What is your favorite PRS scale?

[nucular]

Just getting into some PRS/LRS so I will apologize in advance for the barrage of questions. My current focus is on my neck tension process and powder scale accuracy. I have a $70 hornady digital scale and I know for a fact that it is not up to snuff. I started just looking at things like the matchmaster or chargemaster but that led me to the autotrickler.

The autotrickler is $1000 but i was thinking about buying just the scale for now and adding the autotrickler (or supertrickler) later on. The best deal I can find on an A&D is at CE Products but they are currently out of the FX-120i. They have the FX-300IN for roughly the same price. Would i be making a mistake to just not get the whole kit? Would the FX-300IN be a bad choice and should I wait for the 120 to come in stock?

 

[mcapo]

Just getting into some PRS/LRS so I will apologize in advance for the barrage of questions. My current focus is on my neck tension process and powder scale accuracy. I have a $70 hornady digital scale and I know for a fact that it is not up to snuff. I started just looking at things like the matchmaster or chargemaster but that led me to the autotrickler.

The autotrickler is $1000 but i was thinking about buying just the scale for now and adding the autotrickler (or supertrickler) later on. The best deal I can find on an A&D is at CE Products but they are currently out of the FX-120i. They have the FX-300IN for roughly the same price. Would i be making a mistake to just not get the whole kit? Would the FX-300IN be a bad choice and should I wait for the 120 to come in stock?

The autotrickler v4 with the FX-120i is a spectacular set-up.

Very easy to set up and use. Fast and accurate within a kernel-ish. You might have to play with the angle of the scale just a bit to get the best and fastest repeatable throw but its not that big a deal.

BTW: I also have the Hornady scale. Seems accurate but (at least) seem subject to a great deal of drift.

 

[nucular]

The autotrickler v4 with the FX-120i is a spectacular set-up.

Very easy to set up and use. Fast and accurate within a kernel-ish. You might have to play with the angle of the scale just a bit to get the best and fastest repeatable throw but its not that big a deal.

BTW: I also have the Hornady scale. Seems accurate but (at least) seem subject to a great deal of drift.

I think I will get the kit they have now that comes with the fx-300in. I don't really see a difference between that one and the fx-120i other than max capacity but for some reason the 120 seems more desirable.


I have the hornady G3-1500 now and it drifts like crazy. I have to let it sit for a couple hours before it even gets to the point where it is usable and even then im constantly having to re-zero. Plus the accuracy is like .2 grains so I'm never sure if 2 loads are really that close to each other.

 

[INP8riot]

What about a beam scale? It takes a little longer but it is repeatable. And you can't have a fan running in the room while you use it lol

 

[Creedmoor]

I use two Dillon Digital's, A 900 and a 1200? grain for quick checks.
For business I use two RCBS 10-10 scales. You can pick up a mint used for 60 to 100 bucks.
I have two of some things because I load at two different address's

An RCBS / Ohaus 10-10 will do about anything you need from a scale. Without the warmup, without the float, don't have to plug it in or have batterys in it either.

 

[natdscott]

"PRS" scale? It's just a reloading scale.

The electronic "thing" is an interesting slope to run down, at breakneck speed, with not sand dune at the bottom, but more like #53 stone: when you faceplant, you won't die, but it won't be good.

Unless: you go with expensive electronics, and commit to power conditioning, bench/building stability, warmup times, etc.

It really is a balance (haHA!) between time and money. How fast can you afford to go?

The other option is to go with an expensive thrower, which is the fastest option available, and not weigh charges.

You use a slow-AF manual scale, with extreme accuracy, to figure out what your thrower is throwing at a setting, and then you build a load around that.

 

[natdscott]

I should also add that, with the "thrown only" option, it is sometimes handy to stick (ha!) with shorter stick powders, or oblates, or ball powders, as they throw more accurately overall (the meter won't cut grains).

As far as the ultimate accuracy potential of your loads is concerned:

1) your targets are big;

2) your loads are not even a 1st TIER concern or limiting factor for your PRS scorecard;

3) the accuracy limitations of a GOOD thrower (Harrell, Neil Jones, as shining examples) are often washed out by neck release, bullets, cases, barrel, chamber, trigger finger.....

I have won 600 yard matches with thrown charges, and that's with .223, which is damned sensitive. The target is also smaller than yours. The rifles are also ARs.

Now, if you start getting pretty good at 800-1,000 yards, you're going to need to examine your vertical. Weighing all your charges IS possible on an Ohaus 10-10, or similar, it's just a little slower.

Again, it's a matter of how fast can your afford. I do own a real lab balance, and use it, but my 10-10 will resolve about 3 sizes of Reloder-15 kernels. It does not drift or change, and it is not for sale.

Sub-kernel is, uh, "close enough".



See my points?

-Nate

 

[natdscott]

And if you have cash burning a hole: buy practice equipment, range time, and gas cards.

Those are worth more to your score than is the internet.

