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Posted: 10/16/2016 11:26:33 AM EDT
| Hello all, I'm in search of a simple digital scale yet still retains a line of quality. I'd like to keep the price down, but I'm aware that you get what you pay for. My goal is to speed my loading, as my mechanical scale tends to be tedious and time-consuming for Percision rounds . Any ideas? |
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Quite a few threads on this very subject, here is one:
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=446791 |
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Yep, even a 5-0-5 kept clean, will beat out any digital scale that does not cost an arm and leg.
As for trying to buy a digital scale for under say $150, DON'T!!!!!!! Truth is, for the money you are about to drop, would suggest that you just get a OHAUS 10-10 isntead. Granted that they have been discontinued, but you can still find the units dam near brand new for a C note. [url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-RCBS-OHAUS-10-10-PRECISION-RELOADING-POWDER-SCALE-/191991641358?hash=item2cb397f50e%3Ag%3AGFEAAOSwgmJXzdPc[/img] As for picking up one for trickle charges, then just get a RCBS chargemaster isntead. |
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I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. Quoted:
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My goal is to speed my loading, as my mechanical scale tends to be tedious and time-consuming for Percision rounds . Any ideas? I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. I use the GemPro with the pan from my RCBS 505, and I find that it settles and gives a reading faster than the 505. It's really accurate...loading some 308 last night it was resolving the difference in one or two powder granules of 4064. |
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I use the GemPro with the pan from my RCBS 505, and I find that it settles and gives a reading faster than the 505. It's really accurate...loading some 308 last night it was resolving the difference in one or two powder granules of 4064. Quoted:
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My goal is to speed my loading, as my mechanical scale tends to be tedious and time-consuming for Percision rounds . Any ideas? I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. I use the GemPro with the pan from my RCBS 505, and I find that it settles and gives a reading faster than the 505. It's really accurate...loading some 308 last night it was resolving the difference in one or two powder granules of 4064. In order to hold zero better and not fluctuate, the GemPros programming tells it to ignore small changes in weight. This is why the GemPro is said to "not trickle well". The best way to get the correct weight when you drop just a kernel (or two) in is to either (a) lift the pan and replace it or (b) touch the pan increasing the weight for a moment. The scale will respond and then give you the best accuracy it can given your environmental conditions and the resolution and calibration capabilities of a strain gauge scale. |
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. I have used this one for about 3 years now. Occasionally check it against my old RCBS 10-10. Comes out on the nose everytime as long as the ceiling fan is off. I have noticed that will add .1 to .2 grains to the weight. If it's off, it weighs fine. |
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Quoted:
I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. Quoted:
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My goal is to speed my loading, as my mechanical scale tends to be tedious and time-consuming for Percision rounds . Any ideas? I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. What kind of electronic scales have you seen? I drop the powder on my Dillon Eliminator and it displays a weight in about a second. I drop the powder on my Dillon beam scale and it takes about half a second before the beam starts to move, then it goes up and down for another second or two, then it wobbles around for another second until I touch the pan to stabilize it, then I have to crouch down and get my eye right in line with the pointer to make sure it is aligned. Sometimes, the beam doesn't move, depending on which way it fell the last time I pulled the pan off, and I have to give it a little flick so it can starts the above described journey. Sometimes, it will read a little high or low, but the powder looks right visually, so I will take the pan off, put it back on and wait for the above all over again. The second time it may or not may be right on. |
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I have used this one for about 3 years now. Occasionally check it against my old RCBS 10-10. Comes out on the nose everytime as long as the ceiling fan is off. I have noticed that will add .1 to .2 grains to the weight. If it's off, it weighs fine. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. I have used this one for about 3 years now. Occasionally check it against my old RCBS 10-10. Comes out on the nose everytime as long as the ceiling fan is off. I have noticed that will add .1 to .2 grains to the weight. If it's off, it weighs fine. I figured it can't be too bad. It has a 4.3 out of 5 rating with over 900 reviews on Amazon and 4.2 out 5 on Midway with over 500 reviews. |
