RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser Combo Opinions

Gunlocator · December 30, 2008, 06:05 AM

Ok just order one of the RCBS Powerscale Chargemaster dispenser combos in 110v today maybe should not have made the impulse buy on the phone with my distributor but reviews seems to be good. Whats your opinions on it per fer to her them all mainly ones that have used this setup. Still will have a balance beam to double check here and there every 10 rounds or so since I am paranoid. Also ordered the power case trimmer setup while on the phone from RCBS.. I know the Green sure is going to clash on the bench with my Blue Dillon Stuff but oh well

Savage_The_Barbarian · December 30, 2008, 11:12 AM

I have one and I like it alot. It's accurate and keeps calibration excellently. Counts the charges dispensed so you can double check your charges. Good memory storage. Only accurate to .1 grain though. Don't know what the spread is but could be anywhere from from -.05g to +.05g off but I do not have anything that is that sensitive to verify it. Only scale I use. It's slower than 'throwing' a charge but faster than weighing every charge on a beam scale.

DaveInPA · December 30, 2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Only accurate to .1 grain though.

Show me a reloading scale more accurate than that and I'll show you a monkey with wings and antlers. That's as good as you're going to find, and it's as good as you'll ever need.

There are a lot of other steps in the reloading process that will affect your accuracy a lot more than a .1gr variation in powder charge.

Savage_The_Barbarian · December 30, 2008, 11:28 AM

Just listing the accuracy - nothing more.

Gunlocator · December 30, 2008, 12:01 PM

From the reviews looked like a good setup good to know

DaveInPA · December 30, 2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Just listing the accuracy - nothing more.

Gotcha. When you said only accurate to .1gr, that kind of threw me for a loop. Kinda like, ummm what does he expect? haha

LHB1 · December 30, 2008, 03:42 PM

I have the RCBS Chargemaster 1500 scale but not the dispenser. The scale is very quick and accurate. I also have an old Ohaus beam scale just in case electronic gremlins invade the new digital scale.

the_right_reverend · December 30, 2008, 06:00 PM

greatest thing since poptop beer ....... love mine

rn22723 · December 30, 2008, 08:53 PM

http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html
http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers02.html

amamnn · December 31, 2008, 10:39 PM

Any of the current versions of the digital scale/dispenser units are quite good. I think If someone were to steal my PACT, I would buy the Lyman version to replace it only because of the extended memory feature.

hardhit · January 1, 2009, 04:57 AM

I have the RCBS Chargemaster combo 1500 its loaded about 500 rounds, and I can tell ya after using a balance beam powder thrower scales and powder trickier for 25 plus’s years, I now enjoy a job that once use to be tiresome & time consuming chore. Its Very accurate I can charge 40 cases in 20 minutes with almost no effort on my part its got good features one of the best is the auto mode were after replacing the pan on the platen it dispenses a preprogrammed weight automatically. My only concern is how long it will last before it brakes and is service and spare parts available?

GoldenRoyBoy · January 1, 2009, 08:15 AM

You made a very wise choice, IMO. Even if the Combo is marked, "MADE IN CHINA".

Powder is the one component which is apt to cause the most grief; regarding reloading. The ChargeMaster, properly calibrated will certainly give the user peace of mind. I trust mine so much, I don't waste time anymore with my beamer. I do keep a cheap, little Frankford Digital scale nearby. However; I'm yet to find a potentially dangerous charge thrown by the CM. Let me tell you, you can believe this; I scrutinize every charge, giving each the old eyeball between cycles of the CM. My guns cost too much to risk blowing one up due to my own negligence. I only wish RCBS allowed the Grain display to be in hundreths, instead of only tenths. Grams does display in hundredths; but it's actually the same as Grains; now shown in tenths. To be equally precised, as Grains being shown in hundredths Grams would need to be displayed in thousandths. This will make sense to you, once you use the machine.

The unit is slow however; you'll average only a little over 2 charges per minute depending on the amount of charge. But, it's very accurate. Just be sure to learn to calibrate the unit at the beginning of every session. Also, should you begin to experience false readings, especially as you replace the powder pan, re-calibrate. It helps to have your unit on a flat, stable service. I keep mine inside the house, only using it in the house because it is sensitive to excess heat, and cold.

Here are severals points of suggested advice:
(1) Use an old earplug to plug the powder feed tube when not in use.
(2) Keep a small plastic scoup handy for times the unit dispenses too much powder.I use Lee's.
(3) "After" plugging the feed tube, remove the plastic planten; placing a strip of masking tape
over the scale hole to keep anything from falling into it.
(4) If you experience trouble with static electricity on any of the plastic/metals parts, use one of your wife's laundry fabric softener cloths to wipe everything down with.

I'd told this story, beneath another topic recently. Here it is again.

