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Actual weight of Lyman test weights

In January, a relative that works in a lab, called me and told me it was a little slow with everything going on but someone still has to be in the lab, to monitor the balances, as they are on 24/7. I told him I had a project for him to weigh some Lyman grain weights, plus some pennyweight and some grain weights that were bought in 1975.

He weighed them just one time. These are the results:

Nominal.........Actual
Weight............Weight

100 grains.....100.168 grains
50 grains.......50.062 grains
20 grains.......20.294 grains
20 grains.......20.216 grains
10 grains.......10.046 grains
5 grains............4.986 grains
2 grains............2.006 grains
2 grains............2.006 grains
1 grain..............1.038 grain
.5 grain.............. .508 grain

Later on, he ask if I would like to have these closer to the Nominal Weight, I told him sure. He said it took him several hours to remove the excess weight. These are the results:

Nominal.........Actual
Weight...........Weight
.
100 grains.....100.006 grains
50 grains.......50.000 grains
20 grains.......19.996 grains
20 grains.......20.002 grains
10 grains.......10.006 grains
5 grains............4.986 grains - was not changed
2 grains............2.006 grains - was not changed
2 grains............2.006 grains - was not changed
1 grain..............1.004 grain
.5 grain............. .508 grain - was not changed

I had no idea he would make them this close but like he said, he was bored with nothing else to do. I would have been happy if they were all within + .050 or less.

He didn't do anything to the 1, 2, two 4's, 5 and a 10 pennyweight (1 pennyweight (.dwt) = 24.000 grains) and a .5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, two 12's grain weights, I bought in 1975 as he said they were all within .016 grains or less.
 
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I have a check weight for each load. I smash a 1/4oz lead fishing sinker flat and trim it down to the target weight with nail clippers. Not very scientific, but as long as it matches My target load weight, all is fine. I check the scale calibration every 5 rounds :)
 
if you were using the scale to sell gold or prescription drugs that would be a problem. For weighing powder loads however the only thing that matters is that everytime you use those checkweights they weigh the same as they did the last time. Plus or minus the tolerance of the wscale of course. If the scale says they weigh 2 grams more than they are marked you have a problem
 
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Good info and fun project. A few tenths IS enough to make a difference - especially in smaller charge weights like 20 grains. Thanks for sharing.
 
WOW, how can you guys get away with not knowing how "Weight" works.
One year old comments uncontested.

The whole idea of Mass Standards is they should not change.
Using "Grams" a 100 gram standard has an apparent mass of 100 grams in Death Valley, Denver, or on the Moon.
It's mass does not change due to elevation, atmospheric pressure, or how you hold your mouth. It's Weight due to the force of gravity does change.

If you relocate your scale to the Moon you will have to recalibrate your scale due to the reduced force of gravity, not because the 100 gram cal weight changed.

Using a good cal or check "Weight" with a known mass is a good idea.
Lose it, replace it, damage it and you can recover past data with a new one, also of known mass.
While cheap less durable weights can be economical substitutes, knowing that your scale has been calibrated against known values will allow you to compare your loading/shooting results to others.
Published load data was likely obtained using accurate weights. Is yours?

Trusting your 100 gram scale (just an example) calibrated at 50 or 100 grams (771.6 or 1543.2 grains) to provide accurate results at target loads, 40 grains for example is really giving you confidence in your charges without using a check weight near your target value?
The FULL SCALE calibration will likely NOT impact how your scale reads at lower values.
A few milligrams of error @ full scale probably won't be seen at typical charge weights.
Full scale calibration is the least likely value to spot scale errors at lesser loads.

Use a lead weight, bullet, nickle if you want, just don't spout off about weights changing.
Non magnetic steel standards, free of obvious damage can outlast your scale if treated properly.
10-gram-cert.jpg
 
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