Sigh. Need a better powder dispenser

[coloradokevin]

I've been using an RCBS Chargemaster Combo now for a while, and this setup has worked well for most of my load development, and a number of my powders.

But, I'm ready to throw this thing out the window today. I'm trying to load 60 rounds of .308 Win match-grade ammo right now. I use 44.4 grains of Varget in my rifle as an optimum load.

This darned dispenser just seems completely unable to repeatedly dispense this amount. I'll end up with 44.5, 44.7, 44.6 grains time after time. Maybe 1 in 6 loads actually comes out at the 44.4 grains I asked it to. I even tried setting the dispenser to 44.3 grains so I could trickle up, but it seems to trickle over every time.

I'm guessing this thing just doesn't handle Varget well? I don't know what the issue is, but I definitely need to find a faster way to get 44.4 grains of Varget into a piece of brass so I can spend more time shooting, and less time swearing.

Anyone have a dispenser they'd like to recommend that will work well (and accurately/repeatably) with Varget powder?

 

[kingmt]

Yes but I don't think there is anything wrong with yours. Varget is very heavy & .2 gn is meaningless with a 44gn load.

 

[Walkalong]

Plus or minus .1 for a medium sized rifle charge is no big deal. No worries.

 

[Bowfishrp]

HA! The Lee powder dropper I use for hand loading is MUCH worse than that! I used my Hornady LNL AP press last weekend to load several hundred using varget and it was having the same problem. I think most of it is that its cutting the powder but not sure.

Since you are handloading just set it to 44.2 and then you can trickle some in to get it exactly where you want. Its much easier to trickle more in than take it out.

 

[Josh45]

I have to agree with everyone here.
I would load em up and shoot. Not a big enough change in charge to make it that different from what your actually wanting.

 

[Craigman]

Have you tried the "straw" trick yet? Gather 1 straw from a couple different fast food palces or whatnot to figure out which size fits in the aluminium tube the tightest. Then cut it to about 2" long and stick it in the tube so its about 1/4" sticking out. This helps meter perfect at least 9 of 10 time on mine. For more details, do a search in this section.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

This is a non-issue. Be thankful the measure is as accurate as it is.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

i throw my varget charges low with an RCBS Uniflow, put it on my 5-0-5 scale, and trickle up until it balances.

 

[coloradokevin]

You guys consider .2-.3 grains off to be insignificant for match ammo? The scale is accurate to +/- .1 grain, so that puts it as much as .4 grains off of target load, potentially. Maybe it doesn't make a difference, but this ammo is destined for my precision rifle (which is a sub-MOA gun on factory ammo, and closer to 1/2 MOA with good handloads), and I like to eliminate any variables that are within my control to eliminate!

I'll definitely have to look into the straw trick that Craigman mentioned.

 

[engineermike]

I'd call RCBS and ask them why it won't work better. I would have to agree that the .1 go .3 grains isn't that much to worry about but still the thing should work better for as much as one cost.

 

[Pacsd]

Slow down. Throw your powder light, scale it and finish off the exact weight with a tickler or......get one of those high dollar electronic powder throwers.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

get one of those high dollar electronic powder throwers

i think that's what he's using and having problems with

 

[kingmt]

Can you chance the speed? It might help some but Varget is heavy. 1 grainual can make a huge difference. I wouldn't pay any attention to +.2gn for a .223 & I'm a little anal.

 

[Craigman]

I'll definitely have to look into the straw trick

It sucks that a 1 cent staw fixes a $300+ machine....but it really works.

I put it in as soon as I got mine cause I stumbled upon some threads about it while researching the Chargmaster Combo.

 

[twofifty]

When I got started I thought I 'needed' one of those fancy auto dispensers.
Research soon showed that many users found both the Lyman and RCBS products to be finicky as heck.

So I settled for a Lee PPM dispenser, a 5-0-5 beam scale, and a Lyman trickler.

The cool thing is that if I want charges to be dead-on, this takes minimal effort (no straws or reprogramming needed) and is not at all slow given that the auto dispensers take their sweet time to trickle out the last bits.

When it's good enough to be within .2gr or better, the Lee PPM does that very fast. Once you've figured out how to be consistent with the thrower, you can dump straight into the case without bothering with the scale other than every N number of dumps for QC purposes. Beats an auto dispenser hands down.

