Beam Scales
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misterc01
Well-Known Member
I use a 5-0-5 top check digital powder dispenser, with an Ohaues 10-10 for a refference and backup to the 5-0-5
340 in Va
Well-Known Member
I also bought the Hornady beam scale in 1975( it has Pacific stamped on scale), and still use scale today. I have RCBS but like the Hornady .
A balance beam oscillates on a knife edge. As long as the edge is true it will perform. An electronic balance uses a strain guage. Calibrate it with a known weight and it mathematically calculates the weight of a object. What you don't see in the display is the last digit. It is constantly changing but the computer will take the average of the spread to display.
Always use a set of calibration, check weights to determine the scale is operating properly. A set of weights for reloading purpose is about $20. A tenth of grain is good for most loads. .1grain. However, for light loads with fast powders like in a pistol load, a .1 gr may be on the edge of acceptable. Look at it as a percent. .1gr in a 300mag is nothing, but in a pistol with a few grains of fast powder you can see how important it is..
How sensitive can we go? To determine mass to the .0001 of a nanogram the balance should be on a vibration absorbing table (8" thick marble) to cancel out earth trembles, suspend the object in water below balance and you can determine mass to .000001gram. I have worked with those types of balances. NASA can weigh a fingerprint.
Always use a set of calibration, check weights to determine the scale is operating properly. A set of weights for reloading purpose is about $20. A tenth of grain is good for most loads. .1grain. However, for light loads with fast powders like in a pistol load, a .1 gr may be on the edge of acceptable. Look at it as a percent. .1gr in a 300mag is nothing, but in a pistol with a few grains of fast powder you can see how important it is..
How sensitive can we go? To determine mass to the .0001 of a nanogram the balance should be on a vibration absorbing table (8" thick marble) to cancel out earth trembles, suspend the object in water below balance and you can determine mass to .000001gram. I have worked with those types of balances. NASA can weigh a fingerprint.
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Go to ebay and watch. They come up a lot during the year. It's bid item and they go for a lot of money. They did when you could by them over the counter. It's been a long while that I was on Ebay, but watch. If you haven't use ebay it's a trip! The bidding get hot at the end. Timing at the end of bidding for the item is wild. There will the Dia-O-Matic and RCBS Ohaus scales come.
All I generally use is a powder dump, and final out with the Ohaus. I do have a Autotrickler V4+A&D FX-120 on order. From what I understand it will be sometime in September before I can get one. They say is very good, and accurate. I'll see how it stands up to the Ohaus/Redding scales.
I've converted to an RCBS Chargemaster for the bulk of my long gun loading, verifying every 5 loads with my "Old" Lyman D7, the price tag on the box is, 17.95. I wanted a 1010 but kept getting outbid, so I settled for a new in-box 5-10. I also use a beam scale to verify my charges from an RCBS powder dispense for my handgun loads. I think the reason the old D7 has lasted so long is after every use it goes back into the box and packed into sealed tubs that roll under my bench. The only tools left on the bench are my presses,, all of which are coved when not in use. Same for my RCBS melter for casting. My molds are lubed and packed away in military ammo cans.
Several have mentioned the Hornady and I remember my mentor used a Hornady beam scale.
Very heavy so bumping it won't change it.
If I were in the market and had nothing else I would most likely choose the Hornady.
Very heavy so bumping it won't change it.
If I were in the market and had nothing else I would most likely choose the Hornady.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Even then, weight is used as a proxy for propellant mass. What would be more beneficial to us, more exact weight measurements or more exact kernel sizes? There are diminishing returns in every endeavor, so the logic behind charge nodes is to find the largest possible variation in charge mass that doesn't impact the internal ballistics of a shot, given that we have no control over the kernels themselves. There comes a point where case capacity, case design, and actual volume under the seated projectile should overcome anything less than single average kernel variances in charge weight.
The only thing I've ever used is a beam scale. The guy that taught me to reload(started 1972) used a Ohaus/RCBS 304, so when i got started on my own, that's what I bought as well. Later on I added a Ohaus 1010 & still use both of them to this day. Like others have said, watching ebay is probably the best way to find one, if that's what you want. The 304's don't show up near as often as they used to tho & they usually command a pretty fair price. Collectibles stores & Antique stores sometimes have that kind of stuff as well. Good luck with your endeavor.
Boe
Well-Known Member
If I could purchase a new Ohaus 1110 or 304 that would be my choice. My issue with a pre- owned balance is, If it needs service or parts when I receive it, Ohaus does not support parts or service for those units.
The sellers I have contacted when I see a 1110 for sale can't tell me if it works as it should and even if all the parts are included. Kind of a take a chance lose your pants deal.
The sellers I have contacted when I see a 1110 for sale can't tell me if it works as it should and even if all the parts are included. Kind of a take a chance lose your pants deal.
6MM06AI
Well-Known Member
I bought my rcbs 10-10 scale a long time ago! Since then I have went to the A&D FX120i with the auto Trickler and it is accurate to within .02 every time.
Ted
Ted
His customer service might leave a little to be desired, but he is very knowledgeable about analog scales. The above is his take on the Dial-a-gram scales.
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I have a Henry Troemner dual beam I inherited from my Dad. A bit slow, but very accurate. I've had the red Pacific balance scale (reasonably accurate, rather slow) since the 70s, digitals from RCBS (awful) and Lyman (OK, but lots of drifting, lack of repeatability). I finally paid up for the A&D FX-120i Love that one. Buy once, cry once. Fast, totally reliable and repeatable, accurately measures to the individual kernel of powder. Perfect for high precision reloading. There are Troemner scales on FeeBay right now.
The best of the old and the new.
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