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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
beam scale vs digital
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<blockquote data-quote="stevesmith" data-source="post: 1021508" data-attributes="member: 85997"><p>over the years folks have became custom of using beam scales...and if they work for you then by all means do what feels right for you..but under the same circumstances with the marble slab and (lab) like conditions. that will result in catostrophic conditions with a analytical type scale..but when using a digital scale with 1 decimal posistion you ill get the same vibration , wind , etc. erors with a beam scale probably worse than with digital only thing is a digital scale will let you see that .1 or .2 floating or unstability where the beam scale is under so much friction, binding and dragging it dont allow you to see it..thats where a digital scale in all actuality really shines because you can see any deviation from your numbers. now that bothers folks and they say ohh this thing moves around want stay on zero etc. if a beam scale didnt have such (binding) factors you would see this severely but for that reason you dont seeit so that gives the impression that is stabilized very good and fast so its got to be working and weighing properly. dont get me wrong because a beam can work within its tolerances but no beam has the tight tolerances of a digital scale.. im gonna try to explain this quickly.. if you start at zero and say you goin to 90 grains. well when you get your 90 grains on the scale and its solid and stable. you pour it in and go to the next one..well if the 90 g your seeing might be 90.2 but you have loaded using that same factor so your gun dont know the difference..you load 95.4 grains on your scale and thats your go to load.. well it might be that in reality its only weighing 95.1 grains but again your gun dont know . you know that if you weigh your powder to 95.4 grains on your beam that its gnna do exactly what you want.. in reality the actual real weight is sorta irrelevant as long as you get the load you want without any pressure signs..so having tried to explain that it goes across the board just like that ..as long as you start low and work up a load..so a beam scale does work. and some work better than others and it may weigh correct at the 500.0 gram weight you hve to check it with. but if that test weight isnt resealed once a year it can and probabnly is out of tolerance but the real test comes with is the scale linear..meaning if at 100.0 grams it shows 100.1 if so at 200 grams it should be 200.2 any and all errors are multiplying errors so 500.0 grams should be 500.5 if the scale is linear. the only way to really check it is to load it in linear steps.IE: a 1000.0 gram scale has to be checked at 100.0grams 200.0 300.0 400.0 all the way to capacity. if theres any error that comes up past the initial 100.0 grams then the scale is not weighing linear and then you have no clue if it right or wrong and or how much at what weight. thats where a beam scale flunks big time. then do whats called back weighing.. with capacity on the scale of 1000.0 grams take 100.0 off does it go to 900.0 then 800.0 running backwards..a beam cannot do this even the very best of the best cant and want..however a digital cale can and will..now in the beginning you stated the ultimate lab like conditions. a analytical scale or they are called a balance will have minimum of 6 decimal posistions. with that you better be on a 4in. marble slab with it enclosed in a air tight chamber with zero vibration or you will never get close to seeing any stable number. but same thing with a beam only theres no such thing as a analytical beam.. so the beam on your loading bench and a digital scale on your loading bench both weighing by graine and divisions by .1 the wind will have the same ill effect on both ctually worse on the beam but because of them binding factore you cant see it as well as the digital because its designed to weigh wekk within its tolerances..a beam is also only its tolerances are no where the same as a digital scale therefore you see the error faster quicker with digital. but for people that have been sing a beak for 40 years they have there loads worked up on (there) scale and it does exactly what they want. not one thing wrong with that..with a digital scale as long as it isnt damaged in anyway when you load you will see exactly how much weight you are using given its tolerances of 1/10 of 1 percent of applied load or one division whichever is greater. so to see a digital scale by .1 division to be moving +/- .1 either way is as close to perfect as you can get with these type of scales unless you can control the enviroment with things already mentioned..but on our loading benchs its the best we can do with either scale a beam or digital..and im gonna say one more time..lol there is nothing wrong with using your beam scales as long as you feel comfortablewith using them..if they make you happy and make your gun happy what else do we want when loading?? thats exactly what i want anyway..i sure hope im not making no one mad cause its not my intention im just trying to share many years of knowledge and experience in one of very few fields i know a great deal about..