Benefit of a Electronic Powder Dispenser?

[bomberodevil]

Are you guys using the Chargemaster Lite or Supreme?

I'm using the Lite, and then confirming the weight on a Franklin Arsenal electronic. I also have a Dillon beam scale but I usually confirm the weight with two electronic scales. They are both not super accurate, but if they both say the same weight to the tenth of a grain, I'm comfortable with that.

 

[Rudolph Ferdinand]

Speed and convenience, IMO.

I use a Chargemaster 1500. It is capable of enough consistency to produce .5moa ammo on a regular basis. Recently, I rebarreled a rifle in 6mmBR. I am getting SDs of 2 and 3 with charges thrown with the Chargemaster.

If you are a competitive benchrest shooter I can see dropping $1,000 or more on a trickler/scale combo but for building accurate hunting ammo, that isn't measured in hundredths of an inch, it just isn't necessary.

Or, are you just a paper target hole puncher like me? I'm going out to shoot today, I put on a better barrel for a Savage 110 action - Criterion barrel. The factory barrel is crappy.

 

[Boatmanxxx]

My old chargeMaster started growling after thousands and thousands of rounds. Used the straw in the tube, checked my loads on an electronic scale during my sequence to verify. Bought a new chargeMaster link, works great. No regrets.
I started reloading in the early 80's. I shot IHMSA long range pistol. I would shoot a match a weekend , sometimes 2. That's 4 guns x 40 rounds plus shoot offs per match. For about 7 years I reloaded at night all week to shoot the weekend. CH powder throw and trickle on an RCBS scale. I shot in International class, so that meant I had to load like a bench rest rest shooter. I weighed and sorted bullets by weight, cases were weighed , necks were turned trimmed and chamfered every time. When I decided that I was done reloading, I quit for 20 years! Now I welcome the technology that's offered in the electronic reloading equipment. If it's got a motor on it , I want it! I spend my time chasing game, not leaning over a loading bench for hours and hours. So if you have never spent the time meticulously loading all your ammo, then do it old school it's relaxing to a certain degree. Me , I'm gonna load em with my electronic powder scale and never look back. I have learned that case prep, neck tension sorted bullet weights are WAY more important than a 10th of a grain.

Kinda like driving around in your pick up truck with the windows down, it will work and keep you cooler on a hot day, but I'm gonna turn on the AC in mine, Technology is a wonderful thing! Lol

 

[Robby20]

Are the scales the same on the lite and chargemaster? Just more features on the chargemaster?

 

[VenatusDominus]

Are the scales the same on the lite and chargemaster? Just more features on the chargemaster?

The lite is no longer made, it is now the Link and has bluetooth. Yes the scales are identical between the Link and Supreme. The Link does not contain any memory, but with the app and bluetooth you don't need the memory as loads can be stored in the app. The Supreme has a learn feature that speeds up the throws by clalibrating the speed of the tube for the specific powder. The Supreme is on sale today for $429.99 at Browells. I got my Link on sale and didn't need or feel the extras on the Supreme were worth the extra cost. Your circumstances may be different.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Or, are you just a paper target hole puncher like me? I'm going out to shoot today, I put on a better barrel for a Savage 110 action - Criterion barrel. The factory barrel is crappy.

FWIW - I shoot and hunt longrange whenever possible. I belong to two shooting clubs and shoot every week. I am not a competitive benchrest shooter and don't hold my reloading to that standard.

The Chargemaster suits my needs. If it didn't fit the bill, I'd pay the money and buy more exacting equipment, but I just have not found that to be the case.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I've used a Chargemaster for years and put out some good ammo.

BUT I recently bit the bullet and upgraded to the Autotrickler V4 and there is no comparison. I can throw a 75-80 grain charge in about 10 seconds with accuracy +/- .02 grains. Most are either spot on or .02 grains over. That's down to a single kernel of Retumbo.

What's not to like?

 

[VenatusDominus]

I've used a Chargemaster for years and put out some good ammo.

BUT I recently bit the bullet and upgraded to the Autotrickler V4 and there is no comparison. I can throw a 75-80 grain charge in about 10 seconds with accuracy +/- .02 grains. Most are either spot on or .02 grains over. That's down to a single kernel of Retumbo.

What's not to like?

The cost. I can easily afford one, but would rather spend the $1000 on equipment or components. With my workflow, my Chargemaster throwing charges out every 20 seconds is not my bottleneck. No one will argue that the AT V4 is not the best money can buy. But not everyone can afford one and not everyone who can afford one will justify the significant extra cost for their particular needs.

 

[QuietTexan]

No one will argue that the AT V4 is not the best money can buy.

I will. The Prometheus is the real King, but at $5,500 per copy it does get into the ball park of being expensive.

 

[Mike D Texas]

The cost. I can easily afford one, but would rather spend the $1000 on equipment or components. With my workflow, my Chargemaster throwing charges out every 20 seconds is not my bottleneck. No one will argue that the AT V4 is not the best money can buy. But not everyone can afford one and not everyone who can afford one will justify the significant extra cost for their particular needs.

I'd like to know how you are throwing charges in 20 seconds with a Chargemaster. I timed mine throwing the same charges above and it averaged 39 seconds.

I have also done the programming to speed it up.

Also the OP question was what is the benefit. I feel like I answered that. My points may or may not be a to others. It's all about perspective.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I will. The Prometheus is the real King, but at $5,500 per copy it does get into the ball park of being expensive.

Like all things there is a point of diminishing returns.

The V4 is more than most people would truly need so the Prometheus is for VERY high volume shooters.

 

[VenatusDominus]

I'd like to know how you are throwing charges in 20 seconds with a Chargemaster. I timed mine throwing the same charges above and it averaged 39 seconds.

I have also done the programming to speed it up.

Also the OP question was what is the benefit. I feel like I answered that. My points may or may not be a to others. It's all about perspective.

The new Chargemaster Link and Supreme are a redesign of the original Chargemaster 1500 and have a redesigned drop tube and drop tube angle that solves the issues with the old Chargemaster 1500 requiring the McDonalds straw hack. The new Link is not programable so I cannot change the speed the tube rotates to optimize it for my powder. The Supreme has a learn mode that adjusts the spin of the drop tube to optimize the speed and accuracy of the throw for a particular powder, eliminating the need to adjust the speed yourself. I am only throwing about 55 grains of H1000 and for that it takes about 20 seconds. With the Supreme, it would probably cut it to around 12-15 seconds. The redesign also eliminates over charges, I loaded 100 rounds last weekend and only had one over charge, and it was only over by 0.1 grains.

 

[Chas1]

Good video.

 

[terry 338rum]

i use chargemaster 1500 and it does a great job if you let warm up for an hour and dont put your next to scales