A Tale of Two Scales

[alamo308]

Just slowly easing into precision reloading, not using a dispenser yet. Using Lee dippers and Bonanza trickler, with (right now) an RCBS 1500 digital scale.
With whichever powder and dipper size I happen to be using, I consistently dip to within .2 to .4 gr weight (even frequently eye-ball the dipper to spot-on), then trickle to target weight.

Now here're the Two Scale questions:
[list type=decimal]
[*]Would I gain any benefits by switching from the RCBS 1500, which I like and am very comfortable with, to a NIB GemPro 250 I have sitting around gathering dust?

[*]Should I sell one or the other, or keep both to use each for specific purposes? And if keeping both, what specific purposes?
[*]Or scrap 'em both and move up (trying to stay below $500)?[/list]

 

[ridgeway]

Option 3 is my vote. Scale to look at is A&D FX-120i, which can be had for around $500 from Cambridge in Canada.

 

[ShootDots]

Option 3 is my vote. Scale to look at is A&D FX-120i, which can be had for around $500 from Cambridge in Canada.

^^^^^ +1 with one caveat... Use the Gem-Pro til you gather the necessary wherewithal to purchase the FX-120I.. Then once that is done, begin to enjoy reloading once again!!

 

[Jet]

Option 3 is my vote. Scale to look at is A&D FX-120i, which can be had for around $500 from Cambridge in Canada.

^^^^^ +1 with one caveat... Use the Gem-Pro til you gather the necessary wherewithal to purchase the FX-120I.. Then once that is done, begin to enjoy reloading once again!!

Same here. Great scales for the price.

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[savageshooter86]

anyone tested GP 250 vs the FX-120 as far as accuracy and how close they weigh compared to each other? I know FX will weigh faster but what else would one gain by switching? I have yet to have any issue with the GP250?

I have a GP250 and Dandy speed trickler and love this combo. Feel more confident that my charges are more consistent than using my old beam scale

 

[flatlander]

Couple of my shooting friends have the Gempro 250s, and both have had significant issues with them, though they were both initially very pleased with the purchase. I have no personal experience with them - bought a DI MXX 123 when they first became available, and had no problems with it (apparently, my experience wasn't all that typical), then sold it and purchased the FX 120i a couple of years ago. Knock on wood, but I feel I bought the last electronic balance I'll ever need when I got the A&D FX 120i. I like it so much that if it were to fail, I'd probably just get another one.

One of the FX-120i's important features is that the user can trickle powder into the pan on the balance with no problems, while the Gempro tends to lock on the final weight register once the scale's digital 'brain' has settled on that value, and the pan must be bumped to 'unlock' the display and allow trickling.

 

[michaelnel]

I am too retro. After my experiences with a GoPro Driftmaster 250 and an RCBS ChargeMangler, I am happily back using my Scott Parker tuned 50 year old beam scale with an Omega trickler. At least I can believe what it says, and my ammo is much improved using it.

 

[normmatzen]

I, too, bought a Gempro on the way to more consistent loads. It is more than accurate enough, but I soon got fed up with the Strain gauge balance problems. Namely drift, tare needs to be re-done often and trickling up is next to impossible. These do not make a bad balance as long as you are aware of this design in balances. And, GemPro is one of the best Strain gauge balances. Where it shines is in opening the lid, zero and tare and make a weigh on some merchandise like a gold ring. Then it performs to rated accuracy. But, turning it on in the morning and expecting the zero and tare to be stable for a couple hours and expecting the display to track the trickler will disappoint you.

What is really the only option when a reloader goes from beam balance accuracy to better than 1/2 a granule of powder accuracy is a magnetic force restoration balance. Like the A&D 120 and my Ohaus TS 120 and TS200 and all the other 1mg accuracy magnetic force restoration balances around.

Your options are the A&D 120 or hanging out on ebay waiting for a known quality balance like Ohaus, Mettler and other popular lab balances. If you choose right, you can get a decent one for $100-$200. PM me and I will tell you my experiences.

 

[dixieppc]

I am too retro. After my experiences with a GoPro Driftmaster 250 and an RCBS ChargeMangler, I am happily back using my Scott Parker tuned 50 year old beam scale with an Omega trickler. At least I can believe what it says, and my ammo is much improved using it.

Amen! I'm not too trusting in digital scales or at least the ones I can afford. A Digital Scale that can give the accuracy, repeatability and single granule sensitivity
that a Scott Parker Tuned Ohaus Balanced Beam 10-10 does would cost many times what the Scott Parker Tuned Ohaus 10-10 would. Best bang for the buck......

 

[Erik Cortina]

Use your Chargemaster to throw .1 low of intended charge, dump onto another pan and set it on your better scale, trickle up charge and dump in a case. By the time you dump powder, the chargemaster will have another one ready to go.

