Bowhunter Specials vs RCBS Reloading App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bowhunter Specials
Access digital archives of leading bowhunting magazines, including back issues and special guides on crossbows, saddle hunting, and new gear. Enhance your hunting knowledge and gear selection with comprehensive resources.
- Digital back issues of Bowhunter magazine
- Petersen's Bowhunting back issues archive
- New Gear Guide with over 200 items
- Crossbow Revolution special editions
- Comprehensive saddle hunting guide
- Archery Trade Show gear spotlights
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From the publisher of Bowhunter – The #1 Bowhunting Magazine – comes Bowhunter Specials, now including back issues of longtime rival in the Outdoor Sportsman Group media stable, Petersen’s Bowhunting. Following the brand’s merge into Bowhunter across all media platforms in the winter of ’23, we’re thrilled to offer Petersen’s Bowhunting Back Issues to fans of the magazine, with digital copies archived all the way back to 2012! You’ll also find copies of the New Gear Guide, which spotlights the best new gear introduced at this year’s Archery Trade Show, two editions of the popular Crossbow Revolution, covering the latest gear and hunting how-to for those choosing to hunt with horizontal bows, and lastly, the only comprehensive sourcebook for all things saddle hunting. Crossbow Revolution: Crossbow hunting's popularity continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and every edition of Crossbow Revolution is jam-packed with dynamic features and informative articles to help you up your crossbow-hunting game. Whether you're a crossbow-hunting newbie, or a veteran horizontal bowhunter, Crossbow Revolution is a must-read! Saddle Hunter: The first source book entirely dedicated to all aspects of mobile hunting, this magazine focuses on hunting’s fastest growing community and the tactics and gear making elevated pursuits possible. Whether you’re a novice or longtime saddle hunter, you’ll be sure to learn something new that will improve your hunting experiences and make you more successful in the saddle. Give this issue a read, and you’ll not only walk away with a more thorough understanding of saddle-use and best practices but you’ll pick up on keys to locating and setting up on game, what saddle-hunting tactics and techniques to employ and when, how to make the most of every day afield and, of course, you’ll surely add to your list of the right saddle-hunting gear for the seasons ahead. Bowhunter New Gear Guide: Bowhunters are always looking forward to the next great hunt and the next big season, and the 2024 New Gear Guide has you covered, no matter your archery-hunting passions or equipment needs. Within the guide, you'll find more than 200 'must-have' items including:New Bows and Crossbows, Arrows and Broadheads, Archery AccessoriesTrail, Cams and Optics, Saddles, Stands and Blinds, Boots and Apparel, Targets, Tools & More!
RCBS Reloading App
This app helps firearm enthusiasts manage their reloading process. It allows for precise control of compatible powder dispensers, logs detailed load data, and stores firearm profiles. Track your performance, environmental conditions, and even contact support directly.
- Control Bluetooth powder dispensers
- Save and export load data
- Store firearm profiles and details
- Log reloading session data
- Track environmental conditions
- On-screen calibration walkthrough
- Direct contact with support
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The RCBS Reloading App is perfect for any reloader! Not only can you operate the new ChargeMaster Link, Chargemaster Supreme and MatchMaster powder dispensers; our comprehensive Load Log gives any handloader the ability to save, store and even export their favorite load data. The Load log gives the handloader a convenient location to store your firearm profiles and critical information about each firearm including round count, barrel length, rifle twist and even scope height! The Load section allows the user to upload an image of their favorite group, and put in all critical information about the loads they are using! All the new RCBS powder dispensers are now Bluetooth enabled to provide direct control of your ChargeMaster Link, Supreme and MatchMaster from the intuitive app so you can control every handloading session. During your reloading session the app provides feedback on each charge, noting any over- or underthrows, number of charges thrown, start time and end time of you dispensing session. The app allows you to easily calibrate the scale and prepare your dispenser for your handloading session using the on-screen walkthrough. When you are ready to dispense power, select your mode (Auto or Manual), input your charge weight and start dispensing! Auto Dispense mode offers easy reloading with less user intervention, just place the empty pan back on the scale and the dispenser will automatically throw the next charge. Where manual dispense mode, the handloader will tell the unit to dispense your charge each time. If you are using the MatchMaster Powder dispenser you can set the unit to either standard mode (0.10 grain accuracy) or Match mode (0.04 grain accuracy) and also use the app to create custom powder configurations to fine tune your dispenser settings for improved speed and accuracy. You can save your powder configuration and edit them if necessary to improve your MatchMaster performance. KEY APP FEATURES All Dispensers (ChargeMaster Link, ChargeMaster Supreme, MatchMaster) + Easy-to-follow onscreen calibration + Quickly zero your scale for proper dispensing + Easy-to-use AUTO DISPENSE for faster reloading + MANUAL DISPENSE for incremental control + Log data to track your performance + Enter and save information for your firearms + Keep notes on each reloading session + Track weather and environmental data each time you shoot + Virtual Reloading Bench to keep track of all of your RCBS product + Contact Us – Reach out to RCBS Tech Service Directly from the APP MatchMaster Specific Features + Two distinct powder dispensing modes with two accuracy settings: + Set accuracy to MATCH MODE for fine-grain precision + Create and save custom powder configurations + Start with one of four dispensing speeds + Fine tune your dispense operations for speed and accuracy + Modify your dispense settings to improve them over time + Log data to track your performance + Enter and save information for your firearms + Keep notes on each reloading session + Track weather and environmental data each time you shoot
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RCBS Reloading App at none against Bowhunter Specials's 14. RCBS Reloading App also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 65). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Bowhunter Specials sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. RCBS Reloading App asks for nothing beyond the download.
RCBS Reloading App holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RCBS Reloading App has 1.3K ratings behind it against 65, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Bowhunter Specials's written reviews are positive against 33% of RCBS Reloading App's.
Bowhunter Specials ships an update every 6 months, RCBS Reloading App every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bowhunter Specials | RCBS Reloading App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (65 ratings) | 4.7 (1.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 65 | 1.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | KSE Sportsman Media, Inc | Hodgdon/IMR Powder Co. |
Customer experience
Bowhunter Specials
RCBS Reloading App
Bugs and requests
Bowhunter Specials
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
RCBS Reloading App
Reported bugs
4 issues- Unable to pair with Charge Master Link
- Calibration process finishing with errors
- Dispensing not working properly in auto mode
- Connectivity issues between app and hardware
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to edit saved profiles
- Automatic profile selection on app open
- Streamlined dispensing workflow
- Running count of dispensed powder
In-app purchases
Bowhunter Specials
- 1 Year Subscription$9.991 Year
- February/March 2013$4.99
- April / May 2013$4.99
- August 2013$4.99
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- September 2013$4.99
- October 2013$4.99
- Petersen's Bowhunting Nov/Dec 2013$4.99
- Petersen's Bowhunting March 2014 New Gear Guide$4.99
- Petersen's Bowhunting September 2014$4.99
- Petersen's Bowhunting October 2014$4.99
- March 2016$5.99
- Nov/Dec 2023$6.99
- Tree Saddle Hunter 2024$7.99
- Tree Saddle Hunter 2023$7.99
RCBS Reloading App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bowhunter Specials free?
Is RCBS Reloading App free?
Which has better reviews, Bowhunter Specials or RCBS Reloading App?
Do Bowhunter Specials or RCBS Reloading App have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bowhunter Specials or RCBS Reloading App?
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