reloading combo? worth the money ?

Is a reloading combo intresting and worth the money? Or better buy a powder measure and a scale ?

In my view, a scale is indispensable. Powder measures are a coin toss; some are excellent, some not....even expensive ones can be almost worthless. I have a Redding BR-3 Precision Match Measure that makes a Lee Dipper look like a precision instrument. With a very good measure, like the Harrel or Jones Precision, you will seldom if ever need to trickle loads.~Muir
 
I was considering something like the RCBS Chargemaster combo. Intresting ? Worth the money ?
A scale and separate powder measure will be less expensive I think.
 
I was considering something like the RCBS Chargemaster combo. Intresting ? Worth the money ?
A scale and separate powder measure will be less expensive I think.



If it's electric I won't use it. Too finicky and problematic...
And in the end, you will need a scale. It's almost unavoidable if you are a reloader.~Muir

(I mean, how are you going to know when the Chargemaster has gone bad??)
 
Last edited:
I'm afraid I disagree slightly with this....... (sorry Muir) surely at some point you have to trust what something is telling you, if not, at what point do you stop checking and rechecking? I used to have some beam scales, RCBS 10:10, and I really didn't find them accurate, too many factors that interfered with them, and even if they were, unless you check every load, how are you ever going to be totally certain.
I recently bought the hornady lock 'n' load auto dispenser, and its brilliant, best bit of non essential kit I've bought in years.

edit: Also, at most, when I checked my other electronic scales, there was .1 or .2 of a grain discrepancy, neither of which is going to affect POI to a degree any of us would notice as a stalking round, ok, for target folk, yeah, whatever floats your boat, but when you get those lovely cloverleafs from a perfectly stable shooting bench with bench rests etc, how many people are actually deluding themselves that they replicate anything close to that when their heart is racing and their up on sticks about to shoot a deer..... I for one know I cant.
 
Last edited:
I'm using the cheap Lee "Perfect Powder Measure", throw out half a grain less than I want and tickle the rest.

As digital scale I'm currently using a Jennings JS-VG20, if I would need to replace it I would look out for a GemPro 500.
 
I'm afraid I disagree slightly with this....... (sorry Muir) surely at some point you have to trust what something is telling you, if not, at what point do you stop checking and rechecking? I used to have some beam scales, RCBS 10:10, and I really didn't find them accurate, too many factors that interfered with them, and even if they were, unless you check every load, how are you ever going to be totally certain.
I recently bought the lyman lock 'n' load auto dispenser, and its brilliant, best bit of non essential kit I've bought in years.

edit: Also, at most, when I checked my other electronic scales, there was .1 or .2 of a grain discrepancy, neither of which is going to affect POI to a degree any of us would notice as a stalking round, ok, for target folk, yeah, whatever floats your boat, but when you get those lovely cloverleafs from a perfectly stable shooting bench with bench rests etc, how many people are actually deluding themselves that they replicate anything close to that when their heart is racing and their up on sticks about to shoot a deer..... I for one know I cant.

No apologies necessary.
But I have read too many stories on this site about electronic scales going out of whack by having a cell phone in the room, leaving the cord coiled, leaning on a bench while its metering, having a window open in the house, wrong phase of the moon... Ok. I made that one up, ;) but you never read of people with beam scales worrying about power supplies, cell phones, warranty stations. At worst, it's someone who isn't clear on the zeroing of the scale. I have a Ohaus 505 and an Ohaus Dial-o-Grain. They are unerringly accurate as tested with lab grade weights.

There is another consideration. Quantity. Even if I was OK with electronic metering scales, I still wouldn't consider one if I was loading just a few chamberings and in relatively small quantities. I mean what's the point? I think half the people who own them get off on the "..it's all technical and stuff, ya know??" aspect. It's like insisting that every bit of reloading gear you own has an Asian micrometer spindle or dial indicator attached; somehow having it done automatically makes it better. It's certainly not faster than a measure and a trickler.

I still say buy a good measure like the Jones or the Harrell and forget weighing each charge. There will be no need.
It's all moot anyhow. I think there is no talking the OP out of this purchase. I get the feeling he's made up his mind.~Muir
 
Greetings from Greece where even Robins are seen as fair game apparently!

I own a Chargemaster Combo and it's cracking good kit!

Would I ever sell my beam scale? Not a chance.

Cheap digital scales, I went through 4 before I bought the Chargemaster. They are affected by temperature, flourecent lights, slightest breeze. RCBS Chargemaster Combo doesn't like vibration while fine trickling but that's all. You might want to give one a go Muir.

I also have a Uniflow and trickler and was in the process of setting up the Toolhead calibre number 2 on my Dillon 550. Eventually there will be 7.

If I was just putting a low hundreds of rounds down on Deer & Fox I certainly wouldn't be needing any of this but shooting sometimes 1000 rounds a weekend I have to automate to have any time with the family.
 
Last edited:
Rcbs 505, Uniflow measure and a Targetmaster trickler

job done quickly and accurately

I agree, have a set of Scott Parker tuned Lyman M5's with my Targetmaster, rediculously easy, quick and very accurate indeed.
 
Thanks. I'll take it under advisement.
1000 rounds a weekend is a lot of shooting. The pay scale in Greece must be higher than in the US!:D~Muir

I'm on holiday over here.

Yup these big weekends take a lot of work at the bench too. Certainly couldn't afford to do that on factory ammo at UK prices but on the flip side it makes the ROI argument for any new reloading kit a no brainer.

The fine balance is quality and quantity. No point in cranking out junk ammo if it's going to screw you up in competition.
 
Back
Top