Chargemaster stopped working

[Tomme boy]

Well it finally happened. The on/off button will not work. I have had this since about 02-03. So I will be looking for a new scale. This bites as I always use it for stick powders so I don't have to trickle the final weight.

Anyone trust any of the Amazon scales? Money is short at the moment as I keep buying things I don't need. I found a place that will fix it but they want $150+ Shipping. I am going to set this aside for now and send it out later when $ gets better.

 

[dannyd]

Don't get it fixed; sign up for notifications from the retailers because there coming down price all the time and go on sale regularly.

 

[fiver]

best 'cheap' scale i've seen is still over a hundred bucks.

 

[Tomme boy]

I have 2 sets of weight checks. One is a Lyman and the other is a rcbs. I ordered 2 different ones that had a decent rating. I will check how accurate they are.

I finally got the Chargemaster to turn on. I am leaving it on for good. Hopefully we don't have any power dips or outages to shut it off. At least I can compare the new ones coming to the chargemaster. It has been perfect for a long time. Never had any problems till resent. It was getting so you had to push the button a certain way to turn it off or on.

 

[Winelover]

My Chargemaster is an older unit. Only thing I've ever had to do was replace the adaptor cord. Wouldn't turn on. I borrowed Rick's adaptor cord and it worked. So I purchased a replacement off Amazon, based on the specifications on the original. IIRC, cost was $6.95 delivered.

If mine were to give up the ghost, I would be looking into the less costly, Chargemaster Lite. Can live without the 30 memory settings.

 

[Bret4207]

Isn't that an RCBS unit? Before I put out $ for a new one to replace something I liked, I'd be calling RCBS and seeing if they have any options for you. If it's an on/off built into a circuit board I believe those can be either replaced or by passed using a simple on/off switch in the power line.

Worth a phone call at least.

 

[Winelover]

RCBS only warrant the electronic gismo's for one year. They don't repair them, in house. Consequently, the don't keep parts. They will supply info on where to get it repaired. However, with shipping costs, plus the repairs, I would just purchase a new one. After 20+ years, I figured I got my monies worth, already.

 

[Michael]

I had a Lyman DPS 1200 that an older friend bought over for the two of us to use, a few years later he took ill and went into assisted living. When his sister come by to get his firearms she had zero interest in the scale and told me to keep it. When it crapped out last fall after about 10 years, I looked into replacing it. Called Lyman- the would knock 50% off MSRP on an new one, reviews were not that great though. Looked at the RCBS units, blue tooth, I don't need any stinkin' blue tooth. Hornady, mixed reviews. Pretty well jumped down of the fence, and simply use my trusted BR-3 and a, simple Hornady scale and a trickler. Sure a few more hand movements, but not much different time wise, might even be a bit faster. Dumping $300 plus too "maybe" save a second or 2. Can't say I that I will never buy another electronic dispensor, but for the time being, I am content.

 

[BudHyett]

I've got a broker RCBS Chargemaster sitting on a shelf for six years that I've gotten too busy to repair. This in itself says something of my opinion of it. It quit working properly shortly after cancer showed up and the cancer takes priority.

I emailed RCBS and was told they do not warranty electronics. "Toughsky shitsky" as the Russian Marines say. They advertise an unconditional warranty on all products. I've not bought RCBS products since. When I teach someone to reload, I mention my dissatisfaction with RCBS practices.

Alice and I went back to a Redding BR3, a Quick Measure, and now a Harrel. We can load as fast and as accurately, the electronic measure shows no advantage.

 

[Winelover]

Mechanical measures balk, especially, with stick powders. Which most rifle powders are. You can feel them cutting the sticks, in half. Same with flake powder, to a lesser extent. Ergo, trickling, is necessary. That's where the electronic measures excel............it trickles automatically! BTW, I have mechanical measures. Two micrometer adjusting Hollywood's and a micrometer converted Uniflow. I only use them for small charges of Bullseye. The Chargemaster, for the bulk of my reloading.

 

[Rick]

I emailed RCBS and was told they do not warranty electronics. "Toughsky shitsky" as the Russian Marines say. They advertise an unconditional warranty on all products. I've not bought RCBS products since. When I teach someone to reload, I mention my dissatisfaction with RCBS practices.

That is not a change in RCBS (or most anyone else) policy, has always been that way. One year warranty on anything electronic. Considering the superb quality and unmatched warranty on everything else from RCBS seems pretty silly to be down on RCBS for anything.

 

[Snakeoil]

I have Dillon's first digital scale. Still going strong. My shooting partner has an Auto Trickler. If you are a precision rifle shooter, that is the way to go. It's only $1000.

 

[BudHyett]

That is not a change in RCBS (or most anyone else) policy, has always been that way. One year warranty on anything electronic. Considering the superb quality and unmatched warranty on everything else from RCBS seems pretty silly to be down on RCBS for anything.

I'm not totally down on RCBS, but they are not the one-stop-shopping industry leader they once were. I still buy RCBS products, but only when the product is superior and the price is competitive. RCBS recently rebuilt a Pro-Melt for me and their rework is very good at a competitive price. I recently bought two RCBS Easy-Melt pots based on the value and am very satisfied with this product.

In 1965, I met Fred Huntington at Freeland's in Rock Island, Illinois. I was greatly impressed with his reloading acumen and his devotion to the industry. He was one of the founders of the reloading industry, especially in the fields of dies and presses. I bought RCBS out of habit for many years. Then Fred retired (richly deserved), sold the business and the accountants took over.

• RCBS boldly states the unmatched warranty in their advertising without mentioning the "electronics" exclusion.
• RCBS only went to the unmatched warranty after Dillon offered this warranty.
• RCBS immediately increased prices after Fred retired.
• RCBS only offered benchrest seating dies after Redding and Bonanza established the market.

The reloading industry relies on disposable income and must offer value.

 

[Rick]

Wow, since they are that horrible maybe you should sell everything in a green box. Buy only blue.

 

[Rick]

BTW, was Dillon that told me tough sh*t when I called them and told them my Dillon tumbler quit. They told me they would be happy to sell me a new motor for more than the tumbler cost new.

 

[Winelover]

I purchased an extra 44 Mag seating die from Dillon. First and last, I ever bought. All my other dies are RCBS, except for one Redding..............and that one I had to call the factory, cause the seating stem was too short, for seating 9mm without crimping. Yeah, they took care of it but had to wait for part that should have worked out of the box.

BTW, I'm a graduate of Michigan State...............go Green!

 

[BudHyett]

Wow, since they are that horrible maybe you should sell everything in a green box. Buy only blue.

Reloading tools are bought first on meeting the requirement, second on how the company honors and works the warranty, then price. My Scottish Frugality Gene dominates my left hand when reaching for my wallet.

I've had the Russian Marine "Toughsky Shitsky" response from Dillon myself and will never again buy from them nor do I recommend them to anyone asking about reloading equipment. The comment was the timing of the RCBS change in policy.

 

[Rick]

The comment was the timing of the RCBS change in policy.

RCBS did not have a change in warranty policy on electronics. Always been one year.

 

[Michael]

Many of the eletonic tools and shooting accessories that we all by have warranties that are shorter than non-electronic stuff. Take SIG for instance, on electronic items the clock starts ticking from the "date of manufacture" NOT the "date of purchase" i.e. range finders, red dots, snazzy you don't have to think scopes that interface with their range finder, etc. Buyer beware when it comes warranties, many are like the batteries used, they are going to die, then the product has to be replaced. Can't fix a battery.

 

[fiver]

i don't trust anything electric beyond the last time i used it.
the next time it may not turn on, or off, or just stop doing anything in the middle of doing something.