Basic scale

[oaken]

As usual I leave reloading to the last minute because they shoot better "freshly rolled"

Friday, fairly late, I have everything ready and laid out on the bench to find my electronic scale display showing ERR which it continues to do despite pressing all the buttons and in different sequences and combinations, I even tried new batteries! Doh!

Can anyone recomend a decent battery scale in the max 10-50gram range and for round about £50, nothing fancy but must be accurate to .1 of a grain - some seem to be only capable of .2gr which I would find frustrating for loading my little .223. My currently resting scale used to measure to .01gr consistently but seem to be unavailable now.

Thinking along these lines. http://www.hstscales.co.uk/open_product.asp?pid=1490&catid=4

Cheers

Rup

[eldon]

Probably not answering your question but tried a digital scale myself and seemed too much chance for errors and false readings so went back to an RCBS beam scale. Suits me and maybe not you but unless you are spending a worthwhile amount I would suggest beam scale.

 

On a side note if you are in the optimum load area i.e. on the node rather than at either end of it, then plus or minus .1gr shouldn't make a difference and temperature or other variables will be more deciding.

[oaken]

I hear what you are saying Eldon, but I have got used to the convenience of a digital scale and i know that once an accuracy node is found there is less need for precision, however, the load development process does need more accurate measurement imho. I am currently needing to work up three separate loads.

My old scale cost £35 and was staggeringly precise but I agree that not all budget models are that good, hence my asking for recomendations before parting with my hard earned.

Cheers

Rup

[TonyH]

Probably not answering your question but tried a digital scale myself and seemed too much chance for errors and false readings so went back to an RCBS beam scale. Suits me and maybe not you but unless you are spending a worthwhile amount I would suggest beam scale.

 

On a side note if you are in the optimum load area i.e. on the node rather than at either end of it, then plus or minus .1gr shouldn't make a difference and temperature or other variables will be more deciding.

 

Likewise. I had an RCBS digital scale, so should have been decent quality, but I quickly grew to distrust and dislike it. Went back to a beam scale (Redding, tuned) and it's a delight to use. I personally would be very reluctant to trust any sort of digital scale costing as little as £35 - £50....

Tony

[eldon]

Oaken, further to Tony and my posts, have a look at industrial scales working in the order of a 70,000 of a lb i.e. 0.1 grains, and be ready for a shock on the prices. I purchased a glass cased unit (no draughts) for work and when you start looking at an extra nought point something each extra digit of resolution in weight usually involves another digit on the front of the price. Think the ones I bought were £1600 (0.001 g) If I put that scale on a normal table (wood) you can alter the reading just by leaning onto the table nowhere near the device.

 

Digital scales are a typical hard budget item to find a bit like cheap rangefinders. Pay the money or risk just wasting it?

 

Also be aware that your previous scales accuracy and resolution is probably not what you think it is, not being funny but a £35 scale is unlikely to be as reliable and consistent as you think especially to 0.1 grains in my experience. Just because the digits on the readout go to one decimal place proves nothing.

 

I'm sure others may disagree but for a £50 budget beam scales would definitely be my aim.

[John MH]

Ever hear of John Ruskin?

 

 

“It is unwise to pay too much but it’s unwise to pay too little.

 

When you pay too much you lose a little money that is all.

 

When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was not capable of doing the thing you bought it to do.

 

The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.

 

It can’t be done.

 

If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run.!”

 

I would recommend a Denver Instruments MXX-123, a decent "Budget" scale but it comes in at about £350.00.

[oaken]

 

When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was not capable of doing the thing you bought it to

 

 

I hear you all and I know where you are comming from, but the bottom line is I need something quick and I have £50 to spend. Please dont knock my old scale for being cheap, I know it has gone wrong but it was very accurate and yes I do know how to position, check and calibrate a set of scales.

So if you know of a reliable but cheap scale, please let me know.

