RCBS ChargeMaster 1500

[Captain*kirk]

Any of you guys using the CM1500...as you probably know, there are a bunch of 'field mods' including the McDonald's Straw Mod (or now available as a bushing insert) as well as a number of speed setting alterations that can be done. Personally, I'm pretty happy with the way my CM works right out of the box. I'd like to hear from anyone who has modded theirs, whether or not you think it's helped, and what made you do the mods?

 

[Blue68f100]

I'm using a brass tube in mine with a reduced ID and inlet. I find this make it more consistent in dispensing powder, The smaller size makes it throw at a slower rate. I've also changed the setting that makes the unit faster. It does not slow down as early, which I can do since it's not throwing as much powder. I've checked mine against my GP-250 and it's normally withing in a couple of 0.02gr.

Once thing I've learned is to keep the pan on the scale. It seams to limit/stop the drift. If it does drift I remove the pan, zero, put the pan back on and zero again.

 

[jmorris]

I use them and they work, not a fan of the auto zero "feature", I really don't like measuring instruments changing zeros on their own.

Charge Master 1500 drift

www.youtube.com

Can get more repeatable charges from a beam scale/photoswitch controlling a trickler.

Autotrickler check with A&D FX-120i

www.youtube.com

One thing I learned with my first one was to write down all of the factory parameters BEFORE you change any of them. There is no "restore to default" and most "tricks" actually make them worse. So, if you record them at least you can get back to "start". The blank space in the manual is such a good place to put that information, RCBS should have done it. Along with an explanation of what they are for and adjustment effects...

 

[Captain*kirk]

One thing I learned with my first one was to write down all of the factory parameters BEFORE you change any of them. There is no "restore to default" and most "tricks" actually make them worse. So, if you record them at least you can get back to "start". The blank space in the manual is such a good place to put that information, RCBS should have done it. Along with an explanation of what they are for and adjustment effects...

Kinda the way I'm leaning.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I'm in agreement with @jmorris on the autozero.

I've done the straw mod and played with the parameters. Adjusting them has cut the dispense time in half on some powders. If only they let you save the different "tunes" in memory.

 

[lordpaxman]

I’ve found the straw mod helps with the final trickle not going over the set weight, especially with sticks.
The other mods seem to speed up dispensing, at the risk of overshooting the mark. But I tend to weigh the final result to make sure, or, watching the unit dispense you can get a feel for when it’s dropped a few sticks too many.

 

[AJC1]

One thing I learned with my first one was to write down all of the factory parameters BEFORE you change any of them. There is no "restore to default" and most "tricks" actually make them worse. So, if you record them at least you can get back to "start". The blank space in the manual is such a good place to put that information, RCBS should have done it. Along with an explanation of what they are for and adjustment effects...

This is absolutely true. I will not change mine for this reason. I get a tenth over sometimes, I adjust with a lee scoop or dump it back and mulligan.

 

[DustyRusty]

I have the 1500. It is old. My first one died right away in 2007. Second one is hanging in there. I have not done any mods to it. So I'm anticipating some good info to follow. I'm satisfied with mine.

If it charges over, I just tap a tap a few kernels out of the pan and hit dispense again. It gets to be a game to see if I can tap out kernels just right.

I have read about weight vs. volume allot and the chronograph shows volume is the way to measure. IMHO.
The ease of metering a powder is always mentioned. How much does it weigh, your choice of powders to use?
Some ball powder seams to meter extremely easy and even some short, extruded powders do as well.

 

[Kaldor]

I'm in agreement with @jmorris on the autozero.

I've done the straw mod and played with the parameters. Adjusting them has cut the dispense time in half on some powders. If only they let you save the different "tunes" in memory.

I found that too, going from ball, to short extruded to long extruded, they all can have slightly different tunes on the trickler. I did find a happy medium eventually, and just ran with it, set mostly for long cut extruded as short seemed to do fine with those settings.

@Captain*kirk The McD's straw did help help alot and I tried some different nozzles, 3d printed, and others, and the straw, bang for the buck, was just easiest and most consistent. My only caution about the CM1500 that I ran into over the years was if it trickles up and immediately hits the mark, with almost no slow trickle, check the charge on another scale or throw it back. Seemed like it would be off a half grain one way or the other more often than not.

 

[Captain*kirk]

@Captain*kirk The McD's straw did help help alot and I tried some different nozzles, 3d printed, and others, and the straw, bang for the buck, was just easiest and most consistent. My only caution about the CM1500 that I ran into over the years was if it trickles up and immediately hits the mark, with almost no slow trickle, check the charge on another scale or throw it back. Seemed like it would be off a half grain one way or the other more often than not.

I've found that mostly longer grain 'stick' powders tend to have the overthrow issues while the shorter grain ball and flake powders drop pretty much dead nuts. It's my observation that speeding up the drop rate would only make this worse. I'm not in that much of a hurry.

 

[Kaldor]

I've found that mostly longer grain 'stick' powders tend to have the overthrow issues while the shorter grain ball and flake powders drop pretty much dead nuts. It's my observation that speeding up the drop rate would only make this worse. I'm not in that much of a hurry.

Its been a couple of years since I have had mine, but that sounds about right

Re-Programming: RCBS Chargemaster Combo :: Primal Rights, Inc

If you don't have an RCBS Chargemaster Combo, you probably need one! By reprogramming the Chargemaster, you'll cut your charge times in half, or more.

www.primalrights.com

If my fuzzy at times memory serves, this was the guide and settings I used.
HSP A1 - 7.00
HSP B1 - 2.00
HSP C1 - 0.50
I didnt do the internal straw mod as they show here

 

[emb]

I have an old 1500. Nothing I've tried has corrected the auto zero feature. If memory serves, my pan weighs 143.3 grns. Once I dump the powder, if the pan now weighs 143.1, I'll have .2 grns over charge. It is a constant -2 change. I just need to keep an eye on it and re-zero if necessary. In 50 rounds it happens once or twice. Speed? It keeps me out of the house and out of trouble.

