RCBS Chargemaster Parameters and how to speed it up.

Andrew B

Member
I just got off the phone with Don Legg at RCBS. Really impressed with the service at RCBS and Don Leggs knowledge and enthusiasm for this particular product

I thought it would be helpful to recap prior posts and add what I learned today

The RCBS chargemaster has 4 speeds. High, medium, slow and trickle.
It transitions from high to medium at 15.68 grains away from the target weight
It transitions from medium to slow at 3.42 grains away from the target weight
It transitions from slow to trickle at 1.08 grains away from the target weight

You can play with the speeds to get a faster throw. The risk of cutting the transitions too close is that the machine will over shoot and over throw.

Recap from prior posts is below. The below is what I use and definately speeds up the throws.

Reprogram Parameters:
Press edit/mem and Enter @ same time
will say Adjust Parameters
scroll to Fast -Med Transition and set to 11.00
Med-Slow Transition and set to 2.50
Slow-trickle Transition and set to .8

Factory settings are 15.68 - 3.42 - 1.08 to reset to original factory settings.

1) Make sure the unit is perfectly level front to rear. Some ChargeMasters, particularly the early-production units, are sensitive to front/rear leveling.
2) Don't leave the power cord coiled up in a loop; this can cause a magnetic field that can affect read-outs.

Activating the Auto-Dispense Mode
You can set the ChargeMaster to automatically dispense your pre-programmed charge as soon as you put the pan back on the scale. Simply press and hold the “Enter” button. The code “Auto” should then appear on the display. At this point, push “Disp” to dispense the first charge. When you replace the pan, the unit will automatically dispense the same charge. For some people this is an added convenience. You can always go back to the default manual dispense method by changing the dispense mode using the “Enter” button again.
 
Now if they'd just go back to the smaller diameter threaded pipe that dispenses the powder that they used for the first couple of years. The newer big pipe allows the powder to "heap" a bit taller in trickle mode and overthrows by a .1 or .2 grain WAY too often.
 
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Have you tried using a short peice of drinking straw on the end of the pipe? I have heard that helps this. You could also increase the trickle time to see if that helps.
 
See 6mmBR.com for the soda straw workaround. Use the newer version with the "sawtooth" on the end of the straw.

That sounds like it would probably work pretty well. I've been thinking for the last few months that I should just have an insert machined that would thread into the existing pipe, but I never got around to it. A straw would certainly be easier.
 
Reprogram Parameters:
Press edit/mem and Enter @ same time
will say Adjust Parameters
scroll to Fast -Med Transition and set to 11.00
Med-Slow Transition and set to 2.50
Slow-trickle Transition and set to .8

Factory settings are 15.68 - 3.42 - 1.08 to reset to original factory settings.

1) Make sure the unit is perfectly level front to rear. Some ChargeMasters, particularly the early-production units, are sensitive to front/rear leveling.
2) Don't leave the power cord coiled up in a loop; this can cause a magnetic field that can affect read-outs.

Andrew or anybody
I completed the programming steps above without incident. I assume after you put in new numbers you hit enter each time and that seems ok.
How do you save the settings?
If I turn power off it has reverted to factory settings.

Dick
 
This "tuning" stuff makes me laff.....has anyone ever considered the fact that the folks at RCBS know what they're doing?

I've played with the parameters, I've tried 20 different "spouts" and mods from inner soda straws and outer bulbs to hunks of wire and reverse baskets and THE BEST setting IMO is just the way it comes from the factory.

Silly, but MY OPINION



A'gain


'course I'm one a' those weirdos who drives his truck off the factory floor and into the ground without ever adding on so much as an air freshener.......and washes it when you can't read the lettering...... diff'rent strokes.

lol


al
 
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Another speed up method

Is to get another powder pan and alter it till both weigh EXACTLY the same and set it on automatic fill. As soon as I take one off the scale, I put the other one on. By the time I have dumped my powder and seated my bullet, the second pan is filled and ready etc etc. I use a forsters funnel with the long drop tube to fill my cases. Works for me
 
Is to get another powder pan and alter it till both weigh EXACTLY the same and set it on automatic fill. As soon as I take one off the scale, I put the other one on. By the time I have dumped my powder and seated my bullet, the second pan is filled and ready etc etc. I use a forsters funnel with the long drop tube to fill my cases. Works for me

That would not help me, I pick up the pan, throw it into funnel which is clamped to table immediately to the left, and it is right back on scale in maybe 3 seconds using two pans would slow me down.
 
