NEW Powder Dispenser TESTS!

[Travelor]

Mike and others. Did a little test with my ChargeMaster yesterday while loading. I used two scales,1 the RBCS and the other a Dillon). 107 charges thrown with the following results: 4% -.1 gr; 50% at desired charge; 38% +.1 gr.; 8% =.2 gr. I too think the programming is set to report the desired weight rather than the actual weight as in ALL CASES, I removed and replaced the pan with the thrown charge back on the RBCS and they reflected the above variations which were confirmed with the other scale.

The last charge thrown was with the hopper so low that there was insufficient powder to throw a full charge. The desired charge was 46.5 grains of Varget and the actual charge thrown was 43.5 gr. and the scale reported it to be the desired charge, 46.5. To me this confirms Mikecr's thoughts that the programming is in error.

I trust RCBS to make things right, so we'll see what happens.

George

 

[mikecr]

With the info given, including emails, I'll try & contact an RCBS tech and capture a programming procedure if something turns up that'll help.
They probably chose speed over accuracy. Programming which would more or less force the slowest speed -everytime, would increase the load time ~5 seconds/case,on avg). Speed is important to many. Also, a system which stopped, leaving the scale reading other than desired, would bother many customers. Some would hate that and see it as no better than throwing/trickling.

Anyway, I'll try & get to it next week, & pass along anything that comes out of it. I really do like the the system.

 

[Travelor]

Mike, the Tech's name that I have been talking with is Mr. Dan Legg. RCBS toll free number is 1-800-533-5000. They only work Monday through Thursday

Good luck and thanks.

 

[FatBoy]

It's been several months now. Has anyone gotten word from RCBS on a fix for the inaccurate readings on light/heavy loads? Can these units be trusted to throw fast,a nd still be accurate? Was there a software patch of some sort to correct the optomistic scale readings?

What is the impression of the chargemaster after a season of shooting?

Chris...

 

[chuckw2]

Chris,
I have been using a Chargsmaster for about 6 months now and have not experienced any of the problems that everyone else has.
I received a new Denver Instruments MXX-123 three weeks ago and tested 20 randomly thrown charges with my Chargemaster. I was throwing 37.4 of H-4350. All 20 Chargemaster charges read 37.4,all 20 MXX-123 read 37.5.
I would like to hear from some other users of the Chargemaster users out there.
Mine seems ok, I love it......CDI Factor 9.987


Chuck

 

[Forum Boss]

Chuck,

Thanks for the report. Keep in mind that when 30 guys buy a product and one guy has issues, then you only hear from the guy with the problem. We know that RCBS has been tweaking the product. I think most of the observed glitches were with the earliest production samples. I'm glad your unit is working well.

Most ChargeMaster owners I know are very happy with their machines and won't go back to manual methods. When combined with an MXX-123 you have a superb weighing system in place. Now if they only could make a voice-activated trickler that could drop exactly one Kernel of Varget on command...

 

[Travelor]

I have posted before on this topic and must admit, I am one that has had constant problems with my unit. Of interest is that "fix" that Mr. Legg offers - seems to be the solution, BUT mine had developed a new twist that started last month.

It is now changing the weight of the pan as the reloading session progresses. The pan weighs 345.5 grains per the scale and a second electronic scale at the beginning of a reloading session. As the number of thrown charges progresses, the scale starts to show the pan weight is decreasing with each charge. At the end of a 90 charge session the pan is shown to weigh as much as 10 grains light! Interestingly the charges thrown as still in the 0 to +/.3 grain range that I have come to expect from my unit even for the last charge.

George

I haven't talked to Mr Legg about this development yet, but wanted to post it for the fellow Forum members this morning.

 

[Silverfox]

The first ChargeMaster 1500 I had did not slow down to the slowest trickle rate early enough. I called Mr. Legg and he stepped me through the programming procedure and the slower trickle rate began a little sooner in the charge throwing sequence.

I was weighing each charge on my RCBS 10 - 10 scale and many of the charges were .2 of a grain over the charge I had set it to throw. I called Mr. Legg again and he had a new ChargeMaster 1500 sent to me with a pickup slip for the old one. He told me when I called about the .2 of a grain over problem that they did have some problems with the earlier boards in these machines, but that the new boards were working just fine.

My new ChargeMaster slows the charge process down quite a bit earlier in the powder charge throw process and is at the slowest trickle speed for about the last .3 or so of a grain. Of course, there are still times when there are four, five or more kernels of powder that drop into the pan when only one or two kernels are needed to reach the set charge weight, but it weighs very close to the setting now and I am very happy with it.

 

[FatBoy]

Thank you guys for the updates. I think I'm ready to go to an elctric.

I've been using a 5-0-5 for four years now. It's getting "sticky" and sometimes jumps now. I am also noticing that there are times when 4 or 5 kernels don't move the needle. I lost a bullet in October. I don't think it blew up,, so,, I figure I had a light or heavy load. 4 or 5 kernels won't move POI off the 1K target board, but it doesn't take much to move POI 36" at 1000 yards. I know I can replace the delrin bushings, but cutting my load time down would really be nice.

I think I may try to sort cases by weight this season too. I don't have a digital scale, so this could kill two birds with one purchase, so to speak.

Chris...

 

[chuckw2]

Chris,
It will change the way you live.

Have you boys at ADEC put together your 1K yard schedule yet?


PS. Wait to you see EL Roho's new Speedy Rig, it is a piece of art. I think Chip is sleeping with it.