 

[Captain*kirk]

You guys that are having the auto-zero issues...a couple questions:
1) do you use the lexan pan cover when metering?
2) are there any fluorescent lights or power sources near the scale?
3) are you near heating/cooling ducts or draft prone areas when loading?

 

[emb]

You guys that are having the auto-zero issues...a couple questions:
1) do you use the lexan pan cover when metering?
2) are there any fluorescent lights or power sources near the scale?
3) are you near heating/cooling ducts or draft prone areas when loading?

1. No.
2. Yes. Connected to the same power source.
3. Yes, I'm in the garage. I do try to stay out of any drafts when weighing charges. I'm in an interior corner that is usually draft free.

 

[Captain*kirk]

1. No.
2. Yes. Connected to the same power source.
3. Yes, I'm in the garage. I do try to stay out of any drafts when weighing charges. I'm in an interior corner that is usually draft free.

All of the above can cause drifting zero. Simply exhaling out of your nose can vary the scale readings...try it with an empty pan and a zero'd scale and you'lI see what I mean. I always swing the cover closed while the charge meters out.
Fluorescent light are known to affect scales, including beam type. YMMV but I try to avoid factors like those if possible

 

[jmorris]

You guys that are having the auto-zero issues...a couple questions:
1) do you use the lexan pan cover when metering?
2) are there any fluorescent lights or power sources near the scale?
3) are you near heating/cooling ducts or draft prone areas when loading?

If you do what I did in the first video in post #3, does yours do something different, than those two, under any conditions?

The scales are saying .2 of a grain of powder weighs nothing.

1. Yes and no depends on #3
2. No
3. Not near it but I can tell when it's on or off.

FWIW that 2nd video in #3 of the RCBS 505 and photo electric switch, throwing with in a few hundredths of a grain, was in my kitchen that is a much larger area with a number of vents and fluorescent lights all around, with obviously no cover.

 

[Captain*kirk]

I have not tried that. I will tonight and post results

 

[MarshallDodge]

The Chargemaster is a decent scale that pretty much does what I want it to do, so don't take the autozero thing as a serious complaint.

My reloading room has LED lighting in the ceiling which doesn't seem to cause any issues. The biggest causes of drift that I see are during warm up, or when the heat or air conditioning comes on.

All scales drift. My issue with the auto zero is that I would rather perform a manual zero than let the scale do it. This way I know the scale is drifting and can double check the charges to make certain they are correct.

 

[jmorris]

The Chargemaster is a decent scale that pretty much does what I want it to do, so don't take the autozero thing as a serious complaint.

I agree, I own lots of stuff that doesn't care (for the goals I have set) and still use them, same goes for measures with the right powders.

Any process is only a "wrong answer", if it doesn't reach goals you have set. If you can get the results you are after with faster and easier methods, why complicate things?

Been a few years but I did look up the data sheet for the load cell in the 1500 that shows the curve, I don't have the sheet handy but did take a photo of it.

 

[AJC1]

I agree, I own lots of stuff that doesn't care (for the goals I have set) and still use them, same goes for measures with the right powders.

Any process is only a "wrong answer", if it doesn't reach goals you have set. If you can get the results you are after with faster and easier methods, why complicate things?

Been a few years but I did look up the data sheet for the load cell in the 1500 that shows the curve, I don't have the sheet handy but did take a photo of it.

View attachment 1206105

I can't understand why the two point calibration does not cover the working range of most loads. 50 and 100grams.

 

[DustyRusty]

I can't understand why the two point calibration does not cover the working range of most loads. 50 and 100The outout curve of that load cell is most likly analog. It won;t be a straight line, so the more calibration points the petter.

We cal the 1500 at zero 50gm and 100 gm. Unless there is a really bad curve on that load cell output (defective) wouldn't that cover it?
I wonder what the calibration procedure for those high-end scales is like.

 

[AJC1]

We cal the 1500 at zero 50gm and 100 gm. Unless there is a really bad curve on that load cell output (defective) wouldn't that cover it?
I wonder what the calibration procedure for those high-end scales is like.

I did the math and 50g is 771 grains on the low end. I'm not a load cell expert but mechanical calibration generates a usefull range between high and low. If zero is considered, and I'm not sure it is, that would be a three point. A one gram and 10 gram would make a lot more sense to me. Even one gram is more than most pistol but should be good enough with roll off. It's basically like calibrating a 6" caliper with 2 and 4 inch gage blocks and using it for bullet quality assesment.

 

[DustyRusty]

I agree. If the load cells output was a straight linear line, that would be nirvana.
It is what it is.
Like the OP said, he is happy right outta the box and so am I. However, I did just order some of the black rubber looking thingy's that cover the tube to see if they really help.

What really dismays me allot is the replacement cost of an electronic scale these days. INFLATION is ridiculous.
And the length of the warranty on my 1500 was one year and no service available, just replacement during the warranty.
My 1500 didn't turn on right away yesterday. I almost had heart failure. I had the power block unplugged.

 

[Captain*kirk]

Personally, I generally only load rifle rounds with the Chargemaster and use the Uniflow for pistol rounds.

 

[AJC1]

Personally, I generally only load rifle rounds with the Chargemaster and use the Uniflow for pistol rounds.

I like it for any testing. Once you have a load to mass produce, if your skills are good on a measure, that's probably good. I spend most of my time making 5 or 10 of an incremented charge weight and then moving to the next.