chargemaster vs autocharge ?

[DANNY-L]

I'm looking at getting either the rcbs 1500 chargemaster scale/dispenser or the hornady auto charge scale/dispenser. The hornady is on sale at midway but is there a disadvantage of going with the hornady or am I better off spending more and going with the rcbs. I don't want to cause an argument over the two,just want to know if those of you that own the hornady are satisfied. Thanks in advance.

 

[hAkron]

Here's a review that gives the RCBS Charge Master high marks vs the Pact and Lyman offerings http://www.6mmbr.com/powderdispensers01.html

 

[jschroed]

I purchased my Auto Charge Monday. I have to say at this point I am very impressed. The guy at my reloading supply store recommended it. So far it has been spot on against my 5-0-5 beam scale and my older RCBS (PACT) digital scale. I was stuck in the middle too between the LNL Auto Charge and the RCBS. I am completely happy at this point.
Remember RCBS has a rebate of $50 if you spend $300. Both have a one year warranty.

 

[45ACPUSER]

Well, with the hornday you get a free box of bullets.....

 

[raddiver]

Unfortunately Hornady didn't have that when i purchased the rcbs. Otherwise i might have gone that route. But i like my chargemaster nonetheless.

 

[noylj]

I know that I am very happy with my ChargeMaster and I know that one can program the dispenser for optimum performance with a given powder/charge weight.
I find the stock settings are fine for pistol loads and it can dispense a charge about as fast as I can cycle my 1050 press.
I would expect Hornady to have a fine machine also.
Then, there is the Lyman which has a different "footprint" for shelf mounting. I bought my ChargeMaster several years ago after reading several negative reviews about the Lyman and getting a rather snippy letter back from Lyman when I asked some questions. However, from what I have read, Lyman has addressed the issues and their dispenser also seems very good.

 

[Miata Mike]

I like my Chargemaster 1500 a lot, but am still waiting for the rebate after several months.

 

[Ronno]

If you want to see how well this works, you can see a short YouTube wid here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/gavintoobe#p/u/5/TfQ4lcXu5EM

 

[Ronno]

BTW I have both and I prefer the Hornady more

 

[Ala Dan]

ChargeMaster 1500

 

[Hondo 60]

I watched ultimate reloaders vid & decided never to get either one!
Dang those things are slow! I can weigh it up by hand a lot faster.

 

[Tom488]

Dang those things are slow! I can weigh it up by hand a lot faster.

Yes, but can you weigh up a charge while also seating your bullet, then resizing your next piece of brass?

The advantage of the Chargemaster is being able to do multiple things at the same time. If you sit there watching it throw, then trickle, a charge... you're wasting a lot of time.

 

[MCMXI]

That Hornady in the Ultimate Reloader video linked to by Ronno seems way too slow . I have a couple of RCBS ChargeMaster 1500s and they're a lot faster than the Hornady as shown. Just as Tom488 stated, while the powder is being dispensed, I seat a bullet and check the OAL using a Stoney Point OAL gauge. The CM usually has the charge ready by the time I place the completed round back in the reloading block. Like many others, I put a short length of a drinking straw in the CM tube to reduce the frequency of those annoying "dumps" when a bunch of powder grains fall in the pan all at once.

A friend uses a Redding powder trickler in conjunction with his CM. He enters a weight 0.2gr to 0.5gr below the required weight and trickles the last few powder granules into the pan.