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RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

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RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby flintlok » Tue May 30, 2017 1:51 pm

Cautionary tale....
This weekend I assemble 500 44 Magnums and close to 1000 9 mm cartridges. I use an RCBS Charge master for weighing. I recently used the Chargemaster and had calibrated it however I moved it on the bench to make room for other materials. This morning I checked the calibration towards the end of the reloading session with the calibration weights supplied with the Chargemaster and found that my calibration was 771 grains when I thought it should have read 500 grains which would indicate overloaded cartridges. While mildly panicking the first thing that came to mind is that it will be necessary to disassemble 1500 cartridges. After having my morning coffee it occurred to me that the calibration weights are in grams and if I had loaded 4.1 grams the case would be overflowing with and spilling powder. To make a long story short, the Chargemaster calibrates in grams but it weighs charges in grains. It's necessary to check to proper units when weighing as the 50 gram calibration weight as it weighs 771.62 grains. I hate mixing units.
The faster I go, the older I get.

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Tommo » Tue May 30, 2017 2:40 pm

Noted... :clap: :clap: :clap: :thup:
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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Ray7756 » Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:09 pm

Lyman is exactly the same, to avoid problems I check with balance scale every 10 rounds, that way if its gone pear shaped i only have to unload the last 10 :cheese: :cheese: :clap:
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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby flintlok » Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:33 pm

I've used various Sierra FMJ bullets of known weight in the past as a secondary calibration check too. A 55 grain bullet will place the calibration closer to the weight range that I'm loading. I should get my hands on some smaller metric weights as the 50 gram weight seems to me to be to large of a range when I weight pistol cartridges charges in the the range of 4 to 16 grains. A one gram weight weighs 15.4324 grains give or take. If I get a good calibration as one gram and f grams or so I'll feel more confident that the low end of the weighing range is correct.
The faster I go, the older I get.

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Flintlok, I think you're dead right....."The Dogge"

" when an American comes on the forum .....and then gets a bit upperty ..."

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Hornet 6 » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:38 am

RCBS powder dropper, once set using RCBS 505 scales I check one in 10, never goes wrong, doesn't need batteries or mains power.
I am very happy with my all mechanical set up and have been for years now, although a few years ago I did decide I'd like digital scales.
First set were lyman, for ever getting an error signal and died for good a week out of warranty, next was a set of RCBS, useless things as
far as re-peatabiulity as compared to the 505, in the bin they went.
I much prefer mistakes to be mine, not an electrical error.

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Cam » Mon Jun 05, 2017 1:50 pm

Hornet 6 wrote:RCBS powder dropper, once set using RCBS 505 scales I check one in 10, never goes wrong, doesn't need batteries or mains power.
I am very happy with my all mechanical set up and have been for years now, although a few years ago I did decide I'd like digital scales.
First set were lyman, for ever getting an error signal and died for good a week out of warranty, next was a set of RCBS, useless things as
far as re-peatabiulity as compared to the 505, in the bin they went.
I much prefer mistakes to be mine, not an electrical error.

Neil.


Amen to this!

My 505 fitted with a web zoom camera can easily detect a single kernel of Vit N140.
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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Hornet 6 » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:45 am

Cam wrote:
Hornet 6 wrote:RCBS powder dropper, once set using RCBS 505 scales I check one in 10, never goes wrong, doesn't need batteries or mains power.
I am very happy with my all mechanical set up and have been for years now, although a few years ago I did decide I'd like digital scales.
First set were lyman, for ever getting an error signal and died for good a week out of warranty, next was a set of RCBS, useless things as
far as re-peatabiulity as compared to the 505, in the bin they went.
I much prefer mistakes to be mine, not an electrical error.

Neil.


Amen to this!

My 505 fitted with a web zoom camera can easily detect a single kernel of Vit N140.

Web cam ?
You expect people to pay to see you load ammo, or does your 'girlfriend 'join in :razz:

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Cam » Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:29 am

Hornet 6 wrote:
Cam wrote:
Hornet 6 wrote:RCBS powder dropper, once set using RCBS 505 scales I check one in 10, never goes wrong, doesn't need batteries or mains power.
I am very happy with my all mechanical set up and have been for years now, although a few years ago I did decide I'd like digital scales.
First set were lyman, for ever getting an error signal and died for good a week out of warranty, next was a set of RCBS, useless things as
far as re-peatabiulity as compared to the 505, in the bin they went.
I much prefer mistakes to be mine, not an electrical error.

Neil.


Amen to this!

My 505 fitted with a web zoom camera can easily detect a single kernel of Vit N140.

Web cam ?
You expect people to pay to see you load ammo, or does your 'girlfriend 'join in :razz:

Neil.


:grin:

'Girlfriend'! Many thanks for suggesting that I even have the capability to possess such. Hell's Teeth, I would need more Viagra than Vit 140 to "achieve" such a role! :shock: :oops:

Have a ganders at this: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqE3kodO8Y

I can promise you that this does work.

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby flintlok » Tue Jun 06, 2017 1:05 pm

I bought my RCBS Chargemaster with the intention of using to single load rifle cartridges with its automatic powder dispenser. When weighing individual loads and I've had great results especially with using stick powder. I still have a Lyman single pan balance that I use for setting up pistol charges when I'm using my Dillon progressive press. This was one of those rare occasions when I used my Chargemaster to set up the progressive reloaded powder dispenser. Truthfully, I've had good results with both weighing systems. My single pan balance is worn out where the pivot point on the weight sliding scale gets sticky and isn't as responsive as it should be so Ill be getting another balance in the future. Regardless of what weighing method I used I still prefer to check the result with calibration weightss. That's the industrial chemist training in me and I prefer to measure against a standard.
The faster I go, the older I get.

"I am with you Flintsy ." SidebySide

Flintlok, I think you're dead right....."The Dogge"

" when an American comes on the forum .....and then gets a bit upperty ..."

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Hornet 6 » Wed Jun 07, 2017 9:46 am

Cam wrote:Have a ganders at this: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqE3kodO8Y

I can promise you that this does work.

Cam


I have seen it, but still prefer the old mk1 eyeball, I just make sure scales are at a sensible height.

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Cam » Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:41 pm

Hornet 6 wrote:
Cam wrote:Have a ganders at this: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqE3kodO8Y

I can promise you that this does work.

Cam


I have seen it, but still prefer the old mk1 eyeball, I just make sure scales are at a sensible height.

Neil.


Hi Neil

I would suggest that for (IIRC) £23 for camera and bracket + £7 for smart phone the app, [assuming that you were not going to use a laptop] you could make reloading life much easier and accurate.

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Re: RCBS Chargemaster Overloads

Postby Hornet 6 » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:43 am

Cam wrote:
Hornet 6 wrote:
Cam wrote:Have a ganders at this: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slqE3kodO8Y

I can promise you that this does work.

Cam


I have seen it, but still prefer the old mk1 eyeball, I just make sure scales are at a sensible height.

Neil.


Hi Neil

I would suggest that for (IIRC) £23 for camera and bracket + £7 for smart phone the app, [assuming that you were not going to use a laptop] you could make reloading life much easier and accurate.

Cam

Can't see how, I have a set of scales at eye level, and eyes that work as they should (wearing my glasses), I can see the addition of a single kernel.
Complicating things with cameras apps etc is just not my thing.
Just because you can, does not mean you should, is my moto :cheers:

Neil.
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