I've used a Lyman #55 Powder Measure ("powder thrower") since I first began reloading in 1962. I like to set the powder measure to throw a load of powder about 1/10th to 2/10ths "lighter" than the load I actually want into the RCBS's Model 1010 powder scale's powder-pan, then I slowly trickle into the powder-pan small amounts of powder between my thumb and forefinger (after making sure they're clean and dry) until the scale's indicator steadies-up on the "zero".
I definitely recommend the RCBS Model 1010 powder scale above all others. The pointer-arm is magnetically dampened and quickly settles down... and like 'most other RCBS reloading equipment, the scale literally has a "life-time" guarantee... and there is NONE better.
The Lyman#55 Powder Measure will consistently throw very uniform amounts of powder, but I still prefer to weigh EACH powder load. I've found that Lyman#55 is the most consistent if you "bump" the handle 4 or 5 times prior to dumping the powder into the 1010's powder pan. This "bumping" of the Lyman#55 handle seems to "compact" the powder very consistently... and tends to "throw" perfect loads, load-after-load.
Adjusting the Lyman#55 Powder Measure for other settings is also relatively easy since two of the three adjustments are screw-adjustments and, therefore, very consistent and accurate.
If you are working up loads, you can "bump" the Lyman #55's handle once ot twice more than "usual"... and you'll get an extra 1/10th or even 2/10ths of a grain of powder. This tends to eliminate having to reset the powder measure for slight increased or decreases ("bump" the handle one or two LESS times) the amount of powder you're "throwing".
As far as waiting to get the powder measure ("thrower"), why wait? It's handy and it definitely speeds up the reloading process right from the start. After working with it only a short time, you'll soon come to understand how much "adjustment" it takes to increase or decrease the amount of powder the Lyman#55 Powder Measure is "throwing". And you don't have to buy anything extra for different loads like some powder measures require. It comes with EVERYTHING you'll ever need to throw consistently accurate amounts of any kind of gun powder.
If you want to speed up the reloading, throw the powder DIRECTLY into the cartridge case, but as a precaution, WEIGH every 5th. powder charge just to insure nothing has changed. Then, too... charge ALL the cartridge cases, one after the other, then "eye-ball" EACH and EVERY case (with the cases sitting in a loading block) at least TWICE to insure all the cases have the SAME level of powder in all of them.
This eliminates any possibility of a gross over-charge or under-charge of powder.
I use and recommend a Forster Case Trimmer... something you definitely need right from the "get-go". The only thing you'll need in addition to the Forster Case Trimmer itself is the .30 caliber guide which is very inexpensive ($1.25-$1.50). The Forster Case Trimmer is not the cheapest trimmer on the market, but it's the BEST and you don't need to buy a lot of "extras" to do everything a cartridge case needs to be done to it in order to "accurize" it (if you really get serious and wanna load VERY accurate reloads).
You'll also need a "de-burring tool" which looks kinda like an all steel "rocket ship" to smooth off the inside and outside edges of the mouth of the case AFTER you use the Forster Case Trimmer to trim the case back to the desired length. The brass in cartridge cases tends to "flow" towards the neck/mouth of the case with repeated firings, especially with "hot" loads.
You did good buying the RCBS Resizing Die Set... I have tried several different brands of die sets and I honestly believe RCBS Die Sets are superior to most other brands.
If, in the future, you get into straight-walled cartridge cases (like most different pistol cartridges plus some rifle cartridges like the .45/70 and .444 Marlin), get the RCBS die-set that comes with the
CARBIDE resizing die. It is somewwhat more expensive than the standard die-set, but if using the carbide resizing die, you do
NOT need to be lubricate the cartridge cases before resizing and then, you don't need to wiped the resizing lub off the case after resizing. That saves a LOT of time and effort.
As far as I know, you can't use a carbide resizing die on a case (like most rifle cases) with a "shoulder & neck" and no lub... it doesn't work.
Get the
water-based RCBS resizing lub plus their resizing lub pad... both are fairly inexpensive and you can clean the lub off the cases with a water-dampened towel... a very fast, easy way to handle the problem of removing the resizing lub from your cartridge cases.
The float-plane had to make 3 trips to get the moose back to base camp from the remote lake where our hunting camp was located.
Good luck on your new endeavor (reloading)... and have FUN !~!~! Handloading is a craft and hobby unto itself... and definitely adds enjoyment to one's life... especially when the bullet YOU loaded brings down a trophy game animal. I still have and cherish the perfectly "mushroomed" 210 grain Nosler Partition bullet (148.5 grains retained weight) out of my pre-'64 Model 70 in .338 Win. Magnum that brought down my large Canadian moose on a remote lake deep in the Canadian bush with a single ("bang/flop") shot.
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
