Finally got around to using my RCBS Chargemaster...

[Ledd Slinger]

I purchased a RCBS Chargemaster a little over a month ago. I finally got the time to use it this evening while loading 204 Ruger rounds for an upcoming ground squirrel culling in eastern Montana. I did the programming mods and the drinking straw upgrade before I ever threw the first charge. I immediately thought..."Where have you been all my life you sweet little piece of machinery?!" ;D

It's fast, dead on accurate every time and makes reloading a lot more fun.

I used the RCBS funnel pan that I use on my GemPro scale. On the GemPro, the pan weight reads 96.76gr, on the RCBS it reads 96.8gr every single time I remove it from the scale. So being that the RCBS doesn't read hundredths of grains, you can't get any better than that. Checked various bullets from 70gr 6mm to 250gr 338 with the RCBS against the GemPro and the RCBS matched up every time without a hitch. I didn't even have to give the RCBS and warm up time either. It just read perfectly right off the bat. And never once did the RCBS throw my set 30.0gr charge weight of RL15 over or under. Right on the money every time.

All in all I have no complaints and couldn't be happier. Not sure how anyone could ever give the Chargemaster a bad review unless they were unfortunate enough to get a faulty machine. Thanks goodness mine appears to be perfect in every way so far

 

[mikecr]

I'll never reload without a CM again either. Mine works great.

 

[ebb]

If mine take a dump I dont know what I will do. Ive had mine for years and have done no mods. I am afraid to mess with it, it works so good.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

If mine take a dump I dont know what I will do. Ive had mine for years and have done no mods. I am afraid to mess with it, it works so good.

The mods are simple and easily reversible if you don't like it (just write down original parameter values). All it does is make it faster and more accurate at trickling. Everyone who has done the mods highly recommends them.

Here's the video if you want to give the mods a try.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p-DRJCL0D3A

 

[Danattherock]

Not sure how anyone could ever give the Chargemaster a bad review unless they were unfortunate enough to get a faulty machine. Thanks goodness mine appears to be perfect in every way so far

My opinion, many bad reviews online are from folks that never even owned one. Or didn't use it properly. Interference is mentioned in manual. If I use mine in a certain receptacle while oven is on in kitchen, it's a little moody with overthrows. However since using the McDonald's straw mod, even with Varget, it's normally perfect. But without having read and understood what electrical interference effects may have, I could have bad mouthed a perfect tool. If mine died, I would buy another one the same day. Enjoy yours.


Dan

 

[nfhjr62]

Had a small plumbing problem in my reloading room, had water dripping on the key board of my chargemaster for several hours ccalled RCBS told would be $40 dollar charge if my chargemaster woildn't work BUT works very fine very accurate loads,

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Not sure how anyone could ever give the Chargemaster a bad review unless they were unfortunate enough to get a faulty machine. Thanks goodness mine appears to be perfect in every way so far

My opinion, many bad reviews online are from folks that never even owned one. Or didn't use it properly. Interference is mentioned in manual. If I use mine in a certain receptacle while oven is on in kitchen, it's a little moody with overthrows. However since using the McDonald's straw mod, even with Varget, it's normally perfect. But without having read and understood what electrical interference effects may have, I could have bad mouthed a perfect tool. If mine died, I would buy another one the same day. Enjoy yours.


Dan

I've been a licensed electrician for many years. You know why you get that interference? It's because when the branch circuit wire coming in and the wire going out are connected directly to the receptacles. The interference caused by the microwave on the branch circuit can effect anything on any of those receptacles because the power has to travel through the contacts of the receptacle itself. Older vacuum cleaners can cause the same issue as well as other high current draw motorized appliances. The fix is simple really. You just have to "pig tail" each receptacle on the circuit by wire nutting the incoming and outgoing wires together along with a single hot, neutral, and ground wire pig tail dedicated for the receptacle. This allows any interference on the circuit to pass directly through the conductors back to the main power panel and ultimately to earth ground by making it so the circuit does not HAVE to pass through the receptacle contacts. Make sense?

Another option is to go to an electronics store like Best Buy or Radio Shack and get a computer power line filter. It clamps on the power cable going to the device and reduces interference. But the best bet is to pig tail your receptacles.

In all actuality, a microwave should have its own dedicated 20 amp circuit with no other receptacles except for the one feeding the microwave. Its not a NEC requirement, but that's how I've always done it anyhow

Sorry that was a ways off the subject of shooting, but I hope it helps some folks with the same issue

 

[Danattherock]

I identified the issue, but didn't understand it. Thanks man.

Be sure to Google RCBS Chargemaster McDonald's straw mod.


Dan

 

[DennisH]

If mine take a dump I dont know what I will do. Ive had mine for years and have done no mods. I am afraid to mess with it, it works so good.

RCBS is great with warranting their products no matter what the cause was. At least that's been my experience with them.

Dennis

 

[BoydAllen]

A couple of friends have had issues with theirs that turned out to be caused by static charge buildup. The fix is to wipe all surfaces with a drier sheet. I guess that the residue that it leaves on the surface allows the charge to bleed off. In any case, it seems to work.

 

[Rustystud]

I love my RCBS Chargemaster 1500's when they work correctly. The first one worked great for 3 years. Then went south. I bought two charge masters, a replacement for the first that was sent back and replaced under warrantee. The replacement worked about two days and had to be sent back. The second replacement sometime has a mind of its own when under 65 degrees temperature. I have also found they must have an internal battery or capacitor that requires charging. Or a circuit warming cycle. One of my units will run random numbers when booted up. If allowed to be plugged in for a few hours prior to use it works right off the bat.
When loading cases holding more than 40 grains of powder I often run two machines simultaneously to speed up the process. Otherwise I run one on one bench and the other at another bench. The other factor that effects the Chargemaster is that florescent lights can effect them.

