RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

[dstewart51]

I was not having much luck with the Hornady Auto Charge with powders like Retumbo or N570. Mater of fact I never found a powder that it would dispense consistently (unless consistently includes overcharge). Hornady was not allot of help, they did give me some settings to try but 1, the settings where volatile and had to be re-entered every power cycle and 2, they still didn't help with consistent overcharging.

So I picked up a RCBS ChargeMaster just before Christmas. What a wonderful piece of equipment so far. Not one overcharge in close to 100 throws. I was verifying the charge with my Redding Balance Beam scale for about the first 40 charges or so, everyone with in 0.1gn. I've looked at the settings to speed the unit up but have not messed with it yet.

After my first day of using the RCBS, I gave away the Hornady.

 

[1shot2kill]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

i will give the hornady a nice home

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

must i post the picture ?

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

No argument from me.; the Chargemaster is great kit. I have two.
Now, lets talk about that reloading bench. It is way to neat!!!

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1shot2kill</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i will give the hornady a nice home </div></div>

Sorry, already gone.

BTW, I love that episode of TG and dream of owning an ATOM.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BOLTRIPPER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">must i post the picture ? </div></div>

Sorry, I've only been around here a few months. What picture?

 

[Rthur]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

Of a Prometheus scale dstewart.

 

[aloreman]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

i have the hornady and use varget powder and somedays its great. some days its a turd

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rthur</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Of a Prometheus scale dstewart. </div></div>

Ohhhhhh, yes I've seen that one.

 

[country888]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

+1 for the chargemaster! Love mine

 

[jhelmuth]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

Just got my ChargeMaster today. I've read good things about them and plan to look into tweaking the parameters to speed up the loads. I will be reverifying each charge for awhile to ensure as exact a charge as possible. I'm rather anal on charge weight consistancy and accuracy...

 

[Hunt]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

If I had one complaint of the Chargemaster, it is the absolute frustraton that comes with cleaning one out, espcially with something like H335. Ball powder makes the biggest mess on both the bench and in the unit itself. I have resorted the Chargemaster to extruded powders only as it is easier to clean up.

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

I keep a few cans of compressed air around for the job. Its not any worse then cleaning the Hornady.

 

[Randall Cook]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

I ordered the RCBS Chargemaster 1500 from Natchezss today

after researching for awhile & lurking here for some time.

They're blowin' 'em out cheap! Wanted to pass along the heads

up.

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

I just checked them out, that is cheep! Good find!

 

[RStewart]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

To clean mine out, I dump the powder back into my container and reclose the opening. I then hold my powder cup under the dispenser end and tip the dispenser up from the back. All the powder in the tube comes out in the cup. Never had any cleanup issues doing this way.
BTW- I really like the Chargemaster.

 

[texasleftychef]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

I have had a different experience with the chargemaster. Actually had to send it back last week. Consistently threw and trickled charges that beeped at the right weight and after waiting a second, the charge was almost always .3 over...

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

Static charge issue maybe.

Did you verify the overcharge with a second scale?

In any case I hope they get the issue resolved for you quickly.

 

[texasleftychef]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

No, I didn't verify because the beep went off at the right charge and then two seconds later the charge weighed .2 or .3 grains more. It's been happening more and more (and always on the heavy side) so I called RCBS and they said to send it in and they would take care of it.

I bought another scale yesterday accurate to .02 grains and plan to throw charges slightly under and trickle in the rest of the way from now on. That's the plan for now at least..

 

[David_M]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: texasleftychef</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No, I didn't verify because the beep went off at the right charge and then two seconds later the charge weighed .2 or .3 grains more. It's been happening more and more (and always on the heavy side) so I called RCBS and they said to send it in and they would take care of it.

I bought another scale yesterday accurate to .02 grains and plan to throw charges slightly under and trickle in the rest of the way from now on. That's the plan for now at least.. </div></div>

I noticed my scale staring to do this recently too. I started powering on the scale and allowing it to "warm up" for about 15 min. Then, I calibrate and pour and it has solved the problem for now at least. Not sure if just a coincidence or what but it has worked so far.

I had also purchased a AY123 scale accurate to .02 grains and had intensions of doing as you say. Pouring short, then trickling the last couple tenths. In all honesty I didn't have any appreciable accuracy or consistency gains. I ended up selling the scale and saving an extra step in my reloading process.

David M

 

[texasleftychef]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: David M</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: texasleftychef</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No, I didn't verify because the beep went off at the right charge and then two seconds later the charge weighed .2 or .3 grains more. It's been happening more and more (and always on the heavy side) so I called RCBS and they said to send it in and they would take care of it.

I bought another scale yesterday accurate to .02 grains and plan to throw charges slightly under and trickle in the rest of the way from now on. That's the plan for now at least.. </div></div>

I noticed my scale staring to do this recently too. I started powering on the scale and allowing it to "warm up" for about 15 min. Then, I calibrate and pour and it has solved the problem for now at least. Not sure if just a coincidence or what but it has worked so far.

I had also purchased a AY123 scale accurate to .02 grains and had intensions of doing as you say. Pouring short, then trickling the last couple tenths. In all honesty I didn't have any appreciable accuracy or consistency gains. I ended up selling the scale and saving an extra step in my reloading process.

David M </div></div>

I hear you David but something appeals to me about "it" being right. That being said it's highly likely that I will follow in your footsteps and revert back.

Eric.

 

[jsthntn247]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: texasleftychef</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: David M</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: texasleftychef</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No, I didn't verify because the beep went off at the right charge and then two seconds later the charge weighed .2 or .3 grains more. It's been happening more and more (and always on the heavy side) so I called RCBS and they said to send it in and they would take care of it.

I bought another scale yesterday accurate to .02 grains and plan to throw charges slightly under and trickle in the rest of the way from now on. That's the plan for now at least.. </div></div>

I noticed my scale staring to do this recently too. I started powering on the scale and allowing it to "warm up" for about 15 min. Then, I calibrate and pour and it has solved the problem for now at least. Not sure if just a coincidence or what but it has worked so far.

I had also purchased a AY123 scale accurate to .02 grains and had intensions of doing as you say. Pouring short, then trickling the last couple tenths. In all honesty I didn't have any appreciable accuracy or consistency gains. I ended up selling the scale and saving an extra step in my reloading process.

David M </div></div>

I hear you David but something appeals to me about "it" being right. That being said it's highly likely that I will follow in your footsteps and revert back.

Eric. </div></div>

Ive heard that before and in most instances a line conditioner solved the problem. Seems the problem was coming from inconsisten power supply at your house. Cleaning the unit with a static sheet solved some issues also.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

When mine scale starts to flutter I use a dryer sheet on the pan and platen. I also will check one in about every 20 rounds against my RCBS 1010 beam scale for good measure.

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

I noticed when I first unwrapped the plastic off wind guard, it had a static charge that would alter the scale reading by several tenths when closed. I keep a a few dryer sheets near by to wipe everything down when I start to see static charge issues.

 

[PeterN]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

Plus one on the Chargemaster. I've speeded it up per instructions I found on the Hide and I lone it

 

[dstewart51]

Re: RCBS Chargemaster vs Hornady Auto Charge

Ran off 40+ loads with VV N570 yesterday (once kernel = .07gr). Checked every charge on my beam scale. Every charge was with in .1gr. In may cases all I had to do is add or remove 1 kernel to put it exact.

That was with modified settings to increase the speed.