Chargemaster Lite

[Fret]

Got a Chargemaster Lite delivered today and used it to drop some N140 powder. It was pretty slow compared to my Chargemaster 1500. I had finished loading a tray of 50 pieces of brass with the 1500 and the Lite only had done maybe 27. It would drop the powder pretty quickly and slow down a lot for the last 0.2-0.3 grains. It was pretty disappointing. I did a search on the internet and it looked like there was no way to reprogram the Lite like you can the 1500.

I looked at the inside of the discharge tube and it has what looks like straight rifling compared to the 1500 which is threaded inside. I know people do the straw trick with the 1500 to decrease over charges so I though maybe the threading causes a backup of powder so there is a buildup of powder near the end of the tube so the trickling at the end lets more powder drop. Instead of a section of straw, I have a metal insert in my 1500.

I intended to get a second 1500 but decided on the Lite since it had good reviews and I didn't need the memory function of the 1500. Because of that I had a second insert for the discharge tube. I though I would stick that insert in the Lite which should hopefully cause a buildup of powder in the tube so there would be more powder to fall during trickling and speed things up.

I loaded some Varget in the Lite and tried it out. Man, what a difference! It's just as fast as the 1500 now, at least with Varget. Hopefully it will work with other powders.

 

[30338]

I'm so old school. I got a Lite for my birthday and after unpacking it and reading the directions, I boxed it back up and returned it. For some reason I just like working with my old 5-0-5. Hope it works out for you and speeds things up.

 

[kriller134]

Got a Chargemaster Lite delivered today and used it to drop some N140 powder. It was pretty slow compared to my Chargemaster 1500. I had finished loading a tray of 50 pieces of brass with the 1500 and the Lite only had done maybe 27. It would drop the powder pretty quickly and slow down a lot for the last 0.2-0.3 grains. It was pretty disappointing. I did a search on the internet and it looked like there was no way to reprogram the Lite like you can the 1500.

I looked at the inside of the discharge tube and it has what looks like straight rifling compared to the 1500 which is threaded inside. I know people do the straw trick with the 1500 to decrease over charges so I though maybe the threading causes a backup of powder so there is a buildup of powder near the end of the tube so the trickling at the end lets more powder drop. Instead of a section of straw, I have a metal insert in my 1500.

I intended to get a second 1500 but decided on the Lite since it had good reviews and I didn't need the memory function of the 1500. Because of that I had a second insert for the discharge tube. I though I would stick that insert in the Lite which should hopefully cause a buildup of powder in the tube so there would be more powder to fall during trickling and speed things up.

I loaded some Varget in the Lite and tried it out. Man, what a difference! It's just as fast as the 1500 now, at least with Varget. Hopefully it will work with other powders.




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Where did you get that insert? I have a lite also and it’s slow as shit. I would love an auto trickler but 1k is hard to swallow.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

I had one to aid my Chargemaster and found the same, it was painfully slow.
Wound up sending it back and putting the money into the V3 Autotrickler fund.

 

[Fret]

I got the insert on Ebay. I think the Elster on his reloading videos uses part of a ball point pen to do the same thing.

I tested it again today against the 1500. Dropped IMR 8208 XBR powder into 200 pieces of LC 5.56 brass. I started both at the same time and was using just one funnel and dumping the powder from each pan as the beepers went off. When I filled the last piece of brass the Lite and 1500 had 100 drops so it was a dead heat. I was pretty amazed at how much faster the Lite is with the insert. I think the end of the insert inside the drop tube dams up the powder so more powder is there that can drop during the trickle phase just like with the 1500.

I'm glad this worked so I don't have to get another 1500. Hope this helps.