Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anyone tried the Lee Classic Powder Measure?

The Lee Perfect Powder Measure has a very good reputation for being very consistent with extruded powders. The new Lee Classic Powder measure seems to be a heavier duty version of the Perfect so I am considering giving one a try. Has anyone tried one yet? If so, how well is it working for you?

John

My Perfect Powder measure feels cheap but is more accurate than my RCBS or Redding. It does get gritty with flakes and ball powder, but sticks, always within .1 grains.

Thanks H1. I'm just wondering if the new classic will be as good or better. I might should just go with the perfect but the idea of the metal body and detent micrometer in the classic is appealing.

John

I think it will be an upgrade if they are using better materials! The old one feels cheap but does its job well.

John,

Do you have a Belding & Mull, or one of the reproductions?

m

I have the MVA which is an upgraded version of the Belding and Mull. With ball powders it is nothing short of amazing, showing virtually zero charge to charge deviation. With stick powders it is ok but not so good that I don't feel the need to weigh each charge. I've read the Lee Perfect Powder Measure is fantastic with stick powders. I'm hoping that the new classic will be as good but would like to hear from those that use it. It is supposed to have the best features of the Perfect but even better. I'll let you know in a week or so. I went ahead and ordered one today.

John

$72 at Midway. Might have to try one.



Cut-n-paste
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Features

Rugged construction
Eliminates cut powder and jerky action
Easy to set and read micrometer metering chamber
Changing powders is fast and easy


The Lee classic powder measure features a machined cast iron body; no other material has the heft, stability and rugged appearance that cast iron offers. The precision-machined rotor drum is cast from brass, which is naturally antistatic and spark proof. A soft elastomer wiper strikes off the metering chamber rather than cut the powder. You'll be surprised at how smoothly the rotor operates. More importantly, you will enjoy the most uniform of changes. Powder charge adjustment is accomplished with a true micrometer adjustable metering chamber. The metering chamber is aluminum with a black anodized finish and features a crisp, permanent, laser engraved scale. The brass micrometer thimble is engraved with .01cc graduations and has a releasable detent lock. With most rifle powders each click is about a 1/10 of a grain, perfect for working up a load. The Classic Powder Measure features an easily removable ½ pound capacity hopper with an on/off valve so you can quickly return unused powder to its original container or switch to another type. The hopper feeds to a pre-measuring chamber allowing precise charges regardless of the powder level in the hopper, no additional powder baffle required.


One of the nicest features is the ability to use the new Lee standard quick-change drums. These low cost drums can be preset to your favorite charge and swapped out in seconds.



Technical Information:

Material: Nylon, Brass and Aluminum
Metering Chamber: Micrometer and drum
Features: Elastomer Wiper
Attachment: To bench or press
Includes: Micrometer adjuster

Powder Charge Thrown: 0-85 grains

My Lee Classic Powder measure arrived today and I spent some time getting familiar with it and then evaluating it. Due to the rubber wiper, it feels different than any powder measure I have ever used. There is continuous friction throughout the throw process. It is smooth, but there is some resistance in the handle. It make sense when I think about it. With a metal on metal drum, there is still a little clearance, allowing them to cycle nearly friction free. With the Lee Classic, the rubber wiper is making firm contact with the drum, thus the friction. Lee is true to their word. It does not shear grains of extruded powder all, a feature that I really like. As a result there is never any jerkiness to the throwing cycle. A little friction, yes, but no jerkiness. But the big question is how consistently does it throw and how does it compare to other measures?

The best measure I have used to this point has been the Montana Vintage Arms powder measure, a refined, very high quality version of the Belding and Mull. So, I tested both the MVA and Lee Classic using the same protocol. I set each measure to throw 36r of H4350 by weighing ten charges and adjusting each measure until ten throws gave me as close to 360 grains as I could get. Then I threw 20 charges from each measure, threw the results in an excel spreadsheet and got the stats. I don't know if 20 charges is a big enough sample to give meaningful data or not. I'll leave that stuff to Denton or Mathman. Anyway, here's the results:

Lee Classic
Extreme Spread - .7gr
Average Charge - 36.085gr
Standard Deviation - .169gr

MVA Powder Measure
Extreme Spread - .9gr
Average Charge - 35.785gr
Standard Deviation - .241gr

One thing that was interesting to me was that the Lee's average charge was a good bit closer to the ten charges I threw when setting it. The ten charge total was 360.8gr, very close to the average for the Lee. With the MVA, the ten charge total I threw while setting it was 360.1gr but the average it threw in the 20 round test was a bit lower at 35.79.

It remains to be seen if the $72 Lee will replace the $200 MVA on my loading bench. One area the MVA absolutely excels in is with ball powders, with literally zero charge to charge deviation. If the Lee ends up doing that, it will be the only measure on my bench. If it doesn't, I'll use the Lee for extruded powders and the MVA for ball and flake powders.

Either way, I think for $72, the Lee Classic is a heck of a bargain.

John

Great review!

Have you had an opportunity yet to check it with ball powders?

I haven't tried it with ball powders yet. I did run a little R15 through it the other night. I didn't write them down and put the results in excel but I did through several charges noting the high and low. Extreme spread was .2gr for about ten charges. I was impressed...

John