Electronic powder measure/scale?

[PB234]

Just thinking (again) how nice it would be to have a electronic powder measure/scale to speed up loading. Probably will go on thinking about it for a long time, but any advice as to which one I should crave?

[alrighty]

I bought a RCBS chargemaster 1500 about three years ago.I really like mine and Midway has them on sale right now.I think they still have the rebate offer going as well.They are still pricey but that is one piece of equipment that I would hate to be without.

[Mike Kerr]

How does an electronic measure significantly speed up reloading when you spend so much time watching the numbers shift back and forth, never seeming to settle down.??

regards,
:):):)

[alrighty]

How does an electronic measure significantly speed up reloading when you spend so much time watching the numbers shift back and forth, never seeming to settle down.??

regards,
:):):)
I can only answer one part of your question as the numbers do not shift back and forth once the powder finishes dispensing on the one I have.As a matter of fact after it completes the drop it then gives a number on the display that tells how many of this charge it has dropped.
You do have to calibrate it each time you set it up , it is a simple process and takes less than a couple of minutes.
I can however tell you how it speeds up the process while using this.When loading calibers such as my .220 swift up to my .308 Norma Mag. I dump the powder in the case after the first drop.Then I return the pan back to the scale and hit the dispense button. I then pick up the case that I just charged and pick up a bullet and seat it with the press.In that amount of time the pan is either full again of a measured powder charge or very close , I may have to wait 5-10 seconds on average.
In the event I need ammo faster then I need to be using one of my progressives.

Now then as far as accuracy goes , it is not as accurate as hand weighing each charge.It is not as accurate as my old Belding and Mull.It is however the best compromise that I have found and completely capable of maintaining a +.1 or -.1 charge.
IMO where this unit shines is when you just need to load 20-100 cartridges.It has a built in memory that allows you to recall your favorite loads.
I do use it for developing loads as well but I have to add another step to get within a .1 range.Example when working up a load in my Norma mag using 4831 and 180 grain jacketed I set the dispenser to drop 69.0.I then set the charge on my dial o grain scale and trickle up to my desired weight i.e.70.0-70.1-70.2 etc.It is still much faster than hand weighing each charge the old way.
Again I would hate to be without it and thanks to RCBS and their exceptional warranty , I won't have to be for long!

[HATCH]

I use this scale -> http://www.brianenos.com/store/be.scale_be.html

do not buy a digital scale if it doesn't come with a check weight. Its useless if it doesn't give you a away to calibrate it.

[Smoke4320]

the newest version of the RCBS Chargemaster actually has an auto dispense function ..
You enter the weight and dispense once it will auto dispense each time you place the pan back on the scale.. plus it now beeps once the weight is stable and correct.. just look at the reading to confirm.. I have been using a Pact electronic scale and dispenser for years . just bought the RCBS about 4 months ago.. Much faster and more accurate than the Pact by far..

[dbosman]

Midway has the RCBS Chargemaster, in stock, at $314.99 and the RCBS rebate is $50.00 or 500 Speer bullets for purchase over $300.00.

http://media.midwayusa.com/pdf/coupons/RCBS_Bucks_or_Bullets_Rebate_2013.pdf

[HATCH]

Maybe you should tell us what your loading setup is.
I use two different loading machines but both function basically the same.
I have a dillon 550b and a square deal B.
After the intial powder setup it stays pretty stable on putting the correct amount out.

[Idz]

I use a Frankford Arsenal digital scale (about $20 on sale from Midway a few years ago) and have cross calibrated it with check weights and a balance scale. Its been extremely accurate for me but then my reloading area is in the basement which has fairly constant temperature. You actually have a check weight to test it every time you turn it on. My powder pan weighs 119.9 grains so I turn on the scale, then set the pan on it to check its reading correctly, then tare it out. It also came with a 50 gm (770 grn) check weight. You also should have a good idea of how much your powder charge should weigh (assuming you're using a dipper or disc measure) so you have yet another crosscheck.

[gspgundog]

I also have a RCBS chargemaster 1500 and I love it. If you have favorite loads you can not beat it's memory feature. When I start to reload I spend maybe 45 seconds to calibrate the scale and set it to auto dispense if I am going to reload any quanity. When you set it to auto dispense once your pan hits the scale it dispenses, most of the time before I can seat the bullet, it beeps to tell me the next charge is ready. The other feature is it keeps count of how many charges it has thrown which is a nice extra check.

[Westwindmike]

A friend of mine has the Lyman scale/powder measure and likes it. But one day he went to turn in on and it was dead. Luckily it was still in warranty (1 Year) and they fixed it for free. Another few days and it would have been all his. I'm waiting on one of the manufacturers to come out with a better/longer warranty before I buy one.

[wallenba]

How does an electronic measure significantly speed up reloading when you spend so much time watching the numbers shift back and forth, never seeming to settle down.??

regards,
:):):)

I use mine in conjunction with a beam scale. I set the Chargemaster to drop light, then trickle to final weight on my 10-10. It just takes a tiny bit more time.

