Electronic powder dispenser

briz50 · January 1, 2013, 04:16 PM

Just would like to get feedback on a good electronic auto powder dispenser. I reload pistol and rifle rounds. I mostly would use this with rifle rounds being I load them on a single stage press. Any input as to what would be my better choice as why would be great. Thanks guys!

m&p45acp10+1 · January 1, 2013, 04:23 PM

I have the Hornady model. It works well for rifle charges. Smallest I do with it is .30 Carbine.

For pistol loads, especialy small volume cases like .45 auto, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and such the standard powder measure, with a good metering powder will be worlds faster.

blackhawk8 · January 1, 2013, 05:49 PM

I just got a new RCBS Chargemaster 1500 combo. Really do like it , very accurate and saves lots of time, very nice unit.

hounddawg · January 1, 2013, 06:40 PM

had a RCBS Chargemaster a little over a month now, love it

rambokid · January 1, 2013, 07:20 PM

I also love my Chargemaster 1500. I use it for everything. I have a Lee turret with the powder through dies, the riser and the Lee funnel. Works great!

Crashbox · January 1, 2013, 08:50 PM

A +1 for the RCBS Chargemaster 1500- I have one and it is fantastic.

rduckwor · January 1, 2013, 09:30 PM

Hornady here too. Works fine.

Rimfire5 · January 2, 2013, 10:50 AM

I have used a Chargemaster 1500 to load over 15,000 rifle rounds and would buy one again. Fortunately, it just keeps on dispensing accurately so I won't need to.

If you keep it level and wait for it to finish its dispensing cycle, you can get great repeatability.

I know one person who was a bit impatient and wouldn't let the dispensing and settling cycle finish completely. He had OK results with that practice but the accuracy of his groups improved when he learned to let the cycle finish.

I would bet all the electronic dispensers have the same characteristic.

In looking at the adds for the Hornady and Lyman units and comparing them to the Chargemaster 1500, it looks like all three might have a common source for the internals with only minor adjustments to the positioning of the controls in the units packaging for each of the three models.

It would be interesting to have all three in hand to really compare them up close.

GeauxTide · January 2, 2013, 01:12 PM

Lyman DPS 1200 here. Love it.

schmellba99 · January 2, 2013, 01:41 PM

Chargemaster 1500. Never had a problem, and it works great for both pistol and rifle.

bfoosh006 · January 3, 2013, 07:49 PM

Not trying to derail the OP's thread... but....

For those of you with the 1500 ChargeMaster....Did you know you can easily speed it up ? Here is the link along with some other helpful "Hints".

http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-...-chargemaster/

David Bachelder · January 4, 2013, 08:10 AM

RCBS Chargemaster here. Love it.

tobnpr · January 4, 2013, 11:05 AM

What is the speed to dispense, say, 45 grains of powder?

hounddawg · January 4, 2013, 11:17 AM

just did ten loads of 45 grains and timed them low was 15 seconds high was 30, most were in the mid 20's. I just let the Chargemaster do it's thing while I seat the bullet and check for to make sure it is concentric. By the time I do that the powder is sitting there waiting

m&p45acp10+1 · January 4, 2013, 07:29 PM

I do the charge, and seat method when loading rifle as well. Makes things go quickly that way. No need to wait a long time. By the time I have a bullet seated the next charge is ready.

I use a Hornady Auto Charge it works well. Mine was gifted. If I were going to spend my money I would probably go with the Lyman.

I admit I am a cheap skate from the old school. I would never have spent my money on one. Now that I have one if it stopped working I would buy another.

amamnn · January 4, 2013, 09:46 PM

I've been using the PACT scale/dispenser combo for a few years and have found it to be as good a system as I could want. It is my understanding the PACT pioneered the concept of an electronic scale providing feedback to a trickler type dispenser which fed back to the scale and so on. Other brands using this system were actually manufactured by PACT and the competitor's label applied until recently. Even so, if your Lyman RCBS Hornady scale or dispenser goes south on you and you have to send it back to the "manufacturer" it will end up being fixed by who? PACT!

boostedtt91 · January 4, 2013, 10:34 PM

i have the hornady one and out of the box it works flawless with pistol powder. It didn't work so well with rifle powder as it was always overcharging by .5 to 1 grain over, but hornady gave me a more detailed instrution manual which lets you change the speed of the funnel and when the trickle starts and stops which fixed the overcharging. So far i love it and would recommend it to anyone. Any overcharging issues can be easily solved and suited to your needs by changing the settings

drturi · January 4, 2013, 10:43 PM

I have the older RCBS Powder Pro, not the fastest but it's very accurate. It's the same system made by Pact.

1stmar · January 5, 2013, 04:37 AM

I have a hornady auto charge, for $169, it can't be beat. I love it.

hounddawg · January 5, 2013, 05:22 AM

Quote:

m&p45acp10+1

I admit I am a cheap skate from the old school. I would never have spent my money on one. Now that I have one if it stopped working I would buy another.

birds of a feather. The main reason I went RCBS was I hit a perfect storm of rebate + on sale. I was leaning heavily toward the Hornady but ended up with the RCBS when I found I could get it for a little over $ 200

From reading these posts seems like just about every manufacturer is putting out a quality product. If my RCBS ever dies out of warranty I will just look to see which one I can get the best deal on.

January 1, 2013, 04:16 PM	#1
briz50 Junior Member Join Date: August 13, 2005 Posts: 5	Electronic powder dispenser Just would like to get feedback on a good electronic auto powder dispenser. I reload pistol and rifle rounds. I mostly would use this with rifle rounds being I load them on a single stage press. Any input as to what would be my better choice as why would be great. Thanks guys!

