Preferred powder scale?

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  • Abominator

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jun 22, 2019
    81
    8
    Auburn
    Just about have all the reloading equipment I need. Should get here Tuesday. Having trouble selecting a powder scale. At 1st I wanted digital but every one I see online has terrible reviews. Are balance beams the way to go? What say you?
     

    AmmoManAaron

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    37   0   0
    Feb 20, 2015
    3,334
    83
    I-get-around
    I use a Lyman digital, but you have understand the intricacies of digital scales to get repeatable results. I suspect at least some of the bad reviews are from user error...or cheap junk.

    1. Don't use them around fluorescent lighting.

    2. You have to re-zero the scale periodically during use - for example, the exact same negative number should come up each time the pan of powder is taken off - pay attention to it. If that number is suddenly off (usually by a tenth of a grain) you need to re-zero the scale when you set the empty pan back down on it. If you don't re-zero, then the amount that the scale is off will tend to increase with additional use - this problem is called a wandering zero and you fix it by paying attention and re-zeroing at the first sign of it.

    3. Don't trickle up from 0.0 grn. Put a charge on the pan and then trickle up to the final weight. Trickling up from 0.0 (empty pan) can cause your readings to be off.

    4. When you stop adding powder, wait for the scale to reach a final reading - it tells you it's done weighing when the number blinks once. The number may change slightly after you stop adding powder, if you remove the pan from the scale before the reading is finalized, it will be off.

    I like my digital scale and would never go back to a manual one. It's way faster and very accurate IF you use it properly. Most of the above points are found in the instructions - read them! With digital scales, you probably get what you pay for - a $20 one is probably junk...I think my Lyman was about $100 or so. Hope this helps!
     

    Backpacker

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    27   0   0
    Apr 5, 2008
    932
    43
    Greenwood
    I was without a beam scale for a while. A friend loaned me a Frankford Arsenal cheap digital scale and it was not repeatable for me. Throwing a fixed amount with my RCBS Little Dandy measure, a normal 6.0 charge varied from 5.9 gn to 6.4 gn. It does work well enough to differentiate a 115 gn bullet from a 124 gn bullet. Maybe an expensive digital scale would be reliable. I'm not willing to buy one to find out.

    I have since bought an RCBS scale lnib from an Ingo member for weighing powder.
     

    sugarcreekbrass

    Expert
    Industry Partner
    Rating - 100%
    26   0   0
    Mar 29, 2015
    938
    43
    West central
    I know it is a lot more but I love my RCBS Chargemaster. It is very consistent. I have loads programmed and set to auto. I dump a charge into a case, put the pan back on the scale. While I am seating a bullet and getting the next case ready, it is dumping the next load.
     

    Goodcat

    From a place you cannot see…
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    151   0   0
    Jan 13, 2009
    3,381
    83
    New Pal
    Love my hornady auto charge scale/digital powder throw unit. I’m selling it though to get the $500 auto trickler V3
     

    Bennettjh

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 8, 2012
    10,434
    113
    Columbus
    I use a Hornady digital scale. Some folks absolutely hate them but mine has been flawless. I always let it warm up and recalibrate/check it with the supplied weights.
     

    wingrider1800

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Dec 27, 2014
    3,134
    133
    Harrison County
    I use a Lyman digital, but you have understand the intricacies of digital scales to get repeatable results. I suspect at least some of the bad reviews are from user error...or cheap junk.

    1. Don't use them around fluorescent lighting.

    2. You have to re-zero the scale periodically during use - for example, the exact same negative number should come up each time the pan of powder is taken off - pay attention to it. If that number is suddenly off (usually by a tenth of a grain) you need to re-zero the scale when you set the empty pan back down on it. If you don't re-zero, then the amount that the scale is off will tend to increase with additional use - this problem is called a wandering zero and you fix it by paying attention and re-zeroing at the first sign of it.

    3. Don't trickle up from 0.0 grn. Put a charge on the pan and then trickle up to the final weight. Trickling up from 0.0 (empty pan) can cause your readings to be off.

    4. When you stop adding powder, wait for the scale to reach a final reading - it tells you it's done weighing when the number blinks once. The number may change slightly after you stop adding powder, if you remove the pan from the scale before the reading is finalized, it will be off.

