The Original CZ Forum
GENERAL => Ammunition, questions, and handloading techniques => Topic started by: Ukshooter on November 20, 2019, 01:20:44 PM
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I’m looking for recommendations for a digital scale. Looking for something accurate enough for loading pistol rounds.
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I got a Hornady and another cheap one from Amazon. They both seem to work well.
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What is the scale for? Weighing occasional (1 in 10? 1 in 20? setting up the powder measure?) charges or weighing all of them?
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I got this to complement my RCBS 505 balance beam scale. More accurate and quicker. Using both.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962404462.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4djEUvu2
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I intend to use the scale to set powder measure and to check powder weight during production run.
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I got this to complement my RCBS 505 balance beam scale. More accurate and quicker. Using both.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962404462.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4djEUvu2
That looks completely identical to one I have. It's hard to say since none of these cheap things from the PRC have any company manufacturer or brand names on them, but it works well.
Once in a while I'll compare it to an Ohaus 5-0-5 and an RCBS 5-0-5 beam balance scale for accuracy.
I have at least two other cheap digital scales. They all work equally well. How, where, and why I got all these scales... I'm not even sure myself :P
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I bought this one when it was a 'Lightning Deal' but it's only $25 full price. Seems to vary + or - .1gr randomly when I check it with my beam scale.
Frankford Arsenal Digital Scale (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
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I bought this one when it was a 'Lightning Deal' but it's only $25 full price. Seems to vary + or - .1gr randomly when I check it with my beam scale.
Frankford Arsenal Digital Scale (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I also have one of these and had been using it since 2012. It has been flawless since then. I also bought this one from Midway USA:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019558826?pid=691348
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Whatever you buy, be sure and buy a set of check weights with it. It's important to check the scale in the general area you'll be using it in. So for pistol loads you'll want to use a 5gr check weight.
If this is your first scale, then IMHO you'd really be better off with a balance beam scale.
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I bought this one when it was a 'Lightning Deal' but it's only $25 full price. Seems to vary + or - .1gr randomly when I check it with my beam scale.
Frankford Arsenal Digital Scale (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Have one of these as well and seems to do the job well enough for me, especially for the price.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
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I use a RCBS Rangemaster 750. I’ve found it to be very accurate; I calibrate it before every use. It has replaced my Redding #2 magnetic balance scale.
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I use a beam scale (RCBS, what I have, not saying it's the best) to randomly check even my Hornady electronic powder measure/scale unit.
Electric stuff is electric stuff and sometimes electric stuff does funny things you don't realize or want it to do. So I check every so often with the beam scale to insure nothing is drifting high/low on the electronic unit.
A good beam scale is darn quick. Smooth movement, magnetic dampening means it settles very quickly.
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When I started reloading 5.7X28 the load data I was using only had 1/2 of a grain from starting load to max load and most scales are only accurate to 1/2 grain. GemPro 250 is the most accurate digital scale I've found it's accurate to .02 of a grain you can measure as little as one or two kernels of powder. I keep mine plugged in to my computers battery backup 24/7 and have a choke coil on the power cord it stays in calibration for months at a time. The scale will also run on battery power but it eats batteries.
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Another vote for GemPro 250, I also purchased a set of check weights that go down to less than .5 grains.
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I also use a gempro 250. I think they came out with a newer version that may be better.
It's a little slow to respond when tricking but I just lift and reset the tray to get the weight. It also needs to warm up before you use it. It is effected by drafts so make sure you have a stable draft free location.
I have a check weight set to calibrate it/ verify it's output. I also performed a repeatability study and it performed very well. It compared to balances costing much more. It has performed well for me for years and was well worth the purchase price.
Cheers,
Toby
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I’ve had good luck with Dillon electronic. First one lasted for almost 20 years. Initially I had a beam scale as well and cross checked, but my Dillon worked so well I gave the beam to my boy😊.
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If this is your first scale, then IMHO you'd really be better off with a balance beam scale.
I'm just starting out and I have the Lee balance beam scale. It works and seems to be accurate, definitely repeatable, but when I thought I'd check my bullet weights against the manufacturer's claim, I couldn't because the scale maxes out at 100 grains. I also find it very fiddly to get down to the tenths of a grain- bump a tiny bit this way, bump a tiny bit too much the other way, back and forth . . . maybe some balance beam scales are easier to use. I appreciate this thread, it helps new guys like me decide which way to go and which way not to go.
Is it reasonable to buy a better beam scale, or use this one and add an electronic scale?
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I'm just starting out and I have the Lee balance beam scale. It works and seems to be accurate, definitely repeatable, but when I thought I'd check my bullet weights against the manufacturer's claim, I couldn't because the scale maxes out at 100 grains. I also find it very fiddly to get down to the tenths of a grain- bump a tiny bit this way, bump a tiny bit too much the other way, back and forth . . . maybe some balance beam scales are easier to use. I appreciate this thread, it helps new guys like me decide which way to go and which way not to go.
Is it reasonable to buy a better beam scale, or use this one and add an electronic scale?
The Lee scale is a good, robust, usable scale. But it's an entry level product too, with accuracy to 0.2gr. Since average powders increment in 0.2 or 0.3gr steps, it will do most jobs just fine.
Better balance beam scales measure to 500gr, have magnetic dampening, and pivot on gem stones with 0.1gr accuracy. This lets them react quicker to small changes while at the same time steadying more quickly for readings. Your reloading requirements will tell you when you're ready for a scale of greater accuracy.
I think you can go balance or digital on your next scale, as long as you realize your Lee cannot be used to check a good digital. You must also buy the check weights.
On the other hand, there's a lot of hokus-pokus in the digital scale market. Example: a digital may display 2 or even 3 decimal places inferring that it is super accurate. No, the scale's accuracy is what the specs say it is. Another common over-sight is repeatability. Will it return to the exact same reading 5 items later ? Lastly is to realize that software controls the display. Software takes out the "fluttering" and probably averages 100 readings every second. That can affect accuracy and repeatability. So lower-end digitals can use software tricks in place of features like dampening.
;)
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If I had to choose between upgrading to a better beam or adding a digital, I'd upgrade to a better beam scale. Check weights are mandatory either way.
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Or, are they Czech weights ??
???
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Franklin arsenal, digital scale, around 25 bucks, mine has been accurate for the last 5 years.
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Or, are they Czech weights ??
Check, Czech, schmeky - just get some! (I bet the latter has really good ones!)