ELECTRONIC SCALES

[Matt P]

I have a set of RCBS battery powered scales, and they're shit.
Can anyone recommend ones that are consisitant and reliable ???

Matt P

[TOM]

Hi Matt,
What's your budget?

TOM

[johnk]

Matt,

I've had good results with inexpensive oriental battery scales with a claimed readability of 1 milligram. I bought them for the hell of it, but since I've used them, I've found that their repeatability & sensitivity were as claimed & accuracy was sufficient to get me spreads of teens with my match rifle loads & single digit with my F class rifle.

I believe that many performance issues are as a result of not countering the issues that cause variability in electronic scales. Here's a procedure I wrote for a friend based on advice I received from man mountain some time ago & the occasional refinement that I've introduced:

Loading with electronic scales.

Never trust any scales, electronic or balance. Conditions will change their performance. Therefore, make a test weight for every load you use regularly & mark it so you know which is which. I use old .222 projectiles & trim the soft points with a break blade knife until I have the right weight.

I weigh using the milligram scale option, because 1 milligram is pretty close to 1 kernel of N550, meaning I can load to that precision, all else being equal.

Rules:

Only remove the pan from the scales to dump the load. If you take it off during the loading process, you’ll have to start again because you will likely lose some precision. Scales use what’s called a floating tare facility, which allows them to adjust their tare weight as conditions change, but you don’t want that flexibility to be part of your loading.

Always either measure up to a weight (as you’d normally do), or load down from more than you want – don’t mix. If you drop too much on, take it back under before working to your load.

Force the scales to evaluate every addition you make (even one kernel of N550) by “leaning on” the pan after you add powder. Scales have a bit of “fuzziness” in their precision, which can cause them to translate a small change as a tare correction. Gently touching the pan with something like a flexible spill pf paper will cause the mechanism to positively evaluate every addition.

Give the scales time to settle. On occasion, just one extra kernel can set the load virtually half way between a couple of graduations. Eventually, it will make up its mind & settle on the “correct” value.

Keep away from drafts. These are fine scales & can be influenced by zephyrs, but not as much as some, I’ve noticed.

Procedure:

Make a powder shovel. I tear a rose leaf shaped piece of paper out of one of those newsagent cheap paper bags & crease it along the centreline right through the point. That stiffens it up ever so slightly & lets me pick up one kernel, 5, a dozen or whatever to toss in the pan – and scoop out some if I overload it. The paper tears with a fuzzy edge that helps picking up powder.

Set up powder thrower to toss just under desired load.

Set up scales & check with standard weight & test weight. Add pan and tare scales.

Check that scale is reading correctly using your test weight.

Throw a charge into a separate container (I use a balance pan from my beam scale) & pour it into the scale pan, making sure that you don’t bump the pan or scales.

Lean on the pan with your paper roseleaf, wait & read.

Add powder with roseleaf, lean & read until correct reading occurs.

Remember to check that the scale has returned to tare zero reading before dumping next charge from measure.

Precautions, hints:

If ever a load acts abnormally, eg doesn’t increase when you add powder, dump it, retare the scales & test with your test weight.

Be careful not to dump powder onto scale balance top. I’ve done it - it’s easy for a kernel to slip past the pan.

Occasionally dump an earlier charge back onto the scales (via your separate container of course). As much as anything, this will reassure you that the scales are accurate & repeatable (or at least mine did).

The negative reading that you see when you take a full pan off the scales can change during the course of a loading session. If you become uncomfortable, tare the scales without a pan, add the pan & tare them again.

Don’t bother to use a trickler. It is a nuisance with powders like N550 which can clump & fall in bunches & besides, when you get practiced with the roseleaf, you’ll be dumping a counted number of kernels on the pan in no time.

Precision with N550 is near enough to 1 milligram most of the time. Precision of AR 2206 is closer to 2 & 2208 would be not much different. Precision is a function of kernel size & weight.

John

[M12LRPV]

I have the rcbs partner battery ones and used to think they were bad until I
got used to them.