[Iron Mike Golf]

I have had the Lyman 1200 DPS 3 for a couple of years now. I use the check weight at the beginning of each session and find I need to recalibrate it only after a power outage. I use the AC adapter and leave it on all the time. Cross check with a Lyman M5 every so often. I do use the reducer bushing in the dispenser tube for fine ball powders. For 9mm, 45 ACP, and such, the long pole in the tent is me. I do wait a few seconds when loading larger charges for rifle and big bore magnum revolvers. I like mine.

[PB234]

A question about the RCBS equipment - when you change powders how easy is it to get the powder in the measure completely out of the machine to ready it for the new powder? Does it clean out easily and completely?

Thanks for your help.

[cbrick]

A question about the RCBS equipment - when you change powders how easy is it to get the powder in the measure completely out of the machine to ready it for the new powder? Does it clean out easily and completely? Thanks for your help.

Yes, very quick & simple.

Rick

[winelover]

To get the powder out of a RCBS Chargemaster, open the drain provided. (I drain into a Dixie paper bowl because it's the right height and bendable, thus relatively easy to return unused powder to the jug.) There will still be a few charges left in the dispensing stem. Just keep dispensing, into the pan, until it slows to a trickle. To get the last of the powder out I take a pen, pencil, or a small paint brush and lightly tap on the dispensing stem to get what is trapped by the inside threads.

Winelover

[David2011]

Bear with me, this is about charge weights and some drift as well, all to the accuracy end goal. A few years ago I ran across a lengthy dissertation on the many factors that contribute and do not contribute to accuracy in the reloading process. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy or a link but the highlights were easily remembered and interesting. Maybe someone will recognize the information and know where it came from.

The writer concluded that the one thing we all quest for, +/- 0.1 or better grain powder charges was among the least important of all factors. It isn't that consistent loads are unimportant; they're just not as critical as we might think according to the author. Loading .223 a typical charge weight would be in the area of 26 grains. A 1% variation would be +/- 0.26 grains. In a big case using 70 grains, a 0.7 grain variation is 1% and a 0.1 grain variation is 0.14%. His arguement was that nothing else we do in the entire shooting process is any better than 99% accurate. Sure, missed tolerances stack to compound errors, too. Even after reading the paper I still try to keep my rifle loads closer than .1 grain but don't try to seat at any particular distance from the lands. Maybe I'm fooling myself. I'm taking this out of context as a single point but his overall analysis passed the smell test and made a lot of sense.

The writer said that one of the biggest variations he discovered was the way the powder settled into the case, claiming that powder swirled into a case from the scale pan into a funnel and then the case led to inconsistent packing. The problem is minimized with friendly powders like Win748 and exaggerated with stick powders like 4064. His tests showed that using a funnel with a drop tube led to much more consistent and smaller group sizes than going directly from the funnel to the case. He tried an experiment to see if powder would settle by putting a box of loaded cartridges in his truck and leaving them in the truck for some time to let the road vibration settle the powder. Pulling the bullets later did not show significant settling when compared to drop tube charged cases and the rounds shot the same as ones that had not been carried in the truck.

At any rate, it's food for thought as we strive to have consistent powder weights. Benchrest shooters measure by volume rather than weight with high end measures after setting the weight once.

David

[wallenba]

A question about the RCBS equipment - when you change powders how easy is it to get the powder in the measure completely out of the machine to ready it for the new powder? Does it clean out easily and completely?

Thanks for your help.

I use this funnel, it has a flat side and can get right up to the side of my Chargemaster. I had to trim the legs a bit to lower mouth into powder bottles. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/444752/mec-ez-fill-funnel

[bangerjim]

I use a Frankford Arsenal digital scale (about $20 on sale from Midway a few years ago) and have cross calibrated it with check weights and a balance scale. Its been extremely accurate for me but then my reloading area is in the basement which has fairly constant temperature. You actually have a check weight to test it every time you turn it on. My powder pan weighs 119.9 grains so I turn on the scale, then set the pan on it to check its reading correctly, then tare it out. It also came with a 50 gm (770 grn) check weight. You also should have a good idea of how much your powder charge should weigh (assuming you're using a dipper or disc measure) so you have yet another crosscheck.

I use this little Frankford dude also. I have at my disposal several lab accurate analytical balances with NIST traceable weights for checking. This little inexpensive thing is pretty accurate! I have compaired it to the big boys I have and it is almost dead on every time. You cannot trickle into the include pan while it's on the scale and get an instant response. Always lift the pan up, add your powder and set it back down. Very repeatable and fairly accurate......0.1gn reading....if you follow that method. Otherwise you may see it jump from .3 to .5gn while trickling.

Works for me......fast, reliable, and repeatable. Better than waiting for the stupid balance beam to settle down!

I would recommend this to anyone who wants fast reliable and inexpensive powder checking.

[dromia]

I've gone over to the Target master, in conjunction with a beam scale and a powder dispenser. it is the quickest and most accurate way of dispensing powder.

Here is a review I did for another forum:

"I've had this unit now for a couple of weeks and have loaded up 500 rounds or so of ammunition with it so feel able to comment on it again. I had one in my pistol shooting days but it went the journey after the ban along with a lot of other stuff that I should have held onto.

