RCBS little dandy

CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 5 weeks ago

Go to the RCBS web site and look for the chart for the rotors. That is hundreds of variations. PRINT out the chart on your printer!

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Bud Hyett posted this 5 weeks ago

Below is a chart I received from C E Harris several years ago. It is very useful for me when developing (experimenting) with a load. It is practical and I'll be shooting more of the smaller calibers if Large Rifle and Large Pistol primers continue to be hard to get.

C E Harris - "These are the rotors I use with my RCBS Little Dandy powder measure and the loads they are used for:

Rotor #

Charge/Powder

Comments

#00

1.7 Bullseye

· Practice load for .32 ACP with Accurate 31-081H, 31-84H, or 31-090B or 31-094H (OK for steady use in light alloy frames and KelTec).

· Approximates factory load with 31-094H in .32 S&W Long for old pre-WW2 S&W Hand Ejector.

#0

2.1 Bullseye

Full charge load for .32 ACP and pre-WW2 S&W .32 Long Hand Ejector with Accurate 31-087B, 31-090B or 31-094H (steel frames only).

#1

2.5 Bullseye

· “Full charge” load for postwar .32 S&W Long with 31-31-094H

· .32 ACP with 73-gr. FMJ

#3

3.0 Bullseye

· Standard load for .32 H&R Mag and .32-20 with 31-105T, and .38 Spl. with 148 HBWC flush seated.

· Minimum charge with 50-60 grain lubricated cast lead in .222 and .223 Remington for use as a small same load

#5

3.5 Bullseye

For standard pressure 38 Special cast 146 DEWC or 160LFN

#7

4.0 Bullseye

· For +P .38 Spl. 158 Lead, and as 146 DEWC “full charge wadcutter” for use in +P rates .38 Special and .357 guns.

· Minimum charge with lubricated cast lead bullets in .30 cal. rifles for “Silent Without Silencer” aka “Cat Sneeze”

· Minimum charge for JACKETED bullet small game load in .223 Rem. To ensure reliable bore exit.

#8

4.5 Bullseye

· Standard charge for. 45 ACP 200-230 grain lead

· .38 +P equivalent in .357 brass with 150 to 180 grain LFN.

#9

5.0 Bullseye

· Standard charge in .45 ACP for 230-grain FMJ hardball

· Full charge DEWC for .357 brass,

· Minimum charge for JACKETED bullet for “cat sneeze” for any .30 cal. rifle from 7.62x39 to .30-’06

#12

6.5 Bullseye

Standard charge for.

· 45 Colt 250 LFN

· 200-grain .44-40

· .44 Mag 240-gr. “medium” velocity

#13

7.2 Bullseye

· Maximum [EH1] charge .45 Colt 250-gr.

· Subsonic gallery load with cast lead in 30-’06.

#15

8.4 Bullseye

· 1100 fps with 240 JHP in. 44 Mag revolver

· 100-yd. target in .30-'06 plain-based 150 to 205 grains

· Gallery practice with JACKETED bullets in .308 Win or .30-’06

#18

14.5 #2400

Standard load for .357 magnum 158 to 160 grain lead SWC or FN,

#19

15.4 #2400

· Full charge .357 Mag. 158 jacketed

· 200-yard target gascheck load in any. 30 cal. from 7.62x39 to. 30-'06 using bullets from 150 to 205 grains.

· Also, very good in. 30-30 and. 32-40!

#22

12.7 of Bullseye

· Practice small game and gallery load for belted cases of .300 H&H and larger. Approximates .38-55 Winchester in .375 H&H with #375449

· Throws 17.9 #2400 for full charge Winchester 1892 .44-40 with 200-grain JHP

#25

20.8 #2400

· Standard charge 44 Mag. for 240-260-grain LFN and .30-30 with 170-LFN.

· Good in .30-'06, with either GC cast or jacketed bullets weighing from 150 to 200 grains.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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sluggo posted this 5 weeks ago

Thanks boys, several of those rotors look to be just right for what i could use. It seems like those large pistol and rifle primers might be worth stocking up on when they come around. take care.

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RicinYakima posted this 5 weeks ago

When they are, buy enough for the rest of your shooting life. I did, and am very happy with that.

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Standard Member

barra posted this 5 weeks ago

I bought a similar thrower cheap.

made 8-9 adjustable rotors out of aluminium rod. Numbering them then drilling and tapping them and using bits of thread with a screw driver slot in them.

Have one for each bullet in a few caliber guns.

set and forget or adjust as needed with new powder etc.

Best thing since sliced bread for small doses of fast powder and consistent reliability.

ahhhh Bailey boats adjustable rotor.

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barra posted this 4 weeks ago

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sluggo posted this 4 weeks ago

Nicely done! Looks like a good way to adjust your loads.

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Standard Member

Qc Pistolero posted this 4 weeks ago

If like me you weight each and every charge(45-70 ,30-30,38-55 in rifle and the usual in handguns)you don't have to have them all.Pretty often I'll select a rotor that.ll give half the weight and use two throws.That way you get twice (or thrice if you throw 3 charges to get where you want to go)with a small number of rotors.

