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RCBS Chargemaster
Justjump
Member Posts: 644 ✭✭✭✭
The mailman just delivered this technological wonder and I have a couple questions. First being, How did I live without this??
Any advice on things to watch out for?? Basic maintenance?
I did notice that the first Load I picked to try was one I have never done before. It was 94g of Magnum powder for a 300RUM. The measure did an amazing job. The only thing I didn't like was that magnum powder seemed to bounce out of the pan a bit and I got some small accumulation of powder on the bench around the measure.
One other problem I ran across was the lil old powder funnel I've had for a zillion years doesn't fit very well on on a 300 RUM case... hmmmmm
Any advice on things to watch out for?? Basic maintenance?
I did notice that the first Load I picked to try was one I have never done before. It was 94g of Magnum powder for a 300RUM. The measure did an amazing job. The only thing I didn't like was that magnum powder seemed to bounce out of the pan a bit and I got some small accumulation of powder on the bench around the measure.
One other problem I ran across was the lil old powder funnel I've had for a zillion years doesn't fit very well on on a 300 RUM case... hmmmmm
Comments
Besides the advice to warm it up and keep it draft-free, here's a cleaning tip: When you empty the machine of powder, it can be a pain to get the feed tube empty, even with the handle of the brush. Get one of those soda straws with the bendable tips and insert the short end into the feed tube. Blow lightly to push all the powder back into the reservoir. And ALWAYS close that dump tube valve immediately!
Lots of reloaders feel they should weigh every charge. (It's actually not all that important from either a safety or accuracy standpoint, unless the load is absolutely maximum - and that isn't smart to begin with.) But that said, there are those who DO like to weigh every charge.
For those, a digital machine does that for them, hands off. The alternative is to pick up the pan, hold it under the measure while working the drum handle, then moving the pan to the beam scale, waiting for that to settle and then twisting the knob of the trickler until the weight is correct, then picking up the scale again, then setting a funnel on a case and dumping the powder into the case, set down the pan, remove the funnel, set down the case, and FINALLY start all over again.
With a digital machine, I can set the weight I want and push the button. While I'm seating a bullet in the previously-charged case, the machine does the dispensing, trickling and weighing by itself. When it beeps at me, I can look at the exact weight displayed in big bold numbers, pick up the pan and funnel that charge into a case. Put the pan back and the scale starts itself again automatically.
If you only dump from a measure directly into a case, that's much faster, granted. But if you want to see what every charge weighs ... no.
Also when I do get a little inconsistency the scale reads no more than 1 line away from level. Does this much out of weight make a huge difference?
On many beam scales, those lines refer to tenths of a grain. That's WELL within the amount I'd consider meaningful. As a general rule, I believe that 1% either side of the desired weight is meaningless. On a 50-grain desired charge, that means a half grain over or under. Almost all reloading measures will drop within that window, and that's why dropping straight from the measure is almost always perfectly fine - except for maximum loads, of course.
You could replace the pan with one that has higher sides, as long as it still fits under the spout.
Besides the advice to warm it up and keep it draft-free, here's a cleaning tip: When you empty the machine of powder, it can be a pain to get the feed tube empty, even with the handle of the brush. Get one of those soda straws with the bendable tips and insert the short end into the feed tube. Blow lightly to push all the powder back into the reservoir. And ALWAYS close that dump tube valve immediately!
Pay very close attention to the sentence in red above.[B)][:0][:(!]
I now keep a little shallow pan under it just incase I ever forget to close it again.
I added three dabs of hot glue to keep THAT from happening ever again!
Haven't done that. I will make a mental note in bold font.
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
You could replace the pan with one that has higher sides, as long as it still fits under the spout.
Besides the advice to warm it up and keep it draft-free, here's a cleaning tip: When you empty the machine of powder, it can be a pain to get the feed tube empty, even with the handle of the brush. Get one of those soda straws with the bendable tips and insert the short end into the feed tube. Blow lightly to push all the powder back into the reservoir. And ALWAYS close that dump tube valve immediately!
Pay very close attention to the sentence in red above.[B)][:0][:(!]
I now keep a little shallow pan under it just incase I ever forget to close it again.
Ok the straw is a great idea thanks!!
Now about that dump valve thing.
Damn!!!! I was changing from IMR4350 (extruded) to Magnum (ball powder) and guess what... That will make a big mess right now!!! I will try to avoid this in the future
Thanks rocky and Idaho
Ramdino, I have never been able to acquire the consistency with any measure I was happy with on extruded powders. This thing is GREAT!!! and fast. O and you only push the button once and your off to the races. Every time you set the pan down it drops another charge. I can't seat the bullet as fast as the charge drops
Your right Tom. I should have had this years ago
The fact that you know that is maybe why you are in IRAQ now.!!
Folks. Tostado is my future son in law currently serving in Iraq. And no hes not mexican, I have no idea why he has that handle!!
Hey Tostado 22, thanks for your service. JustJump, Do you have a problem with powder splashing out of the pan when it disharges?
Ok learned more new things.
Wipe the entire thing down, pan,discharge tube, hopper,etc, with a dryer static cloth and the powder stopped bouncing!!! It was a static thing hmmmm