.
With short grained extruded powders, it’s usually within +/- 0,1grs. With coarse, dense powders, or long- grained powders it’s usually within +/- 0,2 grs.
 

dale2242

Well-Known Member
I use my Hornady Auto Charge for all loads except small charges of ball powder.
My RCBS Uniflow will be dead nuts on with ball powder if operated properly.
I use the small cylinder.
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Yes, some powders dump flawlessly and repeatably. 2400 is one of them. While I was using Steve's Autotrickler, he said powders like Varget meter so much better than the coarse stick powders. But I can't bitch here. He had 8 lbs of 4895 that he gave to me so I could start shooting F-class. If it were shaped like oatmeal, I'd still be happy.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
You need to watch for drafts when using any elec. measures -they will make your measurements wrong. Good ones come with a transparent cover - use it! You don't get .001gr accuracy from any of them.
 

Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
You need to watch for drafts when using any elec. measures -they will make your measurements wrong. Good ones come with a transparent cover - use it! You don't get .001gr accuracy from any of them.
Turns out the A&D scale accuracy is 0.001gm which is 0.015 gr. Looked at the spec last night. There is a scale for general loading purposes that was mentioned by the Autotrickler folks when I looked at their site a month or so ago. It appears that they have updated their website since. I see that Brownell's sells it. Here's the link. Price is certainly right.