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So what surface is leveled when leveling a Chargemaster, especially front to back. I've been having problems with mine, and have leveled it and fiddled with it but mostly side to side. This afternoon I pulled off the pan holder and put a small level on top of the little rim under the pan holder. It'd seem that if leveling front to rear was so important that the scale would have had a bubble level on it.

I don't need to speed mine up, but it'd sure be nice if it were stable.
 
I just got off the phone with Don Legg at RCBS. Really impressed with the service at RCBS and Don Leggs knowledge and enthusiasm for this particular product

I thought it would be helpful to recap prior posts and add what I learned today

The RCBS chargemaster has 4 speeds. High, medium, slow and trickle.
It transitions from high to medium at 15.68 grains away from the target weight
It transitions from medium to slow at 3.42 grains away from the target weight
It transitions from slow to trickle at 1.08 grains away from the target weight

You can play with the speeds to get a faster throw. The risk of cutting the transitions too close is that the machine will over shoot and over throw.

Recap from prior posts is below. The below is what I use and definately speeds up the throws.

Reprogram Parameters:
Press edit/mem and Enter @ same time
will say Adjust Parameters
scroll to Fast -Med Transition and set to 11.00
Med-Slow Transition and set to 2.50
Slow-trickle Transition and set to .8

Factory settings are 15.68 - 3.42 - 1.08 to reset to original factory settings.

1) Make sure the unit is perfectly level front to rear. Some ChargeMasters, particularly the early-production units, are sensitive to front/rear leveling.
2) Don't leave the power cord coiled up in a loop; this can cause a magnetic field that can affect read-outs.

Activating the Auto-Dispense Mode
You can set the ChargeMaster to automatically dispense your pre-programmed charge as soon as you put the pan back on the scale. Simply press and hold the “Enter” button. The code “Auto” should then appear on the display. At this point, push “Disp” to dispense the first charge. When you replace the pan, the unit will automatically dispense the same charge. For some people this is an added convenience. You can always go back to the default manual dispense method by changing the dispense mode using the “Enter” button again.

I need some help.
1. Holding Enter down does not produce any result.
2. Pressing edit/mem & enter at the same time does not produce Adjust parameters
3. How do I Scroll ?

My unit is one of the first production of the 1500.

Thanks,
KG
 
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I need some help.
1. Holding Enter down does not produce any result.
2. Pressing edit/mem & enter at the same time does not produce Adjust parameters
3. How do I Scroll ?

My unit is one of the first production of the 1200.

Thanks,
KG

KG
There apparently is no user program of the earlier models hence no auto-dispense mode. However so far (remember I have both) it seems to me to be the fastest.

Dick
 
Talked with RCBS today. My unit was made in 2004. The later units can be reprogrammed. I can send mine back and they will replace for $45.00 if it is not working satisfactorily.

Thanks for the reply.
 
al,
its marketed to the general shooting populace..not speciifc to the benchrest crowd(smalllll segment)......
SO YES THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING,but that does not mean it cannot be fine tuned for br use....
.....
mike in co
This "tuning" stuff makes me laff.....has anyone ever considered the fact that the folks at RCBS know what they're doing?

I've played with the parameters, I've tried 20 different "spouts" and mods from inner soda straws and outer bulbs to hunks of wire and reverse baskets and THE BEST setting IMO is just the way it comes from the factory.

Silly, but MY OPINION



A'gain


'course I'm one a' those weirdos who drives his truck off the factory floor and into the ground without ever adding on so much as an air freshener.......and washes it when you can't read the lettering...... diff'rent strokes.

lol


al
 
al,
its marketed to the general shooting populace..not speciifc to the benchrest crowd(smalllll segment)......
SO YES THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING,but that does not mean it cannot be fine tuned for br use....
.....
mike in co

LOL

as long as you believe it.......

al
 
brumbies

LOL

as long as you believe it.......

al

in the land of red sand and bull dust.i have noticed that the suped up ones throw more brumbies so the gain in speed is a waste.please note a brumbie is a wild horse so this impliess a total lack of sence if you wait for the count and weight check you will find the brumbies)chill(
 
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