I've owned the ChargeMaster 1500 combo for over three years. Several weeks ago Natchez Supply had them on sale; I bought another. Within a day or two of receiving my new ChargeMaster 1500 (which is identical in style to my old) my older unit played out. I called RCBS, explaining I knew my one year warranty had expired. Before I had finished explaining the reason for my call, the CS rep interupted; cheerfully telling me to return the unit to RCBS, and to include a message about having called Customer Service, including his name. He promised I would have a brand new ChargeMaster 1500 Combo in three weeks! And, at no charge! I was so impressed, I called Midway and ordered another! Midway had just reduced the price to $299 that same day! My luck is generally always bad; the Reloading Gods smiled upon me; may they continue!

Soon, with three ChargeMaster 1500s working in tandem, I'll be charging 6-8 rounds per minute, or more; instead of only 2! I hear more bang-bangs in my future!

Good powder tossing!
GRB

Sam06 · January 1, 2009, 08:45 AM

You have just made one of the best decisions of your life. They work great! They are the best thing since sliced bread, the cats a**, The Bomb.....I could go on but I won't. If there is anything bad to say about them it would be I wish it was just a wee bit faster but it would only make me load even more and I would wear out my guns even faster

Its the best thing I have gotten for reloading since I started 29 years ago..................Sam

You will like it and yes its accurate.

I got mine after reading the review on 6mmBR.com and the 1st cartridge I loaded on it was 6mmBR with a .242 neck. I did 10 the old way and 10 on the 1500. No big Difference in group size.

Feliz Año Nuevo

Calif-Mini · January 8, 2009, 01:23 AM

You probably have yours by now. Hope you like yours as much as I like mine. I really like weighing every charge and not just dropping an adjusted volume. Just seems like it cannot be as accurate. Isn't that what its all about?

Ed Roberts

Gunlocator · January 8, 2009, 03:26 AM

My UPS Shipment was delayed it shows scheduled for delivery tommorrow I am stoked

GoldenRoyBoy · January 8, 2009, 07:33 AM

GunLocator,
Has your ChargeMaster arrived? If so, have you used it yet?

GRB

nosualc · January 8, 2009, 09:56 AM

You'll love it.

I weigh each charge, as I don't really load huge numbers of cartridges. For me the combo really sped things up (although not so fast that it encourages carelessness).

I especially like the feature that keeps a count of how many charges it has dispensed. If you've just charged 50 cases, and the count sez anything other than 50, you've got a problem.

I ended up selling my drop-style powder measure and bar scale, as I'll give up reloading before I go back to that tedium.

-nosualc

ps - I see that the combo is on sale for $299 at midway.

Tex S · January 9, 2009, 01:04 AM

I bought a PACT. Way cheaper and made in the good ol' U.S.A. Oh, and did I mention that PACT is 20 minutes away from my house?

The thing works great.

HOGGHEAD · January 9, 2009, 02:00 AM

I really like the scale. I use it all the time to weigh cases and bullets. It works fast for separating components. The powder dispenser works fine, but IMO it is just too slow. I can use my RCBS powder measure much faster. Tom.

Gunlocator · January 9, 2009, 02:17 AM

Well I got in the Scale hey pretty cool did not have time to mess with it as I also order the 110V RCBS Case trimmer to fing out of the box it had a rattle noise in the motor box like something loose. Come to discover I guess 4 small delrin bearings it rides on are attached to motor box from the inside to hold them in place well only the rear two are attached. I guess there a couple loose screws in the motor box. It would be a easy fix but the dang motor box panels are riveted in place. I would drill the rivet then re rivet but probably would void my warranty to I will calll RCBS tommorrow or my distributor. The thing weighs a ton so I am going to be ****** if I have to send it back on my dime. New out of the box should not have issues.... About all i did with the scale was turn it on tare weigh and used the weights to check it and seems accurate dead on. I am still fuming about the case trimmer . I also was told by my distributor they had a case trimmer stand to hold the pilots and shell holder that the case trimmer bolts to.. Guess what that if your using as a manual trimmer no motor as the motorized version has a special base of its own then you bolt it to the bench. So I guess I will do some horse trading on here if anyone has a rcbs manual trimmer and wants a base for it. Tommorow I plan to work on cleaning my 10' bench I am dedicating for reloading. I wanted everything setup case trimmer powder trickler/scale xl650 tumbler ect but looks as I will have to wait for a replacement trimmer.....yada yada yada egnough of my whining atleast i got the scale/dispenser in one piece

December 30, 2008, 06:05 AM	#1
Gunlocator Member Join Date: November 24, 2008 Posts: 32	RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Powder Scale and Dispenser Combo Opinions Ok just order one of the RCBS Powerscale Chargemaster dispenser combos in 110v today maybe should not have made the impulse buy on the phone with my distributor but reviews seems to be good. Whats your opinions on it per fer to her them all mainly ones that have used this setup. Still will have a balance beam to double check here and there every 10 rounds or so since I am paranoid. Also ordered the power case trimmer setup while on the phone from RCBS.. I know the Green sure is going to clash on the bench with my Blue Dillon Stuff but oh well

