Beam scale /real eye opener.

[bob4]

Before we start I know this subject has been beaten like 300 WM brass fired 37 times.

Like many of you I have watched the digital/beam scale debate for yrs. Loved my little/cheap digital. ( on my 3rd) Was cold for Florida this week and my reloading is done in a 10 X 10 shed with a window shaker. Usually more concerned with heat and humidity. My trusty little digital scale went berserk last night as it was 50 something degrees in the shed.. After loading 2 cases I decided it wasn't safe. But I loaded 6 as best I could for poops and giggles all the while fully convinced I needed a beam scale and these loads would prove it. Today I bought my first beam and it was the only one on the shelf at the BBS. I was by no means disappointed after loading 18 rounds this eve. As it happens the temp went back up ( 68 in the shed) and my digital came back around.( or so I think) With both scales working I checked last night loads and they were off by .2 and .3 randomly and which by the way was the difference in the 2 loads. To my surprise the beam scale wasn't any slower, if not faster to use than the digital. After I got somewhat accustomed to the beam it was fun to check it with the digital and only on occasion see
a discrepancy of .1. And I know it will not be affected by temp, lights or cell phone. I bought the RCBS M500 for $100. It went back to zero each time I decided to check. I know it's new but I swear I can watch it move a bit 1 kernel at a time using H-4831. I don't think it's going to take me long to swap over at all.

 

[dmoon]

Yeppers, digital scales need consistency to be more accurate. I live in Kansas we have the weirdest/least consistent temps/weather in the country. We keep our digital scales in consistently temperature controlled places in our homes. They are useless other ways, or they need stabilized.....read the manual. Not being short, just sure you're not used to the weather you have had recently......

 

[bob4]

Yeppers, digital scales need consistency to be more accurate. I live in Kansas we have the weirdest/least consistent temps/weather in the country. We keep our digital scales in consistently temperature controlled places in our homes. They are useless other ways, or they need stabilized.....read the manual. Not being short, just sure you're not used to the weather you have had recently......

I'm sure you're right.

 

[Howland]

Cold weather can mean low humidity. With that combination, static electricity can wreak havoc on electronics.

 

[Smokinghole]

I have an old AMT Autoscale, I picked it up locally. I trust it and measure it against my normal beam scale. The AMT is pretty awesome for older tech.

I want a small digital bit for sorting bullets not for weighing powder loads.

 

[J E Custom]

I have both type of scales and rely on the beam scale for precision loading. The digital scales work good for comparing cases and bullets for consistency to each other. When compared to each other, they never agree so I use the beam because that is what all of my loads are based on.

Both scales have there place and can be an asset if used correctly. Like you I find no speed advantage in digital scales over the beam scales.

Also, both types must be used in a wind free environment to be accurate and consistent.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Elkeater]

I bought the same M500 a few years ago. Happy as can be with it. I check the scale against a few bullets I have sitting around that I know exactly what the weight is from time to time.

 

[CaptnC]

I have both...if I'm using the Range Master 750 electronic scale I keep a bullet sitting there that I've weighed after calibrating the scale. During the process I put it on the scale several times to make sure everything is still correct.

I've also double check against my beam scales...very very seldom don't have everything agree with each other.

 

[mustang58]

The digital scales are in the cupboard at my house; never used. I have 3 RCBS 304 I use exclusively. Used to help a friend make bullets and cutting cores one had to weigh about every 10th one. The digital scales would get off and have to recalibrate often.

 

[rsnell]

Beam scales sold for reloading are guaranteed to be accurate within plus or minus 0.1 grain. Repeatability will be less better than plus or minus 0.1 grain. There is no such thing as zero in measurements.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Interesting. I have been contemplating a Chargemaster because it seems like to load 100 cases I am in it for about four hours. I can't complain about consistency but the beam scale seams very slow.

 

[Gregg C]

I bought a Gem Pro 250 thinking it could help with consistency, measuring charges . Used it one time, seemed to work good. 2 days later, I could not get it to repeat. Going back to the beam. It's faster anyway, just need to be sure and look at the indicator hash mark from the same angle every time.
Gregg

 

[Smokinghole]

Interesting. I have been contemplating a Chargemaster because it seems like to load 100 cases I am in it for about four hours. I can't complain about consistency but the beam scale seams very slow.

I wanted a chargemaster style for a while but I kept thinking back to my college time in science labs with high precision electronic balances. They required a very stable surface and needed constant calibration. Granted the precision needed to measure powder is less than that in my biotech labs, electronic scales drift over time.

I have a scale at work for making soda samples capable of down to 0.01g and it will start to register weight with nothing on the scale. It's my experience with electronic balances that made that electro-optical Autoscale make sense. It's a pretty simple system. I will have to get some calibration weight to give me a means to mark 0.1gr increments above and below the zero mark.

 

[Win.308Stealth]

Bob4, in post #1 you mentioned that lights won't affect a beam scale. That's not a 100% true. A few years ago, I installed a fluorescent light over my reloading bench, so I could have better lighting. Afterwards I noticed my RCBS beam scale stopped working, it would stick in the bottom position, would not move slowly as powder would be added. It took a month for it yo stabilize and get back to normal after I removed the fluorescent light. Apperently there is dome oil in beam scales that gets affected by the light.