Harrel’s Precision Thrower

[KyleR1985]

Anyone have experience with the custom 90, and the premium measure?

What does the 70.00 price premium get you?


How would either compare to the rcbs with micrometer adjustment screw and baffle upgrades(roughly same price)?


Loading for 4-5 different cartridges, less than 2000 rounds a year if it matters.

I have an electronic thrower. It’s great for developing loads. But I want a little more speed for loading 10-50 of the same charge weight. Not having to do anything besides return to a numbered setting, then pulling lever seems to get me where I want to be.

 

[SamsonMan22]

I can only comment on the premium but it is exceptional and I highly recommend it. So far I’m finding it to as accurate or more than my chargemaster lite. I have had an rcbs and Hornady as well and while they both do ok, but the Harrells is more consistent so far and smoother to use.

Depending on the powders and the cartridges you intend to load for there is some little things I don’t love about the Harrells. It has a longer drop tube which is nice for packing in powder but with the smaller diameter drop tube and something like varget or h4350 it can cause bridging and make for extra work. Loading for 308s with the larger drop tube I have had no issues with varget or imr4064. It does really well with smaller granule powders like h4895, xbr, or benchmark even with the small tube.

It can be more involved cleaning it out when swapping powders especially ball powder that stuff seems to get every where you don’t want it but this can be a pain with every thrower.

The greatest thing I can say for the Harrells is the repeatability with the click adjust. My Hornady has a micrometer but it’s just not as user friendly to use when trying to repeat between loadings, the Harrells is super simple. The only time I measure powders on a scale now is when I’m trying a new setting. Once I have a setting for a powder I fill the bottle, set it, and just throw charges.

 

[TX_Diver]

I can only comment on the premium but it is exceptional and I highly recommend it. So far I’m finding it to as accurate or more than my chargemaster lite. I have had an rcbs and Hornady as well and while they both do ok, but the Harrells is more consistent so far and smoother to use.

Depending on the powders and the cartridges you intend to load for there is some little things I don’t love about the Harrells. It has a longer drop tube which is nice for packing in powder but with the smaller diameter drop tube and something like varget or h4350 it can cause bridging and make for extra work. Loading for 308s with the larger drop tube I have had no issues with varget or imr4064. It does really well with smaller granule powders like h4895, xbr, or benchmark even with the small tube.

It can be more involved cleaning it out when swapping powders especially ball powder that stuff seems to get every where you don’t want it but this can be a pain with every thrower.

The greatest thing I can say for the Harrells is the repeatability with the click adjust. My Hornady has a micrometer but it’s just not as user friendly to use when trying to repeat between loadings, the Harrells is super simple. The only time I measure powders on a scale now is when I’m trying a new setting. Once I have a setting for a powder I fill the bottle, set it, and just throw charges.

What are you using to determine that it’s more accurate than the CM lite.

I have a CM lite and am considering a harrells at some point

 

[Carl Ross]

Anyone have experience with the custom 90, and the premium measure?

What does the 70.00 price premium get you?


How would either compare to the rcbs with micrometer adjustment screw and baffle upgrades(roughly same price)?


Loading for 4-5 different cartridges, less than 2000 rounds a year if it matters.

I have an electronic thrower. It’s great for developing loads. But I want a little more speed for loading 10-50 of the same charge weight. Not having to do anything besides return to a numbered setting, then pulling lever seems to get me where I want to be.

I only have experience with the 90. I did a write up on it, post 450 of
"Painless Load Development". If I recall, the more expensive Harrell's give you tighter spaced clicks on the micrometer and some other niceties, I don't believe they are more accurate.

I've used Redding, RCBS, and Hornady standard style measures with micrometers. They're all fine, but I prefer how the Harrell's works to all of them, and I trust it more. It also doesn't bind as badly with extruded powders.

It's a nice way to fly.

Depending on the powders and the cartridges you intend to load for there is some little things I don’t love about the Harrells. It has a longer drop tube which is nice for packing in powder but with the smaller diameter drop tube and something like varget or h4350 it can cause bridging and make for extra work. Loading for 308s with the larger drop tube I have had no issues with varget or imr4064. It does really well with smaller granule powders like h4895, xbr, or benchmark even with the small tube.

