Lee and RCBS powder scale inaccuracy...

[MontanaRifleman]

Regardless of the type of scale accuracy is influenced by how the charge is weighed.

Typically a charge that is trickled in up to the target will be consistent. If the charge is overthrown and some removed it will typically be off a little. I remove the pan and replace it when this happens and trickle up a little again. It works that way with both my beam and electronic scales.

When pressure testing and chronographing loads I am pretty fussy about technique with the scale.

My charges are consistent to plus or minus 1 or 2 kernels of powder depending on the size of the kernels. Using a beam scale I could get it right down to the kernel but it takes a long time and is very tedious. The chronograph will never notice the difference and I'll have a lot more pleasure reloading and take a lot less time.

I overcharge more charges manually and spend a lot more time correcting it than I do with the Chargemaster. In either case I have no problems with it being off accuracy wise. What you're describing sounds like a dampening issue with your scale.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

MontanaRifleman---My example was not speaking of your equipment, but rather of one that has an accuracy of .5 grain (1/2 grain). Therefore, what I stated would be true in my example. If we talk of your device and it is actually capable of +/- .05 grain accuracy, the zone of uncertainty would then be between 249.95 to 250.05 grains even if your check weight is perfect and shows on the device as 250.0 grains.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

MontanaRifleman---My example was not speaking of your equipment, but rather of one that has an accuracy of .5 grain (1/2 grain). Therefore, what I stated would be true in my example. If we talk of your device and it is actually capable of +/- .05 grain accuracy, the zone of uncertainty would then be between 249.95 to 250.05 grains even if your check weight is perfect and shows on the device as 250.0 grains.

Gotchya

 

[g0rd0]

I also have both a Lee beam scale and a rcbs digital (the digital scale was a gift), the Lee scale I bought in 96 to replace a layman 500 grn scale that was damaged durring a move. When the rcbs scale arived I noticed a differance, not large just under 2 grains over a 67 grn load. So I took them to a jewler who had a set of calerabration weights. The Lee bang on the rcbs off.
I guess it pays to have your scales checked with known weights

 

[TracySes23]

I don't know how I can explain this any clearer but I have checked my Chargemaster with the 250 gr check weight that came with my 10-10. It reads 250.0 gr. That is to +/- .05 gr accuracy, not +/- .9 gr. I also occasionally weigh a Chargemaster charge on the 10-10 and it always checks out. +/- .05 gr amounts to about 2 kernels of Retumbo. My chronograph doesn't know the the difference with ES's of 10-20 fps.

If you old school balance beam guys like your manual scales that's fine. But you should get your facts straight before posting stuff in the forums.

When I'm set up, I can charge and seat about 4-5 cases with the Chargemaster for every 1 I can do manually. When I take a charge off the scale and pour it in the case, I dispense another charge while I'm seating the bullet... works great! And when I'm pressure or ladder testing, I don't have to mess with scale adjustments for each new increment. Just punch in 65 and dispense, 66 and dispense, 67 and dispense, etc.

I can not imagine going back to the manual way.

You apparently don't understand what we said. I won't waste anymore of your time or mine trying to explain.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

You apparently don't understand what we said. I won't waste anymore of your time or mine trying to explain.

This is what you said...

Fans of the digital technology often mistakenly believe the digit display is an absolute, which it rarely is. it could be 9 tenths of a tenth off either way and they have no way of knowing whether it is or not. That gives a possibility of a total of 1.8 tenths variation from load to load.

It was a generalization and it was wrong.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

"It was a generalization and it was wrong. "

Yep, way off!!! There is also no way he's going to weigh his signature left on that paper with a beam scale like we're talking about used for reloading and be able to easlily see the weight differences like he mentioned.

 

[old_heli_logger]

"It was a generalization and it was wrong. "

Yep, way off!!! There is also no way he's going to weigh his signature left on that paper with a beam scale like we're talking about used for reloading and be able to easlily see the weight differences like he mentioned.

LOL!! That signature thing is actually a quote from the LEE Manual...

 

[TracySes23]

LOL!! That signature thing is actually a quote from the LEE Manual...

It's good to know more than one person has the ability to see what we're talking about.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

"LOL!! That signature thing is actually a quote from the LEE Manual... "


***I don't give a rat's butt where it was because there is no beam scale being sold for reloaders that has that kind of sensitivity that a person could actually see with the naked eye. Lee is selling a product and it wouldn't be the first time a company overrates what they're selling. A couple of you need to order a copy of Handbook 44 from NIST in Gaithersburg, MD where the National Standards are housed. It's quite a place and during my 30+ year enforcement career I worked with people there and all over the country developing and setting standards that are in that book involving all kinds of w&m devices. So for TS23, please don't think you know more than I do on this subject because I'd bet you've never heard of that document that is updated yearly at the National W&M Conference.

 

[TracySes23]

I'm 72 years old & I can still see it. Maybe someone needs new glasses. I can watch that beam move with less than .1 grain consistently. Most anyone else could do the same if they watch very closely.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I would hope you could see the beam moving as you trickle powder onto the pan as that's the benefit of using it as you mentioned. How are you going to watch it move when you weigh a piece of paper, take that paper off and sign your name on it, and then put it back on? That signature wouldn't weigh but a small fraction of a kernel of powder and you're saying you can see that, so how much did the beam move and what kind of reference point did you use? Have you ever used a digital scale of any type to make the statements you have on this thread that were incorrect about them?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Kevin---As a retired State of Michigan W&M Investigator with over 30 years experience, I have to agree with you 100%. I use an OHaus beam scale and if a beam scale is taken care of they will last a lifetime and match or exceed accuracy of any of these lower priced digital scales they are selling nowadays.

+1 on Ohaus. If it's good enough to weigh dope, it's good enough to weigh powder.

I do a lot of reloading and I've never had the need (or want) for a digital scale.

 

[old_heli_logger]

"LOL!! That signature thing is actually a quote from the LEE Manual... "


***I don't give a rat's butt where it was because there is no beam scale being sold for reloaders that has that kind of sensitivity that a person could actually see with the naked eye. Lee is selling a product and it wouldn't be the first time a company overrates what they're selling. A couple of you need to order a copy of Handbook 44 from NIST in Gaithersburg, MD where the National Standards are housed. It's quite a place and during my 30+ year enforcement career I worked with people there and all over the country developing and setting standards that are in that book involving all kinds of w&m devices. So for TS23, please don't think you know more than I do on this subject because I'd bet you've never heard of that document that is updated yearly at the National W&M Conference.

Calm down there big guy. I just said where the quote came from, I didn't say anything about agreeing with it. LOL!