For those with a Chargemaster..

[Calculated]

I'm looking to increase my productivity in the reloading room, and I can't afford $5k on a Prometheus and Giraud. Is it a big improvement in speed, how quickly does it throw charges? How accurate is the scale? I'll probably be verifying on my gempro 250 which has given me more than acceptable SD and ES numbers.

I'm thinking of getting a Trim Mate as well, getting tired of deburring and chamferring by hand. Any experience there would be appreciated.

Do these machines last?

On a seperate note, I was also thinking about getting a Frankford Tumbler. Would I be better of buying a Harbor Freight if cheap is effective, or a Thumlers Tumbler if quality is a concern?

[esaabye]

The chargemaster does not save me time for large runs. Where it is nice is the 50 rnd runs so you don't reset your powder thrower. Out of the box it can be slow, you have to program it to be more aggressive for rifle loads.

I load most of my 223 off a lee powder thrower but I use the chargemaster for other loads. I do love my giraurd

[Calculated]

So you find the Lee to be faster and more accurate?

[Tim K]

The Chargemaster is much faster than trickling by hand. If you trickle up every charge, you'll love it. I consider mine indispensable. It does overthrow some, you'll have to figure out how you are going to deal with that. Extruded powders are worse.

I can't attest to the accuracy of the scale as I have no way to test.

[rtr]

This is something else to consider http://www.autotrickler.com/index.html

[XC700116]

I currently run 2 Chargemasters when I load large volumes of extruded powder loads, if it's a ball powder, I throw it with a Redding powder measure.

With 2 of them, they go as fast as I can go, I have a lot of overcharges and just dig out a couple grains with a straw that has a slash cut on the end and use it like a little spoon so I can get my loads within the scale's accuracy limits.

Seems to work just fine and I get my precision rifle loads well into the single digit SD range.

[Calculated]

I do trickle every charge by hand, methinks I'm going to wonder how I ever lived without it. Hell I could load one by hand with my other scale while the chargemaster is going and double my output. Sounds like everyone seems to be a least mostly satisfied, and if you can get single digits XC that's all I'm really after. Thanks guys!

[XC700116]

I do trickle every charge by hand, methinks I'm going to wonder how I ever lived without it. Hell I could load one by hand with my other scale while the chargemaster is going and double my output. Sounds like everyone seems to be a least mostly satisfied, and if you can get single digits XC that's all I'm really after. Thanks guys!

In reality, proper load development and selection alone should get you in the single digits if you can hold +/- .2gr, I like to get a load that's in a big fat node that allows for some slop. That seems to make it a lot easier to get there than OCD powder weighing. But yeah the Charge master is more than capable of getting you there when coupled with the rest of the recipe being done correctly.

I'd nearly give my left nut for a Prometheus, but the cost and wait time is just a bit to rich for my blood.

[Zach O]

If my Charge Master quit working, I'd cry. I hand trickled for a few years. I can never go back.

[gnihcraes]

keep your deburr tool and put it in the drill press or other power device.

http://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-preparation/case-mouth-chamfering/sinclair-l-e-wilson-deburring-tool-package-sku749004354-34054-67981.aspx

[Tim K]

A Giraud trimmer is in the same class of essential tool for me. It's crazy fast. It trims to length and de burrs inside and outside in a single 3 second operation. I'd quit reloading if I had to trim and deburr the old way again. It's so fast I use it on every loading just to get a nice chamfer on the ID and OD. I did 200 pieces of .260 brass the other day in ten minutes.

[KS63]

Once I get my Redding powder measure set to throw consistent loads, it's very fast and accurate. If I want high productivity, I'll load on my Dillon.