I would never go back top the balance beam unless required to.
Nat Lambeth

 

[amlevin]

The problem with "bad reviews" on the internet is that there is no way to check the credibility of the person writing the review.

Many of them are written by people who don't like anything that they don't use themselves. Some reviews are also written after consuming copious quantities of alcohol. You even have some negative reviews written by people who sell "the other brand".

I've had a Chargemaster for 7-8 years now and it's worked perfectly. It's the ONLY powder measure that delivers accurate charges of Varget and all the other "presto-log" powders without a lot of fussing around and cussing.

Add a battery pack and it can go to the range with me if I want.

 

[butchlambert]

Mine works great, but too slow to use at matches. I understand that you can mod them and eliminate this, but my Jerry Hensler mod Bruno measure works great.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The main reason I wanted a Chargemaster was because I was sick and tired of inconsistent throws with a measure when using extruded powder. Unfortunately, I always seemed to have the best luck with extruded types. I used to hate to even try an extruded powder over a ball powder because I just knew it was going to shoot better for me, and sure enough it usually would. Not always the case, I do have a couple rifles that like ball powder, but generally the extruded powders have worked better for me personally.

Though not as fast as a powder measure, the RCBS doesn't care one bit what type of powder you run through it. So the fear of a rifle liking extruded powder and having to slowly fill a tray while weighing each charge on a scale is a thing of the past. It has definitely helped reloading become a much more blissful experience.

 

[butchlambert]

The main reason I wanted a Chargemaster was because I was sick and tired of inconsistent throws with a measure when using extruded powder. Unfortunately, I always seemed to have the best luck with extruded types. I used to hate to even try an extruded powder over a ball powder because I just knew it was going to shoot better for me, and sure enough it usually would. Not always the case, I do have a couple rifles that like ball powder, but generally the extruded powders have worked better for me personally.

Though not as fast as a powder measure, the RCBS doesn't care one bit what type of powder you run through it. So the fear of a rifle liking extruded powder and having to slowly fill a tray while weighing each charge on a scale is a thing of the past. It has definitely helped reloading become a much more blissful experience.

I agree. I just don't use mine at a match.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

What would you folks recommend for use at a match? I don't think the Chargemaster would be ideal either. I took my GemPro to the range one time and used battery power. It started reading totally different. Wasn't worth a damn.

I've read where fellas use lab test tubes loaded with charges that were thrown at home, then they take them to the range and load their rounds right before a match. Is that the best way to do business? Or is there a better way?

 

[butchlambert]

A Chargemaster at the range for load workup is fine with a good battery pack. A benchrest match with 15-20 minutes between cease fire and commence fire will rush you to resize your brass, install primers, drop powder, and seat bullets as well as cleaning your rifle. Then I have to carry my AZZ back to the bench and set up my bags, set my clock, and get my rifle ready. Now if you post on this forum and BR.Com about hot rodding your Chargemaster, you will get some good advice. I still see them in the loading barns at matches.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

If I am lucky, Mamma gets me one for Christmas. I was set to order mine Monday, went to a small local gun show this morning, and came home with a complete rifle, Stolle Kodiak with two Dasher barrels, one never fired, for $1600.

 

[Big Mc]

I purchased a RCBS Chargemaster a little over a month ago. I finally got the time to use it this evening while loading 204 Ruger rounds for an upcoming ground squirrel culling in eastern Montana. I did the programming mods and the drinking straw upgrade before I ever threw the first charge. I immediately thought..."Where have you been all my life you sweet little piece of machinery?!" ;D

It's fast, dead on accurate every time and makes reloading a lot more fun.

I used the RCBS funnel pan that I use on my GemPro scale. On the GemPro, the pan weight reads 96.76gr, on the RCBS it reads 96.8gr every single time I remove it from the scale. So being that the RCBS doesn't read hundredths of grains, you can't get any better than that. Checked various bullets from 70gr 6mm to 250gr 338 with the RCBS against the GemPro and the RCBS matched up every time without a hitch. I didn't even have to give the RCBS and warm up time either. It just read perfectly right off the bat. And never once did the RCBS throw my set 30.0gr charge weight of RL15 over or under. Right on the money every time.

All in all I have no complaints and couldn't be happier. Not sure how anyone could ever give the Chargemaster a bad review unless they were unfortunate enough to get a faulty machine. Thanks goodness mine appears to be perfect in every way so far

If you like the straw fix, you will love the brass fix. Goto the auto parts store and get a brass fitting for fuel lines. 5/16 line I think.. You will never use a straw agin.. Tommy Mc..

 

[walker2713]

I wouldn't be without my Chargemaster, and would buy another if necessary in a heartbeat.

However, I've not found it accurate enough for precision loading for 300 and 600 yard matches.

When I load .40, 9mm or 223 for fun shooting, the RCBS is good to go, but not for matches.

If I want to load 33gr of Varget for my 6BRX, I'll drop 32.7 with the RCBS, and then trickle the remaining tenths using a Little Dandy & a beam scale. The Chargemaster, in my experience, is usually off either up or down 1 or 2...sometimes as much as 3 tenths.

I've used the straw technique, and am currently using a brass insert, which I bought from someone here on the forum...wish I could remember his name. This hasn't altered the basic limitation of the machine.

YMMV

George