</p><p>i hope you have a blessed day..</p><p></p><p>Steve Smith</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="stevesmith, post: 1021508, member: 85997"] over the years folks have became custom of using beam scales...and if they work for you then by all means do what feels right for you..but under the same circumstances with the marble slab and (lab) like conditions. that will result in catostrophic conditions with a analytical type scale..but when using a digital scale with 1 decimal posistion you ill get the same vibration , wind , etc. erors with a beam scale probably worse than with digital only thing is a digital scale will let you see that .1 or .2 floating or unstability where the beam scale is under so much friction, binding and dragging it dont allow you to see it..thats where a digital scale in all actuality really shines because you can see any deviation from your numbers. now that bothers folks and they say ohh this thing moves around want stay on zero etc. if a beam scale didnt have such (binding) factors you would see this severely but for that reason you dont seeit so that gives the impression that is stabilized very good and fast so its got to be working and weighing properly. dont get me wrong because a beam can work within its tolerances but no beam has the tight tolerances of a digital scale.. im gonna try to explain this quickly.. if you start at zero and say you goin to 90 grains. well when you get your 90 grains on the scale and its solid and stable. you pour it in and go to the next one..well if the 90 g your seeing might be 90.2 but you have loaded using that same factor so your gun dont know the difference..you load 95.4 grains on your scale and thats your go to load.. well it might be that in reality its only weighing 95.1 grains but again your gun dont know . you know that if you weigh your powder to 95.4 grains on your beam that its gnna do exactly what you want.. in reality the actual real weight is sorta irrelevant as long as you get the load you want without any pressure signs..so having tried to explain that it goes across the board just like that ..as long as you start low and work up a load..so a beam scale does work. and some work better than others and it may weigh correct at the 500.0 gram weight you hve to check it with. but if that test weight isnt resealed once a year it can and probabnly is out of tolerance but the real test comes with is the scale linear..meaning if at 100.0 grams it shows 100.1 if so at 200 grams it should be 200.2 any and all errors are multiplying errors so 500.0 grams should be 500.5 if the scale is linear. the only way to really check it is to load it in linear steps.IE: a 1000.0 gram scale has to be checked at 100.0grams 200.0 300.0 400.0 all the way to capacity. if theres any error that comes up past the initial 100.0 grams then the scale is not weighing linear and then you have no clue if it right or wrong and or how much at what weight. thats where a beam scale flunks big time. then do whats called back weighing.. with capacity on the scale of 1000.0 grams take 100.0 off does it go to 900.0 then 800.0 running backwards..a beam cannot do this even the very best of the best cant and want..however a digital cale can and will..now in the beginning you stated the ultimate lab like conditions. a analytical scale or they are called a balance will have minimum of 6 decimal posistions. with that you better be on a 4in. marble slab with it enclosed in a air tight chamber with zero vibration or you will never get close to seeing any stable number. but same thing with a beam only theres no such thing as a analytical beam.. so the beam on your loading bench and a digital scale on your loading bench both weighing by graine and divisions by .1 the wind will have the same ill effect on both ctually worse on the beam but because of them binding factore you cant see it as well as the digital because its designed to weigh wekk within its tolerances..a beam is also only its tolerances are no where the same as a digital scale therefore you see the error faster quicker with digital. but for people that have been sing a beak for 40 years they have there loads worked up on (there) scale and it does exactly what they want. not one thing wrong with that..with a digital scale as long as it isnt damaged in anyway when you load you will see exactly how much weight you are using given its tolerances of 1/10 of 1 percent of applied load or one division whichever is greater. so to see a digital scale by .1 division to be moving +/- .1 either way is as close to perfect as you can get with these type of scales unless you can control the enviroment with things already mentioned..but on our loading benchs its the best we can do with either scale a beam or digital..and im gonna say one more time..lol there is nothing wrong with using your beam scales as long as you feel comfortablewith using them..if they make you happy and make your gun happy what else do we want when loading?? thats exactly what i want anyway..i sure hope im not making no one mad cause its not my intention im just trying to share many years of knowledge and experience in one of very few fields i know a great deal about.. i hope you have a blessed day.. Steve Smith [/QUOTE]
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