Longshot Cameras, a company recognized among long-range shooters for its target camera systems that transmit hit data back to the firing line, has announced its entry into the precision reloading market. The Texas-based company has acquired Dandy Products, adding the Dandy 2-Speed Electric Powder Trickler to its offerings.
This new product targets High Power, F-Class, precision rifle, and benchrest competitors who meticulously weigh every powder charge. The common process involves a powder measure dispensing a charge slightly below the target weight, with the final kernels added individually until the scale stabilizes. While traditional manual tricklers require hand-twisting a tube for these final additions, and fully automated dispensers handle the entire process at a higher cost, the Dandy trickler offers an intermediate solution.
The Dandy 2-Speed Electric Powder Trickler features a two-button control pad on a 24-inch cable. Users can engage a fast vibratory feed with the red button for larger additions, then switch to a slow feed with the yellow button as the scale approaches the precise target weight. An additional sliding weight on the discharge tube provides further fine-tuning of the powder flow rate.
Designed for integration with existing reloading benches, the trickler uses a tower rod from a weighted base, allowing the hopper assembly to slide and lock into place. Its outlet height is adjustable from 1 to 5½ inches, measured to the center of the tube. The assembly offers 360 degrees of rotation and up to 6 inches of reach from the base, enabling its 4¼-inch, angle-cut discharge tube to position accurately over various beam and electronic scale pans without contact. Power is supplied by two AA batteries housed in the control pad, minimizing cables on the bench. The hopper has a capacity for approximately 1,000 grains of powder.
Clay Rhoden, president of Longshot Cameras, commented on the strategic move, stating, "This acquisition allows us to expand our offerings into precision reloading while continuing to serve shooters who value accuracy, consistency and control in their shooting setups."
Longshot specifies the Dandy 2-Speed Electric Powder Trickler for smokeless powder only, explicitly warning against the use of black powder or black-powder substitutes due to the potential for static discharge ignition. The company also advises users to empty and thoroughly clean the hopper and the entire powder path before switching powders, verify every charge on a scale, and strictly adhere to current published load data.
The Dandy 2-Speed Electric Powder Trickler is made in the U.S. and carries a suggested retail price of $140. This price excludes batteries, scale, and powder. For convenience, replacement hoppers are available separately in a four-pack for $16.
Looking to the future, Longshot is also developing the Precision Trickler, an automatic dispenser utilizing the open-source OpenTrickler platform. This advanced system, which will be paired with a Longshot-designed scale, is currently available for preorder at $699 for its initial production run, representing a $300 discount from its planned $999 retail price.
