RCBS ChargeMaster Light

[KLYDE]

Been using the RCBS Powder Pro Digital for 20 something plus years. A solid scale that has never malfunctioned. Only problem was scooping the powder with the Lyman scoops or weighing every few loads from the powder thrower.

A couple weeks ago I got an email from MidSouth Shooters with a decent sale on the ChargeMaster Light. Didn't really need it but figured...why not...I'll treat myself to an upgrade.

100 plus degrees early this morning so I hung in the AC and gave the ChargeMaster it's maiden run.

Super simple setup and calibration. Punch in the desired load weight and hit the go button and it automatically meters the exact load. It has an auto button that starts the new load as soon as you replace the powder pan and the scale zeroes.

By the time I powdered a case, replaced the pan and seated the bullet, the ChargeMaster had another perfectly weighed charge waiting for the next case. DANG...cut my loading time in half.

I was using Power Pistol for 9mm, which meters decent. I haven't tried a rifle stick powder yet so can't give any info on that. So far it gets a solid thumbs up.

first pic is the old Powder Pro. second pic the new ChargeMaster.

Regards Klyde

 

[SMSgt]

Nice! I'm too cheap to give up my Herter's "World's Best!" powder dropper. Long stick powders like IMR-4064 will drop "kinda" close. Short stick powder like IMR-4198 will get "pretty" close. Ball powders like H335 or BL-C(2) will drop dead on, drop after drop.

Hope yours gets "real" close with the stick powders.

 

[KLYDE]

It dispenses the powder via a auger driven tube. It will dump a good portion of the selected weight and then go into a trickle mode. The auger slows to a crawl and it trickles until the desired weight is achieved. It then stops, sounds a beep and sits until you remove the pan. Pretty much error proof.

Since it was the first time using it I set my Powder Pro scale up on another table just to double verify the load weights. Dead on.

Best thing since sliced bread.

Klyde

 

[ken158]

Been using a charge master since they first came out. But I do use a Harrell's for high volume varmint loads.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

With Varget and H-4831 I set it up 1 or 2/10's shot of what I wanted and topped it off. After a few tries you have an idea of how many "sticks" to drop on the scale.

I have to old Powder Pro and the matching dispenser (all around 20 years old) Several years ago a LGS tried to sell me a used one, that the scale was bad. They said Send it in for repair, it's under warranty. RCBS said they hadn't shipped any for 15 to 18 years at that point. The best you can hope for on new old stock, is your money back!

I have 3 digital scales I can use for powder, but find my Lyman 55 and my early Dillon "Push Bar" powder measurers to be far more accurate than the digital scales that most of us can afford. Sinclair International does offers a .02 grain/ 1mg accurate scale for $745.50, but I don't need that level of accuracy!

My Ohas/RCBS 5-0-5, and other single beam scales do a great job.

Ivan

 

[mckenney99]

I have used the RCBS Chargemaster for many years to load my .223, .22-250 and 25-06 varmint loads and my .223 match loads. I sped up the process by purchasing a second plastic scale pan and using hot melt glue I was able to get both scale pans to weight exactly the same. I then "tared" out the scale, set on auto dispense and went to work. As soon as one pan was full of powder, I would remove it and replace it with the next empty pan, by the time I dumped the first charge, the second was done or almost done and so on. Works like a champ and although I know that thrown charges are probably good enough, I sleep better knowing that they are "gooder".

 

[moosedog]

I just the exact thing a month ago and have used it with no problems.

 

[ddixie884]

I have had a "Charge Master" for a few years and I especially like it for "Unique", which everyone says is hard to measure. There is a certain satisfaction to weighing each load and seeing it on an electronic read out. I then add a bullet and seat it. Then it is set aside to be crimped in a second procedure.........