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Or you could skip the F.A. name and buy it directly from China for under $5 on Ebay. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. Or you could skip the F.A. name and buy it directly from China for under $5 on Ebay. Other people could do that. I don't use communist anti-gun eBay or PayPal for anything if I can help it. |
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I can highly recommend the Pact Precision scale. It's 10 times faster than any balance beam, speeds up my reloading, can weigh cases and loaded rounds. I've had a Pact Precision since they were the first to introduce
electronic powder scales in 1994. An electronic that can weigh up to 1000-1500 grains is useful. I don't have problems with drift, nor my 4 ft. fluorescent fixture over my bench. I also bought a GemPro 250 for it's ability to weigh to the extra decimal. For example it will weigh 5.12 grains then skips to 5.14 grains. Doesn't have the odd numbers for the 3rd digit. Buy a scale check weight set for any digital scale. I compare my Pact Precision to the GemPro 250. If I carefully trickle until the number first changes it weighs exactly the same as the more accurate GemPro. IF and IF won't happen that I had to choose only one scale between my two it would be the Pact. The GemPro is touchier, delays too long to settle on the weight, so long that sometimes I get a weight then reach for a case and when I look back it's changed. I do like the scale though and will keep both. I don't recommend a scale that only runs on batteries. If you weigh every charge of powder is where you gain speed versus a balance beam. http://www.brownells.com/reloading/powder-handling/powder-scales/pact-digital-precision-powder-scale-prod54780.aspx |
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I figured it can't be too bad. It has a 4.3 out of 5 rating with over 900 reviews on Amazon and 4.2 out 5 on Midway with over 500 reviews. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. I have used this one for about 3 years now. Occasionally check it against my old RCBS 10-10. Comes out on the nose everytime as long as the ceiling fan is off. I have noticed that will add .1 to .2 grains to the weight. If it's off, it weighs fine. I figured it can't be too bad. It has a 4.3 out of 5 rating with over 900 reviews on Amazon and 4.2 out 5 on Midway with over 500 reviews. It's a really good scale for the money. I've changed the batteries in it once since I bought it. It it ever dies, I'll pick up another one. |
| I'm not sure precision and speed are mutual. If trickling or just checking here and there, I see no speed in a digital scale. If it wanders and you constantly have to rezero, there's no speed to be found in an electric scale that's simple. If you have a beam, you have simple. |
| I tried 2 different electronic scales. Each was around $50. They were...ok. at first. But after a while I'd start getting .1gr off. Then .2. Then .3. *did random checks against my beam scale. After that I stopped using e scales. Maybe 1 day a chargemaster. But till then, the good old scale. |
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It's a really good scale for the money. I've changed the batteries in it once since I bought it. It it ever dies, I'll pick up another one. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. I have used this one for about 3 years now. Occasionally check it against my old RCBS 10-10. Comes out on the nose everytime as long as the ceiling fan is off. I have noticed that will add .1 to .2 grains to the weight. If it's off, it weighs fine. I figured it can't be too bad. It has a 4.3 out of 5 rating with over 900 reviews on Amazon and 4.2 out 5 on Midway with over 500 reviews. It's a really good scale for the money. I've changed the batteries in it once since I bought it. It it ever dies, I'll pick up another one. I've got this one. If hand-weighing each charge I've noticed that if it doesn't respond and you think it should have you can just barely blow downwards on it and it'll move...it weighs heavy like the above comment on the fan, then settles back to weight. Other than slow response sometimes it seems pretty good. |
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It certainly should since kernels of IMR 4064 weigh 0.3-0.4gr. The only reason I mention this is you may not know something about the GemPro 250 . . . In order to hold zero better and not fluctuate, the GemPros programming tells it to ignore small changes in weight. This is why the GemPro is said to "not trickle well". The best way to get the correct weight when you drop just a kernel (or two) in is to either (a) lift the pan and replace it or (b) touch the pan increasing the weight for a moment. The scale will respond and then give you the best accuracy it can given your environmental conditions and the resolution and calibration capabilities of a strain gauge scale. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
