RCBS Chargemaster 1500

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William Suter

Well-known member
I recently bought one of these to replace my Lyman. It seems to work, but IMO, just OK. Sometimes it will miss a load, usually light by a grain or so. Very seldom throws heavy. Is this normal for this dispenser? It does seem slower than the Lyman but it does work. Maybe its just me getting use to it. I did buy it used from a pawn shop that is owned by a gun club member. It was in the box with all the paper work so if it was used, I don't think very much. I can't say I'm unhappy with it but it hasn't given me a warm fuzzy feeling as of yet.
 
I had one but had problems with it. Contacted rcbs and they sent me the chargemaster supreme as a replacement and I've been happy with it.
 
William Suter said:
I recently bought one of these to replace my Lyman. It seems to work, but IMO, just OK. Sometimes it will miss a load, usually light by a grain or so. Very seldom throws heavy. Is this normal for this dispenser? It does seem slower than the Lyman but it does work. Maybe its just me getting use to it. I did buy it used from a pawn shop that is owned by a gun club member. It was in the box with all the paper work so if it was used, I don't think very much. I can't say I'm unhappy with it but it hasn't given me a warm fuzzy feeling as of yet.
Click to expand...

Throwing Under by a hole 'grain' is a pretty wild . are talking about, 0 .1/10 ? one whole Grain under/over is pretty Big.

The size of the powder grain will make a difference to how it throws, as it will sometimes do the "clump and Dump" at the end with the final trickle throw. Mostly mine would do the 1/10 over . I put a small restriction/block on the pick-up Tube slot inside the hopper. ( for me ), I think it picks-up to much for powder flow. My old 1500 rarely throws a Minus charge.
There used to be a hack floating around on forums years back that you could reprogram them to speed-up throw faster, But I left mine just factory set for speed.

No BS .. My old 1500 . I have one that has been plugged-in and turned On since 2008 and it still running strong.
Here a Pic. looking down inside the hopper of my old 1500 . The pick-up tube dispensing dump direction is pointing @ 6 o'clock . You can see the block I placed into the LONG pickup cutout on the tube, and I restricted the actual opening for powder to small size. Now It probably 1/5th opening size, from the huge factory size.
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restrict.jpg

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Usually mine is pretty spot on...usually. But now and then it dumps a really light load. I either just trickle it to correct or dump it and drop another load. I used the straw trick to slow the dispensing down and that helps. It works OK and I can live with the light occasional light loads. Maybe its more me just getting use to it.
 
Also those older 1500's . they good machines, but Don't leave powder in the hoppers for long periods of time ( like more than 30 days ) , The big Hopper Tube It is sealed really good for a container, but the spinning powder pick-up tube back then they used will corrode on the surface BigTime if left for Long periods.
I used to get kind of lazy when loading big lots of same Cal. and left some in for few months. i think it was reloader-15. I could visually see the bad surface pitting going on so I never did that again . but I pretty sure all the newer models made these days are better material on the pick-up tube.
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There are a couple of changes that help with over charges. I did the old straw hack as shown.
straw.JPG


I also reprogrammed the dispensing cycle for stick powders. The speed starts out fast, reduces in the middle of the charge, then slows down to a trickle about two grains before the end.
1. Turn the Chargemaster 1500 unit on.

2. When 0.0 gn is on the display, press BOTH the ENTER and the EDIT MEM keys on the

dispenser at the same time. Hold for a second and then release. If done properly ADJUST

PARAMETERS should scroll across the display followed by HSP_A1 00015.68 (This number

represents the number of grains away from your entered charge when the tube will shift

from fast speed to medium speed. That is at 15.68 gn from your target charge the

dispenser will shift from fast to medium speed.) To speed up the unit, this number needs to

be decreased, and to slow down the unit, this number needs to be increased. (On a slow

unit, I would change this number to 11.00 gn this is done by pressing the following keys: 1

1 0 0 ENTER (pressing the enter key sets that value and moves to next setting in program

in this case, to medium speed to slow speed setting)

3. HSP_B1 00003.42 should scroll across the display now. This number represents where

the unit will shift from medium to slow speed. Use the same process as in step 2 to enter

updated values. For a slow unit I would change this number to 2.50 gn this is done by

pressing the following keys: 2 5 0 ENTER (pressing the enter key sets that value and moves

to the next setting in the program. In this case, the slow speed to trickle speed transition)

4. HSP_C1 00001.08 should now scroll across the screen. This number represents where the unit will shift from slow speed to trickle. Use the same process as before to enter the value. For a slow unit I would change this number to .90 gn. This is done by pressing the following keys: 9 0 ENTER

5. This is all the adjustment that needs to be done to the unit. You then need to press the

ENTER key to cycle through the rest of the program without changing any of the values

(approx. 22 times). Once complete, the unit will start its normal initial countdown process.

Next, test the dispenser by entering a target charge (i.e. 44.5 ENTER, and pressing DISP).

Disregard the first charge and throw a few charges at these settings to see if they satisfy

your needs. If not, return to step 2 and repeat the process to program in different values.



Due to powder grain size variations, you may have to adjust the unit for each different powder used.



Here is another full list of parameters, accessed sequentially by pressing



"EDIT MEMORY" and "ENTER" simultaneously, and then pressing "ENTER" to advance through the list. This list includes the original factory setting for reference.



To change a parameter, type the new number once the old number is displayed. Record all factory data

first because there is no "FACTORY RESET" available.
 
I have a high use unit from 2014. Its far from perfect, but I am satisfied with it. It has all the problems you describe. I have a high end, very accurate electric scale sitting right next to it that I double check charges with.

An alternative is a balance scale using a trickle charger. If you can build a system that is at eye level that can work great also. I have both systems. I generally use the electronic set because they are not sensitive the the air that blows from my mini split in my loading room. Or the dehumidifier.

If you buy some ultra high accuracy system, it will likely be more time consuming....

Consider a highly accurate mini scale to double check each load if you are going for the Gnat's @$$. Those little Lee brand yellow powder loading scoops really help for adding, or removing a kernel or two.

My wife made some pottery pots with a poor spout on them that sit on the table next to the 1500. When I am done I just let er fly into the pot/bowl/plate contraption. Then pour from there, directly into the the powder jug.

I don't know of any economical, and fast way to do this with high precision.

I am very satisfied with all of my set ups though. Maybe ignorance is bliss?
 
Definitely need the insert at the end of the powder drop tube. The straw hack works but i have a metal insert (forget where i got it but there are several that sell them) and have had good success with consistency. Not perfect every time but definitely a big improvement.
 
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