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RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:45 pm
by Trev
Hi Guys

Any of you have trouble with the accurate measuring with your chargemaster.
I have been using ADI powder and the Chargemaster nearly always goes over.

Reason is that the ADI powder is those larger granules, you punch in 44 gn and as soon as it gets to say 41 gns it attempts those very small turns to trickle out, problem is that the larger ADI powder granules build up in the screw and then with the slightest turn, a stack falls out and it goes over. I have watched it many many times do this it does. So what I have been doing is setting it under what I want and then tapping the screw very lightly and getting it spot on that way.

Anyway, the point ois the ADI powder granules are too large.

I bought some WIN760 for the 270WSM and its very very tiny balls. Guess what, I loaded 150 WSM loads and it never went over once, every load went exactly to the preselected gns. That Chargemaster works fantastic with the WIN powder.

Trev

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 5:04 pm
by Brad Y
try putting a drinking straw in the end of it mate

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:58 pm
by trishbob40
Trev...
I have just finished loading a hundred rounds for my 243,had no trouble with AR2209
it weigh's out spot on all the time,even when i am using AR2206H for the 204 it;s
still spot on...I use a lot of AR2209.(270 ,25 06, 243,) BM2 in the 223,AR2207 in the 222
and still have not a problem.it;s the best bit of equipment that i have brought , saves time
and no more beam scale...

ps. read somewhere that if you use a straw from Mcdonalds it makes a difference...
let;s know how you go...b

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:36 pm
by stinkitup
I have plans for a chargmaster in the future and from reading the mcdonalds straw helps this sort of powder alot.

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:24 pm
by Trev
Will try the straw tomorrow.

Trishbob

Are you saying if you put in 43.3gns and fill it with 2209, it will spit out 43.3gns every time, even for 100 rounds.

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:47 pm
by Simpson
Trev wrote:Will try the straw tomorrow.

Trishbob

Are you saying if you put in 43.3gns and fill it with 2209, it will spit out 43.3gns every time, even for 100 rounds.
I calibrate the unit, then fill it with powder, then dial in the load and hit dispense.

Mine does for 43.5 of 2209, 35.5 of 2208 etc etc over and over and over and over.......

On the odd occasion I have had it go over, maybe a handful of times in the entire time I have used / owned it. In numbers, maybe 5 / 10 times in excess of approx 2500 loads.

Are you calibrating the unit every time you use it (per session)?

HTH

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:22 am
by trishbob40
that's right mate,spot on all the time.....b

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:39 am
by Sir osis
I recalibrate mine everytime I use it and also turn it on about 15mins beforehand, put 2206, BM2, 2208 & 2209 through it only gone over a handful of times in all the reloading I've done and then its only a matter of tipping the powder back in the hopper and hitting the dispense button again.

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:07 pm
by Trev
Guys

Its nothing to do with warming up or calibrating, it simply over charges. If you set 45 gns as your load, it starts dispensing, then as it gets close it slows down. Now when it gets to say 44.9 gns, it only needs 0.1 gn to complete, but inside the screw the ADI powder is large and its like water in a dam wall, there is 20 pieces of powder sitting on the edge all built up ready to drop, and the chargemaster has to drop just point one of a grain, it does the smallest of turns (you can hardly see it move) and then that build up of powder all falls out. Then its over charged.

I cant understand how you guys have no troubles with the ADI powder, I have spoken to dozens of guys in the last month and they all have exactly the same problem with powder that has large pellet styles. They are the same as me, small ball powder and it never ever happens.

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:12 pm
by trevort
I hope you just dont lift the pan when it goes "beep" and stops dispensing guys. That means its hit the desired weight but if you let it go through the cycle of displaying the load details and wait for the weight to display again quite often it has gone over. I just lift the pan, tap a couple of granules back in the hopper and put the pan on the scale. You get used to hearing the last amount trickle in and how fast its dispensing before it beeps and stops so you just know when its over. You also get used to how many granules of powder to tap back in, like .1 gn over might be 4 granules of a particular powder!!! If I put too much back in I gently tap a granule or two out of the dispenser tube.

The important thing is let it go through the cycle of display and dont just lift the pan when it beeps and stops or you have no idea how accurate, or not, your weights are!

Its still light speed compared to the old balance beam and trickler. I might try the straw tho

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:47 pm
by macca
Why not set it fractionally under then trickle to the weight.I do this and it removes any worries with either the lyman or rcbs.
Macca

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:21 pm
by trevort
its the big powder grains dropping in a clump on the trickle session that causes the problem. I like my way as 4 out 5 rounds will be right and I only need to stuff around with the over charge when it happens

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:24 pm
by macca
I use a seperate trickler not the machines,quicker and more accurate.
Macca

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:29 pm
by trevort
Macca, trickling into the pan while it sits on the chargemaster or on another scale altogether?

Trickling used to give me the shits!

Re: RCBS Chargemaster and Powder

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:34 pm
by macca
Have done both Trevor.I can't stand dropping the few back into the funnel.I mostly have other scales set up as i weigh each case before filling and after seating to group for comp shooting.I have three powder pans(all the same weight) and its like a production line
I reload around 200-300 every week and have found a system that suits me and is quick.
Macca