or trickler/scale/funnel? For limited reloading (20-40 at a time), is a powder measure really necessary?

No not realy necessary, but it sure makes it go faster.
I hate reloading ,but I am cheap and want the results that I get from handloads.
In the spring I go thru 50-60 rnds a week on chucks and crows. So if I want to sleep I need to spend as little time reloading as posible.

I tried the route of trickling every charge then decided it took to long so i started using my measure and figured out that .2 of a grain difference between every cartridge did not make that much of difference at 100 to 200 yards. now If i was loading for 1000 yard matches then yea I'll go back to trickling every charge but untill then using the measure works just fine.

If you do this long enough, you will eventually get awfully darn fast at it.

If I'm loading less than 40 rounds I don't even bother setting up my powder measure.

I like weighing each one out irregardless..I wouldn't feel comfortable throwing coarse grain powders when I am at the limit. JMHO..I am going to spring for an electronic scale and probably the entire package (powder dispenser/scale package)..just want these manufacturers to update their equipment a little more before I do this.

Whatever you do, oeh, don't buy the miserable Pact BBK II or the relabeled ones sold by RCBS and other companies. This is the cheap one and it ain't worth the coin. Go ahead and buy the more expensive model PACT or get a really good electronic scale like those made my Denver Instruments.

digital scales arent good enough to for me, Im strictly a beam scale kinda person. for 2 reasons
1. when trickling loads digital scales cant weigh the powder fast enough to give a up to the second read out, beam scales give a reading in real time. 2. What do you think is used to calibrate those digital scales?? A beam scale.

I dont mind using a measure for my rifle loads because I never use maximum charges I'm usually a half grain to a grain below maximum because of the hot dry climate I find myself shooting in mostly, also from experience maximum loads usually dont produce the best accuracy. And a animal doesnt know the difference between 2600 and 2700 fps either.

Thanks. Picked up a Lyman 55. Looks like it will work just fine.

I use a powder measure (RCBS Uniflow) and a trickler for extruded rifle powders like Varget, N110 and IMR 7828 because I've seen variations as high as .5 grains with these powders which is too much in my book, especially when creeping up on max loads. I set the measure to throw roughly .5 grain below my intended charge and trickle up from there. For flake and ball powders, or the very small grained extruded powders (i.e. H110, 2400, Universal Clays), I generally just use the uniflow measure to throw the charges, checking every 5th round or so to ensure its still on.

Mike

What driftrider said is the way I do mine .