Chargemaster Hack

Years ago I found some info posted by a fellow who had found out how to hack the RCBS Chargemaster's software. I copied that info and saved it, but I never could find it again, until recently. It had been right under my nose the whole time. Anyway, I tried it out and it works. Here is what the guy posted:

By reprogramming the chargemaster, you'll cut your charge times in half, or more.

Here's how you reprogram your chargemaster for maximum speed.

1. Turn the unit on.

2. When 0.0gn is on the display, press BOTH the ENTER and the EDIT MEM keys on the dispenser at the same time. Hold for a second and then release. If done properly ADJUST PARAMETER should scroll across the display followed by HSP 00015.68

At this point you are in the programming menu. The first 3 settings are the ones you need to concern yourself with. HSP settings are basically different speeds for different stages of the powder throw. The setting changes the amount of grains under your desired charge weight where the unit will switch speeds.

HSP A1 - This is the first stage, wide open.
HSP B1 - This is medium speed.
HSP C1 - This is the last stage, slow trickle.

To change the setting, just use the number pad and type in the new setting. If you wanted to change the first setting to 7.00, you would type in 700. When you have the variable set, simply press ENTER to move to the next setting. You'll have to press enter a number of times (20+) to get through the rest of the settings, and then the unit will reboot itself.

Here are my settings:
HSP A1 - 7.00
HSP B1 - 2.00
HSP C1 - 0.50

So, it will run wide open until 7grns under my desired charge, then go at medium speed until 2gr under, then it will stop for a slow trickle at .5gr under. Keep in mind that I'm primarily throwing Varget and Retumbo. If you go to a different powder, you may need to adjust the settings.

Changing this cut my charge time in half. Getting two of them up side by side has reduced that by an additional 1/3. One running on default settings would dump one 44.5gr charge of varget every 20-35 seconds. Reprogramming cut that down to about 10-15 seconds. While running two reprogrammed units, I don't wait for much of anything now.

I've also done the "mcdonalds straw mod" on them. This keeps powder from bunching up on the threads at the end of the pour tube. Why they put threads in there, I'll never know.

So, as I said, this can be done. Since I snagged a jug of IMR4451 to try in .30-06 today I decided that would be the powder I tried first. I used 900 / 350 / 070 and it seemed to be a good compromise for speed at the beginning and acceptable precision finishing off the charge. Bear in mind I have used a 5.7 FN case to make my own drop tube insert, and as the original poster says the powder granule characteristics matter also.

Greatness. Not the solution but the fact that you read it and remembered that you had it. There are things that I saw or read 25 years go and can't remember where.

Tag

RiverRider, this sounds interesting but I'm not familiar with this. You charge your cases individually so this would be used in a single press loading routine? Do you use it for all your loads or for just your most precise loads? And just how accurate and consistent is the weight?

Is this program update ok by RCBS? I would hate to have a warranty voided due to monkeying with software.

It works. Changed mine and purchased one of the inserts the guy machines out of brass. Speeds thing up a bunch. You can always change back to factory settings if you don't like the upgrade.

I only use this for charging with powders which do not meter well in an ordinary measure, such as a Uniflow. The system can be as accurate as the scale's tolerances will allow IF you can get the drop tube to drop just one kernel of powder to reach the target weight, and that is what the drop tube insert is all about.

Without the insert, the dispenser may be trying to bump the charge from 24.9 to 25.0 grains, and maybe all it needs is one kernel but four kernels fall. The scale may still say 25.0 but that's not as good as it would have been had it dropped only one kernel. Sometimes all it needs is one kernel and about six or eight fall and the display would show 25.1 or 25.2 grains. The insert helps to control the flow of powder out the drop tube at the last and slowest speed of operation.

The accuracy of the scale...there are specs. The spec for the scale used in the Chargemaster is +/- 0.1 grain. It actually operates MUCH more precisely than that, though.

Anything that speeds up precise loading is something I'm interested in.

I'm gonna try this today. Thanks for the post!

tag

I think you're gonna like this one, JG.

I just used your settings; 900/ 350/ 070

I loaded for 6.5 Creedmoor, looking for 42.8 gr of H-4350. 25 rounds took 16:00 minutes and there were 11 overthrows from .1 gr to .3 gr, and I do have the insert in the auger.

I am going to reconfigure the settings and try it again hoping for less overthrows.

Standby...

JG, I'd try 900 / 500 / 100. My insert has a smaller hole and I think that would make a lot of difference.

That is what I will try next. The bore on my insert measure .232" I.D.

I just tried 900/ 400/ 090. It took 17 minutes with 7 overthrows. But when I was done seating a bullet and placing it in the box, the Chargemaster was done, and had already done a weight recheck.

I'm getting closer, just need some tweaking. I appreciate you sharing this information!

Glad to further the cause of satisfying experiences at the reload bench!!

Believe I'm gonna go with these settings.
900/500/100

15 minutes to load 25 rounds, 6 overthrows
15 minutes to load 25 rounds, 4 overthrows

I notice, though, that I am going to 42.8 gr, the Chargemaster comes out of wide open at 38 grains. I thought with the first number being 900 it should come out of high gear at 33.8 gr in this case.

I posted one similar on Snipershide years ago. It works very well.

There are a few YouTube vids that walk you through the process as well. I had to play around with it to find the best speed with the least Amount of over throws.

Yes, and it depends on which powder you are running with the setting you have. Slick/slippery powders like Varget and H4350 will over throw easier than your more course powders, like IMR 4064 or IMR 7828. The middle throw/speed will need to be lengthened for the slicker powders so it will not have a large clump at the mouth when it begins to trickle.

Tag

I did this a while back also and it makes a big difference.

Walter

What does' the three numbers refer to and purpose of the value of them?

From the OP:

HSP settings are basically different speeds for different stages of the powder throw. The setting changes the amount of grains under your desired charge weight where the unit will switch speeds.

HSP A1 - This is the first stage, wide open.
HSP B1 - This is medium speed.
HSP C1 - This is the last stage, slow trickle.

Great info, I'll be changing mine soon!

Here's a copy of my post from Snipershide years ago about it.

I know this has been covered before, but I wanted to pass on some settings to enter into your chargemaster that make it fly, and still provide accurate throws. You can go to this website to see how to get into the programming. Once in the programming mode, on the 4th setting:

(MSP_A2 39.20), change that to 20
(MSP_B2 8.55), change that to 6
(MSP_C2 2.25), change that to 1.75

If you go much lower on the settings, you get a lot of over throws. If you find this is too fast, then increase the 6 and 1.75 setting slightly. These settings are for charges in the 308 Win charge weight range. This made my chargemaster much faster. I still finish the final weight on an Acculab VIC-123 for precise charge amounts to .02 grains, though.
Hope this helps!

Chad

Tag