RCBS Chargemaster

[ninosdemente]

When I purchased the Rock Chucker Supreme Kit... it came with Uniflow Powder Measure which until now I have not used it. Not sure if mistake not using it. I have done this process by filling up a "small cup/pan" I found at a thrift store and a kitchen measuring spoon to fill the pan that came with the scale (Frankford. Sometimes off +/- .1-.3). When I first started I had no problem doing it this way because I didn't want to screw anything up. But now that I am more familiar reloading and this method of powder measuring is starting to get tedious for me now. Also annoying when trying to get accurate but using the measuring spoon to get small quantity flakes to get to my desired weight. Specially when I am loading late night.

Since I test my loads at different weights, have been skeptical in using the Uniflow Powder Measure. Not until recently I have been looking at the Chargemaster but have seen there is the lite and the combo(1500?). Just trying to cut down somewhat on time and tedious measuring. I don't have a trickler. Not looking for specific brand, just that I have RCBS and tend to almost get everything RCBS.

For those that have used these types of machines, which one do you use and how fairly accurate is it new and with time. At the prices they are, I have been looking at used ones if I can find them. Are there any problems as far as accuracy if bought used? Thank you in advanced.

[surveyor]

Before the charge master I would set my throws a little light and trickle them up on my beam scale.

After the chargemaster life is good, I use a powder die and funnel, and after I charge the case, replace the pan back on the chargemaster, seat the bullet, the next charge is ready.

The 3 things that make reloading enjoyable for me are the CTS trimmer, the motorized case prep center and the chargemaster as they take the tedious parts of case prep and powder charging away.

But, it has been done by different methods for years, by lots of reloaders.

Alot depends on how consistent your powder measure is with the powder you are using.
I don't use the chargemaster for ball powders that meter well, no need for me. I use it more for the stick powders on rifle loads.

[jpx2rk]

I have a CM LITE and it works as advertised (+/- .1gr). I've used Benchmark, Varget, CFE 223 in it. It has a sensor/alarm if the charge thrown is +/-, and you can either fix the error on a beam scale or dump it back into the hopper. I spot check the charges on a random basis, and they have been consistent, NOT down to the kernel accurate/consistent, but to the mfr specs. There are some tips & tricks to get it more accurate if you desire, but I use mine for PD loads/shooting, so I'm not competition oriented.

I use the LITE for volume loading only, for load development I use the LEE scoops and beam scale. If loading for AR, this would speed the process up considerably.

[cw308]

If your not going to put loads in the memory the the ChargeMaster lite is fine also Hornady makes a unit also . I also started out with RCBS RockChucker Supreme , Dies and the CM 1500 and never used the memory so the light would of been just as good . Pistol loads I only use the CM but for rifle benchrest loads I fine tune with first the CM and then double check on the GemPro250 its a very accurate little scale but is time consuming .

[berettaprofessor]

I have the CM lite for rifle charges and can't imagine needing anything else for that. For mass production of pistol and 223 and a little less precision, I use a Lee Auto-Disc.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks guys. Guess will see if I ever see those on sale. Have seen Hornady but regardless I see them all well above the $250 price tag. Cabelas is just way too much as I have seen the Chargemaster Combo at $415. See what I can find on ebay used.

[bamaranger]

Bless her heart, bamawife got me a Chargemaster, yes she did, as a Christmas gift shortly after they hit the market. It was a real game changer. Prior that I was using a dipper set, trickler and scales.

At the time I was loading a good bit of .308 match ammo, as I was into F-T/R a bit, and weighing each charge on a scale and trickling it up to exact weight was tedious at best. The Chargemaster cut my loading time by near a third I would estimate, and I saw no decline in accuracy with my .308/175 loads. I have nearly maxed the programmable loads out in my unit, and now use it for all my centerfire rifle loads, and hot handgun loads too.

I couldn't imagine not having one now.

[jpx2rk]

Check out the FS forums on various websites. They pop up every now and then.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks guys. Now I really want to get one for sure. Will check out the FS see what I can find.

[Bart B.]

A 2/10th grain spread in charge weight for 308 Win loads will produce half MOA accuracy through 600 yards in good rifles with good marksmanship and bullets. Using new cases.

[Paul B.]

I quit using certain powers because of the flat out pain in the rear end when doing a load work up. It was easier to just use ball powders as they ran through the measure (Uniflow) like water.

