Put off electric powder measures, so slow...

[Pilch]

Hi all,

I'm looking into some reloading gear and found my way to the RCBS chargemaster combo.

Electronic measure and scales obviously sounding good for accuracy/consistency. But the speed...

Was watching this YouTube video here with a quick walk through on it. Shows it takes about 20 seconds per load to dispense powder.

That's pretty much put me off the thing as it would take forever to do loads compared to their regular manual one which only takes a second to dispense each powder load.

Are they all that slow?

[RealNick]

You can just buy the scales if want that side of the accuracy and are happy to do manual powder dispenses.

There is a model which doesn't attach to the dispensed and is smaller. I think I saw them on the net somewhere for about $170?

[shazz]

There are two kinds of scales too. One is the charge master which goes which connects to the powder dispenser, and the other is the range master which is stand alone.

'bout $100 more for the charge master, but you could always add it to the automatic dispenser down the road if you decided you can live with the speed of it.

[shazz]

Er, lack of speed I should say.

[lole]

That's about par for the course in terms of speed.

They all trickle that last bit for that .1gr accuracy which takes a while. None of the digital measure/dispenser combos just dump out the load as quickly as a manual one.

[John445]

There are two kinds of scales too. One is the charge master which goes which connects to the powder dispenser, and the other is the range master which is stand alone.

'bout $100 more for the charge master, but you could always add it to the automatic dispenser down the road if you decided you can live with the speed of it.

That's what I'm planning to do. They do look painfully slow though

[Monty]

If you wan't that level of powder measure accuracy + convenience where you can just punch in a number and be done with it, the lack of speed it just the price you pay.

Too slow for my liking... and it's not like manual dispensers are inaccurate anyway...

[sneaker]

Too slow for my liking... and it's not like manual dispensers are inaccurate anyway...

Ditto.

If I was constantly having to change the powder measure up and down and all over the place for a wide variety of loads the auto dispenser might be worth the wait, but for the sake of setting it all once then doing a batch of cartridges a manual one is fine.

[mel]

We have an rcbs chargemaster and I love it, the kids even do the powder for me, it doesn't take that long.

[ebr love]

We have an rcbs chargemaster and I love it, the kids even do the powder for me, it doesn't take that long.

Reloading. Fun for the whole family

[mel]

It is! My nearly 7yo daughter comes out to the shed "can we reload some more ammo mum?"

[Pilch]

It is! My nearly 7yo daughter comes out to the shed "can we reload some more ammo mum?"

Ha. That's great.

[Vladimir]

I'm using RCBS
2 thing you can do to speed this up
1 - have 2 identical cups where your powder dispenses, and while one is filling you can empty the other one.
2 - I found slow where it needs to do internal calibration, but after I run my scales from power filter - or UPS - all prefect

[Lorgar]

I've had it with my manual powder thrower (RBCS).

Going to pick up a Chargemaster Combo if I can find one in stock today.

[on_one_wheel]

Looks faster and possibly more accurate than a powder measure scoop, a powder trickler and scales.... if I wasnt sutch a tight @ss I'd buy something like that, then again I don't mind spending time in the shed.

[Norton]

If I wasnt sutch a tight @ss I'd buy something like that, then again I don't mind spending time in the shed.

Yeah they're not peanuts. $500 or something for the Chargemaster Combo if I remember right.

About $400 for the Hornady one, but not as accurate apparently and prone to a lot of overcharges.

[Lorgar]

Ordered my RCBS Chargemaster Combo yesterday.

Can't stop checking the Aus Post tracking every 5 minutes to see where it is

[mausermate]

Ordered my RCBS Chargemaster Combo yesterday.

Can't stop checking the Aus Post tracking every 5 minutes to see where it is

Lorgar, how did you go with the RCBS chargemaster? I do a lot of load development and sick of using a manual trickler. Was it worth the coin?

[5Tom]

No experience with RCBS, but I got the Hornady scales/dispenser.
I've loaded up plenty of ammo with a digital scale and did everything manually, which for me took waaay to long. As soon as I got my dispenser, it has been far more easier.

You can toggle the speed of the trickling function and set the weight of when the dispenser slows up.

[bigfellascott]

I use the Chargemaster Combo, I find it fine speed wise, it drops the charge, I then put the charge down the powder funnel into the case, I put the pan back on the scales and it dispenses the next charge automatically whilst I'm seating the projectile in the case, by the time I've done that the next load is waiting to be put in the next case.

You can adjust the parameters on the Chargemaster to speed things up significantly if you want, me I don't need to do it so haven't bothered, RCBS will supply you with all the details on how to go about it if you want to.

[Westy]

Never going back to Bloody trickles and powder scoops as long as I've got 240 to my door!!!LOL Long live the ChargeMaster!!!LOL

[Lorgar]

Lorgar, how did you go with the RCBS chargemaster? I do a lot of load development and sick of using a manual trickler. Was it worth the coin?

Hey Mauser,

Got my unit and it works great.

I'm really happy with. It's slower than a manual thrower where you just lift the handle and it dumps the charge obviously, but so fast to set to the right charge weight as you just type in the number and it's done. No screwing around with manual adjustments.

Consistently accurate too. Over/under throws only about 1/50 charges by .1gr. Very occasionally .2gr.

I don't find the speed a problem. Like scott said, you just work on something else while the powder is dispensing.

Constantly fiddling for different weights with the manual RCBS thrower I had was a huge pain in the ass IMO. Much happier just being able to punch in a number and have it do it straight away. It's slower per charge, but no more wasting time screwing around adjusting the old manual thrower like I used to have to do.

Glad I got it.