January 1, 2013, 04:23 PM	#2
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I have the Hornady model. It works well for rifle charges. Smallest I do with it is .30 Carbine. For pistol loads, especialy small volume cases like .45 auto, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and such the standard powder measure, with a good metering powder will be worlds faster. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 1, 2013, 06:40 PM	#4
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	had a RCBS Chargemaster a little over a month now, love it __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

January 1, 2013, 08:50 PM	#6
Crashbox Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2009 Location: Lynden, Washington Posts: 199	A +1 for the RCBS Chargemaster 1500- I have one and it is fantastic. __________________ Four Rugers, three SIG Sauers, assorted rifles. NRA, GOA and SAF Life Member.

January 1, 2013, 09:30 PM	#7
rduckwor Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2008 Location: L.A. - Lower Alabama Posts: 365	Hornady here too. Works fine. __________________ RMD

January 1, 2013, 05:49 PM	#3
blackhawk8 Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Posts: 115	I just got a new RCBS Chargemaster 1500 combo. Really do like it , very accurate and saves lots of time, very nice unit.

January 1, 2013, 07:20 PM	#5
rambokid Junior Member Join Date: March 2, 2010 Posts: 8	I also love my Chargemaster 1500. I use it for everything. I have a Lee turret with the powder through dies, the riser and the Lee funnel. Works great!

January 2, 2013, 10:50 AM	#8
Rimfire5 Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2009 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 923	I have used a Chargemaster 1500 to load over 15,000 rifle rounds and would buy one again. Fortunately, it just keeps on dispensing accurately so I won't need to. If you keep it level and wait for it to finish its dispensing cycle, you can get great repeatability. I know one person who was a bit impatient and wouldn't let the dispensing and settling cycle finish completely. He had OK results with that practice but the accuracy of his groups improved when he learned to let the cycle finish. I would bet all the electronic dispensers have the same characteristic. In looking at the adds for the Hornady and Lyman units and comparing them to the Chargemaster 1500, it looks like all three might have a common source for the internals with only minor adjustments to the positioning of the controls in the units packaging for each of the three models. It would be interesting to have all three in hand to really compare them up close.

January 2, 2013, 01:12 PM	#9
GeauxTide Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Helena, AL Posts: 4,424	Lyman DPS 1200 here. Love it.

January 2, 2013, 01:41 PM	#10
schmellba99 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2008 Posts: 803	Chargemaster 1500. Never had a problem, and it works great for both pistol and rifle.

January 3, 2013, 07:49 PM	#11
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	Not trying to derail the OP's thread... but.... For those of you with the 1500 ChargeMaster....Did you know you can easily speed it up ? Here is the link along with some other helpful "Hints". http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-...-chargemaster/

January 4, 2013, 08:10 AM	#12
David Bachelder Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2011 Location: Trinity, Texas Posts: 636	RCBS Chargemaster here. Love it. __________________ David Bachelder Trinity, Texas I load, 9mm Luger, 38 and 40 S&W, 38 Special, 357Magnum, 45ACP, 45 Colt, 223, 300 AAC, 243 and 30-06

January 4, 2013, 11:05 AM	#13
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	What is the speed to dispense, say, 45 grains of powder?

January 4, 2013, 11:17 AM	#14
hounddawg Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Posts: 4,232	just did ten loads of 45 grains and timed them low was 15 seconds high was 30, most were in the mid 20's. I just let the Chargemaster do it's thing while I seat the bullet and check for to make sure it is concentric. By the time I do that the powder is sitting there waiting __________________ “How do I get to the next level?” Well, you get to the next level by being the first one on the range and the last one to leave.” – Jerry Miculek

January 4, 2013, 07:29 PM	#15
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I do the charge, and seat method when loading rifle as well. Makes things go quickly that way. No need to wait a long time. By the time I have a bullet seated the next charge is ready. I use a Hornady Auto Charge it works well. Mine was gifted. If I were going to spend my money I would probably go with the Lyman. I admit I am a cheap skate from the old school. I would never have spent my money on one. Now that I have one if it stopped working I would buy another. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 4, 2013, 09:46 PM	#16
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	I've been using the PACT scale/dispenser combo for a few years and have found it to be as good a system as I could want. It is my understanding the PACT pioneered the concept of an electronic scale providing feedback to a trickler type dispenser which fed back to the scale and so on. Other brands using this system were actually manufactured by PACT and the competitor's label applied until recently. Even so, if your Lyman RCBS Hornady scale or dispenser goes south on you and you have to send it back to the "manufacturer" it will end up being fixed by who? PACT! __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

January 4, 2013, 10:34 PM	#17
boostedtt91 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Location: Danville, Pa Posts: 520	i have the hornady one and out of the box it works flawless with pistol powder. It didn't work so well with rifle powder as it was always overcharging by .5 to 1 grain over, but hornady gave me a more detailed instrution manual which lets you change the speed of the funnel and when the trickle starts and stops which fixed the overcharging. So far i love it and would recommend it to anyone. Any overcharging issues can be easily solved and suited to your needs by changing the settings

January 4, 2013, 10:43 PM	#18
drturi Junior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 5	Powder Despenser I have the older RCBS Powder Pro, not the fastest but it's very accurate. It's the same system made by Pact.

January 5, 2013, 04:37 AM	#19
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	I have a hornady auto charge, for $169, it can't be beat. I love it.