Cheers

Rup

[luke wady]

lee beam scale for back up< they are cheap but alway work

and a new is arounf £30 bigger smile

[eldon]

Funny Luke you suggested Lee beam scales, of all the Lee gear and I'm not knocking it, I was advised to keep away from the scales as they seemed finnicky maybe too accurate and so difficult to use. Hence I went for RCBS.

 

Not used Lee scales myself but just acted on advice given by a number of old hands.

[oaken]

Guys, this is a bit like asking what the time is and bei g told its going to rain tomorrow.

Ronny, which scale is it that you are you NOT recomending?

I appreciate that a beam scale is a usefull backup and a good and reliable way to check a digital scale, but its not what I am looking for.

Have just borrowed a Hornady digital and am really disapointed with its consistency and accuracy but it has a range of up to 100g whereas my old scale was far more sensitive and only wheighed up to 10g and in .01grain increments.

If only I could find another one of the same.

Rup

[eldon]

Oaken, I, as I am sure the others are trying to give you sound advice.

 

We are not answering your time request with a weather forecast....

 

Your question asked for a digital scale reccommendation at a price point that we generally by the responses already given doesn't seem realistic or wise.

The beam scale is a reliable item that fits in with your budget

 

The digital scale with the same price point appears to the general membership an unwise option. The experience on this site is quiet vast so i am sure if there was such an item at such a price people on here would have it and make you aware of it ;) .

 

May I suggest you buy a beam scale to put you on then when the money is available take up John MH suggestion of a worthwhile product.

 

Irrespective of the equipment used lets not lose sight of your ultimate goal, that is the fact that you are measuring powder and the scale price would be of little concern if the proverbial hit the fan

[Finman]

I have a Lyman 1500 digital scale that is resting comfortably on the top of my bookcase as I've learned the hard way (bolt shroud came to pieces...) that they are unreliable and troublesome. I am sure it will weigh well, if I turned it on 24 hours prior to using it and left it in the garage for that amound of time. Plus it runs from the mains, so no worries about batteries. HOWEVER: it will never replace a good beam scale and I am joining the rest of the chaps here on the vote for the beam scale. Digital ones are good if you want to sort out cases in a hurry, but I would not check a load with them ever again...Perhaps repeated suggestion conveys the best advice...???

 

Finman

[Andrew]

I have an Ohaus Dial -o-Grain, a Lee, and a MTM digital. The MTM was $30 US and is used for bullets and cases for comparative readings only; not powder. The Lee is very accurate, and finicky to set. You must be really careful reading the slide but once you get used to it, it will suit you well. It gives the same readings as my Ohaus, tho the Ohaus is infinitely easier to use. The Ohaus, 2nd hand, is priced at 10 times what the Lee costs new.

 

I have found that the MTM is very repeatable if you are careful in the way you place the object to be weighed onto the scale in the same way every time. To just plunk the object down will give a .1 grain variation 40% of the time.~Andrew

[Davy]

....I am joining the rest of the chaps here on the vote for the beam scale. Digital ones are good if you want to sort out cases in a hurry, but I would not check a load with them ever again...Perhaps repeated suggestion conveys the best advice...???

 

I have a Lyman 1000XP at home that has been relegated to case weighing as it was prone to drifting unless left on for hours before, kept out of drafts and sat on a large block of steel to damp it. Quite honestly it was a PITA, I replaced it with an American Scientific beam scale with calibrated check weights that will measure to 0.001 grams (0.015 grains) and it is incredibly accurate, so do I use it?

 

Not very often.

 

My wife has a ChargeMaster and she uses it to throw 95% of the powder in our house, periodically I check her throws against the beam and it is always well within a tenth of what she throws. I suppose you could argue that less accurate throws will result in wider velocity spread and increased verticals but a 1/10th grain variance on my load which is around 60 grains is 0.167% (Probably less than 5fps with my 7mm SAUM wildcat) and if you are working with an optimised load then the impact on verticals should be very low.