Invest in a scale that can handle powder being trickled onto it.

 

[CatShooter]

Use your Chargemaster to throw .1 low of intended charge, dump onto another pan and set it on your better scale, trickle up charge and dump in a case. By the time you dump powder, the chargemaster will have another one ready to go.

Invest in a scale that can handle powder being trickled onto it.

Why pay for a chargemaster, give up the bench space to set it up, and go through the hassle of a Prima Donna tool... and then have to end up trickling the final 1/10th??

... when any decent powder measure will throw 0.1 to 0.2 light and let you trickle and let you keep some money at the same time.

With a BR-30 and Ohaus M5, I can run away from a Chargemaster in cases charged. And when I'm done, the BR-30 goes back on the pegboard and the Ohaus goes on a shelf. It takes 3 seconds to empty the left over powder.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I have a dedicated loading station, so my scales are set up all the time.
I also have a Harrell's powder thrower that I have tried but the Chargemaster is easier and faster. You feel free to do it your way, I'll do it my way.

 

[Steve3]

Love my RCBS 1010 and Redding trickler for now. Spending what coin I have on loading components practicing/working to shoot better. The illusive 1/4 MOA.

Is a better scale system going to give you better groups.

 

[zipollini]

I went with this combo. The Sartorius Entris 64-1S balance and the Omega II trickler. Glad I spent the extra cash on the balance. Saves tons of time weighing bullets, cases, primers, powder, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr1Wso6P9ZI

 

[chkunz]

I have a fifty year old Lyman-Ohaus "M5" beam balance scale that I check with the calibration weights about every ten years. It is always right on. I have tried a couple of the digital scales over the years and have never figured out why someone would use one of them rather than the beam balance scales. When I was in the business of testing rocket motors at simulated altitude we calibrated the strain gage load cell for measuring axial thrust with a dead weight beam balance calibrator. It could load the force measurement system with a binary set of weights and could go from 1000 lbs to 100,000 lbs in 1000 lb increments and it was the best way to do that calibration and it was extremely accurate, until we had a rocket motor detonate during testing that destroyed it.

 

[michaelnel]

Use your Chargemaster to throw .1 low of intended charge, dump onto another pan and set it on your better scale, trickle up charge and dump in a case. By the time you dump powder, the chargemaster will have another one ready to go.

I tried that, and thought about keeping the ChargeMaster for that. But I was still inside of 30 days on my purchase, and it's actually faster for me to dump an underweight charge with my RCBS Competition measure than it is to get the CM to do it... and it's also way faster to clean up the mechanical measure when I'm done, so I sent the CM back for a refund.

The many reviews showing the CM keyboard failures just after the 1 year warranty period expired and RCBS's crappy response (we'll sell you a new one for $300) also helped to convince me to get rid of it while I can still get all my money back.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Use your Chargemaster to throw .1 low of intended charge, dump onto another pan and set it on your better scale, trickle up charge and dump in a case. By the time you dump powder, the chargemaster will have another one ready to go.

I tried that, and thought about keeping the ChargeMaster for that. But I was still inside of 30 days on my purchase, and it's actually faster for me to dump an underweight charge with my RCBS Competition measure than it is to get the CM to do it... and it's also way faster to clean up the mechanical measure when I'm done, so I sent the CM back for a refund.

The many reviews showing the CM keyboard failures just after the 1 year warranty period expired and RCBS's crappy response (we'll sell you a new one for $300) also helped to convince me to get rid of it while I can still get all my money back.

Read your own signature on this one.

I have had mine for 5 years with no issues, but maybe I'm just lucky! ;D

Powder measure works as well. Different ways to skin a cat.

 

[alamo308]

Option 3 is my vote. Scale to look at is A&D FX-120i, which can be had for around $500 from Cambridge in Canada.

Any votes or reviews for the A&D FX-300i?

 

[Sray53TXTN]

Use your Chargemaster to throw .1 low of intended charge, dump onto another pan and set it on your better scale, trickle up charge and dump in a case. By the time you dump powder, the chargemaster will have another one ready to go.

Invest in a scale that can handle powder being trickled onto it.

+1

 

[snd]

I am too retro. After my experiences with a GoPro Driftmaster 250 and an RCBS ChargeMangler, I am happily back using my Scott Parker tuned 50 year old beam scale with an Omega trickler. At least I can believe what it says, and my ammo is much improved using it.

Amen! I'm not too trusting in digital scales or at least the ones I can afford. A Digital Scale that can give the accuracy, repeatability and single granule sensitivity
that a Scott Parker Tuned Ohaus Balanced Beam 10-10 does would cost many times what the Scott Parker Tuned Ohaus 10-10 would. Best bang for the buck......

What these guys said ^^^^