The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading Charge Master Combo vs Lyman 1200 DPSGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Hello, this is my first post here, and already I'm loving the site. I have been reloading for about 10 years now and am looking to upgrade to electronic powder dispenser and scale. I have read lots of product reviews on both the Lyman and RCBS systems and I'm still undecided. So. If you would, take a second and tell me about your experiences with either system. How long have you had it? How often do you use it? And the good things and the bad things about your system. Thank you for your help. | ||
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Hi james, welcome to AR. I have a lyman autoscale. Its about 10ys old. still works good no real problems. it has two tubes one course the other fine and the rate is adjustable, it has a beam scale which I like better than a digital. it works with most all powders except real light loads like 3-4 grains loads, I find it better to throw these loads with a powder measure. its a little slow with large loads 65grains and up. it beats the throw weigh and trickel method that I used for years. The way it works for me is I throw a load, take the pan off dump it in the case return the pan and start another load. take the case and seat a bullet and the next throw is read to put in the case. i use it all the time. it could use some way to remove the powder a chute may be the answer. but I manage by taking it apart and dumping the powder. set up is a snap Dave | |||
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Look over on www.6mmbr.com, there is a good article about the RCBS, Lyman and PACT (I believe?) electronic dispenser tools. We have also discussed this theme multiple times in here, so the search function might also unearth some more information relevant to you. I personally use the RCBS ChargeMaster combo, and am reasonably happy with it - it could be a bit faster and throw less (20%) charges that are not dead on. But overall, I would find it hard to live without the device. - mike ********************* The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart | |||
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I have had the Chargemaster since 2007 and use it weekly. Accuracy is pretty consistent. For rifle loads, 40 grains on up quick enough for me. Accuracy depends on powder type and shape and static electricity in powder (dry desert days) sometimes makes powders grains stick together so a few more come out and you may end up at 40.1 vs 40, no big deal. For pistol or very light loads for plinking (under 10 grains) you may be better off with a good quality thrower as it will be faster. Otherwise crank it up and enjoy yourself. | |||
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i like the chargemaster for stick powders, ball i measure. hint for any of them- they all are kinda slow so set the thing up and then use a powder measure to bring the charge close. it speeds things up quite a bit | |||
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Thanks for the help... The info at 6mmbr.com was most helpful. | |||
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Easy question. Buy the RCBS Chargemaster. I've used 3 of the Lymans, 2 of them would give wild readings if I was talking on my cell phone while they were running. The third worked for about 2 weeks and then went tits up. I then bought a RCBS chargemaster and have used it for several years with no problems whatsoever.........................DJ ....Remember that this is all supposed to be for fun!.................. | |||
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I've had my Lyman 1200 for several years. I installed the $20 hop-up-kit about a 2 years ago and it works great. It's fast and accurate. I use it all the time for both pistol and rifle. I would be lost without it. About 2 1/2 years ago the keyboard took a shit. Knowing that the warranty had long since expired I was reluctant to send it in for repairs. As I couldn't aford a new one I sent it back to Lyman anyway. To my delight they repaired the unit free of charge. My neighbor and shootin buddy has an RCBS. He lost his keyboard fuctions as well, to bad he didn't have a Lyman, RCBS did not cover his repairs as it was over 1 year old. Get a Lyman better warranty! | |||
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Easy answer! There is no way that ANY of them will increase your loads per hour when using ball or spherical powder over a good powder measure..........and they just clutter up the reloading bench!! And taking it another step, they won't increase your loads per hour when using the "stick" powders over the accuracy of a superior powder measure like the HARREL'S. Give me my Belding & Mull, an RCBS with the micrometer adjustment, a Pacific or Hornady or a Redding and load away! GHD Groundhog Devastation(GHD) | |||
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Agree 100% on the above post. For service rifle practice (7.62) rounds, I fill my Redding Powder measure with WC 846 and charge away...about as fast as you can get. | |||
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I've had the Lyman 1200 for several years. I once started getting erratic reading and when I called the company up, the lady had me wipe it down with a static cling sheet like you put in the dryer. That cleared the problem right up and so now every once in a while I give it a rub down with one of those cloths. I can't compare my dispenser with any other since this is the only one I've had and I do agree that if you are loading large numbers of cases with ball powder and cutting edge accuracy isn't needed, there is no way any automatic dispenser can compete. But if you are working up a load and want to load up 1 to 5 cases and then increase the powder charge .5 grains and then load 5 more and so forth, you can do that with the push of a button with a automatic dispenser. You don't have to recalibrate you powder dispenser and then trickle up for a final charge and change again 5 cases later. That can get tedious.  I think the question was which was better, not do we want to clutter up our benches with them.  My bench is big (long) enough to hold 3 dispensers, the 1200, three presses, and enough junque to make Sanford and Sons look tidy. Aim for the exit hole | |||
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I have used two Lyman Autoscales for years, keeping often used powder in each and never changing. I also have a Lyman 1200 programed for loads with other powders. I also have a Lyman 1500 Electronic Scale with trickler that come in handy for expermintal loads. I used a RCBS system before the latest ChargeMaster system, and was completely unhappy with it. I would not change a thing in my present system. Lyman has been helpful with advice on evern the simplest of questions. Good shooting. phurley | |||
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What I like most about Lyman is that: 1) I fill the hopper with the powder I want 2) Punch in the charge weight I want and hit enter. I just dump the powder into the case and replace the pan on the dispenser hit enter again. I then seat the bullet in the case I just filled and by the time I turn to the pwder dispenser it is basically done for anything under 50 grains If its over 50 grains...I either scratch my gonads or attempt to do about 5 seconds of clean up on my bench. Mike Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Mike, you've just described exactly the RCBS Chargemaster 1500  As that's what I use and feel the same way about it.Must be that both are pretty darn good! I've had mine about 3 years or better, no issues to date, works great, and use it regularly - I load in spurts Uh oh, that didn't sound right . . . can't think of a bad thing about it, Waidmannsheil, Dom.-------- There are those who only reload so they can shoot, and then there are those who only shoot so they can reload. I belong to the first group. Dom --------- | |||
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