Chargemaster having issues

M

m1a convert

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 29, 2003
287
4
Idaho Falls
#1
I have been loading and realized my loads have super high standard deviations.

A friend of mine says to quit using an electronic scale and to through the charges and trickle to the correct load every time. How accurate/repeatable have you found your scale to be?
 
#3
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Need more info on your CM, do you keep it on at all times? is there any fluorescent lighting in your reloading area?

Keeping it on at all times will make it trow on the money.

Fluorescent lighting will mess up digital scales, use incandescent lighting if possible.

Calibrate the scale each time you use it.

And make sure there is no air flow (moving air) next to the scale as it will make it have bogus readings.
 
#4
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Took the advice posted here and kept cell and cordless phones , florescent lights away.
Did the McDonalds straw trick ,and as long as a decent amount of powder is in hopper has been really repeatable.
 
#6
Re: Chargemaster having issues

The McDonalds straw trick, is to get an unused straw and cut it to about 2.5 to 3 inches and insert it into the front of the dispenser tube. This will keep extruded powder kernels (like Varget) from bridging and all of a sudden dumping an overcharge into the pan during the "trickle" phase of the chargemasters dispense cycle.

Works great!
 
#7
Re: Chargemaster having issues

I don't leave mine on all the time but calibrate it before using it everytime. The scale is dead nuts accurate on mine. I did have to get my first one replaced though because of the keypad misalignment issue, but RCBS replaced it without any trouble at all. I've noticed my new one does take longer to trickle the same charges because it gets very slow towards the end. I guess this way it is more precise at least. I've never had issues with Varget and bridging.
 
#11
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ted_D</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R. Emmons</div><div class="ubbcode-body">wish i had 2 so it could keep up with me </div></div>

You can reprogram them and speed them up </div></div>

How do you do that?
 
#13
Re: Chargemaster having issues

All that for a 300+ dollars machine that supposes to make our reloading life easier? I guess I am still old fashion with my scale and trickler. But then again, I don't reload several hundred rounds at a time either.
 
#15
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Over all, the RCBS CM will get you within .1 of a grain. This is not the best way for precise match loads, but is fine for hunting and plinking loads. You need something more accurate for precise match ammo. A balance beam works great, but it's slow. The beam scales are sensitive enough get it within a kernel or two. I use an Acculab VIC-123 scale, and it is accurate to .02 grains, which is a little less than a kernel of gun powder. For example, 1 kernel of H4350 weighs .0277 grains. (36 kernels in 1 grain of powder).
Reprogramming the CM does speed things up. I also use a home-made-like straw to avoid the clumping, especially with your long extruded powders.
 
#16
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Uh,Sounds about right> 36 kernals to one grain... I usually leave 3-4 kernals in the pan when it over throws by .1 grain.

As for not accurate enough for Precise Ammo I call bullshit.
.1 grain or +or- 3 kernals has been damn precise for me seems to work for this 1000 yard record setting shooter too. http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek088.html

Of course you did out group all of us the other day though!!

 
#17
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Someone forgot to tell my Chargemaster its not good enough for precision rounds. Its pretty dead nuts on - with my load,(documented and witnessed on several occassions) my ES is around 8-9 and my SD is around 4.

There is more to low ES/SD than just the powder charge.
 
#18
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is not the best way for precise match loads....</div></div>

I will agree and disagree at the same time. Will the CM be accurate enough to produce accurate ammo- yes! Is the CM the BEST way to get true precise match ammo- NO! My load will change with .1 of a grain difference, higher and lower. I have seen it in the chrono numbers and the group size. So, I do believe the extra 3-4 kernels (.1 grain) of powder does come into play. The trick is to keep your scale dead nuts zeroed at all times. When mine varies by .02 or .04 grains, I'll re-zero, and keep loading.
Try this- after the CM throws a charge, drop a few kernels in the pan, and see what it does. It probably won't read those kernels. This is the difference I'm talking about. Plus, my CM will walk around some. After about 30 or 40 throws, it may start to creep up in charge weight. If you re-zero the CM scale, this will for sure change the throw weight from previous throws. I notice this when loading 500+ rounds at a time and checking it with the Accu-lab scale. All in all, the CM will still provide better consistancy for powder charges than ANY factory ammo.
 
