A&D FX120i? Yes or no

[markm87]

The A&D with auto trickle is amazing, but it's downsides are:

1. Not programable to remember loads/pre-set loads.
2. Powder change is a pain compared to the Chargemaster, and
3. The unit is a pain to drag out if you don't have a dedicated and clean/safe place to keep it set up all the time.

I have to save up at least 200 rounds of a caliber before I take the beating of setting the thing up. It smokes the chargemaster on speed and accuracy, but the chargemaster has some wonderful features the A&D doesn't.

 

[Monday shooter40]

The A&D with auto trickle is amazing, but it's downsides are:

1. Not programable to remember loads/pre-set loads.
2. Powder change is a pain compared to the Chargemaster, and
3. The unit is a pain to drag out if you don't have a dedicated and clean/safe place to keep it set up all the time.

I have to save up at least 200 rounds of a caliber before I take the beating of setting the thing up. It smokes the chargemaster on speed and accuracy, but the chargemaster has some wonderful features the A&D doesn't.

Im happy with the FX120 so far. I do have a dedicated space in my shop where my powder throwing equipment stays set up all the time. I am still throwing and trickling by hand. I have dedicated Lee powder measures for specific cartriges that throw reasonably close to my target charge. eventually ill move up to the V4, but for now, i feel much better about having an accurate scale. Throwing and trickling by hand is all ive ever known, so i dont feel like and auto thrower is neccessary to my program. But i certainly dream of it when im loading for 2 day matches 250+ rounds.

 

[markm87]

I'm actually setting up the A&D tonight for a 6.5CM 200 round session. I have a certain anxiety level around it because it's pretty expensive and I can be a ham fisted idiot at times.

 

[ACard]

The A&D with auto trickle is amazing, but it's downsides are:

1. Not programable to remember loads/pre-set loads.
2. Powder change is a pain compared to the Chargemaster, and
3. The unit is a pain to drag out if you don't have a dedicated and clean/safe place to keep it set up all the time.

I have to save up at least 200 rounds of a caliber before I take the beating of setting the thing up. It smokes the chargemaster on speed and accuracy, but the chargemaster has some wonderful features the A&D doesn't.

Mostly agree but wanted to point out with the bluetooth interface saving a charge is moot, the only tedius part for me is that I use an ATV3 and have to set the main charge but when I get the threaded plunger where i want it I take a pic on my cell phone with the scale a visible and edit pic with text of what caliber that setting is for. Speeds the initial setup between calibers up nicely.

 

[Fire Dog]

Buy the A&D you will not regret it. In short I have reloaded for 40 odd years and during that time have tried nearly all options commonly used, including multiple laboratory grade scales. I could always make whatever I had work. Then about 3 years ago I bought and A&D and ATV3 setup.... it changed my life in a reloading sense and I have never once looked back or regretted my purchase. I wish I could say that for soooo many other reloading related purchases...

The only other scale I would consider is the sartorius...

YMMV


ETA- Jaeger makes a solid point there are many other factors to SD and maintaining the results you are after.

I have the first model of the 120 with all the Area 419 up grades and have never regretted the money spent.
Has been the most reliable and accurate powder measure I have used over 40+ years of loading...
Have recently added the powder trickler up grade from Ingenuity Precision that has increased the speed of weighting each charge...

Ingenuity Powder Meter Preorder “THIS IS NOT THE NEW SYSTEM!”

ingenuityprecision.com

Cry once, Buy once....

 

[drop_point]

I'm thinking REAL hard about going ahead and ordering one of these so that I can add a Super Trickler or Auto Trickler later. Somebody talk me out of it...

 

[ACard]

I have the first model of the 120 with all the Area 419 up grades and have never regretted the money spent.
Has been the most reliable and accurate powder measure I have used over 40+ years of loading...
Have recently added the powder trickler up grade from Ingenuity Precision that has increased the speed of weighting each charge...

Ingenuity Powder Meter Preorder “THIS IS NOT THE NEW SYSTEM!”

ingenuityprecision.com

Cry once, Buy once....

I also added the IP trickler and it is much better!

 

[boltman13]

My story is probably similar to many others on this Forum. I started with a RCBS 505 beam scale with a magnifing glass focused on the beam, throwing lite charges with a Lyman II powder dispenser and a hand trickler to trickle up to the weight. Very slow, frequent slight overshoots and switching to a Little Dandy powered trickler helped but still only +/- 0.10 grains. Results were not repeatable, reweighing the same charge would be just off under 30X magnification. I tried a GemPro 250 and it seamed better with tighter +/-'s but the drift on the scale drove me nuts and still slow with frequent need to re-zero the scale. I finally purchased the A&D 120 and AT V2 and I thought I had gone to heaven. I then added a Trip-Lite line conditioner, and the V3 and better still, about 45 minutes to dispense 50 chargers with about 5 one kernel overshoot and 8-10 under, of H4350 or Varget. I just recently got my V4 and now 50 cases takes about 40 minutes with only about 5 not spot on. The AutoTrickler V4 is a seamless add on to the A&D120. Adam states +/- one kernel won't show up on the target and I believe him.

 

[markm87]

I attempted to run a bunch of 6.5cm with IMR 4350 Friday night but had to quit and switch to the Chargemaster. No less than 15 times the thrower got stuck on a powder kernel and wouldn't actuate the full travel And would get stuck mid throw.

I was pissed to say the least because the whole point of this rig is to throw accurately with powder that's not the most meter friendly.

 

[drop_point]

I just ordered the SuperTrickler with an estimated delivery of Feb 2023. Is CE the best place to purchase the FX 120i? It seems to be $550 shipped there. Any places do "Black Friday" on lab grade scales?