Lyman Gen 6

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pyscodog

Active member
I've posted about this powder thrower before but thought I'd post about it again. While it is small and compact and fairly easy to use. I just have no love for it. If your not using pretty heavy stick type powder, trying to drop precision loads is impossible. Powders like CFE are all over the place. I've had problems with this machine since day one, and now its over a year old. I sent it in once and it was returned but seemed to have the same problems. Several calls to try to get the problems worked out. I tried loading 20 rounds of CFE for my 223 and out of 20, every load was at least 4/10's heavy. I tried programming it light and it would throw a heavy charge then I get an error code. I did a cal 50, then zero without the pan, then zero again with the pan and it still throws heavy charges, I tried to anti static with dryer sheets and window cleaner, and it still does it. I'm at a point where I don't trust the loads its throwing and it makes it hard to develop an accurate load when its way off. I guess another call to Lyman and maybe another trip to the shop. Maybe time to cut my loss and just buy something better.
 
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Originally Posted By: pyscodogI've posted about this powder thrower before but thought I'd post about it again. While it is small and compact and fairly easy to use. I just have no love for it. If your not using pretty heavy stick type powder, trying to drop precision loads is impossible. Powders like CFE are all over the place. I've had problems with this machine since day one, and now its over a year old. I sent it in once and it was returned but seemed to have the same problems. Several calls to try to get the problems worked out. I tried loading 20 rounds of CFE for my 223 and out of 20, every load was at least 4/10's heavy. I tried programming it light and it would throw a heavy charge then I get an error code. I did a cal 50, then zero without the pan, then zero again with the pan and it still throws heavy charges, I tried to anti static with dryer sheets and window cleaner, and it still does it. I'm at a point where I don't trust the loads its throwing and it makes it hard to develop an accurate load when its way off. I guess another call to Lyman and maybe another trip to the shop. Maybe time to cut my loss and just buy something better.

Yeah you can always cut your losses and buy a Chargemaster-
Or you can dump from the Lyman and trickle up on a beam scale or a digital.

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I have the RCBS Charge Master and love the thing.

I recommend buying the vast majority of your things at Brownells from here on out. When something does not work they email you a shipping label to print out. 7-10 days after the box arrive you get a full refund.

No questions asked.

Having said that i have many Lyman products and really like them. Especially the case prep station and my tumbler.

Enjoy the RCBS. Mine is from 2013 or so. Works perfect.
 
I've had this one a little over a year and had problems every time I use it. I have an Old 55 and a trickler. Thinking of breaking it out and using it but it so dam hard to adjust. But it drops accurate charges.
 
I have not had any of the issues you describe. I am not sure what could be different in our uses, but I am 100% happy with mine.

However, this will be my last electronic scale or dispenser. I am going with a Harrels next. Speed, accuracy and consistency are reasons why. But I don’t see a reason to rush into that right now...
 
Worse part is I can't even sell it without the thought of just passing a problem on to someone else. I think I'll call Lyman on Tuesday, tell them I'm returning it, and if they can't find anything wrong and repair it, to just keep it. I over paid for it anyway, getting screwed a little more won't hurt that bad.
 
Don't let your anger keep you from getting a brand new machine that does work great.

S happens sometimes in the world of electronics, cars, aviation and about everything else.
 
Anger was gone months ago. Now its just frustration,LOL. I'm loosing confidence in the machine because I can't trust the integrity of the loads. I've talk to the service rep so many times, she knows me by name now. I keep getting try this, try this, and nothing seems to work. I talk to the guy that owns the store where I purchased it and he uses the same machine and he claims his never drops a heavy load. Usually a 10th or so under. Mine will drop heavy no matter where I set it. Powders like 4064 and 4350 don't seem to be to bad but the fine grain powders like CFE or 335 are just off the scale. Maybe its just the powder I'm using. IDK?
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogAnger was gone months ago. Now its just frustration,LOL. I'm loosing confidence in the machine because I can't trust the integrity of the loads. I've talk to the service rep so many times, she knows me by name now. I keep getting try this, try this, and nothing seems to work. I talk to the guy that owns the store where I purchased it and he uses the same machine and he claims his never drops a heavy load. Usually a 10th or so under. Mine will drop heavy no matter where I set it. Powders like 4064 and 4350 don't seem to be to bad but the fine grain powders like CFE or 335 are just off the scale. Maybe its just the powder I'm using. IDK?

You’re gonna end up like the guy here that fought with crappy scope rings for 50 years!
lol.gif


Cut your losses while you can and do something different. No reason to waste your time spending dollars trying to save dimes.

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Originally Posted By: venaticSo is just throwing over charges the issue?
My Chargemaster’s would do the same until I put an insert in the throw tube and now they rarely overthrow.
Some folks used to do the same with a McDonalds straw and there are plenty of u tube videos about that method.

Here is what I have that works great

http://www.accuracy-tech.com/chargemaster-reducing-inserts/


Yep, here’s a quote from Dave Moore on the linked site:

“Dave
I’ve made them for Hornady and Lyman units. Just need a measurement on the ID of the tube.”

He was a sponsor and sold them here for a while.

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Gempro 250 with some cheap Lee powder scoops and trickle the rest up. The Gempro accuracy is something like 50x better than most reloading scales and this little thing is tough, I've had it for years and it's been dropped and tossed all around in a few house movings and when I bring it over to my buddies place to load over there.

Warm, cold, reloading in the wind on a shooting bench the Gempro will still register every 1 to 2 pieces/granules of stick powder depending on what powder you are using, I would say it will register a change with about 5 to 8 granules of ball powder. A lot of times I reload right on my computer desk while listening to music with my subwoofer pounding under the desk, no problem. Never any kind of static problems ether.

I see Brownells now has them down to $130

 
I bought the Lyman from Amazon and it would consistently through 2 out of 10 charges over. This is with CFE223, IMR8208 xbr, Tightgroup and H322. After 3 weeks I sent it back and bought the RCBS Chargemaster lite. I think out of a 100 throws I had one go over.
 
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I sent mine back to Lyman for the second time this week. I put a letter inside the box with, Repair, Replace, or Refund my money. If you can't do any of these three options, keep it!
 
i'd have just put in the 'give me my money back' and used it to order a chargemaster.



thats what i did with the hornady LNL auto charge - although in my instance i just went back to the retailer. Thankfully the week i did my return the CM was on sale and adding in the hornady rebate at the time.... turned out to be about $70 very well spent.
 
I sent a lyman gen 3 back for repair that was 3 years out of warranty. I figured if it cost $100 or so to repair I'd go for it. They send me a new one no charge.
 
I have an older 1200 thats been on the shelf since the Gen 6 so I broke it back out and fired it up. Powders like 4064 and 4350, it drops on the money.I haven't tried the ball powders yet. It just takes up a lot of space on my bench. Now with the Gen 6, I have two dispensers so maybe when the Gen 6 gets back, if it does, I can sell them both and get the Charge Master.

FYI, there is a good article on how to tune up the Charge Master on Accurate shooter. It shows you how to reprogram for faster and more accurate drops.
 
I loaded 40 rounds with the old 1200 tonite, 20 7/08 and 20 223. Each caliber had 4 different grain weights. The old dog never miss a beat. Dropped the majority dead on the money and only a couple were heavy by about 1/10th. I think the Gen6 will be going down the road when its returned from Lyman.
 
Received my Gen 6 back from Lyman. Seems they had to replace the motor board. They sent me a copy of the test results and it seems to be running fine now. I haven't got to try it yet. Almost afraid to. Looks like they ran 6 different loads from light to heavy and all stayed +/- 1/10th.
 


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