RCBS Chargemaster troubles...?

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Poper

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Anyone else experiencing trouble with the RCBS Chargemaster?

I am on my third one and it went on the blink, too. The first one went cuckoo throwing out random charge weights after it was about 2 years old. RCBS replaced it with a new one. About two or three years later it did the same thing. The third one has lasted about three years, maybe a bit longer. About 6 or 7 months ago it began saying "2008" when I turn it on. I sent an email to RCBS customer service tonight. (I know. I procrastinate a little bit.)

In the meantime I had been using my 505 scale and a Lee Perfect powder measure. Kind of a welcome change to get back to my old roots, so to speak. But now that we are in the throws of a home change, I had to pack all my loading bench goodies away. When it came to the Chargemaster, I turned its box inside out, packed it in and got it ready to send.

If RCBS wants me to buy another one because this one is out of warranty, (it could be, as it is definitely more than 2 years old), I'm on the fence about buying another one.

Anyone else had a similar experience with the Chargemaster?
 
You're trying to get me to jinx mine by saying it hasn't failed in 7 years, aren't you? Well, I ain't gonna say it. But, I am going to knock on wood. ;)
 
Wow. Yet another horror story about an electronic powder dispenser. After reading so many posts about these devices going haywire I'm keeping the credit card in my wallet.

Sticking with my beam scale. It works first time every time and I haven't had to send it back to Redding.

.40
 
You're trying to get me to jinx mine by saying it hasn't failed in 7 years, aren't you? Well, I ain't gonna say it.
#MeToo . Oops, not sure that is politically correct...
The only trouble I’ve had is when it sat dormant for about 6 months and then I needed to dispense a charge that had an “8” in it, the 8 key wouldn’t register nor did the Disp key work. I unplugged it, reset it and that didn’t work, so I lightly tapped the case side and magically things started working again. I was thinking about a sacrifice at the time, so, maybe that helped.

The keypad contacts and electronics can definitely be an issue on any device. If your electrical service is prone to spikes, they can also wreak havoc on electronics of all kinds in the house. Good thing those knife edges and agate aren’t susceptible! That and the time space continuum is relatively constant.
 
Haven't had that problem with mine, knock on wood.. Mine is 3 yrs old.

Like said it does not take much of a power surge/spike to knock out some electronics. It's my under standing that there is 3-4 different versions out all using a different power pack, voltage.
 
Wow. Yet another horror story about an electronic powder dispenser. After reading so many posts about these devices going haywire I'm keeping the credit card in my wallet.

Sticking with my beam scale. It works first time every time and I haven't had to send it back to Redding.

.40
So, to answer the OP's question, no, you haven't had a similar experience that he's having with a Chargemaster. :)
 
When the EMP and Zombies come :what:, I'll still be able to load ammo in my low tech, high precision, bound manual, handwritten log ways.

Oh, I'm sure most of us have a Lee balance or similar from that first kit we purchased, stuck away and never used for just such emergencies.:D Mine is in it's original cardboard box and I'd be happy to sell it if someone is desperate. Of course, after awhile, I won't have any smokeless powder to reload anyway, but it is remotely possible I might make it a few months post-electricity.

(My Chargemaster Lite has had zero problems so far, but it's not that terribly old yet.)
 
Oh, I'm sure most of us have a Lee balance or similar from that first kit we purchased

I gave mine to a niece that asked if I had an accurate weigh to measure the silver she used to make rings. I know, if I was a decent uncle, I would have given her a decent scale...

No abnormal issues with my CM's yet.
 
If your electrical service is prone to spikes, they can also wreak havoc on electronics of all kinds in the house.
Hmmm.
My Chargemaster would sit in a closed cabinet unplugged until a loading session was necessary. I would then set it up and go to it. It would be a rare thing for it to remain plugged in for more that 2 or 3 hours. And then it would be plugged into a surge protectors power strip that served the overhead LED strip light and a 6" fan. I suppose it is possible a surge or flex of some kind might have done it in, but I really wonder about that.

I had a Lyman electronic scale, but it was less than worthless. It would not weigh the same object the same weight two times in a row. Didn't matter if it was running on batteries or if it was running on the transformer. Finally threw it away when the packing began as it was easier to toss it than pack it.
 
Wow. Yet another horror story about an electronic powder dispenser. After reading so many posts about these devices going haywire I'm keeping the credit card in my wallet.

weighing is not the issue for us. it's the trickling up to the charge that we find most tiresome. i manually weighed and trickled just a few 100 rds batches of 308 with imr 4895. i said " To hell with it, I'm getting a chargemaster". no issues with it but mine is not really used heavily.
 
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