    I like my digital scale and would never go back to a manual one. It's way faster and very accurate IF you use it properly. Most of the above points are found in the instructions - read them! With digital scales, you probably get what you pay for - a $20 one is probably junk...I think my Lyman was about $100 or so. Hope this helps!
    To sum it they're tempermental. I have both, rely on the RCBS beam and use the lyman digital for quick reference or to check the beam.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,183
    113
    Ripley County
    I use a Lyman digital, but you have understand the intricacies of digital scales to get repeatable results. I suspect at least some of the bad reviews are from user error...or cheap junk.

    1. Don't use them around fluorescent lighting.

    2. You have to re-zero the scale periodically during use - for example, the exact same negative number should come up each time the pan of powder is taken off - pay attention to it. If that number is suddenly off (usually by a tenth of a grain) you need to re-zero the scale when you set the empty pan back down on it. If you don't re-zero, then the amount that the scale is off will tend to increase with additional use - this problem is called a wandering zero and you fix it by paying attention and re-zeroing at the first sign of it.

    3. Don't trickle up from 0.0 grn. Put a charge on the pan and then trickle up to the final weight. Trickling up from 0.0 (empty pan) can cause your readings to be off.

    4. When you stop adding powder, wait for the scale to reach a final reading - it tells you it's done weighing when the number blinks once. The number may change slightly after you stop adding powder, if you remove the pan from the scale before the reading is finalized, it will be off.

    I like my digital scale and would never go back to a manual one. It's way faster and very accurate IF you use it properly. Most of the above points are found in the instructions - read them! With digital scales, you probably get what you pay for - a $20 one is probably junk...I think my Lyman was about $100 or so. Hope this helps!

    With my Franklin Arsenal digital I calibrate it at turn on then usually get by quite awhile before recalibration. Your points I learned the hard way. Glad you posted this for others.
     

    Sniper 79

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Oct 7, 2012
    2,939
    48
    RCBS chargemaster combo coupled with a Dillon beam scale for good measure.

    Digital is faster and like others have mentioned have a lot of quirks you have to learn to work with. I believe RCBS is about to drop a new chargemaster. I'd be looking real hard at it. Won't hand load without one now.
     

    drm-hp

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jan 23, 2019
    298
    43
    Brownsburg
    My 10-10 is over 30 years old still works as good today.
    I check the Chargemaster and Harrell's with it to confirm charge weight. This is the one piece of equipment that I have absolute faith in.
     

    workinman

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Sep 12, 2009
    71
    8
    NWI
    Just bought the auto trickler with fx120i scale from a friend. Measure within .02 grains. Hands down the best I've ever used.
     

    russc2542

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Oct 24, 2015
    2,111
    83
    Columbus
    I recently got a Frankford Arsenal Powder Intellidropper. Seems to work fine and less drift than my Dillon standalone scale.

    Beam scales seldom go out of calibration (but they can!) but digital scales are about a million times faster once up and running.

    In addition to the above advice (and some repetition)
    -No fluorescent lighting! Some LEDs probably don't do it favors either.
    -Don't set other electronics near it.
    -Let it warm up AND normalize temperature and humidity. 20-30 mins minimum is what my Frankford Arsenal auto trickler says.
    -Block all air currents: turn off the fan, close the central air vent, close the window, etc.
    -Must put it on a stable structure: Don't set it next to your press while loading or the shaking of the table while you run the press will throw it off.
    -Make sure it's level.
    -Don't move it around.
    -Don't overload it EVER.
    -Use an anti-static dryer sheet from time to time.

    We have some scales at work for measuring way smaller (basically particles of smoke sample deposited on tissue paper for emissions testing) in a basically self-contained clean-room in the basement isolated from the rest of the building with it's own foundation down to the bedrock.
     

    NKBJ

    at the ark
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2010
    6,240
    149
    My 2nd hand (bought it in the mid 70's) Redding works great but I need a scale that will handle greater weights. I'm shifting more into shooting bullets in the 600-800+ grain range and need better quality control without having to use counter weights on the scale arm.
     

    OneBadV8

    Stay Picky my Friends
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    52   0   0
    Aug 7, 2008
    55,146
    101
    Ft Wayne
    I know it is a lot more but I love my RCBS Chargemaster. It is very consistent. I have loads programmed and set to auto. I dump a charge into a case, put the pan back on the scale. While I am seating a bullet and getting the next case ready, it is dumping the next load.

    RCBS chargemaster combo coupled with a Dillon beam scale for good measure.
    :+1:
     
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