Chargemaster 1500 combo accuracy

[Corey Schwanz]

Definitely always let it warm up and run a calibration before use as well.

I have modified the controls to throw a bit faster as well and it worked great. Every once in awhile I'll get one that drops too much but I just dump it back in the top and go again.

 

[Carpe Beerem]

I like the look of the brass case sticking out but I think it still would allow some clumping where the auger pulls so much powder at once. I used the slit in the straw to reduce how much powder can enter the auger at once and it seems to really help, doesn't seem to slow it down any either. I am very surprised now anytime I get an overthrow.

Oh, and I just leave mine plugged in and turned on. I don't have to worry about letting it warm up since it is always ready to go.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I had problems with my first unit and RCBS was nice enough to replace it out of warranty.

Per their tech, who has responded to other inquiries of mine, they do not recommend leaving them plugged in 24-7 even though I was doing this and didn't have a problem. I've now gone to turning it on a couple of hours prior, maybe the morning prior, and that seems to work out. However, warmup is key.

In addition, using a drier sheet (used for 1 load then snagged by me) to wipe down the unit and cut down on static has also made a huge difference. I used to just hit it with Static Guard once in a while (still do) but using the used drier sheet has helped with consistency and repeatability. I rarely have overthrows, and when I do it's usually because one little bit of powder clumped and fell over the edge.

The straw definitely helps, and mine goes into the feeder a fair distance but not as far as the mod shown above. I don't think that a short piece will work as well in general.

I would not reload without my CM 1500.

 

[jaeger19]

Gosh. I just loaded 250 .270 shells with h4350. I got 8 overthrows ( which it told me). It seems to me that the issue must be the powder. I mean if the scale is accurate then thevtrickler shuts off as soon as the charge is correct which means that the powder is clumped in the trickler. I can tell wheniI am about to get an overcharge cause I can see a clump coming. A few things that might help..who knows. I live in a desert so its really dry. And I don't fill the hopper full . Only part way and then add more as it goes down. So perhaps it is less likely to clump? And I have the charge master on a separate table so I get a charge in pan and then lift it to the bench to put it in the case and then seat the bullet while the charge master drops another charge automatically. So maybe I am avoiding static this way.
I never timed a charge but after I put a charge in a case and put the pan back on the scale I can seat the bullet and I still wait about 30 seconds before another charge is ready.

 

[rcoody]

Well I don't have the RCBS. I bought the lyman. I was wondering about the accuracy of the scale. bought a OHAUS YJ accurate to .02 grains. found out my lyman scale would be out +/- .5 grains sometimes more. Now that is as much a 1 grain.

I load strictly for my precision rifles and want to be as consistent as possible. now I drop charges with the lyman and trickle with the Ohaus. It really helped the SD's and vertical spread but is a royal pain in the butt.

thinking about using an old timey powder measure to dump charges then trickle on the Ohaus. That would be faster.

this one is just a little too pricy

Prometheus beam scale system

 

[catorres1]

Gosh. I just loaded 250 .270 shells with h4350. I got 8 overthrows ( which it told me). It seems to me that the issue must be the powder. I mean if the scale is accurate then thevtrickler shuts off as soon as the charge is correct which means that the powder is clumped in the trickler. I can tell wheniI am about to get an overcharge cause I can see a clump coming. A few things that might help..who knows. I live in a desert so its really dry. And I don't fill the hopper full . Only part way and then add more as it goes down. So perhaps it is less likely to clump? And I have the charge master on a separate table so I get a charge in pan and then lift it to the bench to put it in the case and then seat the bullet while the charge master drops another charge automatically. So maybe I am avoiding static this way.
I never timed a charge but after I put a charge in a case and put the pan back on the scale I can seat the bullet and I still wait about 30 seconds before another charge is ready.

