Digital Powder Dispenser vs. Powder Measures

claimbuster

claimbuster

New member
As many of you know I am of the old school....the very old school.

I still use old fashioned powder measures for my varmint loading. I have graduated to a digital scale but still believe good powder measure habits give good loads.

Now I have a friend who uses the RCBS Chargemaster digital dispenser and he keeps telling me that his powder is measured much more accurately than what I can do with my "antiquated" tools.

I hate to spend the $$ for something that is adverstising hype especially if what I am doing is equally as good. However, I am allways looking for ways to tweak my loads up a notch.

Comments/Thoughts? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Within 300 yards thrown charges are more accurate than weighed charges. Beyond 300 yards, especially beyond 500 yards where consistent MV is increasingly important, weighed charges are better.

The electronic scales are great for weighing cases or bullets but I prefer a balance scale for powder.

Jack
 
I have an old beam scale, used it for last 15 years....

Just this year I bought the new Chargemaster combo... it is the way to go IMHO, if you are gonna load and shoot much.

It takes all the trickle time out of your loading. You can hit the dispense button and in the mean time seat a bullet in the case that you just charged with powder and by the time your taking the finished round out of your press the next charge is waiting for you.

I also really like the stored data option as I load for 9 different rifles and calibers....

I say go Digital.... saves time in many ways and less time reloading is more time shooting /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
According to my chronograph the RCBS electronic scale and powder dispenser I use is way more consistant than anything I've done with any of the powder measures and scales I've owned over the past 40 plus years.

The last bunch of fifty 204 Ruger cartridges I shot had an average deviation of under 10 fps. This has carried over to the 300 Ultra-mag, 308 and 243 I shoot.

I can't argue with anyone else's results and unlike Jack I don't shoot much over 300 yards, but it sure seems to work well.

You know when it comes down to spending the bucks the 300 or so dollar price tag can buy lots of bullets to send down range so it's a tough choice. My old hunting partner bought the one I'm using and as we reload together he brought it down and put it on my bench.

I'm kind old school, well at least I'm old and have kinda poo pooed the electronic stuff, but have to say it sure throws consistent loads and my accuracy has come up since I started using it.

Here's the setup I'm using.

ReloadingbenchRemodel-23.jpg


Here's how my powder measures and scales are set up.

ReloadingbenchRemodel-35.jpg


I just took off the 8 by 32 Tasco target dot scope I use for spring and summer ground squirrel's and put on a Simmons 3 by 9 by 50 scope I bought from a friend this summer for fall and winter coyote calling. Finally got to the range today and sighted it in.

I wasn't to sure about this inexpensive Simmons. I have a couple of the 2.8 to 10 AETEC's and like them, but the less expensive ones haven't impressed me to much. This one though is bright and clear and here's how it did. These loads are all ran thru the RCBS electronic powder dispenser and scale. Considering I'm not near as good a shot as I was when I was younger I think I did pretty good.

targetstoday-20.jpg
 
Claim I've thrown plenty, still do!

I set my Lyman up, but still throw the charges out of my Hornady to within a grain. That Lyman will throw it within .01! What more do you need?

If you throw the fast charge, it just makes the (trickle easier and speedier!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Quote:
Within 300 yards thrown charges are more accurate than weighed charges. Beyond 300 yards, especially beyond 500 yards where consistent MV is increasingly important, weighed charges are better.



Jack I am not disputing your word but I can't figure out why charges thrown with my Chargemaster (when testing I throw all my charges on the money) would be less accurate beyond 500 yards. I have repeatedly checked my Chargemaster loads with a second scale and they always agree.
 
I have a good digital scale, but never use it for weighing powder charges. For weighing powder, a very old Ohaus balance scale works best. I personally can't see how a digital scale could ever be incorporated into my loading scheme.
A Chargemaster could work, but I really don't want, or need, one. I did buy my oldest son a Chargemaster as he shoots High Power matches and shoots lots of ammo. I don't shoot enough to justify buying one.

Martyn
 
The electronic scale is useful to me for establishing powder throws and weighing brass, bullets, etc. However for accuracy, you can't trickle with a electronic. The balance beam is much better for this. Don't have any experience with the chargemaster, or the lyman version bt the $300 price tag has kept me away. Good thread, I look forward to more responses...
 
I resisted the idea for a long time. Heard too many issues with the digital scales to be comfortable with one and thought that if I had to double-check every now and then on the balance beam, what was the point. Well, I finally broke down and bought a Lyman 1200 DPS III. Wow! What a neat setup. Then, just two weeks later, the scale went haywire. Wouldn't zero, wouldn't calibrate. Took it back and upgraded to the RCBS Chargemaster. Been going strong for over a month now and I am really liking it. I still have my balance beam and still throw high-volume stuff with my Lyman 55. I will say that the loads thrown with the Lyman are always 'plenty accurate' and throw very consistently with the powders that I use in it but for dead-nuts consistency, the Chargemaster is impossible to beat.

There is an issue that I see with the Chargemaster but I will start a new post detailing it.
 
The thrown vs digital argument never made sense to me. If you take a good thrower,..say a Harrel, and throw charges, then take and weigh them on a digital scale, they are within .1gr and most are spot on. Soooooo if thrown charges ALSO weigh the same, then there is no difference between the charges from either tool. I use the PACT combo and have loved every minute of it. It throws accurate charges and cuts way back on load time.

The only thing I see in a thrower is the ability to clamp it to the bench in the field and load. But you'll be needing arbor presses and inline dies as well (your typical short range BR set-up)
 
Ditto + on the RCBS Chargemaster. I've always loved my Harrell's measure, but it nows sits on a shelf, just in case. I agree with Yotecallr: get the Chargemaster and you'll never look back.
 
Quote:
The electronic scale is useful to me for establishing powder throws and weighing brass, bullets, etc. However for accuracy, you can't trickle with a electronic. The balance beam is much better for this. Don't have any experience with the chargemaster, or the lyman version bt the $300 price tag has kept me away. Good thread, I look forward to more responses...



SRB you can trickle with the Chargemaster
 
Quote:
Quote:
Within 300 yards thrown charges are more accurate than weighed charges. Beyond 300 yards, especially beyond 500 yards where consistent MV is increasingly important, weighed charges are better.



Jack I am not disputing your word but I can't figure out why charges thrown with my Chargemaster (when testing I throw all my charges on the money) would be less accurate beyond 500 yards. I have repeatedly checked my Chargemaster loads with a second scale and they always agree.



The powder from your Chargemaster isn't a thrown load per-se. It's actually a trickled to weight load. A thrown load would come from a dispenser like the RCBS Uniflow.
 
Quote:
You just have to watch if you have a fan or AC vent inline with it that will throw things off big time.



Wise comment, Blinddog. I unknowingly got some loads a little hot from a breeze influencing my balance.
 

SRB you can trickle with the Chargemaster



Yeah, it sounds like this is how the chargemaster works. My PACT scale however doesn't respond well to trickling and reads a different weight than my redding scale even if it is calibrated. About .2 off at 46 grains with varget. Not apples to oranges comparison with My PACT and the chargemaster, just my observation..
 
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