RCBS Charge Master and Varget

[JCB]

I just loaded up 67 rounds of .308 with Varget using my Charge Master. The charge weight was 45.0 grains. It took my Charge Master 118 throws to yield 67 with the correct charge weight. This works out to about 57% of the time where the weight is correct.

Is this typical of what anyone else using one of these with Varget sees? I realize that Varget probably isn't the easiest powder to work with but I thought this seemed pretty extreme.

 

[Boomholzer]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Have you run it allot with other powders?

You can google RCBS Chargemaster Straw Trick or key words within and research that.

Is your weight verification off a separate beam scale or from the Chargemaster itself? Powder clumping is one issue, having the scale reading "walk" is another. This is other a few tricks for this.
Of cource, you can short-charge and finish the load on a beam scale with a trickler. I find this faster than periodic weight checks, re-calibrations, and my mental doubt in the tool nagging me. It does'nt add much time if you start the next CM trickle while finishing the previous on a beam scale. A calibrated set of weights is very helpful if you do not have a set.

 

[groovinpickle]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

What causes the over-throws? Can it not slow down fast enough, or does it not have enough control when trickling?

Have you tweaked the settings?

I've seen some significant differences in speed between some Chargemasters, and in the case of the slower ones it would sometimes result in over-throws because when trickling, it couldn't register the weight change quickly enough. My "good" chargemaster takes 7.8 seconds from pushing the 'on' button to displaying a 0.0 grain weight. The "bad" one would probably take 12 seconds to do the same. Something to consider.

 

[JCB]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

It seems to be on the final trickle. Maybe it's that it is not registering the weight change quickly enough. It over throws anywhere from .1 to .5 of a grain. I had tried the McDonald's straw tip someone else had mentioned but didn't notice any change. I may give the reprogram a try if that is what it takes.

 

[big97redtj]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Mine does the same with Varget. I just dip the overthrow out and dump the charge.

 

[Ol Rob]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: big97redtj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mine does the same with Varget. I just dip the overthrow out and dump the charge. </div></div>

Yhis is what I do. I keep a Lee powder dipper on the stand. Once the weight is stable you get a live scale weight to read. On average 4 kernals of varget equals .1 grains.
Rob

 

[jagged77]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

I use the straw in the dispenser and have also tweaked the settings, I get maybe 1 overthrow for every 20 throws and its seldom more than 0.1 / 0.2 grains over. It usually happens when a small clump gets dumped in the final trickle.

Check your basics - remove laptops, mobile phones etc from the immediate area, use a dedicated power source, turn off any strip lighting and leave the machine time to warm up before use.

 

[JCB]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Thanks for all of the tips. How long do you guys usually allow for it to warm up?

 

[jagged77]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

30 mins as a minimum really. If I had somewhere where I could leave it switched on permanently I would.

 

[Early Cuyler]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

I've used varget with my chargemaster when working up a load for my AR15. I loaded 150 rounds varying from 24-26.6gr and only had two overthrows. As said above I have my chargemaster away from other electronics and have done the McDonald's straw trick. My process is:

1- Turn on machine.
2- Gently brush static dryer sheet across scale and just under dispensing tube.
3- Wait 15min.
4- Repeat step 2.
5- Calibrate scale with weights.
6- Load powder into hopper.
7- Start throwing powder!

To some this might seem as too much, but to others it won't seem like enough. However it has worked for me for a while now.

 

[adam3999]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

I know this is a basic, basic tip--but ensure you're not moving anything around on the bench when the CM is in the last phase of trickling. Priming the next round while my CM is at work causes mine to dispense over the target weight as well.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

I get overthrows from time to time, but I don't even remember an overthrow of over .1 gr. Use the McDonald's straw trick should help.

 

[JimGnitecki]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

My Chargemaster seems to do a great job dispensing 41.0 grains of Varget each and every time.