I was very pleased to see that the unit was still being made and brought back memories of better days although I have to confess that the units existence had gone from my memory.

I don't propose to describe the unit in detail as Allan who designed and made the unit has an excellent You Tube video that you can access from his website.

http://www.targetmasteruk.com/

What has been particularly interesting in revisting this tool is how my handloading needs have changed (loading for rifle rather than pistol and consequenly having to load larger charges of powder) along with the tools such as the digtal wonders that we call powder dispensers,.

The Target Master does not claim to be an electronic powder dispenser it is clearly sold as a powder trickler and as such very accuratley trickles up to your chosen charge weight, it does not do quick volume dumps into your scale pan like the Pact Dispenser, Hornady Accumeasure or the RCBS Charge Master.

However if you own a beam balance scale and a powder dispenser, Lee scoops or such like, then with the Target Master then you can get the same result.

I have had a Pact powder dispenser system now for quiet a few years and it has given sterling service. It will dispense a charge of 40 gns of Vihtavuori N140 in around 20 seconds and by the time you've dumped the powder in to the case, put the pan back on the scale and set it away to charge you are getting one case loaded with powder every 30 seconds.

However when using the Target Master if you set your powder thrower to just under 40 grains say 39.5, dump that into the pan, put it on the scale and set the Target Master away you can easily do the same cycle in 25 seconds.

Now I know reloading isn't a race and speed is dangerous at the bench but I am giving you these times to illustrate what a cracking tool the Target Master is and how it gives nothing away to the more modern mousetraps even although that is not what is was designed for.

The best thing about it however is its accuracy, it has been spot on every time for me and I've never had to return a load to the hopper, accuracy is what the designer made it for and it delivers that consistently and flawlessly.

Set up is easy just follow the clear instructions provided and away you go.

One of the great things about the system for me is its simplicity of design and the mechanical nature of operation, I always prefer beam scales to electronic, you can see how they work and they are simple in operation. With digital you have to trust electric numbers on a screen and some clever inside invisble electronic gadgetry to actually weigh your load. At the end of the day the Target Master is simply a photo electric switch that turns off an electric powered trickler when your scales tell it to. Now that is simple enough for me to understand and I find that reassuring.

The Target Master is only £101 delivered, so if you have a powder dispenser and a suitable balance beam scale then you can have one of the most accurate trickling/powder dispensing systems available to hand loaders and one that works as least as well as, and in my opinion better than powder dispensing systems costing three times as much.

The Target Master's simple, accurate, and functional elegance by far outshines the showy, feature ridden, speed driven, digital dispensers.

I'm a convert, again. :D

Buy one, you won't be dissappointed.

British made and British designed."

Buy one (or as I did buy two) and help us beat the recession. ;)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Target%20Master/IMG_2416A.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Target%20Master/IMG_2420A.jpg

[Garyshome]

Just bought a cheap one it's a piece of ****

[David2011]

Dromia,

Is that a Saeco powder measure? It looks a lot but not exactly like one I have.

David

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a 1200 lyman and a pack scale/disspensor. I use the pact more because ive owned it for years and am a bit more familiar with the way it operates. Both work great though. As to comparing them with a balance beam scale, sure they may not be as accurate as lab quality balance beams are but there plenty accurate enough and surely are as accurate as the cheap balance beams most loaders buy.

[mold maker]

Out of convenience I use electronic scales to buy and sell gold. I keep a pair with me in the truck all the time. If they're accurate enough to weigh $1500./oz gold, they're, good enough for powder.
I can imagine some of the knock off, el cheap o scales, don't measure up, but this is a case of you pay for what you get.

[1hole]

"...thanks to RCBS and their exceptional warranty , I won't have to be for long!"

You better check the terms of that "exceptional" warrantee on green's electric gimmics again.

[dromia]

Dromia,

Is that a Saeco powder measure? It looks a lot but not exactly like one I have.

David

David the powder measure is stamped thus on the drum: HERTERS INC. WASECA. MINN. MODEL

[Ken77539]

I have nothing bad to say about my ChargeMaster 1500. I use it primarily for my rifle rounds since I load them on my single stage 'Chucker. I like the slower pace and the precision dispensing it affords with the higher capacity charges required of many rifle cartridges. (I like to take my time with my rifle cartridges.) I keep a 5-0-5 beam scale nearby to use as a 5 / 10 round check scale and the ChargeMaster has been spot-on since day one. I also use it to meter powder for my .32 ACP because of the minute charges (~1.6 gr Bullseye) they require - once again spot-on. If the initial cost doesn't scare you off, you'll become a fan too.

[backroad]

I have been using a chargemaster for at least 10 years maybe 15 never a problem don"t leave it plugged in win not in use due to power surges etc.Bet there are vids on you tube of it

[KyBill]

I bought a hornady lock & load .read all instructions ! and 8 out of 10 over weight on slow on a level wood bench raised the front up 1/4 inch 2 out of 10 over (on medium speed 10 out of 10 over 1.2g to 1.5g on a 28 g load for 30-30s) on high dont know how much over because it was all over my bench. I did scale the correct loads and they were dead on.I think it may be a good machine if they just slowed it down