What small digital scale do you suggest?

[Doom]

It took from 2 to 4 kernels to register a change. That was with the Bullet and also with just the pan zeroed. That is about what I expected from a cheap load cell based scale especially dropping one kernel at a time with tweezers from no real height.

I bought this scale as check scale for use with my Chargemaster. I'm not in need of one kernel resolution. All my shooting is 600yds or less and no competition.

Since I was in the files here is a test I ran on 28 charges of 8208 XBR thrown by the CM1500 at 25.4 gn. I didn't show it on the image but the 95% confidence interval based on this sampling is 25.3815 to 25.4125.

 

[Lefty2506]

I'm learning a ton in this thread. Both from the wonderful information provided and the testing I'm doing.

I loaded some fire forming loads with the PL-50 last night. Man that scale is jumpy! Very fast and sensitive. The load weight I was going for was 36.00. To reach that weight was very difficult for the scale, I'm guessing due to rounding issues. Using Shooters World Precision, a smallish extruded like varget, I would pour and then trickle the powder. I would either end up on 35.98 or 36.02. I'd remove the pan and replace it to verify the weight. Doing this a couple times I would either add or subtract one granule or powder and then pour into the case.

After every 7th round loaded I would tare the scale, make sure the 2g check weight was 30.86 grains, place the pan and tare the scale, then place the check weight in the pan. Doing this made sub groups of the 25 rounds.

After 25 rounds, I checked the results with the TRX-925. I found the results really interesting.

Each sub group was very consistent +/-0.02gr between the 7 rounds. However when comparing the weights of subgroup A to Subgroup B, the powder weight was nearly .08gr different.

It seems as though, re-taring the scale made my powder weights vastly different. I have no idea why. I tried another 25 rounds and tared the pan before each single powder throw. Results were all over the place. I know this is a lot of detail and boring to most, but maybe someone can help explain what is going on?

For me, trickling powder has always caused all of my digital scales to drift frequently. Ironically, my cheap Amazon digital scale drifts less than my Dillion or Lyman scales did (and also less than the RCBS/PACT scales I used to use). I weigh my pan empty, right after doing a calibration. For the sake of this example, lets pretend that my pan weighs 128.12 grains. While loading, if I pick up my pan do dump the powder into a case, the scale should ready -128.12. If it reads something that's off by more than .02, I consider re-zeroing everything. If the value is off by more than .04, I automatically tare and reweigh the charge that I just dumped. I've also used a sharpie to write the weight of the calibration standard in grains on the standard itself so I can quickly set it in my powder pan and make sure nothing has changed.

I've also gotten away from trickling in the standard sense. I throw my charge from an RCPS Uniflow that's mounted to my bench in an RCBS stand (not the sheet metal piece the thrower comes with). I throw directly into my pan, and then place the pan on the scale and weigh it. I have a second pan with a narrow spout that works great for scooping up a few kernels out of the charge, or for trickling a few more kernels into the powder charge. After 20 rounds or so you'll have a pretty good idea of how much you need to add or remove to get the charge where you want it. If its within +/- .04 grains, that's PLENTY good enough. For decades, our scales only read to 0.1 grains meaning that the exact same charge could ready 25.3, 25.4, or 25.5 grains and still be considered accurate. I can load this way a LOT faster than I could using something like an RCBS chargemaster.

 

[Doom]

For me, trickling powder has always caused all of my digital scales to drift frequently. Ironically, my cheap Amazon digital scale drifts less than my Dillion or Lyman scales did (and also less than the RCBS/PACT scales I used to use). I weigh my pan empty, right after doing a calibration. For the sake of this example, lets pretend that my pan weighs 128.12 grains. While loading, if I pick up my pan do dump the powder into a case, the scale should ready -128.12. If it reads something that's off by more than .02, I consider re-zeroing everything. If the value is off by more than .04, I automatically tare and reweigh the charge that I just dumped. I've also used a sharpie to write the weight of the calibration standard in grains on the standard itself so I can quickly set it in my powder pan and make sure nothing has changed.

I've also gotten away from trickling in the standard sense. I throw my charge from an RCPS Uniflow that's mounted to my bench in an RCBS stand (not the sheet metal piece the thrower comes with). I throw directly into my pan, and then place the pan on the scale and weigh it. I have a second pan with a narrow spout that works great for scooping up a few kernels out of the charge, or for trickling a few more kernels into the powder charge. After 20 rounds or so you'll have a pretty good idea of how much you need to add or remove to get the charge where you want it. If its within +/- .04 grains, that's PLENTY good enough. For decades, our scales only read to 0.1 grains meaning that the exact same charge could ready 25.3, 25.4, or 25.5 grains and still be considered accurate. I can load this way a LOT faster than I could using something like an RCBS chargemaster.