I've found that location of the scales makes a difference. I can load on the dining room table but if I do it on the kitchen bench I have problems. Mainly because of wind drafts. Even sitting them in front of me my breath can affect them.

I made up a check weight the same weight as my charge and use that to check the scales and it's always correct to the +/- 0.1 grain through a session of 50 rounds.

It can go haywire when the battery gets down but that is easily recognised and dealt with.

I've looked at getting more precise scales but it seems that we just cannot get good scales here for reasonable prices.

[Matt P]

TOM
As long as they work, cost within reason $300-400

Matt P

[TOM]

Matt.
I have a set of A&D FX320. Have had these for around 12 years and literally loaded 1000's. These scales are expensive but in that time they have not missed a beat. Accuracy is 1 milligram ( 0.02 grains or one kernel of 2208 )
Have a second ( backup ) set of Denver Instruments MXX123. Accuracy again 1 milligram--however they do " float " and constantly need rezeroing, no big deal. They are accurate but a little slow compared to the A&D, but much cheaper tho'--within your price range.
Response time is about 10 secs compared to 1.5 secs--not sure if Sinclairs sell them or not.
I use them as a chech occassionally and they are always within + or - 0.02 gns of the A & D.
Yes I would reccommend them.

TOM

[M12LRPV]

So how much was that A & D scale?

One of the frustrating things with the high end scales is that no one will advertise a price so you have no idea of what they're going to cost or if you're getting ripped off with a quote.

[TOM]

When I purchased them they Cost $1350. Believe they are now around $1800. An overkill in terms of what you get but if you want accuracy and repeatability you gotta pay.
A & D make cheaper but they go in multiples of 10 so next model has 0.2 gn accuracy followed by 2 gn etc. Price comes down accordingly. There are other manufacturers who make precision scales as well, no doubt all will be expensive.
TOM

[M12LRPV]

[RAVEN]

PM sent

[Eicharsto]

I have the Dillon D Terminator digital scales, and the Dillon Beam manufactured by OHaus.

I find the digital scales to be pretty identical which really surprised me, but the digital are consistently weighing the same as the beam.

Beam cost $95, Digitals were $230.

[Seddo]

I have the Dillon D Terminator digital scales, and the Dillon Beam manufactured by OHaus.

I find the digital scales to be pretty identical which really surprised me, but the digital are consistently weighing the same as the beam.

Beam cost $95, Digitals were $230.

+2 on the dillon electronic scales. They are made by CED, i have since found out the ced scales are cheaper, the only differecne being the colour.

[Cameron Mc]

Going back to the AND scales. I bought a set about 5 years ago from Horsley Park. Model is HL 1500. Apparently Horsley had AND re calibrate one of their models to measure in grains. They cost me $320. I run them on battery power so no problems with less then perfect AC supply. They have worked flawlessly. Now warm up time. I have used them on frosty mornings and during summer at 40c in my area. This model measures to 1500 grains. Has levelling feet with a bubble. They have worked great for me. Not sure if these are still available but call Horsley Park Gun shop.

Hope this helps
Cameron

[Eicharsto]

I have the Dillon D Terminator digital scales, and the Dillon Beam manufactured by OHaus.

I find the digital scales to be pretty identical which really surprised me, but the digital are consistently weighing the same as the beam.

Beam cost $95, Digitals were $230.

+2 on the dillon electronic scales. They are made by CED, i have since found out the ced scales are cheaper, the only differecne being the colour.

I am a bit of a Dillon Fan - it would drive me nuts to have everything Blue but non blue scales i reckon it has something to do with OCD

[Seddo]

I am a bit of a Dillon Fan - it would drive me nuts to have everything Blue but non blue scales i reckon it has something to do with OCD

Do you load rifle ammo on your dillon? I didnt think it would be accurate enough so i bought a Hornady LnL press for match ammo. I'm with you about dillon presses, i have a 1050 & 550 for loading pistol ammo. About a year ago i have 2 x 550's and 2 x square deals set up on my loading bench.