How quick will RCBS powder dispenser work

T

tank1949

Moderator
RCBS has a powder dispenser/scale that seems very expensive but will it significantly reduce the time needed to charge empty cases? Is it worth 400+ bucks??? My Redding powder thrower is not very accurate with stick powder. I am looking to speed up the process using temperature insensitive powders, since ball type powders are temperature sensitive but easy to throw. What I have done in the past is use the Redding to throw into a digital scale weight pan, weigh powder and then add or remove powder from pan using a spoon. Averaging 10-15 seconds /per round. If anyone has the RSBC tool, perhaps they can share their experiences. THX!
 
I've used a RCBS LITE for Varget & Benchmark powders, and the charges would be w/in the machines specs or tolerances of 0.1g, with a few exceptions the machine would start beeping to warn me of a under weight or over weight throw. I spot checked probably 1 out of 10 while I was loading for a pdog shoot.
 
How long does it take to dispense a good charge? I think that's what the OP wants to know. If it misses one in ten, then dividing that number of seconds by 0.9 will be closer to an average result.
 
I never timed how long each throw and trickle took, using a Lyman 1200 DPS II, but I will say that the electronic measure died toward the end of my last loading session. I switched to my Lyman 55 thrower, a PACT electronic measure, and a powder trickler. And things really slowed down. Much much slower. I immediately ordered another electronic unit, an RCBS 1500 combo, this time.

So, without hard data, all I can say is that the electronic measures are considerably faster.

I do still use the Lyman 55 for pistol ammo loading, but don’t weigh each and every throw.
 
tank1949 said:
RCBS has a powder dispenser/scale that seems very expensive but will it significantly reduce the time needed to charge empty cases? Is it worth 400+ bucks??? My Redding powder thrower is not very accurate with stick powder. I am looking to speed up the process using temperature insensitive powders, since ball type powders are temperature sensitive but easy to throw. What I have done in the past is use the Redding to throw into a digital scale weight pan, weigh powder and then add or remove powder from pan using a spoon. Averaging 10-15 seconds /per round. If anyone has the RSBC tool, perhaps they can share their experiences. THX!
Click to expand...
I have Hornadays fast fancy automatic. On a good day its as fast as me throwing and trickling. Problem is, it has a lot of bad days.
 
With my RCBS Chargemaster 1500 combo the throw times vary significantly. Depends on the amount, and also depends on the final stage trickle setting. A fast charge is about 6 seconds, a long charge is upwards of 25 seconds. The electronic charge machines are not "time savers" per say , but they allow you to perform alternate handloading tasks while the power is being dispensed. So there's "indirect" time savings.
 
I suspect that my process of throwing using my Redding into my scale's pan and then adding of subtracting if needed, is actually faster than these tricklers. Then, I can take filled brass and put into cartridge tray and visually inspect to make sure I haven't created squib loads. I have an older 500# dillion with a non-auto index powder thrower. Its great for ball pistol powder, but if you get out of sequence or distracted, you can screw up and get squib loads too. Safety wise, it is best for me to not use Dillon non-auto index scale.
 
I'll be honest. (and I've also got a ChargeMaster)
Except when I'm developing a load-ladder set of cartridges, I've gone to throwing charges with a couple of Harrells, and just using the CM as electronic spot check.

Good to under a tenth
 
I sold my CM 1500 after buying the A&D Fx120i and Auto Throw and Trickler system. Slow with too many over and under throws. My A&D system is faster with improved accuracy. But I had to spend close to $1000 for the increased speed and accuracy.
 
I guess for some a $400 reloading component is considered expensive while for others not so much. I have a RCBS 1500 Chargemaster and they seem to average $350.00 and even less when on sale. Overall would I buy it again? Absolutely I like it. There is also the Lite version as mentioned. That can be had under $240 and again depends on what someone calls expensive.

Personally I never viewed how fast I could charge a case as important but how repeatable I can charge cases as important. The Chargemaster will charge a 223 Remington case a heck of a lot faster than a 308 Winchester or for that matter a 300 Win Mag. So I guess it depends on what you are charging? Would you prefer speed or repeatability?

I see it coming down to would those who own and use a RCBS Chargemaster buy one again after having owned and using one? I personally would. Then too if I see another Lyman M5 scale in great condition I would buy it.

Ron
 
I have a RCBS 1500 Chargemaster also, used it off and on for 8 or 9 years. I like stick powders and like others have said times do vary depending on the size of the charge. Recently I have been using it to throw for my 6BR which uses about 30 gns of powder. I take that charge and move it to the A&D to check the weight and trickle to = or - .02 gns. By the time I am happy with the weight and seat the bullet the RCBS has a new charge ready, I avg about 2 rounds per minute over a box of 50 rounds. A surprising number of rounds come out dead on the money when weighed on the A&D, some slightly under and 1 or 2 out of 50 will be slightly over. Unless you are shooting long range benchrest or F class there is no need to adjust the charge at all.

Before I would buy the new $900 RCBS though I would just get the A&D and a autocharge

more exact answer - loaded 25 rounds of 6 CM with 37.5 grains of H4350. 13 minutes to just throw and put into cases, no bullet seating. I did hand trickle to exact weight on a seperate scale. One major overcharge of 37.6 gns, 2 low charges of 37.4 but the rest were within plus or minus .05 and most were within plus or minus .02
 
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Using temperature insensitive powders won't make the slightest difference. Speed with reloading comes with technique not necessarily the tools. However, using a spoon for anything will never be fast or accurate. And accurate is far more important than speed.
"...Redding powder thrower is not..." Mostly likely using the thing too quickly. Smooth is important to accuracy and speed.
Whether something is worth the money can depend on what calibre is being loaded too. But it's more about what you think the thing is worth.
 
The biggest time saver with any electronic dispenser is when you want to run a load test consisting of varied charge weights. Just key in the desired weight, and done. No need to spend all the extra required repetitive steps adjusting / measuring with a manual type drop.
 
My RCBS Chargemaster Lite speeds up my process. I load on a single stage press, weigh every charge either by trickling or with a dipper into my Pact or Gempro 250 scale. My RCBS Lite speeds up my loading very much especially with pistol loads. The Lite dispensing 5-6 grains of powder has a charge waiting on me after I seat a bullet and then taper or roll crimp in a separate step. Once in a while I have to wait while the dispenser trickles the last powder. Also it is quicker loading rifle powders in the 25 grain range. I have yet to use the Lite for loading large rifle charges in the 50 grain plus weight ranges. Only had my Lite for about a year or so and haven't been loading large rifle loads in that time. I also have a couple of quality electronic scales that I sometimes use to verify the Lite powder scale and dispensed charges just to gain confidence in the RCBS Lite scale and dispenser. Definitely faster and the Lite has been accurate to within a tenth grain with no issues for me. Recommended! Don't know why I waited so long to get a dispenser scale? Only negative I have is when finished loading clearing all powder from the dispenser hopper. Tedious and sometimes some spilled powder to clean up from the bench.
 
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