This sport already either attracts or creates a lot of OCD, AR type poeple. I get it and the fun part about shooting is the technical and details do matter. There is however a point of diminishing returns. Once we start buying into high priced, time consuming products that make absolutly no measurable difference in reuslt then we are allowing ourselves to be abused by the marketing arms of companies. $2000 scales to weigh down to .01 is one of those abuses. If you have one of these scales I have a test for you to try. Take your Lyman or RCBS balance beam, set it up correctly, clean the knife edges and knife pocket and mark you loading table with an outline of the scale to ensure it has not moved between charges being wieghed. Weigh ten charges, ensuring the balance beam is spot on the center mark. For even better accuracy you can attach a pin to the arm. Weigh each of those charges as you do them on your .01 scale and record the weight. I guarantee if you are using your balance beam right you won't have more than .01 above or below the target weight and most will be right on. I ahve done this test with a half dozen balance beams, and even the cheap Lee can hit .02 accuracy. So what this shows you is your expensive electronic scale isn't actually any more accurate than the balance beam, and with the balance beam you don't need to worry about dirty household current, temp, humidity or wind currents affecting the zero near as much. Balance beams don't "DRIFT" much if they aren't moved between charges.
So on top of the fact that they aren't materially more accurate than a balance beam, there is no documented proof that I know of that a .01 eoectronic scale will reduce ES or SD or produce better groups or less vertical at distance.
LOL 50% of me agrees 100% about the statement of a properly set up beam scale. You better put a video camera on the needle in the Dampening system. As one member has stated, after a couple of rounds parallax will set in. Human nature, plus I have already been down that rabbit hole. Too much time and head scratching. Also, weighing in 0.01gn resolution is a farce. A kernel of RL-26 weighs 0.024gn and a kernel of IMR 8208 XBR weighs 0.025gn. just and example.
As one member has stated, What are you gonna do? Cut a kernel into.. 0.02 in my opinion is the correct resolution to be weighing grains in. If that not close enough. I suggest you take your grain weight and convert it to grams and weigh that way. A lot more resolution. But you will still be cutting kernels and pulling your hair out. I gotta T-shirt for that adventure down that rabbit hole.
The other 50% is LMAO, no poo intended, just having fun with it. Gotta laugh,, right. It reminded me of the conversation with my father in law where I was justifying the cost of buying my Sartorius V3 combo. He said everything you just stated. LOL,, Trust me at 86yrs old. He's very happy with my decision and is see thing my way now on the purchase. He's been reloading since his teens. He taught me his way, the old way of reloading. That's priceless
info into days world. Me, through research, and I mean a lot of research we have evolved in our reloading and shooting in todays time. Sorry I got off topic.
I promise you this. I am OCD, and every other OCD person on this Forum and in the shooting world in general.
Did not buy a high dollar weighing / powder drop system to charge AR15 Simi-auto rifles. I guarantee you their shooting a Bolt rifle. The AR-15 and the AR-10 Simi-Auto's are just a, God sent, extra bonus.
Also, Every person I have chatted with that has paid the price and bought an FX120i V3 combo or Sartorius V3 combo
will tell you that their ED and SD averages has come down and are very consistent. My data over the last three weeks is showing the same trend. CONSISTANT. With the Sartorius BCE223I it allows me to take each case weight and send it straight to Excel, and with the data from my Labradar in excel. It allows me to keep track of each bullet's data.
I going to tell you some thing that will freak you out, Talk about OCD. I working on a way to bar Code each case so during its life cycle I can track all the data on that case. My wife blames my job. They made a data analyst out of me
so spotting trends in the number come easy to me. You take every thing I mention about data collecting and put in in numbers and graph it out. You can see what that bullet is doing in flight. Don't forget about wind, temp and humidity, sun light. If I didn't mention them elements, some one would call me out on it.
Well in the name of fun, I type another semi off topic comment. Do I regret buying new tools for the reloading room.
NO. Do I feel guilty for buying a high dollar scale??? Well the wife wanted to paint the guest bed room. HECK NO.
You make them to comfortable,, they want leave. After reading over this. I think That I'm Still trying to justify spending the money. Will I send it back. Hel7 No. will I go back to using a beam scale??? Only if we have an EMP hit us. LOL,
Good night Dean.
PS. I put more emphasis on case prep, neck tension, concentricity as a major Factor on rounds out to 1000yds. The powder charge can have a some variance but will affect Ed, SD, and Averages. On 1000yds rounds. The powder charges should be spot on and very tight tolerances on case prep, neck tension and concentricity. JMHO.