Just an update, talked with RCBS tech support. The tech very quickly knew what was wrong and said mine was faulty. Have to send it in for a new one. BTW, one thing I noticed, mine was very fast, sometimes throwing the initial charge in about 12 seconds, and this without any programming. That seemed the problem, it was very impatient. The scale was great, but the trickler just was not working. But fortunately, it was something they already knew what the problem was and I will be getting a new one in a few weeks.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I recently bought a chargemaster combo and had to return the first, but still have a few days to decide whether to keep the second.

Using h4350, the majority, I'd say large majority, of my throws are over, usually by .1 grains, sometimes .2. The scale, when checked with my gempro, is accurate, that's not the problem. It just seems to get down to the last bit, and usually then over throws by a tenth or two, which it indicates. Again, it's not a scale problem, that's been really accurate so far, its the trickler.

I have the straw put in place, have carefully leveled it etc.

So my question to you all is, with h4350, or maybe with other extruded powders as well, what kind of throw accuracy do you expect from this machine?

I have been throwing a load, then while it throws the next, been weighing it on the gempro to bring it within a tenth or better of my target load.

It's still fast compared to what I was doing before, which is throwing somewhat close with an RCBS dump, and then trickling up (the gempro is terribly slow). But for the $270, not sure this is worth it for me..

Another option is to add an omega trickler...ie use the cmaster to get close, then finish the job on the gempro with the omega.

But I was really hoping for a faster solution overall with sufficient accuracy, and that kind of makes the cmaster a really expensive scoop system.

Thoughts?

I'm with you 100%! I just don't see the need unless I'm loading 300 or 400 rounds with stick powder. A few years back I picked up a very slightly used Pact for $80 delivered. Works very well with all three 4350's, and for me the speed is just fine. Accuracy is more than adequate, and runs +/-.1 grain. Yet I have not used it in two years (or more), because I don't need it. I do all my hand gun ammo strait off a thrower (Lyman #55 or a Harrell), and pretty much all my .222 and .223 loads as well.
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

Well I don't have the RCBS. I bought the lyman. I was wondering about the accuracy of the scale. bought a OHAUS YJ accurate to .02 grains. found out my lyman scale would be out +/- .5 grains sometimes more. Now that is as much a 1 grain.

I load strictly for my precision rifles and want to be as consistent as possible. now I drop charges with the lyman and trickle with the Ohaus. It really helped the SD's and vertical spread but is a royal pain in the butt.

thinking about using an old timey powder measure to dump charges then trickle on the Ohaus. That would be faster.

this one is just a little too pricy

Prometheus beam scale system

I checked my loads off of three different scales, otherwise I would consider it guess work. I had my scales checked for accuracy earlier, so I know they are right.
gary

 

[Pdvdh]

I'm very happy with mine. Had it and been using it about 15 months now. I have a Lyman balance beam scale also, which I only use to verify RCBS scale periodically. I did a modified straw trick on mine and adjusted the program right from the beginning. So really no personal experience with the factory settings with no straw inserted into the Chargemaster discharge tube.

 

[rcoody]

I'm very happy with mine. Had it and been using it about 15 months now. I have a Lyman balance beam scale also, which I only use to verify RCBS scale periodically. I did a modified straw trick on mine and adjusted the program right from the beginning. So really no personal experience with the factory settings with no straw inserted into the Chargemaster discharge tube.

actually I meant .05 grains +/- which would be as much as a 0.1 of a grain sometimes more.

anyway it did make a difference in my groups

 

[jaeger19]

Just an update, talked with RCBS tech support. The tech very quickly knew what was wrong and said mine was faulty. Have to send it in for a new one. BTW, one thing I noticed, mine was very fast, sometimes throwing the initial charge in about 12 seconds, and this without any programming. That seemed the problem, it was very impatient. The scale was great, but the trickler just was not working. But fortunately, it was something they already knew what the problem was and I will be getting a new one in a few weeks.

its great they knew what it was and are getting a new one. 12seconds? No wonder. Mine definitely is not fast. But its consistent. Good luck!