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Posted: 2/25/2010 7:37:31 PM EDT
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What is the best digital reloading scale, mainly for weighing powder charges?
One that stays true with the fewest amount of recalibrating. One that has a high capacity for loading large magnum rifle cartridges (maybe even .50 bmg some day (powder charge only)) |
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It’s a difficult question because it actually depends completely on how much money you have (I am not joking). Digital balance have been around for a long time and the really expensive one are used in the laboratory and cost upwards of thousands of dollars – so the sky is the limit.
If you are looking for a decent balance but do not want to go with one of those that cost 20-30 dollars, I think you should be able to get a good one for a little over a $100. What you should look for is one that can measure to 0.05 grain so that you will be sure it is accurate when you are measuring in 0.1 grain. One that has a way to keep it level, usually this means legs that can be screwed up and down to adjust. A build in spirit level would be useful to help you do the above, and a cover that allows you to get an accurate weight since any slight breeze (even from a heater vent) can affect your reading. I too have been looking for the same thing and found the following balance called “My-weigh Genpro250 Mg”. http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/my-weigh-gempro-500.aspx This balance is made mostly for weighing gems but can be used for weighing powder as you can change the scale to grain units. It has all the features listed above that does not appear to be present in the powder scales made by Frankford, Hornady, RCBS, PACT, etc. BTW, I got good service from the above seller. |
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Quoted:
It’s a difficult question because it actually depends completely on how much money you have (I am not joking). Digital balance have been around for a long time and the really expensive one are used in the laboratory and cost upwards of thousands of dollars – so the sky is the limit. If you are looking for a decent balance but do not want to go with one of those that cost 20-30 dollars, I think you should be able to get a good one for a little over a $100. What you should look for is one that can measure to 0.05 grain so that you will be sure it is accurate when you are measuring in 0.1 grain. One that has a way to keep it level, usually this means legs that can be screwed up and down to adjust. A build in spirit level would be useful to help you do the above, and a cover that allows you to get an accurate weight since any slight breeze (even from a heater vent) can affect your reading. I too have been looking for the same thing and found the following balance called “My-weigh Genpro250 Mg”. http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/my-weigh-gempro-500.aspx This balance is made mostly for weighing gems but can be used for weighing powder as you can change the scale to grain units. It has all the features listed above that does not appear to be present in the powder scales made by Frankford, Hornady, RCBS, PACT, etc. BTW, I got good service from the above seller. That one does look nice for the money. |
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Quoted:
I bought a cheap $20 ebay scale for shits, and would you believe it its accurate as hell. To this day still right on the money. +1 on the cheap ebay scale although I would not say accurate as hell..I have the mtm case guard scale it works to about .2 grain, I check my powder measure with Ohaus 10-10 and use the cheap digital scale for quick checks while loading.. I would not count on it as only scale though as I here it can give odd weights when batteries are low... |
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Quoted:
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I bought a cheap $20 ebay scale for shits, and would you believe it its accurate as hell. To this day still right on the money. +1 on the cheap ebay scale although I would not say accurate as hell..I have the mtm case guard scale it works to about .2 grain, I check my powder measure with Ohaus 10-10 and use the cheap digital scale for quick checks while loading.. I would not count on it as only scale though as I here it can give odd weights when batteries are low... Mine is usually right on the grain, sometimes it will go off about .2 grains but i just need to re zero it and its back on the money. I check it alot through my measuring process tho to make sure its still accurate. |
VIC Acculab-123 or the Denver Instruments MXX-123. They are the same scale.
VIC Acculab |
| Acculab, which is the direct product replacement for the Denver Instruments MXX-123. |
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Quoted:
It’s a difficult question because it actually depends completely on how much money you have (I am not joking). Digital balance have been around for a long time and the really expensive one are used in the laboratory and cost upwards of thousands of dollars – so the sky is the limit. If you are looking for a decent balance but do not want to go with one of those that cost 20-30 dollars, I think you should be able to get a good one for a little over a $100. What you should look for is one that can measure to 0.05 grain so that you will be sure it is accurate when you are measuring in 0.1 grain. One that has a way to keep it level, usually this means legs that can be screwed up and down to adjust. A build in spirit level would be useful to help you do the above, and a cover that allows you to get an accurate weight since any slight breeze (even from a heater vent) can affect your reading. I too have been looking for the same thing and found the following balance called “My-weigh Genpro250 Mg”. http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/my-weigh-gempro-500.aspx This balance is made mostly for weighing gems but can be used for weighing powder as you can change the scale to grain units. It has all the features listed above that does not appear to be present in the powder scales made by Frankford, Hornady, RCBS, PACT, etc. BTW, I got good service from the above seller. Thats nice! I got a cheap Frankford one and now when I place a load on it it will show one weight then with the load being on there for a few sec it will go up or down 0.02gr. I might have to pick that scale up it looks nice and is in the price range. |
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U can go wrong with a PACT  Can. I just pulled 50 .30-30 bullets 'cause my wonderful PACT II decided somewhere in the process of weighing each charge to get off my .5grains  ... My 31.5g pg H335 at some point went ot 32.0+. Still within range, but the higher vel. blows the group...
skink PS, don't put a PACT near any kind of lighting... |
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Quoted: I have also heard the Frankford Arsenal ones don't hold calibration well. I have a RCBS Rangemaster 750 that seems to do quite well for just checking weights and a Lyman 1200 DPS that I use for precise powder distribution. My Frankford Arsenal scale will range 0.3 grains, even after calibration. It's a fun toy that didn't cost much, but I only use it for a very quick check to ensure I'm not really far over or under on loads. If I want to know for sure, I use the Lee beam scale. I would really like one of the expensive digital scales, but it's kind of a ways out on my list of things to get, somewhere after another 30lbs of powder and a progressive press... |
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The cheaper hornady scales wont hold a zero and shut off fairly quickly.
I have a Lyman dps3 dispenser/ scale and like it. A cheap beam scale is better than a cheap digital scale imho. But if you are set on one buy a decent one. The more accurate it is the more consistent the surrounding temps and electric signals will need to be. |
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thanks all for your input. I ended up getting a RCBS chargemaster 1500 combo w/ dispenser
i have had a FA digital scale and it wont hold a zero, i would need to recalibrate after each weighing, I have a accurate Lyman balance scale but it just takes to long to use. I hope the chargemaster will work out for me |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I have also heard the Frankford Arsenal ones don't hold calibration well. I have a RCBS Rangemaster 750 that seems to do quite well for just checking weights and a Lyman 1200 DPS that I use for precise powder distribution. My Frankford Arsenal scale will range 0.3 grains, even after calibration. It's a fun toy that didn't cost much, but I only use it for a very quick check to ensure I'm not really far over or under on loads. If I want to know for sure, I use the Lee beam scale. I would really like one of the expensive digital scales, but it's kind of a ways out on my list of things to get, somewhere after another 30lbs of powder and a progressive press... Thats the way mine is also just pissing me off that when I set the charge on the scale it will say 27.2 then if I leave it on there to get the brass it will go up or down 0.02 on me! So I really never know what the weight is and for pistol loads like 45acp your cutting it close with a 0.02+ or - then to add another 0.02 + or - it really sucks. I'm looking to buy something else now. |
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