To let the Chargemaster throw a charge, move the pan to the beam scale, trickle a tad more, charge the case, and seat a bullet for 50 cartridges.

50 cartridges = 40:00 minutes.

I can do that without a chargemaster in same amount of time..... Old school with a scoop and a trickler.

One of the Lee fellows spoke about how accurate he had seen people be using a scoop and a business card. Yep, all in the wrist.

I believe you.

I've got to change some things.

As is the case with lots of things. All it takes is a pile of money.

I poached a measuring scoop from the wife's cooking utensils but it it works just as well. Scoop full amount per powder type then trickle up on the scale.

Stop gap measure, I'm thinking two identical pans. When I remove a full one, immediately replace it with an empty while I'm measuring on the beam scale. That way the Chargemaster is back to work while I'm fine tuning, and seating.

I took some 12 ga electric wire, stripped the insulation off one end and soldered a 8" piece of wire to an empty 12 ga shell, measured the power and poured it into the shell and then trimmed it down. One night in about 35 minutes I made about 12 scoops with different capacities. Your way sounds easier. I bent the wire back a few inches to make a handle. Total cost was about 17 since I had wire, solder, and empty hulls. Mine work regardless of batteries or electricity. minimum footprint on desk, drop them and no damage.

That's 80 minutes for 100 rounds, which is not very quick. You are right, it does take some expense to decrease that time frame. The fastest and cheapest method I have found is a good digital scale paired with an Auto Trickler. I'll run 2 Chargemasters side by side, both throwing the same initial charge weight, about .5 grains less than desired charge weight. I'll transfer this initial charge to the high end digital scale, and let the Auto Trickler trickle up to the desired charge weight. Say my desired charge weight is 43 grains, I'll have the CM throw about .5 grain under at 42.5, and transfer this powder to the digital scale with Auto Trickler (AT). The AT will automatically trickle up to whatever weight you program it to. I'll then pour the exact charge into the case, set the pan back on the AT, pour the next initial charge from the CM to the AT and seat a bullet. It takes about 5 to 10 seconds per charge, depending on your movement and bench vibration. The air current from moving your hands can drift the reading of the scale some. Sometimes bench vibration from seating the bullet during the final few kernels will mess it up. But once you get in a rhythm of the powder flow and seating bullets, it goes fast. Running a pair of CM with the AT, we can load 100 rounds in about 45 to 50 minutes time. Most of the time, the AT has finished it's trickle up and is waiting on you. It's very fast, and powder throws are accurate to .02 grains. It doesn't get any better than that!

If you are going to use an automated trickler why not just throw the initial charge with a powder measure instead of waiting for the CM?

That would work also. You'd have to do the same task either way; i.e. getting the initial charge on the AT scale. A buddy of mine uses the powder thrower, and he has it rigged up right over the AT scale. The only complaint this way is the powder splashing some out of the pan. I already had multiple CM, so I used those. It saves you the arm movement of dispensing it with a powder thrower vs. the CM throwing the charge for you. But both would be quick.

Ever since you and Judd told me about the auto trickler, I've had it on my radar. I've got other things to spend money on. And Lord knows I've already spent plenty this year. One day, I'll get one.

Another in the digital scale, tiny measuring cup camp here. I set my powder measure for .3 gr or so over, move to the digital scale, and use the tiny scoop to remove the excess. Not too bad. My powder measure seems to be good to about +/- 0.5 gr, so occasionally I'll have to use the trickler to add just a tad.

Never timed it though!

Now, the one thing I do question is the real-life accuracy of my digital scale. I have seen it go up or down 0.2 or 0.3 gr with the same load.

Yes. If the scale is a strain gauge scale, it will certainly drift. I did a lot of research on the different type of scales (what system is used inside the scale to weigh) and the strain gauge will drift. Plus, they can easily have interference from cell phones and lighting easily. I always knew when I had a call or text coming in when I was reloading with my old scale. The scale would go berserk for the second or two before the call came in. And, these type of scales need at least 30 minutes to warm up to be more consistent.

Also, if you use a scale that is powered by batteries, the amount of juice in the battery will effect the accuracy/consistency of the scale. I spent some time on the phone with a few tech guys with scale companies.

When I'm loading hunting/accuracy ammo, I use a powder meter, beam scale, and trickler. I can't see how a digital system is worth the expense or headache.

I've made tiny shooting ammo, only using a Chargemaster, and could make 50 rounds in 25 minutes. But I've stepping into a little higher level of OCD with my competition rifle. There have already been times it's show that it helps. But just a little bit.

Yesterday I loaded 100 rounds, weight checking against the beam scale. I think, maybe 8 Chargemaster charges were perfectly in line with the beam. The other 92 needed 1 to 6 kernals.

Even for precise hunting ammo, I believe the Chargemaster will be sufficient, and I do that frequently. But for this rifle, I've stepped things up a bit. It increases time spent, so I'm loading 50-100 rounds as I have time, until I get the 300 I'm going to need next month.

Then Judd tells me he believes cold metal welding to be a real thing. And really I should be loading them long, then seat to proper length a day before I need them.

I can do that old school. Drop into pan, on scale, press foot switch to trickle.

I have found that it is faster to under charge .2-.5 gr
Then pinch powder and drop kernels

And/ Or drop kernels as the CM is spinning it ll stop when it s close
Top it off with kernels in between fingers

Isn't there a way to reprogram the CM so it throws faster?

Done it.

I'm never waiting on the Chargemaster. I hacked it, and made the insert for the auger. I really need another pan so it can work while I'm checking weight on the beam.

I have 3 Pans that weigh exactly the same. I just swap them between processes. Still takes too damn long. If you actually calculate what your time is worth, its really not cheaper to reload. But you don't get the same amount of precision.

Gotta have the precision.


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OCD or getting ready for bench rest completion?

No benchrest for this guy. Just some steel very far away.

Penetration tests?

Not my thing.