Weighing down to the .01 grain

[Metzger]

What scale are you using?

I have a Lyman 500 and I need something more accurate. Is weighing down to the .01 grain with the time?

 

[rcairflr]

If you want accuracy to .01 grain, you are going to pay a premium price

 

[justgoto]

What scale are you using?

I have a Lyman 500 and I need something more accurate. Is weighing down to the .01 grain with the time?

I just weighed-out 1 grains of IMR 4064; it took 58 granules.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

What scale are you using?

I have a Lyman 500 and I need something more accurate. Is weighing down to the .01 grain with the time?

Heck, what diminuative round are you shooting that you need .01 grain accuracy on your scale? I'm happy getting to the nearest .1 grain and I'm pretty sure that isn't actually needed. Back when I didn't have my own loading gear I measure tossed my charges to speed things up and 1 grain was good enough; got the same 1/2 moa groups I get now with barely any change in sd.

 

[tbrice23]

Gempro 250 a jeweler's scale less than $125. .02 grain resolution. I think Brownells has them now.
Not sure it matters on 338 mega super ultra magnums but it has my 6br shooting in the 7-10 fps ES.

 

[bill123]

Gempro 250 a jeweler's scale less than $125. .02 grain resolution. I think Brownells has them now.
Not sure it matters on 338 mega super ultra magnums but it has my 6br shooting in the 7-10 fps ES.

+1 on Gempro 250. Really accurate. Let it warm up for longer than the 20 seconds that the directions say. Try 1 hour. Lifetime warranty in the US. Sinclair has them. It's also an Amazon Prime item.

 

[tbrice23]

By the way one kernel of varget weighs .02 grains.

 

[bill123]

By the way one kernel of varget weighs .02 grains.

Not only that, the Gempro can actually detect single grains of Varget as you trickle them into the pan. Pretty impressive for $125.

 

[Broz]

ok, I use a RCBS charge master combo. It weighs to .1 gr. That appears to be, on average, 2 kernels of h-1000. So on average, 1 kernel .05 gr. Why would we need to weigh in a finer measure than that?

Jeff

 

[BrentM]

ok, I use a RCBS charge master combo. It weighs to .1 gr. That appears to be, on average, 2 kernels of h-1000. So on average, 1 kernel .05 gr. Why would we need to weigh in a finer measure than that?

Jeff

I have the charge master as well. My 204 only takes around 25 grains of X powder. I am sure if I could measure down to .01 or .02 it would not hurt anything but .1 seems to work very well in this little cartridge. My es last range session was 8. What I think is the most important is that the scale reads that .1 or 1 grain with a high level of accuracy each time. I had a dillon and a Hornady that kept bouncing around and I would have to re-zero constantly. My RCBS is easy, calibrate, and go. Never have had any issues with it.

 

[varmintH8R]

I think is the most important is that the scale reads that .1 or 1 grain with a high level of accuracy each time.

I tend to agree.. I subscribe to the line of thinking where the more consistent you can be across the whole reloading process the better. BUT - you have to weigh it against practical limitations and diminishing returns.

For example, .01 grain of powder represents 0.03% variance in total charge weight on a 30 grain charge. I am not in the powder business, but I would assume their in-lot QC release criteria for consistency (formula, burn rate, etc) is waaaaay wider than 0.3%. So you are measuring down to what I assume is well beyond the capability of the variance of the powder.

It's akin to cutting wall studs to a thousandths of an inch - you can do it, but there is way more twist, warp, etc inherent in those boards than your precision cuts can account for.

 

[tbrice23]

Even after I have confidence in consistent powder charge ,im sure consistent neck tension and close to zero bullet run out has more of a positive effect than weighing to .01gr.

 

[CB11WYO]

...Not sure it matters on 338 mega super ultra magnums but it has my 6br shooting in the 7-10 fps ES.

I tend to think the same way. For example: .02 gr is like .0002% of your total powder charge of 90 gr in a 338 Edge. I don't think many, if any, Big Boomer can tell the difference between 90 gr and 90.02 gr in a charge.

Now a small cartridge, requiring, say 30 gr of powder... now .02 gr is .0006% of your total powder charge. Still way too small for me to care but more significant than in a magnum.

 

[Brewer]

I have a lab scale, its a Toledo mettle ($500). it weighs to .02grains. I often wonder if it is needed, but I got tired of the scales that have no repeatability. all scales will weigh accurately, but for repeatability, you need a good one. the scale might SAY you are within so many grains but you have to be able to trust your scale. repeatability is the name of the game. having said that, I haven't used any of the scales you others are talking about. and powder weight is not an end, its a means to consistent speed, so if your speed is consistent, you don't need a better scale.