 

Having said this I still keep my beam scale and do use it on occasion, mostly because if I am testing something it is one less thing to worry about, equally if I have a 100 cases that need filling I stick them in front of her and when I get back from work they are done. My only check is to peer into the tray full of cases to make sure the powder level looks the same in all of them. So yes I would use a digital scale for important loads.

[eldon]

And Davy did your chargemaster cost £50?

 

I rest my case

[Davy]

OK, good point well made. I hate throwing powder but the wife will do it all day long, the CM was her choice.

[Ratwhiskers]

RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale or similar, it's a simple thing to use, doesn't cost the earth, won't break down (unless you stamp on it). l keep trying to remind folks in the workshop that it's all in the "Tickle" or should that be "Trickle" anyway.

Folks scream that their powder thrower's being the blinkin' bee's knee's.... HA!! you just drop in a long stick powder (instead of their slippery little H380ball) on a high moisture day and watch the numbers go to poo poo!!

l know where there's a very nice lyman lekky scale as well sitting on the shelf out of the blasted way where it belongs

 

Follow the lad's advice above, save for two more weeks.... get a beam scale, and be happy!

[Andrew]

RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale or similar, it's a simple thing to use, doesn't cost the earth, won't break down (unless you stamp on it). l keep trying to remind folks in the workshop that it's all in the "Tickle" or should that be "Trickle" anyway.

Folks scream that their powder thrower's being the blinkin' bee's knee's.... HA!! you just drop in a long stick powder (instead of their slippery little H380ball) on a high moisture day and watch the numbers go to poo poo!!

l know where there's a very nice lyman lekky scale as well sitting on the shelf out of the blasted way where it belongs

 

Follow the lad's advice above, save for two more weeks.... get a beam scale, and be happy!

 

There's a lot of truth there!

 

I like my old Melding and Mull units for throwing charges. They are very accurate and once set, can't really screw up. They have an intermediary chamber that the powder drains into from the baffled reservoir, then that chamber slides to the right to a metering tube which regulates the volume of the powder charge. From there is is poured into a funnel. Any propensity to "clump" is undone by the two vertical shifts in the powder flow after the baffle. It's slow but accurate.~Andrew

[Ratwhiskers]

Andrew.

 

The truth's of re-loading l've found so far are:

 

We have a Harrels in the shop, but l/we still rely on the "Beam and Trickle" for final accuracy results

 

lf you don't trust it, weigh it again.

 

Be consistant in your method.

 

Pay attention, and take your time.

 

Don't let anyone near your kit while you're loading (enquiring/dull minds + invasive/playful fingers) not even to bump the bench.

 

l could go on, but enough people say l do that already so l'll belt up for now.

 

Regards.

 

Ratty.

....

[The_Dogge]

I got a smartreloader SR75 (I think) while on the hunt for a budget digital scale, as you say not many of them will measure to 0.1gr, but this one claimed it did. My advice is don't get one of them, it was too inconsistent and I was suspicious that its sensor actually did weigh 0.1gr as there seemed to be jumps in the values it would read, as if it was actually a 0.01g sensor (0.15gr) being read to 0.1gr. I dont know that this is the case, but I didn't get on with it and it departed via ebay.

 

(ignore this bit as it doesnt relate to electronic scales )That put me off digital entirely, next I got an RCBS 505 secondhand for about your budget, I like it, but I found one day that the large poise can rub on the scale body and give false readings, you have to watch them all...

 

I had a Lee scale, I took it out of the box and zeroed it, that was so finicky and irritating I took a picture right there and then and it made good money on ebay!

[njc110381]

There's nothing more annoying than posting a question on a forum and not getting the answer you want. I chop and change kit all the time and it happens to me a lot so I know how you feel.

 

The truth of the matter is though that if you ask the question you have to be prepared to be given an honest answer. It pays to listen. You don't have to but at the end of the day all the people that reply are trying to be helpful. They are saving you from going ahead and doing it anyway, then finding out at cost that what they told you was right.

 

Get a decent beam scale! I don't trust digi scales either!