A few years back, probably 10 or so my son in law bought a Winchester M70 Featherweight in .300 WSM and asked me to work up a load for him with components suggested to him by a co-worker. He left the rifle with me and the bullets and dammitall a can of IMR4831. Well, it took me hours to even do the first series of loads fighting with the measure and trickler. I took the rifle to the range and shot the test loads, made note as to which ones I wanted to play with and started all over again only to run short of powder and bullets. Off to Sportsman's Warehouse as they were cheaper with powder prices than anyone else in town. My wife went along for the ride and to look at clothes they sell and after picking up a couple cans of powder and two boxes of bullets, I pointed out the Chargemaster 1500 there on the shelf. I told my wife that someday I was gonna buy one of those things. She smiled sweetly and said, "Why not today?" Needless to say I bought it. What a time saver. Set it up and punch in the charge, hut the "go" button and it dispenses the powder. Pour the powder into the case and put the pan back on the machine and it throws another charge during with time you can seat the bullet. OK, you've thrown say three of the fist load so then you punch in the next charge and hit dispense once more and so on. No fighting with a manual measure and those large grained powders.
FWIW, I did check out thrown weights on a separate digital scale and a beam scale. Charges were all within the plus or minus one tenth grain as advertised. I would seriously hate to have to go back to the old method of measuring powder and my ammo has been just as accurate as when I have to weigh each individual charge. Mine has lasted for at least a good ten years. Divide $415.00 by ten and that's only $41.50 a year. They save time so what's your time worth to you? Look at it that way and then think about it.
Paul B.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks for sharing Paul. Well glad to hear it is still working after that many years. At least that tells me that it sure is well worth the money. Plus the time saving and hassle, can't argue with that. I have seen them cheaper on Amazon, perhaps that is the route I may take.

[Kram]

I've always been amazed at how good the Uniflow Powder Measure works. It works perfect with w231 and 2400 powders. Once set I can load continuously with no adjustments. I generally check weights with a beam scale and digital scale. I thought about getting one of the charge master unitls but I really don't see a reason for it, they also seem slow.

I also use Unique powder once in a while. Like suggested, I load light and top off with a tirckler.

[ed308]

I recently sold my CM 1500 on AR15.com for $225. I see them offered on Sniper's Hide for around $250. They work well. Mine would throw high on occasion. I just dump it and and let it throw again. I liked the auto throw feature on the CM1500. Not sure if the CM Lite has that feature.

[hounddawg]

Chargemasters are good, I have one setting on my bench that I loaded thousands of rounds with. Like cw308 I never used the memory. These days I use a throw for my powder and drop the charge 1.0 grain low and trickle up on a scale. Actually I don't trickle I use my fingers and a small glass bowl full of powder and I pinch a couple of kernels at a time and dribble them in. After a couple of years using this method I can load faster that way than with the CM. Not knocking the CM though, lots of NRA records have been set using them

[jetinteriorguy]

I'm still old school, I set my powder throw as close as I can. I check each load on a good old RCBS 505, if it's light I trickle up, if it's too heavy I toss it back in and throw again, and if it right on I load it up. I use the newer Lee drum measure and it works pretty darn good. I work up the load with the normal adjustable drum, then once I've established the load duplicate it with the plastic drum set to that weight. This has worked extremely well for me.

[zeke]

With stick powders, also throw charge that just brings up the balance bar, then trickle it up. Unless load testing usually do multiples of fifty and just set bullets in case. Then switch table around and seat 50. Things seem more efficient when doing multiples of a single operation.

[ninosdemente]

Kram, what do you mean by they seem slow? Are you referring to the speed it dispenses?

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ed308, thanks for those sites. Will check them out.

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That is part of reason why I'm planning on getting one as I do a lot of testing as others of course. Rarely do I load same load in "larger batches". Part of reason why is due to the scale I have. It at times tends to be "iffy" when weighting. Also bigger reason is when I load, I do so late night.

[ed308]

He's referring to the final trickle up the CM does in the drop process. They can be a little slow if they need to slowly trickle up to the level set. The CM is designed to be that way to give the scale time when it measure. The CM is slow compared to a FX120i with Autotrickler and Autothrow.

[ninosdemente]

Thanks for the clarification.

[Jim Watson]

I have the PACT dispenser which works well for me. A friend could not get one to perform, he returned it and got a Chargemaster.

[ninosdemente]

I have been checking online and came across this one, not RCBS though. As mentioned not stuck on one brand specifically.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012762980?pid=818489

Saw these RCBS for sale:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012949230?pid=772151
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018264281?pid=642266

[Paul B.]

"I've always been amazed at how good the Uniflow Powder Measure works. It works perfect with w231 and 2400 powders. Once set I can load continuously with no adjustments. I generally check weights with a beam scale and digital scale. I thought about getting one of the charge master unitls but I really don't see a reason for it, they also seem slow."

If you're just loading handgun ammo stick with the manual measure. I use my Uniflow for handgun loads and .223 Rem. with ball powder when doing a run of varmint ammo.

However, if you load some of the magnum rifles that require powder that has large grains, then that's where the Chargemaster shines. You can seat a bullet while it's throwing the next charge. There are You Tube instructions on how to program it to throw charges faster but I've been satisfied with the speed of my machine and have never bothered trying to speed thing up. That is what works for me.
Paul B.

[Paul B.]

"I liked the auto throw feature on the CM1500. Not sure if the CM Lite has that feature."

Yes it does have that feature. I have both. I bought the Lite as a back up to my aging CM1500.
Paul B.

[cw308]

I'm a RCBS guy but The next auto powder unit I would go with the Hornady unit over the RCBS lite. RCBS has a lifetime warranty it may not apply to the lite , I would check both warrants before making a decision .