HORNADY CHARGE PRO POWDER MEASURE

There are several different ways to weigh and measure powder charges, from simple balance scales to more complex digital scales and powder measures that discharge powders by volume, using either fixed or variable cavities to capture and discharge powder. These all work well and do the job, but there is another way to dispense powder charges, the electronic, fully automated way.

The Hornady Charge
Pro Powder Measure
In terms of speed and convenience, this is the powder measure of powder measures, giving ‘customisable’ powder dispensing, precise to 0.1-grains, with dependable consistency. It is not cheap, and at first glance, it looks a bit overly complicated, but after a short time, it proves to be a very useful and easy-to-use addition to the bench.
The large backlit touchscreen is well laid out and easy to follow and the different functions allow you to fully customise how it dispenses.

Setting up
The measure needs to be level to work correctly, and a built-in bubble and adjustable feet make this easy to achieve. Once level, the measure needs to be left to warm up for between five and fifteen minutes. Then, the measure needs to be calibrated, which is easy to do using the touchscreen, instructions, and the two calibration weights provided. After calibration, you simply place the powder tray onto the weighing platform and zero the measure. The powder hopper, which can hold a full tub, will need to be filled, and then you are good to go.

Weighing out
To start weighing out charges, you simply press the ‘Target’ button and then type in the desired charge weight. If the measure is in ‘Auto Mode’, it will start dispensing powder as soon as the pan is placed on the scale. In ‘Manual Mode’, it does not start dispensing until you press the dispense button. Auto Mode works well when you are in full-on production, and you want the charges ready as soon as you have the next case on the press and ready to fill.
There are two types of adjustments you can make to how fast the measure works. The ‘Speed’ setting dictates how fast the tube rotates to deliver the bulk of the charge into the pan, while the ‘Time’ setting dictates how fast the measure trickles the last part of the charge. Different powders, with different sizes and shapes of grain, might work better on different settings.
Emptying the hopper could not be easier. There is a tube on the side of the measure which is rotated through 90º to start the powder flowing out of the hopper. This is best done at the edge of the work surface so that the powder can be fed straight back into the original container. Any residual powder in the feed tube can be removed by simply running the machine so that it discharges the last of the powder into the pan.

Custom loads
You can store up to four custom settings, each with its own speed, time, and target weight. This means that you can very quickly turn the measure on, choose your custom setting, and go, without having to go through the full set-up process for each powder charge. This will save you a lot of time.

Accuracy
Hornady states that both the Speed setting and the Time setting have an effect on the accuracy of the powder charge. More specifically, the faster these two are set, the less accurate the machine will be. With the Time set very low, you can literally watch the individual grains drop from the feed tube as it rotates extremely slowly. This undoubtedly improves accuracy, but it can be painfully slow to watch if you are waiting to charge your next case with powder! By experimenting with different settings for different powders, you can soon achieve the level of accuracy that you want.
I checked the powder charges with two other electronic scales, and they proved to be extremely accurate and consistent, with very little deviation from the target weight. It is worth noting that if you do not leave the powder measure to warm up, as per the instructions, any charges that you throw can be far less consistent, indicating that the warmup period is vital.

Using the measure
The Hornady Auto Charge Pro Powder Measure is undoubtedly a huge technological leap forward, particularly if you are used to more traditional forms of powder measuring. At first, it does seem a bit daunting, but once you have the right settings for your personal preferences, in terms of both accuracy and speed, the measure is really easy to use. In Automatic Mode, it discharges a powder charge each time you place the pan on the scale, allowing you to get into a good reloading routine. If you take a load off the scale, tip it into a case, and return the pan to the scale, you can seat a bullet, inspect the finished round, select another case, and the next powder charge is ready for you. If you have the Speed and Time settings right, your whole reloading process is faster and smoother.
The facility that allows you to empty the hopper without having to detach it, is a great feature, and with the small brush that comes with the machine, you can quickly and easily remove every grain of powder and put it directly into its proper container.

Conclusion
The Charge Pro is easy to use, accurate, and certainly makes the whole process quicker. Once set up with the most accurate combination of Time and Speed for any particular powder, all of the loads discharged were extremely consistent. When the powder charges were reweighed on other scales, they were found to be accurate to 0.1-grains. Although quite costly, this tool is well worth investing in.