I DO make sure:

- No cell phone or other electronic or electrical device anywhere close by

- No air blowing on it from the air conditioning outlet

- No motion or vibration of the table while it is dispensing. This is the one that gets many people, I suspect, as so many tell me they "seat the bullet in the press" while the Chargeaster is working. I think this is a prescription for error, because unless your bench is CONCRETE, there's going to be some vibration.

Jim G

 

[RollingThunder51]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

http://www.6mmbr.com/chargemastertips.html

Be careful with below its almost all the code...
http://www.sahuntingrifle.co.za/index.ph...id=8&id=336

USe this link for the Africaans...

http://www.stars21.com/translator/afrikaans_to_english.html

 

[azhank]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JimGnitecki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My Chargemaster seems to do a great job dispensing 41.0 grains of Varget each and every time.

I DO make sure:

- No cell phone or other electronic or electrical device anywhere close by

- No air blowing on it from the air conditioning outlet

- No motion or vibration of the table while it is dispensing. This is the one that gets many people, I suspect, as so many tell me they "seat the bullet in the press" while the Chargeaster is working. I think this is a prescription for error, because unless your bench is CONCRETE, there's going to be some vibration.

Jim G
</div></div>

How close do you think a phone can be? I have been playing music while reloading with the phone about 8-12 feet away. Think that's safe or should I leave it inside?

 

[JCB]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Lot's of good tips and info to take and work with. I appreciate all of the insight. I tried the McDonald's straw again this afternoon and it did seem to help some. There were still several throws that were over but most were .01 to .02 with a few .03's and two .04's along the way. Overall the number of overages was less which is good.

I do have a lamp about two feet away to light my workspace but other than that there isn't anything else close by. My press is mounted on a different bench so I would think any vibration transfer from seating the bullets would be minimal.

 

[aron]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Is your lamp fluorescent? Fluorescent lighting seems to really mess with the charge master.

 

[JCB]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

It does have a cfl bulb in it. I can move it but I'm going to have to find an alternate light source.

 

[JimGnitecki]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Whether cell phone, h-tech lamp, sound system, or computer, any electronic device can affect a high precision scale.

So can any draft from a window, or air conditioner, or from your arms moving back an forth while you try to "do other things" while waiting for the scale to finish metering a load.

If I were you, I'd do a test, ensuring that there is nothing electrical or electronic or magnetic that is nearby, and also not trying to "do other things" anywhere near the scale, and see how that works out. If the rests improve, you know what to do.

We forget sometimes how precise this equipment really is. One tenth of a grain is nay 2.5% of the LIGHTEST 22 caliber bullet, and we're trying to do this on the equivalent of a "kitchen table", not in a laboratory. Give it some respect.

Jim G

 

[Rookie]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

It took my 37 throws to charge 15 cases tonight. That was with RE25, which must be clumpy.

I added a straw and the next 35 throws were dead on. Takes a litle longer to trickle up but its less time that a complete re-throw.

Wish RCBS would read reviews of its own product here on the HIDE and make the trickle tube with a smaller internal diameter.

 

[TexIndian]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

I tuned up my CM with the straw (Whataburger) and programming as soon as it came out of the box. The programming speeds it up but shouldn't affect the trickling, at least the minor tweaking I did which only affects when it starts to slow down.

I get maybe 1-2 overthrows per hundred with Varget, and never over 0.1 gr. The only minor issue I've had is that the CM always registers a fraction of a grain light when compared with my 10-10 RBCS beam (less than 0.1 gr difference, usually about 1-2 kernel's difference). I have a pair of long florescent tubes hanging over my bench which will drive my VIC 123 scale crazy if I turn them on, but they don't seem to affect the CM.

 

[JoshcBoucher]

Re: RCBS Charge Master and Varget

Sorry. I'm old school and don't trust those electronic gadgets. I''ve got a beam scale and a trickler, and I'm stickin to it.Throw a light charge, trickle up to "load". Takes about 15 seconds. Jeez, Cell phone and flourescent affects. what about solar flares? Wouldn't trust it.