December 30, 2008, 03:42 PM	#7
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	I have the RCBS Chargemaster 1500 scale but not the dispenser. The scale is very quick and accurate. I also have an old Ohaus beam scale just in case electronic gremlins invade the new digital scale. __________________ Good shooting and be safe. LB

December 30, 2008, 06:00 PM	#8
the_right_reverend Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2008 Location: Sneads Ferry, Nc Posts: 232	greatest thing since poptop beer ....... love mine __________________ It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men....

December 31, 2008, 10:39 PM	#10
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Any of the current versions of the digital scale/dispenser units are quite good. I think If someone were to steal my PACT, I would buy the Lyman version to replace it only because of the extended memory feature. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

January 1, 2009, 08:15 AM	#12
GoldenRoyBoy Junior member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: Trinidad, Colorado Posts: 107	You can rest EASEE-ey! You made a very wise choice, IMO. Even if the Combo is marked, "MADE IN CHINA". Powder is the one component which is apt to cause the most grief; regarding reloading. The ChargeMaster, properly calibrated will certainly give the user peace of mind. I trust mine so much, I don't waste time anymore with my beamer. I do keep a cheap, little Frankford Digital scale nearby. However; I'm yet to find a potentially dangerous charge thrown by the CM. Let me tell you, you can believe this; I scrutinize every charge, giving each the old eyeball between cycles of the CM. My guns cost too much to risk blowing one up due to my own negligence. I only wish RCBS allowed the Grain display to be in hundreths, instead of only tenths. Grams does display in hundredths; but it's actually the same as Grains; now shown in tenths. To be equally precised, as Grains being shown in hundredths Grams would need to be displayed in thousandths. This will make sense to you, once you use the machine. The unit is slow however; you'll average only a little over 2 charges per minute depending on the amount of charge. But, it's very accurate. Just be sure to learn to calibrate the unit at the beginning of every session. Also, should you begin to experience false readings, especially as you replace the powder pan, re-calibrate. It helps to have your unit on a flat, stable service. I keep mine inside the house, only using it in the house because it is sensitive to excess heat, and cold. Here are severals points of suggested advice: (1) Use an old earplug to plug the powder feed tube when not in use. (2) Keep a small plastic scoup handy for times the unit dispenses too much powder.I use Lee's. (3) "After" plugging the feed tube, remove the plastic planten; placing a strip of masking tape over the scale hole to keep anything from falling into it. (4) If you experience trouble with static electricity on any of the plastic/metals parts, use one of your wife's laundry fabric softener cloths to wipe everything down with. I'd told this story, beneath another topic recently. Here it is again. I've owned the ChargeMaster 1500 combo for over three years. Several weeks ago Natchez Supply had them on sale; I bought another. Within a day or two of receiving my new ChargeMaster 1500 (which is identical in style to my old) my older unit played out. I called RCBS, explaining I knew my one year warranty had expired. Before I had finished explaining the reason for my call, the CS rep interupted; cheerfully telling me to return the unit to RCBS, and to include a message about having called Customer Service, including his name. He promised I would have a brand new ChargeMaster 1500 Combo in three weeks! And, at no charge! I was so impressed, I called Midway and ordered another! Midway had just reduced the price to $299 that same day! My luck is generally always bad; the Reloading Gods smiled upon me; may they continue! Soon, with three ChargeMaster 1500s working in tandem, I'll be charging 6-8 rounds per minute, or more; instead of only 2! I hear more bang-bangs in my future! Good powder tossing! GRB Last edited by GoldenRoyBoy; January 2, 2009 at 08:09 AM. Reason: Clarification

December 30, 2008, 11:12 AM	#2
Savage_The_Barbarian Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Posts: 46	I have one and I like it alot. It's accurate and keeps calibration excellently. Counts the charges dispensed so you can double check your charges. Good memory storage. Only accurate to .1 grain though. Don't know what the spread is but could be anywhere from from -.05g to +.05g off but I do not have anything that is that sensitive to verify it. Only scale I use. It's slower than 'throwing' a charge but faster than weighing every charge on a beam scale.

December 30, 2008, 11:28 AM	#4
Savage_The_Barbarian Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Posts: 46	Just listing the accuracy - nothing more.