But that way of doing is good only if you weight each and every charge and cap with a bullet the powder loaded brass immediatly after you weighted it.If not it is a path to eventually get an instant disassembly of your gun.

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sluggo posted this 4 weeks ago

Thanks thats a good idea for using the rotors. I always check my cases with a flashlight before capping them with a bullet. At one time i had a progressive loader and had two loads that were duds. After pulling the bullets i found them to not have a powder charge. I pulled the rest of the bullets from that group but did not have a double charge in any of them. I never did figure that one out. After that the progressive machine was only used for decapping, sizing, belling, or seating and taper crimping loads.

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CBA Regional Director

Tom Acheson posted this 4 weeks ago

An alternative to insering a bullet right after entering powder into the case.

Use a dipstick. A short dowel with a horizontal mark on it. After charging each case in the 50-round block, check each case with the dipstick. Verification and confidence builder.....esoecially if every now and then you find an empty case or a double charge. And, depending on what you are loading, you can't always trust your eyes to see a double charge.

Been doing that for years.

FWIW

Tom

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CBA President

John Alexander posted this 3 weeks ago

It is obvious that there are a lot of fans of the Little Dandy. What is the appeal? I have a Redding with small powder and a Lee for some powders. I like equipment, so could always use another powder measure but why the little Dandy?

Looking at the above question, it could be taken as snarky. It isn't meant to be at all I am just mystified.

John

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Premod70 posted this 3 weeks ago

Buy a smaller chamber rotor and adjust the amount of powder throw by opening the hole. Plenty of cheap rotors out there on ebay that nobody wants due to their uncommon size.

Forrest Gump is my smarter brother.

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Standard Member

barra posted this 3 weeks ago

I have measured ten throws and it is not uncommon to be a 10th of a grain out , eg 3.4 grns x10 =34 grans. I might weight 34.1 grains.

Good enough of my laxadaisy shooting prowless.

It’s all good weighing each charge till you airnt in a draft free environment..

I dump a charge then seat a bullet.

I pick up the next case and flip it over to check the primer seating.

This habit hasn’t saved me from a double charge yet but will when I make a mistake or get distracted one day.

Set and forget or never goes out of tune.

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Aaron posted this 3 weeks ago

It is obvious that there are a lot of fans of the Little Dandy. What is the appeal?

When I first started reloading decades ago with two cartridges, the 38 SPL and the 9mm, the Little Dandy with specific charges for each caliber, without the need to be weighed, was an excellent choice. I quickly exceeded the usefulness of a rotor charging system when more calibers were added to my resume, and differing charges were needed as load development began on rifle cartridges.

I purchased a RCBS powder measure and a beam scale to service that need. I quickly purchased a Dillon digital scale for powder measure setup. For a single cartridge like a 38 SPL wadcutter, the Little Dandy works well with its prescribed load. I think it would also be useful if making up about 50 or so cartridges for a range day whereby it could be mounted above the cartridge case getting a mouth flare. Powder could be dispensed directly into is when using a single-stage press.

I did outgrow mine with the multiple cartridges loaded for today and therefore sold it to another handloader 40 years ago. While I have no use for one now, it is a great tool for a new handloader or a tool for specific charging needs. An adjustable powder measure is all I need now.

I can only surmise that the current appeal is either from handloaders with a few calibers they are loading with specific charges, or it is getting used as an adjunct tool by experienced loaders who are loading many calibers whereby some of them benefit from a tool like the Little Dandy. Modifying a Little Dandy to perform like an adjustable powder measure seems, to me at least, a complete waste of time and resources when an adjustable powder measure is affordable and can be more accurate over time as powder densities vary.

Knowing that, I have learned we all break out the dremel tool every now and again.

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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CBA Regional Director

Tom Acheson posted this 3 weeks ago

Three things accelerated my interest in using the Little Dandy.

My Redding measure will not dispense small enough charges.

In the last few years I've been shooting more .45 Auto Rim and .38 Special rounds, using small charges of fast burning powders.

Ease of use.

Tom

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Aaron posted this 3 weeks ago

Ease of use.

Bingo.

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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CBA Vice-President

Edward Camp posted this 3 weeks ago

John,

I use one because it is fast and can be used away from the bench. I have a good selection of rotors but only use a few for the powders I favor. I have never tried it for rifle, only pistol. When the cases are held in a loading block, I can visually compare the size of the load in each. Lay out 50 cases in a block and using it handheld it is fast to dispense the powder. I have found keeping a rhythm going it is very accurate. I don't think I have ever mounted it in a stand.

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CBA President

John Alexander posted this 3 weeks ago

OK Thanks. I was just wondering.

John

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CBA Member

Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 3 weeks ago

JohnA ... ever spill a big loading block of mostly filled brass ? ... with the Lil Dandy in my hands, the loader block stays safely on my bench, not rocking in my hand under the crank measure and catching on the dump nipple ...

cranking on the measure and balancing a block is like rubbing your belly and patting your head ...

my story and i am stickin to it ...

besides, i like gadgets ...

ken

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RCBS little dandy

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