Auto Powder Chargers: A Tale of Two Chargers

outrider58 · Nov 20, 2014

I'm making my Christmas list for Santa and I really want an electric powder charger/dispenser. So, it's between the Hornady Lock-n-Load auto charger($170) and the RCBS Chargemaster 1500($335 and rebate). I don't see a giant difference between the two other than price so, I'd like to hear opinions on both and or oppositions to either.

BUFF7MM · Nov 20, 2014

I've got the RCBS 1500 combo, I've never had a minutes trouble with it, very accurite, IMO it's worth it's weight in gold to me.
I honestly can't do a comparison, as I've never owned any other electronic.
I do as I load check about every 10th round check it on my RCBS 505 beam scale and it's always been right on.

Biff_N · Nov 20, 2014

A friend of mine has an older model of the Lyman dispensers. He spoke highly of it initially and even moreso after he got the conversion kits to increase the speed. Since then Lyman has come out with a few more revisions. Just something to consider.

Pinecone · Nov 21, 2014

There are some comparisons online.

When I went through the process, overwhelmingly the recommendation was the RCBS.

There are some minor mods and reprogramming to do to make it work better. But even stock, it is a lot faster than the others.

coopermania · Nov 21, 2014

Do yourself a favor and look at Harrell Precision Culver powder measures. Super Accurate, Repeatability, High end products from benchrest shooters. Listen to Pinecone, You can buy a 300 + dollar machine and then do redneck upgrades so it works, ,nothing like spending all that money and you need to install a piece of a McDonalds drinking straw and a piece of a ball point pen along with software changes to make it work. lol.... Cold weather, low battery, Gotta warm them up, some you have to turn on the day before you want to use them,,,Constantly recheck with another scale, minor airflow in the area affects the scales, all kinds of lighting can affect the scale...Why bother with all that sillyness, get yourself a good balance beam and a Culver ball bearing manual measure. It the time it takes the auto measure to run 10 charges you can probably charge 50 cases with a Harrell Measure and be just as accurate. And it will last forever, Its your money, Just make sure you will be happy with what you buy..Coop

http://www.harrellsprec.com/

K31 · Nov 21, 2014

coopermania said:
You can buy a 300 + dollar machine and then do redneck upgrades so it works, ,nothing like spending all that money and you need to install a piece of a McDonalds drinking straw and a piece of a ball point pen along with software changes to make it work. lol.... Cold weather, low battery, Gotta warm them up, some you have to turn on the day before you want to use them,,,Constantly recheck with another scale, minor airflow in the area affects the scales, all kinds of lighting can affect the scale...

Spoken like someone who has never used one.

Speed3 · Nov 21, 2014

coopermania said:
Do yourself a favor and look at Harrell Precision Culver powder measures. Super Accurate, Repeatability, High end products from benchrest shooters. Listen to Pinecone, You can buy a 300 + dollar machine and then do redneck upgrades so it works, ,nothing like spending all that money and you need to install a piece of a McDonalds drinking straw and a piece of a ball point pen along with software changes to make it work. lol.... Cold weather, low battery, Gotta warm them up, some you have to turn on the day before you want to use them,,,Constantly recheck with another scale, minor airflow in the area affects the scales, all kinds of lighting can affect the scale...Why bother with all that sillyness, get yourself a good balance beam and a Culver ball bearing manual measure. It the time it takes the auto measure to run 10 charges you can probably charge 50 cases with a Harrell Measure and be just as accurate. And it will last forever, Its your money, Just make sure you will be happy with what you buy..Coop

http://www.harrellsprec.com/

I have the RCBS chargemaster and it does work well for me, no issues and fairly accurate (+/- .1gr) or so. I even use it to load my match ammo for Fclass.

However, I think I might invest in the Harrell measurer, I've heard GREAT things about them and more than likely I will just use that for my target gun depending how difficult it is to adjust to different loads.

If your loading for lots of different cartridges, shooting at 100 yards or plinking don't think you can BEAT the chargemaster. If your shooting competition or trying to ring out every last ounce of a accuracy then maybe buy the Harrell.

coopermania · Nov 21, 2014

coopermania said:
Do yourself a favor and look at Harrell Precision Culver powder measures. Super Accurate, Repeatability, High end products from benchrest shooters. Listen to Pinecone, You can buy a 300 + dollar machine and then do redneck upgrades so it works, ,nothing like spending all that money and you need to install a piece of a McDonalds drinking straw and a piece of a ball point pen along with software changes to make it work. lol.... Cold weather, low battery, Gotta warm them up, some you have to turn on the day before you want to use them,,,Constantly recheck with another scale, minor airflow in the area affects the scales, all kinds of lighting can affect the scale...Why bother with all that sillyness, get yourself a good balance beam and a Culver ball bearing manual measure. It the time it takes the auto measure to run 10 charges you can probably charge 50 cases with a Harrell Measure and be just as accurate. And it will last forever, Its your money, Just make sure you will be happy with what you buy..Coop

http://www.harrellsprec.com/

K31 said:
Spoken like someone who has never used one.

Spoken buy someone who has been reloading every bit of 40 + years, And understands the difference between adequate and excellent equipment.

coopermania · Nov 21, 2014

Speed3 said:
I have the RCBS chargemaster and it does work well for me, no issues and fairly accurate (+/- .1gr) or so. I even use it to load my match ammo for Fclass.

However, I think I might invest in the Harrell measurer, I've heard GREAT things about them and more than likely I will just use that for my target gun depending how difficult it is to adjust to different loads.

If your loading for lots of different cartridges, shooting at 100 yards or plinking don't think you can BEAT the chargemaster. If your shooting competition or trying to ring out every last ounce of a accuracy then maybe buy the Harrell.

