In praise of the Target Master Powder Trickler.
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:19 pm
I've had this unit now for a couple of weeks and have loaded up 500 rounds or so of ammunition with it so feel able to comment on it again. I had one in my pistol shooting days but it went the journey after the ban along with a lot of other stuff that I should have held onto.
I was very pleased to see that the unit was still being made and brought back memories of better days although I have to confess that the units existence had gone from my memory.
I don't propose to describe the unit in detail as Allan who designed and made the unit has an excellent You Tube video that you can access from his website.
http://www.targetmasteruk.com/
What has been particularly interesting in revisting this tool is how my handloading needs have changed (loading for rifle rather than pistol and consequenly having to load larger charges of powder) along with the tools such as the digtal wonders that we call powder dispensers,.
The Target Master does not claim to be an electronic powder dispenser it is clearly sold as a powder trickler and as such very accuratley trickles up to your chosen charge weight, it does not do quick volume dumps into your scale pan like the Pact Dispenser, Hornady Accumeasure or the RCBS Charge Master.
However if you own a beam balance scale and a powder dispenser, Lee scoops or such like, then with the Target Master then you can get the same result.
I have had a Pact powder dispenser system now for quiet a few years and it has given sterling service. It will dispense a charge of 40 gns of Vihtavuori N140 in around 20 seconds and by the time you've dumped the powder in to the case, put the pan back on the scale and set it away to charge you are getting one case loaded with powder every 30 seconds.
However when using the Target Master if you set your powder thrower to just under 40 grains say 39.5, dump that into the pan, put it on the scale and set the Target Master away you can easily do the same cycle in 25 seconds.
Now I know reloading isn't a race and speed is dangerous at the bench but I am giving you these times to illustrate what a cracking tool the Target Master is and how it gives nothing away to the more modern mousetraps even although that is not what is was designed for.
The best thing about it however is its accuracy, it has been spot on every time for me and I've never had to return a load to the hopper, accuracy is what the designer made it for and it delivers that consistently and flawlessly.
Set up is easy just follow the clear instructions provided and away you go.
One of the great things about the system for me is its simplicity of design and the mechanical nature of operation, I always prefer beam scales to electronic, you can see how they work and they are simple in operation. With digital you have to trust electric numbers on a screen and some clever inside invisble electronic gadgetry to actually weigh your load. At the end of the day the Target Master is simply a photo electric switch that turns off an electric powered trickler when your scales tell it to. Now that is simple enough for me to understand and I find that reassuring.
The Target Master is only £101 delivered, so if you have a powder dispenser and a suitable balance beam scale then you can have one of the most accurate trickling/powder dispensing systems available to hand loaders and one that works as least as well as, and in my opinion better than powder dispensing systems costing three times as much.
The Target Master's simple, accurate, and functional elegance by far outshines the showy, feature ridden, speed driven, digital dispensers.
I'm a convert, again.
Buy one, you won't be dissappointed.
British made and British designed, it must be one of the few manufacturing businesses left in the UK.
Buy one (or as I did buy two) and help us beat the recession.
I was very pleased to see that the unit was still being made and brought back memories of better days although I have to confess that the units existence had gone from my memory.
I don't propose to describe the unit in detail as Allan who designed and made the unit has an excellent You Tube video that you can access from his website.
http://www.targetmasteruk.com/
What has been particularly interesting in revisting this tool is how my handloading needs have changed (loading for rifle rather than pistol and consequenly having to load larger charges of powder) along with the tools such as the digtal wonders that we call powder dispensers,.
The Target Master does not claim to be an electronic powder dispenser it is clearly sold as a powder trickler and as such very accuratley trickles up to your chosen charge weight, it does not do quick volume dumps into your scale pan like the Pact Dispenser, Hornady Accumeasure or the RCBS Charge Master.
However if you own a beam balance scale and a powder dispenser, Lee scoops or such like, then with the Target Master then you can get the same result.
I have had a Pact powder dispenser system now for quiet a few years and it has given sterling service. It will dispense a charge of 40 gns of Vihtavuori N140 in around 20 seconds and by the time you've dumped the powder in to the case, put the pan back on the scale and set it away to charge you are getting one case loaded with powder every 30 seconds.
However when using the Target Master if you set your powder thrower to just under 40 grains say 39.5, dump that into the pan, put it on the scale and set the Target Master away you can easily do the same cycle in 25 seconds.
Now I know reloading isn't a race and speed is dangerous at the bench but I am giving you these times to illustrate what a cracking tool the Target Master is and how it gives nothing away to the more modern mousetraps even although that is not what is was designed for.
The best thing about it however is its accuracy, it has been spot on every time for me and I've never had to return a load to the hopper, accuracy is what the designer made it for and it delivers that consistently and flawlessly.
Set up is easy just follow the clear instructions provided and away you go.
One of the great things about the system for me is its simplicity of design and the mechanical nature of operation, I always prefer beam scales to electronic, you can see how they work and they are simple in operation. With digital you have to trust electric numbers on a screen and some clever inside invisble electronic gadgetry to actually weigh your load. At the end of the day the Target Master is simply a photo electric switch that turns off an electric powered trickler when your scales tell it to. Now that is simple enough for me to understand and I find that reassuring.
The Target Master is only £101 delivered, so if you have a powder dispenser and a suitable balance beam scale then you can have one of the most accurate trickling/powder dispensing systems available to hand loaders and one that works as least as well as, and in my opinion better than powder dispensing systems costing three times as much.
The Target Master's simple, accurate, and functional elegance by far outshines the showy, feature ridden, speed driven, digital dispensers.
I'm a convert, again.
Buy one, you won't be dissappointed.
British made and British designed, it must be one of the few manufacturing businesses left in the UK.
Buy one (or as I did buy two) and help us beat the recession.
*** junk, what is it anyway?, it doesn't sparkle like I asked. At that point, look disappointed and say OK, I'll make use of it SOMEHOW.