 

[kingmt]

I love my despensor/scale. My favorite powder would never measure with anything else. Even scoops wouldn't be close enough. It measures all of my rifles for now. I load them on a SS, I drop the charge in the case, put the pan back on the scale, seat bullet, & by the time I pick up the next case it is ready with the next charge.

 

[Blue68f100]

Give RCBS a call. I read some where that you can slow the rate down. It has several areas of which speed can be controlled.

 

[Edarnold]

Chargemaster

In my experience with my ChargeMaster setup, two things that can throw your results off are seating the bullet while the next charge is measuring: If this vibration happens as the last granules are trickling, it will knock extra powder off the tube and the charge will go high. My filled cases go in a loading block, when full bullet seating gets done separately.

The other problem occurs if there are random air currents from heating or AC vents, which can bounce the pan a couple of tenths of a grain. I learned early on that the clear plastic cover for the pan wasn't just a dust cover, it needed to be closed during weighing to keep stray breezes from affecting the weighing.

That trick with the soda straw sounds interesting, if I run into problems with large granule powder I'll give it a try.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I'm serious

I am coming late to the party. The straw modification has worked for the O.P. but I hope my thoughts might help someone else who might visit this thread.

I've been using an RCBS Chargemaster Combo now for a while, and this setup has worked well for most of my load development, and a number of my powders.

But, I'm ready to throw this thing out the window today. I'm trying to load 60 rounds of .308 Win match-grade ammo right now. I use 44.4 grains of Varget in my rifle as an optimum load.

This darned dispenser just seems completely unable to repeatedly dispense this amount. I'll end up with 44.5, 44.7, 44.6 grains time after time. Maybe 1 in 6 loads actually comes out at the 44.4 grains I asked it to. I even tried setting the dispenser to 44.3 grains so I could trickle up, but it seems to trickle over every time.

I'm guessing this thing just doesn't handle Varget well? I don't know what the issue is, but I definitely need to find a faster way to get 44.4 grains of Varget into a piece of brass so I can spend more time shooting, and less time swearing.

Anyone have a dispenser they'd like to recommend that will work well (and accurately/repeatably) with Varget powder?

Don't laugh.

Lee's Dippers are pretty darned accurate if you put in the practice to develop a consistent technique. If you get (or make) a dipper that delivers 44.0 grains to your scale, you might even be able trickle up to weight faster than your Chargemaster does now.

Please don't flame this post. If you don't agree, just ignore it.

It is a waste of this forum's bandwidth to tell me how wrong I am. I will not argue that dippers (either Lee's or ones you make yourself) are better than any other method. All I am saying is that a dipper is an option. And cheap enough to serve until the O.P. finds a replacement for his unsatisfactory current tool.

I have heard good things about Harrell, Belding & Mull and QM
http://quick-measure.com/

Thanks for reading and thanks for asking our advice

Lost Sheep

 

[kelbro]

My Chargemaster also struggled with Varget until I tried the 'straw mod'. Works great.

Volume measurements like a dipper will also work fine as long as your technique is consistent.

 

[quartermaster]

I am not overly happy with my Chargemaster either. As mentioned a few times, the 1/10th grain won't make any difference. I use varget in quite a few loads and I don't see any more problems with that particular powder than any other.

What happens to me is that I will set my charge, it will dispense the correct amount for a few times and then all of a sudden the charge keeps upping itself. The scale does read the increasing charge so if you check it you won't get into trouble. I actually check some charges here and there with a balance scale as I go along. It is a bit aggravating to have to keep entering the charge.

If you really want to see things wack out with it, try running a tumbler within 25' or so.

I have discussed this problem with RCBS and was told that even after the warrantee has expired, if you send it back to them, they will refurbish it for $35.00.

I still have the older version which communicates with the scale via inferred means. IMO that was more accurate, but a bit slower and you had to make sure the eyes were lined up. If I remember correctly, there was quite a bit more of calibration to be done also

 

[AABEN]

Try a PACT I have 2 of them and they are very good 1/10 up or down. They do stand by then if any thing goes wrong. I droped the scales and they fix then for free!