 

[mcapo]

And if you have cash burning a hole: buy practice equipment, range time, and gas cards.

Those are worth more to your score than is the internet.

Valid points in both your posts and no arguments from me but....

I like to reload and have been doing it for 35 years (on and off). What I like the least is measuring powder. While in many instances a thrown charge is more than adequate, when it comes to precision rounds I like to be, well precise.

I won't say the end result is always more accurate with an Autotrickler than with another well refined method but it is, once set up, so much faster and hassle free. The machine has the cup full with the next charge before I have rotated the brass and set a bullet.

To me, that is worth every penny.

 

[nucular]

And if you have cash burning a hole: buy practice equipment, range time, and gas cards.

Those are worth more to your score than is the internet.

I will need to look into the balance scales. I have never used one and my current thrower is definitely not consistent enough to do rifle loads.

 

[nucular]

Valid points in both your posts and no arguments from but....

I like to reload and have been doing it for 35 years (on and off). What I like the least is measuring powder. While in many instances a thrown charge is more than adequate, when it comes to precision rounds I like to be, well precise.

I won't say the end result is always more accurate with an Autotrickler than will another well refined method but it is, once set up, so much faster and hassle free. The machine has the cup full with the next charge before I have rotated the brass and set a bullet.

To me, that is worth every penny.

That's kind of where I'm at. My current process is to use a scoop to get close to my weight and then trickle in which is slow and still occasionally ends in me dumping back in some or all and starting over due to operator error, the scale not picking up quick enough, or drift. It is the least pleasant part of reloading for me.

 

[Bill2905]

I used the Chargemaster Light for a good while and it worked well. My main complaint is that it had to be warmed up for 20-30 minutes to be stable. Even then, it tended to drift during a long loading session. When I upgraded to the FX-120i, I used that scale to determine that the Chargemaster Light would throw charges in a range of +/- 0.05 grains from setpoint. Not bad for the price.

I switched to the FX-120i with a light Chargemaster drop followed by manual trickling but that became too monotonous in a hurry. I now use the V4 auto trickler and FX-120i setup for my F-Class loads. It's better than the Chargemaster Light at +/- 0.02 grains and does not drift. I value it highly for the reliability and productivity it gives me. If it fits your budget, I highly recommend it.

 

[nucular]

I'm going to go with the V4. I know there are a million other things I could spend the money on but hopefully this is the last dispenser and scale i will ever have to buy.

Even though I have several rifle calibers that I reload, I don't shoot a ton of long distance. I'm hoping that changes in the near future but either way, my time is limited and this should make the reloading process more enjoyable for me. At least when I get shite groups, I will know its the shooter or reloader's fault and not the amount of powder.

If it turns out to be overkill, i will just put it in the marketplace

 

[Creedmoor]

I should also add that, with the "thrown only" option, it is sometimes handy to stick (ha!) with shorter stick powders, or oblates, or ball powders, as they throw more accurately overall (the meter won't cut grains).

As far as the ultimate accuracy potential of your loads is concerned:

1) your targets are big;

2) your loads are not even a 1st TIER concern or limiting factor for your PRS scorecard;

3) the accuracy limitations of a GOOD thrower (Harrell, Neil Jones, as shining examples) are often washed out by neck release, bullets, cases, barrel, chamber, trigger finger.....

I have won 600 yard matches with thrown charges, and that's with .223, which is damned sensitive. The target is also smaller than yours. The rifles are also ARs.

Now, if you start getting pretty good at 800-1,000 yards, you're going to need to examine your vertical. Weighing all your charges IS possible on an Ohaus 10-10, or similar, it's just a little slower.

Again, it's a matter of how fast can your afford. I do own a real lab balance, and use it, but my 10-10 will resolve about 3 sizes of Reloder-15 kernels. It does not drift or change, and it is not for sale.

Sub-kernel is, uh, "close enough".



See my points?

-Nate

My brother has one of the old RCBS/Ohaus triple beams. I've tried to aquire it a few times.

 

[natdscott]

I'm going to go with the V4. I know there are a million other things I could spend the money on but hopefully this is the last dispenser and scale i will ever have to buy.

If it turns out to be overkill, i will just put it in the marketplace

Not a bad choice, and a well-thought-out decision.

 

[drm-hp]

I have/use:
1: Ohaus 10-10
2: Harrell carver
3: Autotrickler V4

All of these units are top notch quality and have a specific niche to fill.
If you are looking for consistency matched with speed you have made a great choice. Although in MY opinion you will still need a balance beam scale for conformation purposes. Even though I have complete faith in the V4, I still check every 10 charges to make curtain nothing is drifting.
As a side note, the drift shielding on the V4 is very effective.
I bought mine from Unknown Munitions and they were very good to deal with.

 

[nucular]

Well, this thing is pretty amazing. Definitely saves time and frustration over the manual trickler. Loaded up 50 rounds of various weights for some 6.5 Creedmor 147 grain ELD-Ms in no time at all.