Its very easy to adjust, It is repeatable every time you change it. You adjust the brass knob by turning it in our out until you arrive at the required setting and then you write down the setting on the scale in your log book along with what powder you are using. The next time you want to load that combination you open your log book and set the measure to the required setting and drop a few charges and then weigh one or too as a safety check and then load away. One of the nice features of using a Harrell is with most powders one click one the adjusting knob it one tenth of a grain of powder. Its not a gimmick, It will be around to give to one of your kids, Do you think that plastic measure will be around then ?
Coop

lax · Nov 21, 2014

I have the 1500 so I cant comment on the hornady. here is a better price though
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/Item/0004498923

BUFF7MM · Nov 21, 2014

lax said:
I have the 1500 so I cant comment on the hornady. here is a better price though
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/Item/0004498923

Not to under cut your price break but I got mine at Natchez for $289 and it that price now
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC98923&src=tpSlrHm
Looks to be some rebate with it too.

Pinecone · Nov 21, 2014

No battery in the RCBS unit, so no worries about that.

I never said anyone NEEDED such a device. Just that if you get one, the RCBS seems to be the best one.

And no volumetric powder measure handles longish extruded powder very well. Although some do question the need to have every charge THAT accurate. But then again, some people buy lab type scales that measure to 0.01 or even 0.001 grain.

I got the RCBS Chargemaster to load precision rifle ammo for shooting out to 1200 yards with a .308. I figured I would need all the help I could get.

And while the Chargemaster DOES need some mods and reprogramming, it is better than the other ones. Not great, but the best.

lax · Nov 21, 2014

Buff7mm said:
Not to under cut your price break but I got mine at Natchez for $289 and it that price now
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC98923&src=tpSlrHm
Looks to be some rebate with it too.

nice that's what midsouth was selling them for when I bought it last summer.

BUFF7MM · Nov 21, 2014

lax said:
nice that's what midsouth was selling them for when I bought it last summer.

I like mine a lot, I've never seen a need to do any software upgrades or use a piece of straw in the dispenser tube, I've seen these mentioned on the web in different places, mine seems to work fine the way it came. Maybe those issues have been corrected on newer units.

outrider58 · Nov 21, 2014

Buff7mm said:
I like mine a lot, I've never seen a need to do any software upgrades or use a piece of straw in the dispenser tube, I've seen these mentioned on the web in different places, mine seems to work fine the way it came. Maybe those issues have been corrected on newer units.

I had a chance to use the chargemaster at an NRA reloading class that Topher teaches and it seemed to work fine albeit a little slow(he runs two simultaneously for more speed). I'm not sure how well culver type chargers work with extruded powders and right now, I'm not loading match grade ammo, just looking for something a little les labor intensive. That's why I'm looking at auto-chargers. The Harrell doesn't seem outrageously priced, it may be something to consider later down the road as my shooting progresses. Thanks to all for your consideration.

noylj · Nov 21, 2014

My ChargeMaster stays pace with my Dillon 1050s, so I have never had a complaint about the default settings for speed for handguns. If you use it for rifles, you can reprogram it to be faster at those higher charge weights. The only time I have to wait is if the charge in under 4.0gn since it doesn't get out of trickle speed.
If you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em. I find that mine is "priceless" when working up loads as it saves all the time resetting a powder measure and running weight checks until things stabilize.
We all load our way and our way is always best...

coopermania · Nov 21, 2014

noylj said:
My ChargeMaster stays pace with my Dillon 1050s, so I have never had a complaint about the default settings for speed for handguns. If you use it for rifles, you can reprogram it to be faster at those higher charge weights. The only time I have to wait is if the charge in under 4.0gn since it doesn't get out of trickle speed.
If you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em. I find that mine is "priceless" when working up loads as it saves all the time resetting a powder measure and running weight checks until things stabilize.
We all load our way and our way is always best...

Here I fixed it for you, That statement is laughable, I would like to see a Chargemaster keep up with my 35 yr old Dillon 450 much less anything faster.

Pinecone · Nov 21, 2014

Heck, mine can't keep up with me manually dumping and seating bullets on a single stage press.

BUFF7MM · Nov 21, 2014

Pinecone said:
Heck, mine can't keep up with me manually dumping and seating bullets on a single stage press.

You must load pretty fast, mine works out just about right for my process,
I dump powder, return pan to scale, dispenser automatically dispenses next charge while I'm seating and crimping on a turret press. With my rifle rounds I'm going for quality not quantity. Only time I use it for pistol loads is when I'm working up test loads or a charge below about 4 grains, my lee micro charge bars don't do well below 4 grains.

Bolts Rock · Nov 21, 2014

K31 said:
Spoken like someone who has never used one.

Actually spoken like someone that has mastered the powder measure. Harrell and Neil Jones measures will throw Varget +/- .1gr and are very fast. The only electric machine for our level of reloading that works almost as fast and as accurately is the Prometheus Gen. II; it has a wait list and runs somewhere between $4000 and $5000.

Loading blammo, ball equivalent or for 3-gun just use ball powder and a decent measure; anyone weighing charges for these is just wasting time.

Loading for long range or National Match use a Harrell or Neil Jones if you're running stick powders. Checking weight every loading block is all you need.

Benchrest, F-class or bleeding edge hot loads in wildcats are the only places you really need to weigh every charge.

I can run a 50 case loading block with a measure in under three minutes for single stage loading NM ammo with Varget. Guaranteed the RCBS, Hornady and Lyman units will not be anywhere close to that rate.

If I ever get around to a progressive press it will be a measure with ball powder. That's quite simply good enough.

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