What powder scale are you using? It is time for me to buy a new scale. It appears mine has STB.
Ben
Ben
Quality Powder Scale
- Thread starter BenPerfected
- Start date
HTSmith
Silver $$ Contributor
If you need something quick the A&D 120i. If you can wait a Scott Parker tuned M5 is just as accurate if you use a camera setup—just a lil slower. I’ve got both. Both will measure to the nearest kernel of Varget consistently. I’m sure there are other good ones but those are what I have
Ranger188
Silver $$ Contributor
What's your budget. Most are buying the FX120i and having no issues.
Do you load a lot? Might buy the auto trickler, if not, just stick with the
scale only. Last one you'll need.
This one. If you buy, make sure you use the "discount" code.
https://ceproducts.shop/collections/featured-products/products/fx-120i-reloading-scale-122g-x-0-001g
Do you load a lot? Might buy the auto trickler, if not, just stick with the
scale only. Last one you'll need.
This one. If you buy, make sure you use the "discount" code.
https://ceproducts.shop/collections/featured-products/products/fx-120i-reloading-scale-122g-x-0-001g
Sparker tuned Redding master #2, Teslong borescope connected to laptop. As stated above, down to the kernel!! I'm in no hurry.
Thanks Bill
Thanks Bill
Sorry, wanted to add, I throw powder from Lee powder throwers a 1/10 or so low, trickle up with dandy trickler. I have Lee powder measures for 5 different calibers i shoot as they are about $20.00 apiece and I don't have to readjust them.
Thanks Bill
Thanks Bill
Liven The Dream
Gold $$ Contributor
Less Cash Slower 5 year Guaranty Newton EJ-123 .
Read up on the requirements for your Electronic Scale in your work Area !
Little things like Line Voltage and Cell Phones can upset your Scale ????
I spent more on my shop updates than my Scale.
I shoot a lot F/Class and a Few Calibers .
Also Have a Old RCBS (Ohaus) 5-10 Tuned and a Dandy Trickler set up
They both get the Job Done .
If you need Fast FX-120 and all extras are great. $$$
Read up on the requirements for your Electronic Scale in your work Area !
Little things like Line Voltage and Cell Phones can upset your Scale ????
I spent more on my shop updates than my Scale.
I shoot a lot F/Class and a Few Calibers .
Also Have a Old RCBS (Ohaus) 5-10 Tuned and a Dandy Trickler set up
They both get the Job Done .
If you need Fast FX-120 and all extras are great. $$$
It depends on what your goals and budget are. If you're on a tight budget, a quality beam scale will work. Looking for something that will cut down on reloading time and serve you well in 98% of most reloading scenarios, then a Frankford Arsenal Intellidropper or RCBS Chargemaster Lite works excellently. I use both of these to make quick work of my reloading sessions and get single digit SDs with them. If you think you are going to be shooting X's in F-Class or spending $1,000 is not a big deal than a FX-120 and Autotrickler are a great choice.
Scales that are accurate to a plus minus 0.10 grain are accurate enough for most shooter's actual needs.
Scales that are accurate to a plus minus 0.10 grain are accurate enough for most shooter's actual needs.
Tim,
I have been struggling with the A&D 120i & sent 2 back. Anyone willing to sell a Scott Parker Scale with an Auto Trickler? How many different scales does Scott make? I would likely stay with the A&D 120i if I can get a new one that works.
Ben
HTSmith
Silver $$ Contributor
@sparker will tune your scale or sell you one he has in inventory. I have a Lyman M5 but he does a few others. Best to contact him and ask. He is not fast and communications are not a strength, but he does excellent work. Sorry (and scary) to hear of your poor results with the 120i. Mine has worked well so far.
You are the first I have heard of that's had issues with the A&D FX-120i. I have the AutoThrow/Trickler on a Sartorious Entris 128 and the only issue I have is the scale is so sensitive (.001 grains) that temperature changes will change the reading and require a retare.
If you don't like the A&D or Sartorious, and don't want to buy or lease a Prometheus, then I think you are looking at lab quality analytical scales like these:
https://www.scalesoutlet.com/labora...&filter[Readability_S__BO_g_BC__S__CF][]=0.01
Ned Ludd
Silver $$ Contributor
There are so many different ways you can go and how much you wish to spend is the critical factor. You can go the beam scale route if you don;t wish to spends hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. There are a number of innovative methods for enhancing the display/resolution as was illustrated above in Post #6 by Retired Army.
