Bullseye in Chargemaster

Crohnos01 · Nov 30, 2016

I bought a RCBS Chargemaster about a year ago and have been using it mostly to throw loads for rifles... 7mm, .243, 22-250, etc. although I did load some .45 ACP as well. Powders I have used range from H4831 to H380, and Unique. Everything has performed swimmingly until last weekend when I loaded some low velocity . 38 special rounds using Bullseye. The loads themselves worked fine and throwing the powder was fine... I was running 3.4 grains of Bullseye behind a 158 gn. fn bullet.

The problem came when I tried to get the excess powder out of the hopper. I opened the powder drain on the side of the unit and a few grains fell out I to my bowl but not much. I poked, prodded, tipped, invented some new curse words... all to no avail. I finally managed to get the powder out using a drift punch and a paint brush to break loose the powder and brush it out from both sides, but what a pita.

Anybody else run into this problem? Bullseye is a flake powder different from the extruded and ball powders I have run before. I don't know if it's just that the flake powders tend to compact in the hopper and plug the drain or if it's a static electric issue... It's been raining for days, so you wouldn't think static would be a problem....

Certaindeaf · Nov 30, 2016

Do you have a regular powder measure? Use that.

thorborg · Nov 30, 2016

Certaindeaf said:
Do you have a regular powder measure? Use that.

Yeah, that ought to help him clean out his hopper for sure.

Certaindeaf · Nov 30, 2016

thorborg said:
Yeah, that ought to help him clean out his hopper for sure.

Oh, forgot. a match?

Crohnos01 · Nov 30, 2016

Ummm.... yeah... what could possibly go wrong there?

.... Especially with another 150 lbs of powder in close proximity

I do have a regular powder measure, it just seems rather dumb to spend a couple hundred bucks on a high tech, super accurate, scale thrower combo to then have to go to a regular powder measure for loads... On the other hand, it might be faster... at 3.4 grains of Bullseye, the Chargemaster trickles out really s..l..o..w..l..y..

Goosebrown · Nov 30, 2016

DO NOT USE A CHARGEMASTER WITH BULLSEYE.

I did this. Lots of bad things can happen. It locked my Chargemaster up totally. The little flakes are just not the right shape for the system and they get clogged up and stick in the gears where they seem to be drawn by static. I got mine unstuck by gently tapping it and turning the powder thingy with my fingers around and around till it was free.

I would tell you just to use the scale to get your old powder throw to be accurate and you can then use the scale to verify and use the throw ONLY with Bullseye. (or any other really small flake powder)

Crohnos01 · Nov 30, 2016

Wow... really?! I didn't have it affect the gears (yet), but thanks for the warning! I guess that seals the deal... back to the powder thrower for Bullseye. Bummer deal it causes those kinds of problems. I don't suppose rubbing down the inside of the chargemaster with an anti-static laundry cloth would help?

Goosebrown · Dec 1, 2016

I should try but I think it is the size and shape of the grain. I use the chargemaster for 748 and that is tiny but it isn't flat and I think that's the difference. This is pistol not 6mm benchrest. I think a good throw is good enough.

Crohnos01 · Dec 1, 2016

That's a good point, pistol isn't necessarily going to benefit from the minutiae details that make a difference in benchrest rifle shooting which is where I spend most of time loading....Thanks for the insight regarding the issues with Bullseye in the Chargemaster. It must be, as you say, an issue with the flake design of the powder. H380 is pretty small spherical also, and I have had no issues there.

Mikej · Dec 2, 2016

I don't care for Bullseye in the RCBS uni-flow. I picked up a pound when there was no pistol powder to be had. I guess I want "Ultra" smooth throws ,so 231 and HP-38 for me in .38sp.