Chuck

 

[FatBoy]

Chris,
It will change the way you live.

Have you boys at ADEC put together your 1K yard schedule yet?


PS. Wait to you see EL Roho's new Speedy Rig, it is a piece of art. I think Chip is sleeping with it.


Chuck

Chuck,

I have WCRC's, but not TnSSA's. I am also waiting on ORSA, but I have CRC,Chattahoochee) and CRC,Chattanooga).


I need to do something about loading quicker. Tell me, how are you guys dumping powder into the case, while it's filling another pan? Are you dumping, then seating as it re-fills, using two identicial weight pans, dumping into another dish, or..... what gives?

Chris...

 

[Forum Boss]

Chris,

I think your idea of two identical weight pans is smart. Haven't tried it yet though.

What some guys do is dump the charge into an empty case,with a fitted powder funnel), then replace the pan and start a new charge. You then seat a bullet in a previously filled round while the machine is throwing the next charge. So you're basically seating the bullet while the machine is dispensing. You can do about 3 rounds a minute this way, assuming you start with sized, primed and chamfered brass.

I do recommend reweighing the charge after it has been dispensed, just to ensure you have a correct read. That adds a few seconds to the process obviously, but it should catch most machine errors.

 

[JamesnTN]

My procedure is this.

I use my RCBS 1500 to throw my charge hopefully .1 under and i then pour this powder into another pan that sits on my Denver Instruments TR-603D scales and then replace the empty pan back onto the dispenser and diesp, as it dispenses I then carefully drop the few kernals of powder into the weighed pan on the scales for my desired weight. I then pour into a prepped case sit the empty back onto the scale and by time this is done my dispenser is finished actualy it finished before I dumped the powder in the case.

 

[chuckw2]

Chris,
I had the same thoughts about using two powder pans, but then decided against it because I figured the chances of getting two powder pans that weighed the same was impossible.
It is plenty fast still, I drop one,pour into Saturn funnel, place the powder pan back on the scale, move the funnel to the next cartridge, then hit dispense on the Chargemaster and start the process again.
I have my MX-123 zeroed with the same powder pan that came with the Charge master and still check the accuracy of the Chargesmaster four or five times when charging a block of fifty.

Happy New Year

Chuck

 

[Travelor]

All ChargeMaster owners need to look at the 2006 Shot Show report and read about the "new" ChargeMaster and the problems noted in the older units. I for one have experienced ALL the reported problems and have just requested the new unit,this will ne #4 for me).

Will report after I get it.

 

[Forum Boss]

I got an email from RCBS today. They explained to me that the "Auto-tare" glitch was in "Year 2" models only, and they believe it was corrected in all "Year 2" units before they entered the stream of commerce.

I didn't want to create the impression that this was a known problem on earlier units.

Travelor has had a spate of bad luck with his ChargeMasters. Hopefully the new version will rectify that. Nearly all the other recent feedback we've received on the machines has been positive.

 

[Travelor]

Further report on the "new" RCBS ChargeMaster. This is the one that the 2006 ShotShow report described.

Yesterday I loaded 100 308 Palma loads using 46.3 gr. of Varget. Time to have the ChargeMaster throw charges 1 hour 5 minutes. Results: 93 charges on weight, 1 charge .1 gr. over, and 6 charges .2 gr. over. In all cases the ChargeMaster reported the charges to be the desired 46.3 grains. The tare weight problem still is there as the empty weight of the pan slowly reported it to weight 1 gr. less at the end of the session.

Much better than the first three, but still has a tendency to lie, so be careful guys.

Of note: RCBS has been reported to not be sending replacement ChargeMasters out as in the past, but requiring your unit mailed to them at owner's expense to be checked BEFORE replacement sent. Some indications that RCBS has been taking a financial beating on this item being returned. Just what I have heard through other Forums and corresponding with one owner with a less than 1 year old malfunctioning unit.

 

[twofifty]

Travelor... Editor in Chief

Hello, I am new here and found the reviews very useful.

I returned to shooting last year, and just now buying a full reloading setup for the range, incl. a digital dispensing rig,eyes are not so good anymore).

Have you guys got any updates from the 2007 ShotShow?
Am curious to know how well Lyman and RCBS have matured their digital products over the last 12-18 mths.

How about the other posters on this thread: have RCBS or Lyman settled your software, pan-zeroing, and load drift problems to your satisfaction?


Thx.
twofifty

 

[wildcat284]

Hey guys, I have the PACT Scales & Dispenser. Purchased these off a fellow shooter who brought from new and used them for about 4 years.

I previously owned a Lyman 1200 DPS & I personally feel the PACT is much better. Less footprint, seems to throw the charges much faster and the PACT scales seem to be way more stable. In the same room, and in the same place on my reloading bench the 1200DPS scales would always wander about 0.3 grains, compared to the PACT ones that don't.

Doesn't bother me that I have to calibrate the dispenser, I go and do something else while it's doing its thing. Whats 4 minutes anyway? Sure beats the hell out of waiting 30 minutes for a 1200 DPS to warm up.

As for ther memory function, well I have all my loads written down, so the memory function is not really required in my situation.

Just my 0.2 cents.

Michael.

 

[jtm]

hi guys power is a problem at a lot of ranges so is there a decent mechanical scale as 1 bad throw is 1 too many i dont want the promethius set up ive got a thrower but only have old lyman beam scale and acculab vic 123 thanks
jim