Digital powder dispenser

[Shooter 1]

I am thinking about purchasing a digital powder dispenser. I am not trying to speed up my reloading time I just dislike measuring powder and I would like to try and be as consistent as possible.
I am looking at getting a RCBS charge master combo. Is this the best unit to get or are there better units out there.
Looking for input on these units and what the best unit is.
Thanks

[wwbirds]

Natchez in the US has great service and a very competitive price when I ordered mine.

[bulletman]

I purchased my RCBS Chargemaster from Prophet River. It is an outstanding unit. Much more precise with ball powder over large grain powder like IMR 4350 though.

[Dmay]

Originally Posted by bulletman

I purchased my RCBS Chargemaster from Prophet River. It is an outstanding unit. Much more precise with ball powder over large grain powder like IMR 4350 though.

Agreed, although I would never be without it now, very few processes with reloading become tedious to me, but weighing powder does. As far as the larger extruded powders metering poorly, the old MacDonalds drinking straw trick pretty much straightens that out.

[MadMarty911]

+1 for natchez and +1 for the rcbs. Just be careful with fine ball powder like CFE223. It killed mine.

[wwbirds]

Just checked their site again and the RCBS combo is still on sale for $289. If you order a die or shell holder or something to bring it to over $300. RCBS still has a mail in rebate until December 31 2013 for $50 cash back bringing the price down to $239.
Shipping on mine was about $30. from the US.
Hard to believe I did without one for so long (35 years)

[Lefty-Canuck]

The only thing you will regret about a Charge Master is that you didn't have one sooner.....

LC

[Shooter 1]

Thank you for all the input, I'm excited to get one. I find measuring powder the most boring part of reloading. I'm going to check out that website. I appreciate all the input and sounds like I should have bought one a while ago.

[wally338]

I used a standard RCBS uniflow powder measure and it works great, I very seldom ever use a trickler. Measuring powder to a 1/10th of a grain in a hunting gun is a wasted effort in my opinion.

[DaleJ]

The chargemaster is too slow. I've gone back to the Harrells powder measure and trickle to top loads that need it. I use Wilson seaters for all but a couple cartridges. I carefully charge each case the same because I'm not a hunter.

[Shooter 1]

Maybe I should clarify the type of shooting I do. I reload for mainly hunting but we are starting to get into long range shooting. So would the charge master still be good for this reloading application. I have had people say its fine and plenty accurate enough.

[wally338]

I have never used a chargemaster myself so I can't really comment on how well they work. My point was simply that personally I wouldn't spend money on a fancy electronic scale when a manual one works just fine. FWIW lots of long-range shooters use the Harrell measure Dale mentioned.

[DaleJ]

Originally Posted by Shooter 1

Maybe I should clarify the type of shooting I do. I reload for mainly hunting but we are starting to get into long range shooting. So would the charge master still be good for this reloading application. I have had people say its fine and plenty accurate enough.

The Chargemaster is plenty accurate enough for long range loads. There are scales that will weigh to .02 grain but if that means cutting the last powder kernel in half to make weight that turns a pastime into an obsession. One shooter posted on another forum he had a scale that would weigh half kernels and he could prove with his "Chroney" the difference in velocity. The Chargemaster is slow with fine grain powders, but will meter the course grained propellants fairly quick. Now if I had three Chargemasters I would have to go like Jack the Bear to keep pace seating bullets.

[Kurt505]

The charge master is an awesome machine, I love mine and figure it's worth every cent.

[michaelmicallef]

I bought the RCBS 1500 charge master scale without the dispenser and it works pretty darn good. It can be over or under charge by about 2/10 of a grain but how important is that to you. I use my 505 scale to check wieghts of my powder charge and the 1500 can vary by as much as 3 granules of varget powder. Is that a lot? Usually short . The 505 is very reliable. Don't ever get rid of your mechanical scale. Electronic stuff will eventually let you down.

[DaleJ]

Originally Posted by michaelmicallef

I bought the RCBS 1500 charge master scale without the dispenser and it works pretty darn good. It can be over or under charge by about 2/10 of a grain but how important is that to you. I use my 505 scale to check wieghts of my powder charge and the 1500 can vary by as much as 3 granules of varget powder. Is that a lot? Usually short . The 505 is very reliable. Don't ever get rid of your mechanical scale. Electronic stuff will eventually let you down.

If you see any variance with your RCBS 1500 scale set a calibration weight in the pan and check it out, or keep a bullet of known weight to do the same thing. Beam scales are reliable as long as they're level and without dust or grit in the pivot points. Don't think all Varget granules are exactly the same size, never measured them, three of them probably won't make a difference. You should use one scale or the other. Even the balance beam should be calibrated once in a while. I use my Chargemaster scale for everything, the balance beam scale is in a drawer.

[gopher]

It would be a time waster not saver for me they are much too slow. I prefer to control other factors in my reloading and IMO exact powder charges are not that important there can be a degree of error with little effect.

[tchardy1972]

Originally Posted by gopher

It would be a time waster not saver for me they are much too slow. I prefer to control other factors in my reloading and IMO exact powder charges are not that important there can be a degree of error with little effect.

