Do you guys leave powder in your chargemaster/dispensers? I'm anal and empty mine every time. I run a dehumidifier in my reloading room constantly. Just wondering if I need to clean it out every time?
Thanks,
Dave
Thanks,
Dave
- Thread starter Sweetyzfd
- Start date
Yep, drain it. Some powders will cloud the transparent plastic very quickly. Others' grains can stick and etch.
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I put it away because of concerns about humidity, and it's just safer in my mind, in the container than in an electronic device that can short or get hot, etc.
Depends, if I'm loading within 48 hours, I might leave it out; However I live in a dry climate. If you don't mind it giving your clear tube a yellow tint, you can leave it in there longer. I have tested titegroup sitting in a dillon dispenser for a month, and there was no change in velocity or anything wrong. I wouldn't recommend that as this is volatile stuff.
I do not empty the powder from my Chargemaster unless I am changing powder since I use it frequently. But living in Arizona I don't have to worry about the humidity except during the monsoon season. In the 5 years I've had the Chargemaster I have yet to see and discoloration or etching of the plastic powder cylinder. Possibly because of the low humidity. I also don't empty the powder in my Dillon powder measures unless I will not be reloading with them for a prolong period of time and have not seen any discoloration or etching in them either.
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I don't empty mine. I leave the can by the unit so I know for sure what is in there. I also put the lid on the hopper, close the cover over the pan and use some neat little rubbers over the dispensing tube to seal things up.
+1 I never empty mine
I always empty and clean out all powder measure containers after each loading day. Keep it clean. Victor
This.
Thanks for all the responses. I'll probably keep cleaning mine unless I'm loading in the next day or 2
Dave
Dave
For the 1 minute or less it takes to dump the hopper, why chance it?
Haven't emptied mine unless changing powders. After 6 years the tube is just as clear as it was the day I pulled it from the box.
Never turn it off either. Only time it gets turned off is if the power company cuts power and I have to restart it. I have NO drift or accuracy issues.
While I typically don't leave powders for extended time in measures. I got out of shooting for about 16 years. I last loaded .45 ACP on my Dillon 650, and had left powder in, as I was loading often.
The powder looked and smelled fine after 16 years (and I do NOT live in dry climate, and for about 7 years the house was not central AC.
Loaded the powder (kept those rounds separate) and shot them. Worked fine.
The powder looked and smelled fine after 16 years (and I do NOT live in dry climate, and for about 7 years the house was not central AC.
Loaded the powder (kept those rounds separate) and shot them. Worked fine.
I've left powder in my chargemaster. After a few days the powder really sticks to the plastic (the green not the clear). Kind of a bitch to scrape off. Now I dump it after each session or try to anyways. Now if I could just train myself to close the powder drain and not leave a pile of powder on my table when I fill it again!
SUIScide quote: "Now if I could just train myself to close the powder drain and not leave a pile of powder on my table when I fill it again!"
Been there done that more times than I care to remember.
Been there done that more times than I care to remember.
I have left my Varget powder in my Chargemaster for months at a time. No problems, ever. But I can see the problem with more temperature and moisture sensitive powders, especially ball powders. I guess it would depend on the type of powder.
Meanwhile, as with JaysonF, I live in a very dry climate, at high altitude (5,000 feet) here in Nevada. Moisture is only an issue in my bathroom. And the wife does not let me measure powder while on the toilet. Picky picky...
Meanwhile, as with JaysonF, I live in a very dry climate, at high altitude (5,000 feet) here in Nevada. Moisture is only an issue in my bathroom. And the wife does not let me measure powder while on the toilet. Picky picky...
I empty it every time! Don't want to make any mistakes!!!
I empty mine usually, and only leave it in when I get distracted.
I have also had the issues with recharging the hopper and realizing I just mixed two powders, as well as forgetting to close the drain. I'm new to the Hornady Automated Powder Dispenser, so I chalk these dummy exploits up to the learning curve.
I think that powder belongs in the proper container except for those brief periods when I'm loading ammo. I firmly believe that humidity is a key factor in powder deterioration, and I avoid exposing my powder to it as much as possible.
Greg
I have also had the issues with recharging the hopper and realizing I just mixed two powders, as well as forgetting to close the drain. I'm new to the Hornady Automated Powder Dispenser, so I chalk these dummy exploits up to the learning curve.
I think that powder belongs in the proper container except for those brief periods when I'm loading ammo. I firmly believe that humidity is a key factor in powder deterioration, and I avoid exposing my powder to it as much as possible.