The AD FX-120i would represent the next realistic step up in price/performance and there are many satisfied users here at the forum. Because you already have one, I won't go into any more detail about the FX-120i, other than to say that I would generally avoid torsion/strain-type balances that typically fall somewhere in between beam balances and the FX-120i in terms of cost. They may seem like a good buy, but can drive you insane with the tare issues and lack of consistency. If you're going to buy an electronic balance, you want one that works by magnetic force restoration. I have come across a few magnetic force restoration balances made in China for sale at ridiculously low prices; effectively the same price range as torsion/strain-type balances. However, I have no direct experience with any of these as to the quality and/or reproducibility. In my experience, you generally get what you pay for.
The next step up from the FX-102i would be something like the Sartorius Entris II Basic Essential Analytical Balance (BCE64-1S, 60 g max/0.1 mg readability). These are very, very fine analytical balances and woul do pretty much anything you could ever want in terms of accuracy and precision in powder measure. However, they'll set you back almost twice the cost of the FX-120i. You may still be able to find a new Entris 64, which is essentially the previous/older model of the Entris II. It is also a fine balance and might be a couple or three hundred less expensive than the Entris II. If you really wanted, you could even spend a lot more on something like a Mettler-Toldeo analytical balance similar to the Entris II. Mettler-Toledo makes some of the finest analytical balances on the planet, but IMO you would be spending a lot more money for effectively the same capability as the Entris balances.
Regardless of what you decide, I would make one more suggestion. Spend an extra $25 and also get yourself one of these GEM20 balances as a backup:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESHDGOI/?tag=accuratescom-20
This balance was reviewed a while back in an excellent thread started by Boyd Allen:
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/remarkable-little-scale.3985753/
I bought one and performed a direct comparison with a very expensive Mettler balance (post #63). The GEM20 is capable of very close to +/- one kernel precision with a small to medium kernel powder such as Varget, which is quite remarkable considering it only cost about $25.00. I am happy to keep mine as a backup. In the event my primary balance ever fails, I would not hesitate to load for a match with the GEM20. I cannot speak as to the robustness of this balance for daily use over time, but it's really a very nice little balance to have as a backup, given the very affordable price.
The AD FX-120i would represent the next realistic step up in price/performance and there are many satisfied users here at the forum. Because you already have one, I won't go into any more detail about the FX-120i, other than to say that I would generally avoid torsion/strain-type balances that typically fall somewhere in between beam balances and the FX-120i in terms of cost. They may seem like a good buy, but can drive you insane with the tare issues and lack of consistency. If you're going to buy an electronic balance, you want one that works by magnetic force restoration. I have come across a few magnetic force restoration balances made in China for sale at ridiculously low prices; effectively the same price range as torsion/strain-type balances. However, I have no direct experience with any of these as to the quality and/or reproducibility. In my experience, you generally get what you pay for.
The next step up from the FX-102i would be something like the Sartorius Entris II Basic Essential Analytical Balance (BCE64-1S, 60 g max/0.1 mg readability). These are very, very fine analytical balances and woul do pretty much anything you could ever want in terms of accuracy and precision in powder measure. However, they'll set you back almost twice the cost of the FX-120i. You may still be able to find a new Entris 64, which is essentially the previous/older model of the Entris II. It is also a fine balance and might be a couple or three hundred less expensive than the Entris II. If you really wanted, you could even spend a lot more on something like a Mettler-Toldeo analytical balance similar to the Entris II. Mettler-Toledo makes some of the finest analytical balances on the planet, but IMO you would be spending a lot more money for effectively the same capability as the Entris balances.
Regardless of what you decide, I would make one more suggestion. Spend an extra $25 and also get yourself one of these GEM20 balances as a backup:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ESHDGOI/?tag=accuratescom-20
This balance was reviewed a while back in an excellent thread started by Boyd Allen:
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/remarkable-little-scale.3985753/
I bought one and performed a direct comparison with a very expensive Mettler balance (post #63). The GEM20 is capable of very close to +/- one kernel precision with a small to medium kernel powder such as Varget, which is quite remarkable considering it only cost about $25.00. I am happy to keep mine as a backup. In the event my primary balance ever fails, I would not hesitate to load for a match with the GEM20. I cannot speak as to the robustness of this balance for daily use over time, but it's really a very nice little balance to have as a backup, given the very affordable price.
I also have a red lee powder thrower for each caliber that I load for, if you use a baffle and keep the powder in the "sweet spot" you can throw very precise measurements. From there I weigh them on a Ohaus beam scale that I "tuned" with the info I could gather on this website and I can get very close to one curnel accuracy with most powders. Every time I need to load allot of rounds I think of buying something that can drop and measure by itself but when I think of how much powder and bullets I can buy with that money I just take out one of me Lee dispensers and weight the charges on my beam
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