sizemaster charge bar?

sjones · November 26, 2002, 11:42 PM

I just bought a mec sizemaster from the ebay and I think I might have got taken. It has an adjustable charge bar and I can't get it to hold a shot weight. I am new to shotshell reloading so I might not be doing it right,although I have loaded thousands of pistol bullets.I am trying to get it set at 1 ounce of 7 1/2 shot. I am using a rcbs scale that only goes to 500 grains,but 1 ounce equals 437.5 grains. I can get it set right on and then the next one will be way high or way low without touching anything.It seems like it just won't hold a steady weight. HELP! thanks. sj

David Wile · November 27, 2002, 01:13 AM

Hey Sheldon,

It's good to see you got a reloader. You will do just fine with the MEC Sizemaster. As far as accuracy goes in measuring shot dropped from a charge bar, do not expect great accuracy. Remember, 437.5 grains is a whole lot of shot, and your measured drops will vary a whole lot more than what you will find with 17 grains of flake or ball powder. If you were to use a one ounce fixed bushing in a regular charge bar, you could expect to see drops anywhere from 400 to 465 grains when using #8 shot. Actually, the larger the shot, the more variance you will be likely to find. To set your adjustable charge bar, start somewhere near your one ounce setting and make a series of ten weighed drops. Take the average of the ten, and then make some amount of adjustment one way or another. Then do the ten weighed drops again and re-evaluate where you are. You will get the hang of it.

If you are saying your variance is fifty grains or more in either direction, then you really do have something wrong. If you variance is only twenty grains in either direction, that is not uncommon. If it is ten grains or less in either direction, you are doing real well.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

November 26, 2002, 11:42 PM	#1
sjones Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: waxahachie,Texas Posts: 337	sizemaster charge bar? I just bought a mec sizemaster from the ebay and I think I might have got taken. It has an adjustable charge bar and I can't get it to hold a shot weight. I am new to shotshell reloading so I might not be doing it right,although I have loaded thousands of pistol bullets.I am trying to get it set at 1 ounce of 7 1/2 shot. I am using a rcbs scale that only goes to 500 grains,but 1 ounce equals 437.5 grains. I can get it set right on and then the next one will be way high or way low without touching anything.It seems like it just won't hold a steady weight. HELP! thanks. sj

November 27, 2002, 01:13 AM	#2
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey Sheldon, It's good to see you got a reloader. You will do just fine with the MEC Sizemaster. As far as accuracy goes in measuring shot dropped from a charge bar, do not expect great accuracy. Remember, 437.5 grains is a whole lot of shot, and your measured drops will vary a whole lot more than what you will find with 17 grains of flake or ball powder. If you were to use a one ounce fixed bushing in a regular charge bar, you could expect to see drops anywhere from 400 to 465 grains when using #8 shot. Actually, the larger the shot, the more variance you will be likely to find. To set your adjustable charge bar, start somewhere near your one ounce setting and make a series of ten weighed drops. Take the average of the ten, and then make some amount of adjustment one way or another. Then do the ten weighed drops again and re-evaluate where you are. You will get the hang of it. If you are saying your variance is fifty grains or more in either direction, then you really do have something wrong. If you variance is only twenty grains in either direction, that is not uncommon. If it is ten grains or less in either direction, you are doing real well. Hope that helps somewhat. Best wishes, Dave Wile