#19
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Timberwolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Someone forgot to tell my Chargemaster its not good enough for precision rounds. Its pretty dead nuts on - with my load,(documented and witnessed on several occassions) my ES is around 8-9 and my SD is around 4.

There is more to low ES/SD than just the powder charge. </div></div>

That is good, but my ES is 4 fps and SD is 1.5 fps with the Acculab. You have to eliminate one variable at a time.
 
#20
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is not the best way for precise match loads....</div></div>

I will agree and disagree at the same time. Will the CM be accurate enough to produce accurate ammo- yes! Is the CM the BEST way to get true precise match ammo- NO! My load will change with .1 of a grain difference, higher and lower. I have seen it in the chrono numbers and the group size. So, I do believe the extra 3-4 kernels (.1 grain) of powder does come into play. The trick is to keep your scale dead nuts zeroed at all times. When mine varies by .02 or .04 grains, I'll re-zero, and keep loading.
Try this- after the CM throws a charge, drop a few kernels in the pan, and see what it does. It probably won't read those kernels. This is the difference I'm talking about. Plus, my CM will walk around some. After about 30 or 40 throws, it may start to creep up in charge weight. If you re-zero the CM scale, this will for sure change the throw weight from previous throws. I notice this when loading 500+ rounds at a time and checking it with the Accu-lab scale. All in all, the CM will still provide better consistancy for powder charges than ANY factory ammo. </div></div>

Wait! did you just agree and disagree with yourself?
 
#21
Re: Chargemaster having issues

i have noticed the CM walk up or down in weight, a couple of things i try to focus on is watching the negative weight as i'm dumping i.e. -176.6 for the weight of pan, if this ever changes or its slow to go to 0 i weigh the 50g weights and recaliberate.
 
#22
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMCj</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is not the best way for precise match loads....</div></div>

I will agree and disagree at the same time. Will the CM be accurate enough to produce accurate ammo- yes! Is the CM the BEST way to get true precise match ammo- NO! My load will change with .1 of a grain difference, higher and lower. I have seen it in the chrono numbers and the group size. So, I do believe the extra 3-4 kernels (.1 grain) of powder does come into play. The trick is to keep your scale dead nuts zeroed at all times. When mine varies by .02 or .04 grains, I'll re-zero, and keep loading.
Try this- after the CM throws a charge, drop a few kernels in the pan, and see what it does. It probably won't read those kernels. This is the difference I'm talking about. Plus, my CM will walk around some. After about 30 or 40 throws, it may start to creep up in charge weight. If you re-zero the CM scale, this will for sure change the throw weight from previous throws. I notice this when loading 500+ rounds at a time and checking it with the Accu-lab scale. All in all, the CM will still provide better consistancy for powder charges than ANY factory ammo. </div></div>

Wait! did you just agree and disagree with yourself? </div></div>

No, I just quoted myself again, showing that the CM was not the best way.

Rich, that's how I check the weight is by the negative amount when the pan is off. I know my pan weighs 151.94 grains. When it's different than this- I re zero.
 
#23
Re: Chargemaster having issues

After I throw a charge, it will show a number count, then the weight again. That is the actualweight of the charge. If you have an a/c or fan on,it willmess up the weight readout.
I just love mine.
 
#24
Re: Chargemaster having issues

Is in't this the point of having a good balanced load that is not super sensitive on the actual charge? I have always tried to avoid a load that requires it to be 1/10th either way. My current load is 46.7gr of varget but I can go as low as 46.5 and as high as 46.9 and still keep reasonable amounts of vertical at 600, enough that it is within my abilities to drive the rifle.
 
#25
Re: Chargemaster having issues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Norcal Phoenix</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is in't this the point of having a good balanced load that is not super sensitive on the actual charge? I have always tried to avoid a load that requires it to be 1/10th either way. My current load is 46.7gr of varget but I can go as low as 46.5 and as high as 46.9 and still keep reasonable amounts of vertical at 600, enough that it is within my abilities to drive the rifle. </div></div>

You are correct sir! if your load is 1/10 grain sensitive, trash it and find another accuracy node that is +/- .2 grain stable.
 
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