An observation on your drift comment. Because the resolution is 0.02gn your pan could weigh anywhere between 128.115gn and 128.134gn. If it is near either of the extremes you might see the reading change do to something other than zero drift such as hysteresis or reading the scale too quick. The best way to eliminate these kinds of errors is to rezero/tare the scale prior to each measurement.

 

[AlNyhus]

Had some time this morning to play with the Gem20 a bit. Both it and the Jennings VS-VG20 show the same weights for a variety of objects from 1.0 gr. to 117.0 gr. Tough to go wrong with either if you're looking for a nice small electronic scale. The Jennings carry case is quite a bit better if you're just tossing it into a range box...but the Gem20 box is certainly adequate.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[Dimner]

I've also gotten away from trickling in the standard sense. I throw my charge from an RCPS Uniflow that's mounted to my bench in an RCBS stand (not the sheet metal piece the thrower comes with). I throw directly into my pan, and then place the pan on the scale and weigh it. I have a second pan with a narrow spout that works great for scooping up a few kernels out of the charge, or for trickling a few more kernels into the powder charge. After 20 rounds or so you'll have a pretty good idea of how much you need to add or remove to get the charge where you want it. If its within +/- .04 grains, that's PLENTY good enough. For decades, our scales only read to 0.1 grains meaning that the exact same charge could ready 25.3, 25.4, or 25.5 grains and still be considered accurate. I can load this way a LOT faster than I could using something like an RCBS chargemaster.

The process you describe is exactly how I do it with my RCBS comp powder measure and my TRX-925. And I totally agree, after 20 rounds, or even less if you stick with the same cartridge for a while, you figure out the particulars of adding or removing small amounts of powder.

The only hiccup I have is when using larger extruded powders. 95% of my reloading is with extruded and there are a couple that are just CHONKY. I'm looking at you IMR3031! The powder measure will bind during the swing on a random kernel. That one charge will show up on the scale about .5 to 1.5 grain off (larger deviation for heavier weight being thrown). In that case I do very similar to you, except add/subtract some kernels with my .3cc lee powder dipper.

For adding a few kernels, I use a pair of wide bladed tweezers. Have not found a little spoon yet that I can consistently add or subtract 5 or less kernels without a major hassle. So it's either the tweezers, or the .3cc dipper for adding more than 5 kernels.

Having switched to the TRX-925 a year and a half ago, my powder charges have gotten so much more precise over using a beam scale. My testing shows +/- 0.02 with my weighing process. Then in the spring this year I added the RCBS comp powder measure and my powder measuring became much more efficient.

All in all a quality digital scale you have confidence in and a repeatable powder throwing process are key.

 

[Lefty2506]

An observation on your drift comment. Because the resolution is 0.02gn your pan could weigh anywhere between 128.115gn and 128.134gn. If it is near either of the extremes you might see the reading change do to something other than zero drift such as hysteresis or reading the scale too quick. The best way to eliminate these kinds of errors is to rezero/tare the scale prior to each measurement.

Actually, the drift I was seeing was on Dillon, RCBS/PACT, and Lyman digital scales that only measured down to +/- 0.1 grains. If I used an actual powder trickler, they would loose their zero within 10 round 100% of the time, and sometimes within 5 rounds. The cheap scale I have will do the same thing if I'm doing that, but with the process I described above, everything has held its zero pretty well. I loaded 100 rnds of 223 with N133 on Saturday and only had to tare twice after I started, and both of those were significant shifts of over 0.2grains.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I have the Creedmoor TRX-925 and I love it.

However, sometimes when I go up north to the cabin, I have the itch to do some reloading. Or sometimes a friend and I get together at his house to do some reloading. I'd rather not carry around the bigger scale. In fact, I'll say I will not carry it around, just don't want to mess with that for casual reloading. So I'm looking for a reliable, $100 or less scale. The problem is, the market is flooded with cheap digital scales that are absolute crap. I have no way of knowing which is good (if there are any) and what is trash.

I'm good with a scale that has a resolution of +/- 0.05 grains or something that only shows the tenth of a grain. What I'm more picky about is drift. I just want all of my loads at XY.Zgrs to all be the same weight and not drift up an down. Some have liked the gempro 250 (some abhor it), but that's no longer available. I have the frankford arsenal scale, but that drifts bad.

I will be traveling with the check weights for the TRX-925. They are "three F-1 class calibration weights (2g, 10g 50g). These precision grade weights are machined from stainless steel, and each come in its own protective storage case." So these three weights I will have in my kit to use as calibration tools.

Do you guys have any suggestions on a small portable scale that has very little drift?

Yesterday I weighed some bullets using a gem 20 smart weight. I bought it in the last year. excellent little scale. fast. 100% recommend.