Need some advice on picking a scale.

SavageHunter11 said:
After reading how much stuff can affect a digital scale I was wondering if starting with a mechanical would be a good idea. Full disclosure I do have the cheaper Lee's Precision beam scale that comes in the 50th Anniversary kit I bought. Is that a sufficient back up or would you go with the M500 still?
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Havent read through all the posts yet, but my Lee that came with the kit is complete garbage. I spent way too much time and components truing to develop a load using that piece of garbage till I finally bought a cheap hornady digital (which isnt terribly impressive but gets the job done) checked the two against each other and discovered the Lee varies wildly from day to day. Bought an older RCBS beam on ebay to see, and turns out the hornady is pretty accurate and the Lee is going in the trash. I was getting crazy ES trying to use the Lee, and fliers all over the place.
 
I do not trust electronic scales... the Chargemaster lite is what I use and double check the load with a RCBS 10/10 scale. My standard deviation is usually as low as some guys I know with the high priced scales.
 
My opinion the only thing you really gain by going electric is speed, but, speed means time. It takes time to get accurate matching loads with a beam or other non electric scale.

So the question for you to answer is... how much is your time worth?
 
Bstick said:
You will be there for days trying to load 50 rounds on a beam scale.

I would pony up the extra cash for a charge master lite. It will do everything you want it to do and do it quickly.
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I use a mechanical scale.
By throwing a close to weight charge from my dispenser into the scale pan, I can then trickle onto the mechanical scale to get within 0.1 grain of my desired charge weight.

I can readily get 50 cases filled within a half hour using this technique.
 
Over the past 12-13 years of reloading for punching steel, progressing to 1k competition shooting. Heres what I've went thru. . RCBS 505, with a powder scoop, to get close, then trickling to final charge. Painfully slow, but pretty accurate. Next step was powder scoop unto a Lyman digital, trickle to final charge. Lyman was junk, it's still in a box out in my garage. Bought the gempro250, scooped and trickled unto it. Still slow, but way better than previous. . FINALLY saw the light, and made the investment in the chargemaster , reprogrammed to run faster, with McDonald's straw, it really sped things up, but wandered a little, and I didn't like how it " rounds off" charges towards end of drop. ( All the time, checking the cm drops on my 505. ) . Made another investment in a Uninterruptible power supply, ( $80). , No more wandering scale problems, CM still rounded charges, so I went drunk shopping one night, and ordered a sartorius 64is. . Never regretted that. Now with cm running, and then dropping unto sartorius, trickling to final, I maintain one-kernel accuracy. . Here is a sample of drops from the CM, when I was reloading 200 rounds of 50bmg. CM set at 248grains, it dropped just kernels short of true charge ( according to sartorius) . 247.935, 247.920, 247.930, 247.946, 247.947, 247.939, 247.951, 247.934, 247.931, 247.940. Now using reloader50, that means I would add 2-6 kernels, to bring final charge to 247.985-248.020. ( because I refuse to cut kernels in half) . Considering the quantity, and volume of throw, that makes the Rcbs CM a VERY accurate, automated powder thrower.
 
And just got this , $275 after rebate.. can't really go wrong for that price.. buy a UPS off Amazon, and your gtg!
 

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If I get your post, you'd do well to find an OLD RCBS 1010-10, from when they were made BY Ohaus and not spec'ed out in China (RCBS loves to make stuff in China). There are some on ebay right around your $100 mark.
 
I've been using the RCBS Chargemaster for years now. I've had very good luck with it. It's fast and produces accurate loads for me. Let it warm up good, calibrate it properly and keep the breeze from it and you'll shoot tiny groups with it given components that your rifle likes. You looking to set LR Records on paper? Then maybe get something else for several hundred $ more. But I'll take my RCBS gear and load something that will shoot Minute of Coues Buck out Past 1,000 yards all day.
 
Not that old is better, but I have used an Ohaus triple beam with a dial for about 65 years. I never have seen a need for an electronic scale or dispenser. I bought a calibrated adjustable rod for both of my RCBS powder throws and have a Litl Dandy small volume powder throw for a progressive, my PW Metalic. I found that using a scale to throw every charge was a waste of time. You learn that by using a Dillon 550 or 650 with its baffle mounted powder throw. The RCBS throws have baffles built in. Oh, you can find the used Ohaus beam scales pretty cheap on line
Ed
 
Many shooters have given you advice. if you are considering 200 m (yard) match style shooting you may want to look at some of the scientific supply online stores to up the accuracy fo your scale. This is only worth while if you enjoy making one hole with three shots....b
 
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