What scale to trust...

[cgarb]

When I first started reloading, I bought a Lyman kit with a t-mag press and it came with a small digital scale. Has loaded many rounds, but sometimes it acts kind of fussy. It will get hung up on a grain and then jump a few tenths all at once when trickling in powder. Usually after it does that, i will rezero it out then put the charge back in and it may be off a few tenths. Then it may weigh 20 or 30 more and be fine. The loads it produces are accurate for hunting ammo, and my 308 loads for my FNA3G are very accurate, well under .5 MOA. I came across an older Redding manual scale so tonight I loaded some rounds and weighed charges on both. The redding consistantly weighs charges .2 of a grain light compared to the lyman digital. Both scales zero out fine. I am a machinist and a hotrodder so mechanical things make sense to me. The redding scale I can see work, and is pretty simple. To me it seems like it repeats better. Is my lyman scale not the best digital scale or do most people get vairiances like this?

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

II've been using the same RCBS 5-0-5 el cheappo deluxe for nearly 45 years...it has never failed me once !! My kids bought me two electronic scales, both have never been opened and by the looks of things never will until they inherit them back...guess I just don't trust them...I used that little junk scale for everything from my bench rest 6 PPC and BR and Dasher to my long range 7's and 300 mags...almost embarrassed to use it during matches but I love that little green junker !!

 

[mustang58]

I'm with Frank. I use a RCBS 304. Have seen Digitals off too many times.

 

[dsculley]

I have a Lee scale and a small digital. I have used both successfully, but have come to trust the Lee over the digital. I still sometimes weigh charges on both for comparison. Usually, if there is a difference between the two, I can re-calibrate the digital and they match again. Gravity is constant, electrons aren't. Plus, you have the possibility of interference from fluorescent lights, other electronics, etc with the digital scales.

FWIW

 

[Dosh]

Garb, like Frank I just don't trust the digital. There was a thread here a couple years ago where a professional scale tech stated a truly trustworthy digital start at around $650. I'll stick with my RCBS 10-10 and use the digital Chargemaster for the bulk .223 which I'm not picky about for an AR. Just my preference.

 

[J E Custom]

I have been using a Ohas 10-10 for over 50 years and it has never failed me. It is my go to scale because it is a beam scale and can be zeroed with confidence. All scales must zero and with certified
weights, can be checked for accuracy.

I also have and use a digital scale for weight comparisons of brass because it is fast. Like you, I have done some comparisons between the two and they never completely agree so I fall back on the beam scale. All of my loads are based on the beam scale and if I want to use the electronic scale for speed, I use the beam scale for a bench mark weight and then weight it on the electronic and that is the weight I use on it (Even if it differs slightly from the beam scale reading).

Both scales are ok, but I personally trust the balance beam the best.

J E CUSTOM

 

[rdsewell]

I've had great luck with my RCBS 1010 beam scales. Your can always check and rebalance if need to. Just my 2cents.

 

[shaughn]

I had a small digital, Hornady...I think, if I used the battery (9 volt) I got funky readings every now and then, so I use a power inverter, then discovered if the cord was looped near the scale, numbers would be off by up to 3/10th of a grain at times, if it ran straight away from scale no problems.

Then I have an issue where "I" build up a static charge, which has on occasion killed laptops and television, radio if I don't ground myself prior to touching the on off switch or housing. So just putting my hand near the scales would cause a fluctuation at times.

So, now I use 10-10 or lyman 500 or lee scale depending on what I am doing and use the digital for weight checking of my cast GG bullets when I am using different alloys or my PP Bullets (Adjustable mold).

 

[cgarb]

You guys are a bunch of beam scale supporters...lol. Well maybe I will have to convert my load data over to beam scale measurements and use that. I do like that the beam scale has no warm up period and i can get right to loading.

 

[rcoody]

Trust but verify. If I am doing precision loads I use two scales. If they agree then I am good to go.

How accurate do you really need to be? If you can find one of those accuracy nodes that is 0.3 gr wide no very. I often set up a powder measure and just start throwing charges. Fastest way to charge cases.

I have a bunch of scales. Scott Parker tuned Ohaus 10/10, 3 gempro 250's, a ohas CJ and a chargemaster.

I use them all for different things. I would say 2 gempro's checking each other is most.common.

 

[JLB-MT]

I have an RCBS Ohaus and a Lee balance beam. The Lee never gets used any more.

 

[catamountsierra]

I had a Lee Perfect Scale, or whatever they call it. After I started seeing pressure signs with low to mid level loads, I checked it against a couple other scales and found that it had lost its calibration (the little brass weight on the threaded rod can move on its own) and it was reading almost 4 grains low. The electronic scale I had, a Hornady cheapy, doesn't stay on long enough to trickle a charge and constantly needs recalibration. I am now using a Dillon balance beam scale, which I can zero and trickle into. It maintains its zero perfectly and works great.

 

[pawhitetail]

Another one here that doesn't trust electronic ones. I've got a hornady digital scale that's fussy and seems to hang up. So I picked up a rcbs 5-0-5

 

[trueblue]

I throw my charges on a Chargemaster, but do not trust it, have seen to many variances in throws. So, I verify every charge on my 10-10 beam.
Have been thinking about getting my 10-10 reconditioned, just don't know who does it, or if it would be worth the trouble.