I beg to differ. I just shot the 2 best group of my life at 500 yards on the weekend with nothin more than a scale upgrade. Went from an old m5 to a gempro 250. Not all my loading needs this precision but I feel its worth it for match rounds.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by tchardy1972

I beg to differ. I just shot the 2 best group of my life at 500 yards on the weekend with nothin more than a scale upgrade. Went from an old m5 to a gempro 250. Not all my loading needs this precision but I feel its worth it for match rounds.

The paint job Rob did on your rifle probably added a good 150 fps to the load you are using and stiffened up the barrel harmonics.

I also would not base any findings off two group’s brass with consistent volume uniform necks bullet run out play much more of a factor IMO. Powder even from the same jug will not hold the energy per charge every time. Keeping powder within .01 of a grain is not all its cracked up to be.

[tchardy1972]

Two things make accurate ammo. They need to be straight, and consistant. Everyone has to be the same as the last.

Regarding that paint job, that rifle shoots better than most custom rigs, and it ****ed people off. But it shot that way before the paint job. That wasn't the rifle used to shoot those to groups

[tchardy1972]

A good read
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...s-his-secrets/

[gopher]

Originally Posted by tchardy1972

Two things make accurate ammo. They need to be straight, and consistant. Everyone has to be the same as the last.

Regarding that paint job, that rifle shoots better than most custom rigs, and it ****ed people off. But it shot that way before the paint job. That wasn't the rifle used to shoot those to groups

Get Rob to paint this one to and keep shrinking those groups if that’s not an option add a Lapua sticker not as good as paint but it will help.

Still .10 .20 of a grain of go juice not that big of a deal I have never seen a SD of 0 you?

[Dick284]

I have to agree with Dale.

When you're production reloading and the charge weight is 50gr.+, a powder dump and a trickler into a balance beam scale is faster than the Chargemaster.

I like my Chargemaster, I find I can be a tad less vigilant, and possibly do a bit of visiting, or multi task a bit, while charging cases with the Chargemaster.

I've also found I can let my son do more reloading, and just hover in the background with the Chargemaster, it certainly takes a lot of the finer hands on type issues outta the game.

With the dump and hump system, you gotta committ to it 100%, and she's a very hands on experience to say the least.

[tchardy1972]

Your right, I never have heard of a 0 S.D., but isn't that the goal?

Do you have one of those magic Lapua stickers you can send me? I'm willing to try about anything if it helps.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by tchardy1972

Your right, I never have heard of a 0 S.D., but isn't that the goal?

Do you have one of those magic Lapua stickers you can send me? I'm willing to try about anything if it helps.

About an SD of 8 is the lowest I have gotten no Chargemaster straight dump off powder thrower.

Just stuck the last one on my gun safe and wouldn’t you know it I didn’t take my time and put an air bubble in it that I can’t get out. Later that day I stubbed my toe on the reloading bench.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by Dick284

I have to agree with Dale.

When you're production reloading and the charge weight is 50gr.+, a powder dump and a trickler into a balance beam scale is faster than the Chargemaster.

I like my Chargemaster, I find I can be a tad less vigilant, and possibly do a bit of visiting, or multi task a bit, while charging cases with the Chargemaster.

I've also found I can let my son do more reloading, and just hover in the
background with the Chargemaster, it certainly takes a lot of the finer hands on type issues outta the game.

With the dump and hump system, you gotta committ to it 100%, and she's a very hands on experience to say the least.

I dump and trickle when it is needed with certain powders

The only advantage I see to a Chargemaster is with large cases using large
extruded powder. But at the same time the more powder that a case can hold the less small differences in powder make. RCBS did a good job in marketing the one variable the average shooter sees as the largest benefit.

[Mike_W]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

The only thing you will regret about a Charge Master is that you didn't have one sooner.....

LC

X2

[michaelmicallef]

Originally Posted by DaleJ

If you see any variance with your RCBS 1500 scale set a calibration weight in the pan and check it out, or keep a bullet of known weight to do the same thing. Beam scales are reliable as long as they're level and without dust or grit in the pivot points. Don't think all Varget granules are exactly the same size, never measured them, three of them probably won't make a difference. You should use one scale or the other. Even the balance beam should be calibrated once in a while. I use my Chargemaster scale for everything, the balance beam scale is in a drawer.

My chargemaster doesn't vary but it's not as senstive as the beam scale. And yes I agree that zeroing and calibration have to be done before and during a load setion. How precise you want to be is up to the individual. But if I am reloading my own ammo I take my time and do a good job. I'm in no rush. Like they say " haste makes waste".

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by Dick284

I have to agree with Dale.

When you're production reloading and the charge weight is 50gr.+, a powder dump and a trickler into a balance beam scale is faster than the Chargemaster.

I like my Chargemaster, I find I can be a tad less vigilant, and possibly do a bit of visiting, or multi task a bit, while charging cases with the Chargemaster.

I've also found I can let my son do more reloading, and just hover in the background with the Chargemaster, it certainly takes a lot of the finer hands on type issues outta the game.

With the dump and hump system, you gotta committ to it 100%, and she's a very hands on experience to say the least.

Agreed, I like to use a powder dump into the electronic scale as it is much faster and more accurate than allowing the electronic scale to run out the full load then slow down right on the desired weight. This way the electronic scale only trickles the load rather than high speed burn out. And its way quicker. I use a Lyman DPS and it is good too.