My goal is to speed my loading, as my mechanical scale tends to be tedious and time-consuming for Percision rounds . Any ideas? I have never seen a single electronic scale that was even close to as fast as using a properly adjusted balance scale. I use the GemPro with the pan from my RCBS 505, and I find that it settles and gives a reading faster than the 505. It's really accurate...loading some 308 last night it was resolving the difference in one or two powder granules of 4064. In order to hold zero better and not fluctuate, the GemPros programming tells it to ignore small changes in weight. This is why the GemPro is said to "not trickle well". The best way to get the correct weight when you drop just a kernel (or two) in is to either (a) lift the pan and replace it or (b) touch the pan increasing the weight for a moment. The scale will respond and then give you the best accuracy it can given your environmental conditions and the resolution and calibration capabilities of a strain gauge scale. This is exactly what I do, and I assure the scale exactly displays the pan weight (negative) when removed. My 4064 is not that coarse...I'm getting around 0.02 gr. per kernel. |
| Thanks for all the awesome replies guys. Sounds like basic mechanical scales are still the way to go. I currently running the Hornady (Pacific M) scale with countless hours of reliable service. So let's spice things up a little and go the other direction, and let's assume we get what we pay for and money isn't in short supply, what type of electronic scale would you recommend, that might even have its own powder reservoir, that is capable of dispensing exact repeated charges by the push of a button ? I think RCBS has something like this if I'm not mistaken? |
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. Are you talking about the DS-750? If so, it's JUNK. I started out with one of those because I had heard good things about it and a beam scale. It constantly needs to be recalibrated; especially if it shuts off. I still have it but won't use it at all. Ever. When I was using it my charges were all over the place. The first few charges would be dead on then it would start to drift by as much as 10 grains in either direction. I'd have to recheck, then double check between the beam and digital. DO NOT buy the DS-750 you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to reload with it. I ended up going with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Scale. It's about $85 and runs on 110 volt. It still drifts but it's within one to two grains in either direction and its been a much better scale than the DS-750. |
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Are you talking about the DS-750? If so, it's JUNK. I started out with one of those because I had heard good things about it and a beam scale. It constantly needs to be recalibrated; especially if it shuts off. I still have it but won't use it at all. Ever. When I was using it my charges were all over the place. The first few charges would be dead on then it would start to drift by as much as 10 grains in either direction. I'd have to recheck, then double check between the beam and digital. DO NOT buy the DS-750 you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to reload with it. I ended up going with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Scale. It's about $85 and runs on 110 volt. It still drifts but it's within one to two grains in either direction and its been a much better scale than the DS-750. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. Are you talking about the DS-750? If so, it's JUNK. I started out with one of those because I had heard good things about it and a beam scale. It constantly needs to be recalibrated; especially if it shuts off. I still have it but won't use it at all. Ever. When I was using it my charges were all over the place. The first few charges would be dead on then it would start to drift by as much as 10 grains in either direction. I'd have to recheck, then double check between the beam and digital. DO NOT buy the DS-750 you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to reload with it. I ended up going with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Scale. It's about $85 and runs on 110 volt. It still drifts but it's within one to two grains in either direction and its been a much better scale than the DS-750. Have you considered you got a bad one or were not accounting for interference? As I stated earlier, they get more than 4 stars on several hundred reviews on both Amazon and Midway. Someone is getting good results out of them. |
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Dillon D-Terminator Went through several cheap junk elect. scales and then purchased a Dillon Accurate, Fast, Dependable and not that expensive ( $139.00 from Dillon ) Mine is about 12 years old, and still as good as when it was new I use it to weigh- powder, cases, and bullets If it ever goes down I will purchase another |
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Have you considered you got a bad one or were not accounting for interference? As I stated earlier, they get more than 4 stars on several hundred reviews on both Amazon and Midway. Someone is getting good results out of them. Quoted:
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The $30ish Frankford Arsenal seems to get a lot of positive reviews. Are you talking about the DS-750? If so, it's JUNK. I started out with one of those because I had heard good things about it and a beam scale. It constantly needs to be recalibrated; especially if it shuts off. I still have it but won't use it at all. Ever. When I was using it my charges were all over the place. The first few charges would be dead on then it would start to drift by as much as 10 grains in either direction. I'd have to recheck, then double check between the beam and digital. DO NOT buy the DS-750 you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to reload with it. I ended up going with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Scale. It's about $85 and runs on 110 volt. It still drifts but it's within one to two grains in either direction and its been a much better scale than the DS-750. Have you considered you got a bad one or were not accounting for interference? As I stated earlier, they get more than 4 stars on several hundred reviews on both Amazon and Midway. Someone is getting good results out of them. It is entirely possible I got a bad one. But I wasn't going to throw another $30 to buy another one in hopes that the new one might be good. I did also consider interference but where I reload is in a closet. An actual closet with nothing in it to cause interference. But again it's possible it is/was picking up interference from somewhere. |
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Thanks for all the awesome replies guys. Sounds like basic mechanical scales are still the way to go. I currently running the Hornady (Pacific M) scale with countless hours of reliable service. So let's spice things up a little and go the other direction, and let's assume we get what we pay for and money isn't in short supply, what type of electronic scale would you recommend, that might even have its own powder reservoir, that is capable of dispensing exact repeated charges by the push of a button ? I think RCBS has something like this if I'm not mistaken? I've been through 7 scales . . . Lee beam, $30 Hornady Digital, Pact Dispenser, GemPro 250, RCBS 5-0-5, RCBS Chargemaster dispenser, and finally the A&D. So if one is looking for THE scale to get, it's the A&D. As for the RCBS Chargemaster . . . remember its scale has the same issues that every other strain gauge electronic scale has. Since the scale itself is ~$190, it's more expensive than a GemPro . . . but it does (register a) trickle a little better. For "well metering powders" the Chargemaster combo is no more consistent than a Hornady Powder Measure. But it does a better job than a PM with short and long stick powders. I know this because I've weighed a couple of thousand Chargemaster throws on an FX-120i. While it's possible my Chargemaster was an aberration, it isn't likely given the $280 price of the combo. If your reloading room is RF-free . . . think no wireless phones, WiFi, (many) fluorescents, microwaves, AV equipment on the same circuit, etc . . .and if you accept that you cannot trickle without lifting, blowing on, or touching the pan and waiting for a re-weigh, the best "low-cost" bet electronic scale is the GemPro. Other than that the brand name beam scales using good old gravity work well . . . though they have their own ergonomic difficulties. If you are looking for a very precise, consistent, repeatable dispenser . . . electronically attach a $230 Autotrickler to an FX-120i. In the case of scales and dispensers, IMO it really is all about the budget. |
A word of warning about the Chargemaster combo. I was a big fan of it until mine bit the dust. It was out of warranty (I think the warranty is only about a year) so when I called RCBS, they told me there is nothing they could do to fix/replace it for me. Now I have a $300 useless piece of trash.
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A word of warning about the Chargemaster combo. I was a big fan of it until mine bit the dust. It was out of warranty (I think the warranty is only about a year) so when I called RCBS, they told me there is nothing they could do to fix/replace it for me. Now I have a $300 useless piece of trash. This why Brownells is the place to purchase them as they back everything with a lifetime warranty , |
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I have the RCBS Chargemaster combo (dispenser and scale), but originally, I just purchased the scale alone, knowing that someday I would want to add the dispenser. This turned out to be a great strategy in my mind. The best price I found on the scale by itself was at Natchez. It was like $50 less expensive there than anywhere else. I pays to search around, I think I paid about $130 for mine.
Also, it looks like RCBS is either upgrading or discontinuing the 5-0-5 beam scale, and you can pick up a brand new one from MidwayUSA for $39.95 right now, which is a pretty good deal. They are still going for $100+ on Amazon. |
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One option is to learn to trust the powder dispenser, and how minor variations in the charge weight thrown are usually trivial.
But - some gunpowders defy accurate throws, especially long stick powders no matter their diameter, and I gave up on Unique in a drum measure. One of the most frustrating is IMR 4198, that one falls to the list of last choices when nothing else is available. |
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