It can be more involved cleaning it out when swapping powders especially ball powder that stuff seems to get every where you don’t want it but this can be a pain with every thrower.

I only use the tighter drop tube when loading for .224 cals, for exactly why you mention. Fortunately I only throw fine powders for those rounds. As soon as I get to 6mm, I use the drop tube with the larger opening.

I haven't had any issues cleaning mine. I turn it upside down, throw a couple, screw the bottle off and empty it. Then maybe throw one or two more back into the powder jug and I'm done. Takes 20-30 seconds maybe. Where are you seeing issues?

 

[SamsonMan22]

What are you using to determine that it’s more accurate than the CM lite.

I have a CM lite and am considering a harrells at some point

Velocity es over a large amount of ammo. Also I ran it against my charge master lite checking it on a scale that measures to within .01g. I will say it’s not necessarily more accurate than the charge master lite with all powders, I would think h4831 would suck with the Harrells. The charge master lite might keep the es tighter for thats days particular lot but over all I had a higher es and higher sd. Load 100 on lite today and load 100 on it 2 months from now and check 20 from each lot, then do the same with the Harrells. What I would see is a change in the avg velocity and the overall es/sd between the two lots on the lite but the two on the Harrells had hardly any difference. Could be my temps in my house, who knows.

After having 2 of the lites and a Harrells among other t powder throwers I will never go back to an electronic. The Harrells is my answer for single stage work and smaller stick powder or ball powders.

 

[SamsonMan22]

I only have experience with the 90. I did a write up on it, post 450 of
"Painless Load Development". If I recall, the more expensive Harrell's give you tighter spaced clicks on the micrometer and some other niceties, I don't believe they are more accurate.

I've used Redding, RCBS, and Hornady standard style measures with micrometers. They're all fine, but I prefer how the Harrell's works to all of them, and I trust it more. It also doesn't bind as badly with extruded powders.

It's a nice way to fly.



I only use the tighter drop tube when loading for .224 cals, for exactly why you mention. Fortunately I only throw fine powders for those rounds. As soon as I get to 6mm, I use the drop tube with the larger opening.

I haven't had any issues cleaning mine. I turn it upside down, throw a couple, screw the bottle off and empty it. Then maybe throw one or two more back into the powder jug and I'm done. Takes 20-30 seconds maybe. Where are you seeing issues?

That works fine with most every stick powder, with ball powder I have to take out the brass insert in the middle and clean underneath it. There will be powder stuck here and there under that plus it tends to get into the threads on occasion. It’s not a huge deal it’s just slightly more trouble than my rcbs or my Hornady which both seem to be more self cleaning when using the method you describe. If it takes me 30 seconds to clean it out with stick powder it takes a minute and a half to do with ball powder. It’s hardly worth mentioning but I did just because someone might not take the time to check it out.

Edit*

With my drop tubes my 6mm and down cartridges bridge powder at the neck chamfer on the larger one. Not sure if they make different ones but I have to use the smaller to keep it from happening. It’s annoying throwing h4350 with it. I think I have used the larger on the 6.5 now that you mention it but I do mostly 22 cal so I don’t often switch it. I always switch it out for 308 and man does that drop a charge fast.

 

[Carl Ross]

That works fine with most every stick powder, with ball powder I have to take out the brass insert in the middle and clean underneath it. There will be powder stuck here and there under that plus it tends to get into the threads on occasion. It’s not a huge deal it’s just slightly more trouble than my rcbs or my Hornady which both seem to be more self cleaning when using the method you describe. If it takes me 30 seconds to clean it out with stick powder it takes a minute and a half to do with ball powder. It’s hardly worth mentioning but I did just because someone might not take the time to check it out.

Edit*

With my drop tubes my 6mm and down cartridges bridge powder at the neck chamfer on the larger one. Not sure if they make different ones but I have to use the smaller to keep it from happening. It’s annoying throwing h4350 with it. I think I have used the larger on the 6.5 now that you mention it but I do mostly 22 cal so I don’t often switch it. I always switch it out for 308 and man does that drop a charge fast.

Interesting, while I've never had an issue I'll check closer next time I use ball powder.

I wonder if our drop tubes have different spec's. I use the larger with 6mm and H4350 regularly without issue. .224 necks go all the way inside it, so those aren't going to be a good time.