Powder measure frustrations

[amlevin]

I have read about the chargemasters on here and it seems like they are slow.

Define "Slow". I am using a Chargemaster and can produce just under 200 rounds per hour of .223 ammo and that's usually because I take the time to measure each finished round and wipe it clean. .308 is just a little slower. To me, it's not about how fast I can dump powder but how accurately I can do so which means weighing every load.

They may be a little "slow" out of the box but that can be changed by changing the internal settings. There's a link here on this site to a "How To guide".

If you can push buttons and write down numbers you can speed your Chargemaster considerably.

If you want something less expensive look at an Omega "Vibrator" powder dispenser. It has a fast and slow speed. Can also be used as an automatic dispenser with the attachment for a beam type scale.

 

[JarheadAZ]

I've been loading all my ammo on a Dillon RL550B, bought used in the early 1990's.

I recently gave up on the Dillon automatic powder measure, because I no longer have any loads that use ball powder, and I found it to be 20+ years of frustration trying to load match ammo with that measure using stick powders.

The powder station on my press is now vacant, and I meter my charges with a new Hornady Lock-N-Load Automatic Powder Dispenser.

Rather than being too slow; it's actually a bit too fast, and I need to tweak the parameters to slow it down a bit (The scale updates a bit slow and sometimes it goes into overcharge before the scale finishes updating.).

But it also has the saving grace of automatically starting to meter out the next load the instant the pan is replaced on the scale stage. So essentially, it does its work simultaneously while I seat that case with the bullet, and the charge is usually waiting complete when I need it.

So far, check weights are always on within +/- .1gr., whether I'm loading .223, .260, .280, or .30-'06.

Best $200 I have spent on reloading.

Greg

 

[Prairiedogger]

""Define "Slow". I am using a Chargemaster and can produce just under 200 rounds per hour of .223 ammo and that's usually because I take the time to measure each finished round and wipe it clean. .308 is just a little slower. To me, it's not about how fast I can dump powder but how accurately I can do so which means weighing every load.

They may be a little "slow" out of the box but that can be changed by changing the internal settings. There's a link here on this site to a "How To guide".""





I've been using the Chargemaster for my varmint rifle for years. Follow the link to speed it up and you'll move right along, even with a separate trickle system.

 

[25AI260]

i've been using the rcbs uniflow for yrs. what i found to help was to "change the handle to drop down" instead up, yes i do tap twice...
ball of coarse is more accurate then stick .. i will throw under an drop powder straight to the 750 scale an trickle with large amounts, but throw over an not pour all the powder to the scale on smaller amounts of cases... take a bit of practice ... i find it quick'err

 

[Endyo]

There are a lot of tips and tricks for the Chargemaster. Youtube Chargemaster upgrades.

Powder drop for .223 and the fine granule powder you are using should be fairly fast. There's even a programming upgrade to make the Chargemaster throw faster at the cost of accuracy. It's NOT reversible if you decide to make the change.

They say accuracy is +/- 0.1grs which for your purposes should be great!

With extruded powder (Varget .308) I get variances of closer to +/- 0.2grs. My results aren't normally typical, but I'm also not being anal retentive about wind currents, waiting between throws, etc. Sometimes a "clump" of several kernels fall out and the scale overthrows. The reading will come up normal.

When this happens the scale may "lie" to you. i.e:

If you pull that powder drop and set it aside than re-weigh or let the powder drop settle for several minutes don't be surprised if you see the scale give you a truer reading 0.1-0.2 grains heavier than the initial throw. This is also true if the scale happens to underthrows which is a bit less common.

You can sometimes call a heavy throw. I always double weigh my powder drops, which is a pain without a second more accurate scale.

I honestly haven't done any of the programming upgrades out there. I'll often just trickle up. The "straw" fix will probably fix my overthrows, but I've heard McDonald's straws aren't the right size anymore.

Also RCBS does a rebate program basically every year. Spend $300 get $50 "cash back". There are limitations, but I believe you could spend another $30-50 in RCBS stuff to total the $300 and qualify for the $50 rebate.

 

[Jose_Luis_G]

Just a "What if idea / question": I wonder if a double baffle in the thrower would help any? Set the upper one @ 90° to the lower one? This occurred to me when it was mentioned that the powder level variation seemed to affect the throw.