December 30, 2008, 12:01 PM	#5
Gunlocator Member Join Date: November 24, 2008 Posts: 32	From the reviews looked like a good setup good to know

December 30, 2008, 08:53 PM	#9
rn22723 Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2001 Location: Burbs of Minneapolis Posts: 676	http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers02.html

January 1, 2009, 04:57 AM	#11
hardhit Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Posts: 343	I have the RCBS Chargemaster combo 1500 its loaded about 500 rounds, and I can tell ya after using a balance beam powder thrower scales and powder trickier for 25 plus’s years, I now enjoy a job that once use to be tiresome & time consuming chore. Its Very accurate I can charge 40 cases in 20 minutes with almost no effort on my part its got good features one of the best is the auto mode were after replacing the pan on the platen it dispenses a preprogrammed weight automatically. My only concern is how long it will last before it brakes and is service and spare parts available?

January 1, 2009, 08:45 AM	#13
Sam06 Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Fayettenam Posts: 1,086	Sleep well tonight You have just made one of the best decisions of your life. They work great! They are the best thing since sliced bread, the cats a*, The Bomb.....I could go on but I won't. If there is anything bad to say about them it would be I wish it was just a wee bit faster but it would only make me load even more and I would wear out my guns even faster Its the best thing I have gotten for reloading since I started 29 years ago..................Sam You will like it and yes its accurate. I got mine after reading the review on 6mmBR.com and the 1st cartridge I loaded on it was 6mmBR with a .242 neck. I did 10 the old way and 10 on the 1500. No big Difference in group size. Feliz Año Nuevo __________________ The two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity. Last edited by Sam06; January 1, 2009 at 08:51 AM.*

January 8, 2009, 01:23 AM	#14
Calif-Mini Junior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: Fremont California Posts: 12	RCBS chargemaster combo You probably have yours by now. Hope you like yours as much as I like mine. I really like weighing every charge and not just dropping an adjusted volume. Just seems like it cannot be as accurate. Isn't that what its all about? Ed Roberts

January 8, 2009, 03:26 AM	#15
Gunlocator Member Join Date: November 24, 2008 Posts: 32	My UPS Shipment was delayed it shows scheduled for delivery tommorrow I am stoked

January 8, 2009, 07:33 AM	#16
GoldenRoyBoy Junior member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: Trinidad, Colorado Posts: 107	Did it arrive??? GunLocator, Has your ChargeMaster arrived? If so, have you used it yet? GRB

January 8, 2009, 09:56 AM	#17
nosualc Member Join Date: June 15, 2006 Location: land of sky blue waters Posts: 51	You'll love it. I weigh each charge, as I don't really load huge numbers of cartridges. For me the combo really sped things up (although not so fast that it encourages carelessness). I especially like the feature that keeps a count of how many charges it has dispensed. If you've just charged 50 cases, and the count sez anything other than 50, you've got a problem. I ended up selling my drop-style powder measure and bar scale, as I'll give up reloading before I go back to that tedium. -nosualc ps - I see that the combo is on sale for $299 at midway. Last edited by nosualc; January 8, 2009 at 09:58 AM. Reason: added ps

January 9, 2009, 01:04 AM	#18
Tex S Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, TEXAS Posts: 909	I bought a PACT. Way cheaper and made in the good ol' U.S.A. Oh, and did I mention that PACT is 20 minutes away from my house? The thing works great.

January 9, 2009, 02:00 AM	#19
HOGGHEAD Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2008 Location: Rivesville, WV Posts: 637	RCBS I really like the scale. I use it all the time to weigh cases and bullets. It works fast for separating components. The powder dispenser works fine, but IMO it is just too slow. I can use my RCBS powder measure much faster. Tom.

January 9, 2009, 02:17 AM	#20
Gunlocator Member Join Date: November 24, 2008 Posts: 32	Well I got in the Scale hey pretty cool did not have time to mess with it as I also order the 110V RCBS Case trimmer to fing out of the box it had a rattle noise in the motor box like something loose. Come to discover I guess 4 small delrin bearings it rides on are attached to motor box from the inside to hold them in place well only the rear two are attached. I guess there a couple loose screws in the motor box. It would be a easy fix but the dang motor box panels are riveted in place. I would drill the rivet then re rivet but probably would void my warranty to I will calll RCBS tommorrow or my distributor. The thing weighs a ton so I am going to be ****** if I have to send it back on my dime. New out of the box should not have issues.... About all i did with the scale was turn it on tare weigh and used the weights to check it and seems accurate dead on. I am still fuming about the case trimmer . I also was told by my distributor they had a case trimmer stand to hold the pilots and shell holder that the case trimmer bolts to.. Guess what that if your using as a manual trimmer no motor as the motorized version has a special base of its own then you bolt it to the bench. So I guess I will do some horse trading on here if anyone has a rcbs manual trimmer and wants a base for it. Tommorow I plan to work on cleaning my 10' bench I am dedicating for reloading. I wanted everything setup case trimmer powder trickler/scale xl650 tumbler ect but looks as I will have to wait for a replacement trimmer.....yada yada yada egnough of my whining atleast i got the scale/dispenser in one piece