Powder Scales

H

HoustonBob

New member
Seeing an inexpensive battery operated digital scale from Lyman advertised at Midway for about $25 I made an impulse buy and got one - not expecting much.

I wanted to have a scale that would be useful for weighing bullets etc. Balance beam style scales are very clumsy to use for weighing bullets and brass.

I weighed a piece of Winchester .223 brass on the digital scale then set that weight on my two balance beam scales. Much to my surprise my Lee and Hornady balance beam scales both agreed with the digital scale that the brass weighed 94.8 grains.

All three scales have got their own set of problems. The Lee scale is significantly under damped and spends a lot of time oscillating when powder is trickled into the pan. It is the lowest weight capacity scale of the three; going only to 110 grains. In addition the Lee vernier style grain and .1 grain slider is easily knocked from its reading to a different reading while removing the powder tray.

The Hornady scale appears to be critically damped, weighs up to 510 grains of powder - its balance weights are not easily moved by accident, but the scale will lose its zero really easily.

A manual digital scale suffers from the fact that its readout changes with each powder weighing; it is really easy to start off weighing 24.3 grains of powder - get confused - and wind up weighing 23.4 grains of powder.

What do the rest of you use for your hand loading scales?
 
on your digital scales are you calibrating them each time you start a reloading session ? I have two of them and found that they each work perfectly if I calibrate them when I start a loading session. My Lyman balance beam works perfectly every time I use it and I zero it before setting the desired weight.
 
I have had a couple of cheap (not inexpensive) electronic scales and I use only balance beam scales now. It really helped when the power went out for 8 days. I got a lot of reloading done.
 
What do the rest of you use for your hand loading scales?

One of my oldest and still great scales is a Lyman M5. I think we have a member here who must have a dozen of them. I also have a 25 year old RCBS Digital (made by PACT) which actually works just fine. Then there is a RCBS 5-0-5 I haven't used much at all and finally a RCBS 1500 Chargemaster which is actually more a powder dispenser system than just a scale. I really like the Chargemaster and it does a very good job. Oh yeah, at some point I ended up with a little GemPro which is OK but not great for getting a pan on.

My opinion is that if you want an accurate scale be it beam balance or digital a good known uncertainty set of check weights is a must. I have a decent set and before I retired was fortunate in that I had them checked in the plant lab. They are more than good enough as basic Class F weights and all I should ever need. Anyway, a scale is only as good as the weights it is checked with.

Ron
 
I've never used an electronic scale but I have weighted a lot of bullet's years ago on my balance beam. At the time I though I was getting better loads because of it. Good bullet's from well known maker's will drive you nut's weighing then, they are all to good! But I though at one time I might like an electric scale just to weight bullet's, probably read out the same but be quicker to move on to the next bullet. Reason I haven't got one is my balance beam has never let me down. Never have to fool much with zeroing it but does need it now and then. I think one reason is it's pretty heavy. I've got a few 1# ingot's of lead secured inside the base to hold it still! Works pretty good. Though about just pouring the base full but would probably ruin the scale by warping it! Most guys I've talked to that have electronic scales like them. Lot of them have never used anything else.
 
on your digital scales are you calibrating them each time you start a reloading session ? I have two of them and found that they each work perfectly if I calibrate them when I start a loading session. My Lyman balance beam works perfectly every time I use it and I zero it before setting the desired weight.
Click to expand...

The instructions that came with the new digital scale caution the user not to use the scale on the same table as the press; the vibration caused by press operation will jiggle the load plate enough to throw it out of calibration. I find that to be true. Had to calibrate it before every weighing if I had it on the same table.
 
If you want to weigh bullets and brass, check out the scales available on the Post Office site, usps.com (Desk Top Scale). Mine works great. I weigh count, having established what a sample of each weighs in ounces per 100, more commonly posted around as pounds per thousand.

It will not display in grains, so it really is the next heavier duty above small, jewelry type, digital scales. I use the scales in my business, so that was the justification for the investment. I also have the larger model for weighing packages up to 330 pounds, packages more typically 15-20 pounds. Seems like a credible source for scales.
 
Frankfort Arsenal cheap digital to double check my RCBS 505 scale. I'll use digital to get my powder throw close and then use the 505 for all measuring. Pistol, check every 10 or so throws... Rifle, check and trickle all loads.
 
I have $45 Lymann electric scale. Rarely use balance beam RCBS 5050 any more. I have tested with check weights, before anyone says I am going to blow up children.
 
+1 for the Lyman M5. Although I'm not sure I can actually prove it's more accurate or sensitive than the RCBS 5-0-5 I used for decades before it. Both will respond to one more granule of Varget out of a trickler. Of course, I have Laboratory Grade Gravity in my basement, which probably helps.
 
I have my Chargemaster and my PACT that have dispensers of course, but I still weigh each charge on one of my beam scales(I own a dozen). I have never and will never, trust a digital!

My favorite beam scale that is in current production is the Redding RS2.

My favorite beam scale of all of them is the Ohaus/RCBS 10-10
 
Not sure if I will ever waste my time with a beam scale again. I am sure it will get used for something.

It is too slow, and I don't like getting out a magnifying glass to see how close to the line it is. Cause all your doing is lying up to chalk marks.
Technology.

even if they scare you, they can be used to get your pourer close.
 
OP - The Lee scale is significantly under damped and spends a lot of time oscillating when powder is trickled into the pan.
Click to expand...

If you hold your finger firmly over the slot, the measure quickly stops its downward impulse, unable to cycle upward until you remove your finger. If the load is heavy for the scale setting you will know soon enough, removing your finger. If light, it will be obvious immediately.
 
I have a PACT, a CM1500 and that little Frankford Arsenal digital.

I also own 5 Redding's( one original un-dampned, 3 RS1's and a RS2), a 10-10, a 5-0-2 and 4 of the Lee safety scales.

All in use around both reloading benches, my portable bench and the "bug out" reloading box.

Try this just for kicks, take one kernel of Varget and drop on your digital. Take that same kernel and drop on a "zeroed" beam scale.

I bet the digital doesn't even recognize the kernel, I bet the beam scale does.

I trust gravity

Yes, I realize that we don't need to be "one kernel" precise on our charges, but the other thing is consistency!

Saturday morning I did some test loads for my .243w using some new to me bullets and two powders (Sierra 95g TMK's). I made 60 drops with the CM. Even though the CM said that the charge was on its target weight, I had 35 drops that were over as I weighed each drop on my Redding RS1. Of those 35, some were as much as .3g off! That's enough to be too much in some cases, not in mine, but its certainly enough to say that the CM isn't 100% accurate all the time. My PACT is slightly more consistent than the CM1500

No air flow in my reloading room, no florescent lighting, no other electronics, surrounded by 10" of concrete wall, its about as stable of an environment one can weigh in.

I trust my beam scales with my life, my hands, and my eyes!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top