That is the way I have it, and it works really nice together with a very gentle action with the handle.
Instead of what others do, I treat the handle as if I were working with nitoglycerin, to prevent any kind of shaking in the powder column.
Anyway, it works accurately while the powder level is between one inch from the top down to the fisrt buffer.
Just my two cents.

 

[25AI260]

the reason to change the handle to the down position "drop an tap" is so that any powder left in the tube will fall with those tap s... then back up to re fill..

not too gentle with the taps..

 

[savagedasher]

I think most Reloader's get the cart ahead of the horse. Way too Often.
Too much worry about powder being weighed the exact tenth of GR.
223 cases can very internally usable case capacity as much as 2 Grains. Depending on who made them . 308 as much as 4 full Grains.
Stop worrying how accurate the powder drop is. Check the internal case capacity First. Always start loading low and work up.
Get your self a scale the weight with in .02 or less Make all the cases the same length put a spent primmer in bottom side up Tare the dry case then fill with H20 leave the bubble on the top and dry the case out side with paper then check the total weight of H20 in the case. Separate the small cases in on .02 grains difference.
Now you can worry about how accurate the powder drop is. Larry

 

[Endyo]

Well said Larry! Got to love these forums.

I have been slowly converting to only Lapua brass due to it's consistency. I separate by case weight but have considered weighing the internal volume as that is a more accurate measure.

Anyone have an idea how much a "2gr" or "4gr" difference in internal volume relates to a 0.1gr-0.4gr difference in powder drop?

 

[savagedasher]

Well said Larry! Got to love these forums.

I have been slowly converting to only Lapua brass due to it's consistency. I separate by case weight but have considered weighing the internal volume as that is a more accurate measure.

Anyone have an idea how much a "2gr" or "4gr" difference in internal volume relates to a 0.1gr-0.4gr difference in powder drop?

In my Dashers .02 in H20 capacity is about .01 of powder or 5 FPS
Larry

 

[Endyo]

That is awesome info. Definitely something to think about.

I've seen an apparatus that would plug the primer so you could fill the case with water and weigh them that way.

The old cogs in the head are spinning now.

 

[savagedasher]

That is awesome info. Definitely something to think about.

I've seen an apparatus that would plug the primer so you could fill the case with water and weigh them that way.

The old cogs in the head are spinning now.

Just put a spent primer in bottom side up . Larry

 

[Joe R]

savagedasher said:

Just put a spent primer in bottom side up .

Good tip Larry

 

[Endyo]

The olds cogs stopped spinning. Probaly for the best.

 

[eric n]

There are a lot of tips and tricks for the Chargemaster. Youtube Chargemaster upgrades.

Powder drop for .223 and the fine granule powder you are using should be fairly fast. There's even a programming upgrade to make the Chargemaster throw faster at the cost of accuracy. It's NOT reversible if you decide to make the change.

They say accuracy is +/- 0.1grs which for your purposes should be great!

With extruded powder (Varget .308) I get variances of closer to +/- 0.2grs. My results aren't normally typical, but I'm also not being anal retentive about wind currents, waiting between throws, etc. Sometimes a "clump" of several kernels fall out and the scale overthrows. The reading will come up normal.

When this happens the scale may "lie" to you. i.e:

If you pull that powder drop and set it aside than re-weigh or let the powder drop settle for several minutes don't be surprised if you see the scale give you a truer reading 0.1-0.2 grains heavier than the initial throw. This is also true if the scale happens to underthrows which is a bit less common.

You can sometimes call a heavy throw. I always double weigh my powder drops, which is a pain without a second more accurate scale.

I honestly haven't done any of the programming upgrades out there. I'll often just trickle up. The "straw" fix will probably fix my overthrows, but I've heard McDonald's straws aren't the right size anymore.

Also RCBS does a rebate program basically every year. Spend $300 get $50 "cash back". There are limitations, but I believe you could spend another $30-50 in RCBS stuff to total the $300 and qualify for the $50 rebate.

The McDonald's straws i have tried recently don't fit, they are too large. Carl's jr straws fit loose but still tight enough to spin. Hardee's I guess it would be for the eastern folk

 

[Endyo]

There's a screw in insert floating around these threads and Sniper's Hide for $12 either machined aluminum or brass.

I've also Eric Cortina's chargemaster on Youtube with a machined piece of brass with the mouth of the case as the reduced insert. In his video he was way under +/- 0.1grs.