Greg
This is, OMHO, the key to CM accuracy. I never ever turn my two units off regardless of whether there is powder in the hopper or not.
Interesting points on never turning ChargeMasters off after use. I never thought of it like that. I have always just made it instinct to turn it off after use. I may rethink this approach now though..
As far as emptying powders.. I do after every use. I have used powders that are great and clean from the CM with no issues at all (H4350) and I have used others for load development that were terribly frustrating to clean out (Titegroup, stuck to every part of the CM and did not want to be cleaned). I also load many different rifle calibers, and have over 10 different rifle powders a lone that are occasionally used through my CM. I always clean it out to wrap up a load session as I do not know what I will be using the next time. The majority of the time it is Varget, H4350, H4895, or RL-15...but then there is that time I need to bust out 3031 or something else that I use rarely. My luck is it would be when I left something in there...resulting in cleaning out the CM being one of the first steps of my session.
I will continue to clean mine after every session..but the turning it off every time, that one is now out for the jury.
As far as emptying powders.. I do after every use. I have used powders that are great and clean from the CM with no issues at all (H4350) and I have used others for load development that were terribly frustrating to clean out (Titegroup, stuck to every part of the CM and did not want to be cleaned). I also load many different rifle calibers, and have over 10 different rifle powders a lone that are occasionally used through my CM. I always clean it out to wrap up a load session as I do not know what I will be using the next time. The majority of the time it is Varget, H4350, H4895, or RL-15...but then there is that time I need to bust out 3031 or something else that I use rarely. My luck is it would be when I left something in there...resulting in cleaning out the CM being one of the first steps of my session.
I will continue to clean mine after every session..but the turning it off every time, that one is now out for the jury.
I leave mine in there. But after reading some comments here, I may empty it every time.
I had some H110 gunk mine up pretty good. High humidity here. Reload and dump now.
If you wipe the outside of the hopper with a dryer sheet, that will keep the powder from sticking.
The reason why i would empty it are
1. Safety
2. Humidity
3. Will discolor clear plastic
4. Build up of static
1. Safety
2. Humidity
3. Will discolor clear plastic
4. Build up of static
We are, after all, talking about a computer. It may be small, but it's still probably more capable that the Apollo Spacecraft computers that governed entire manned trips to the Moon and back.
Every moment a computer is operating on an outside power net, it is exposed to voltage sags and spikes, as well as AC frequency fluctuations. Some of these spikes can exceed 800 volts. I have monitored and recorded them, sometimes several a shift, using precision line monitors back when I was working in Systems Operations.
I turn my Powder Dispenser and scales off after usage.
Greg
Every moment a computer is operating on an outside power net, it is exposed to voltage sags and spikes, as well as AC frequency fluctuations. Some of these spikes can exceed 800 volts. I have monitored and recorded them, sometimes several a shift, using precision line monitors back when I was working in Systems Operations.
I turn my Powder Dispenser and scales off after usage.
Greg
Yes, line voltage is full of "hash". But that funny little "Wall Wart", although small is just as magical as that "apollo moon mission computer. It contains regulators and filters to smooth out that "hash" pretty darn good. When the power enters the Chargemaster (or my other digital scales) there's even more filtration and "hash protection".
In short, Chargemasters work pretty darn good when left powered up. Mine has been since I first bought it several years ago. Since I powered it up we've had numerous lightning strikes, power outages, and hot summer 'brown outs'. None of them have harmed my Chargemaster or for that matter my $2,000 TV.
Sorry, but us consumers don't need "Lab Grade" power to run our equipment.
Leaving Digital Scales powered up eliminates "warm up" and as such increases accuracy. If paranoid about "hash" or "spikes" then get a line conditioner.
Since this thread is based on opinions of several shooter I will give my data. I've not had a flyer or anything related to a deficient performing round in over 2000+ charges. This is both my 308 and 223. So unless others who turn theirs off can provide data showing a deficiency related to leaving their charge master on or leaving powder in the hopper this will never end.
OP- do what you will and what makes you more confident in your regiment to shoot accurately.
OP- do what you will and what makes you more confident in your regiment to shoot accurately.
I empty mine just so I don't mix two different powders together. If all I was doing was one load I might leave it in there but I am paranoid I am going to mix my Varget with my Retumbo. As expensive and hard to find as they have become I don't want to take a chance of me screwing up.
