Scale comparison... Interesting!

[queen_stick]

I bought a cheapo battery-powered scale to use at the range.,Frankford Arsenal). I never compared it to my RCBS digital scale that I use at home, until today.

Consistently, my rcbs was measuring 0.9gr higher than the FA scale. I used random things laying around to weigh, so the weights I tested were all over the place.... everything from 20gr to 390 gr.

I calibrated the FA scale, but it produced the exact same results. I then calibrated the rcbs, and it now reads exactly what the FA scale is giving me.

To be a full grain off, or close to it, could be dangerous in smaller cartridges, so it made me think a little bit about how often I should calibrate. What's really crazy, is that the rcbs was calibrated just last week. I used it right after calibration, then used it today for this test.... 0.9 grns off!

Just to prove that my calibration was accurate. I recalibrated both scales... both are exactly on with one another again.

I just thought it was interesting, and thought it was worth sharing, that the 2 scales were so far off, and it was the expensive,known to be accurate) scale that was off.

Walt

 

[Steve Blair]

FWIW, I calibrate my Acculab VIC 123 every loading session or 50 rounds, whichever comes first.

 

[queen_stick]

FWIW, I calibrate my Acculab VIC 123 every loading session or 50 rounds, whichever comes first.

From now on that's what I'll be doing.

 

[Rtheurer]

Calabrate and calabrate often!!!!

I actually threw my Pact scale in the garbage right where it belongs. This before I got a face full of metal at the range.

The Dillon D terminator has been super reliable. I have checked it off the MX 123 and a Denver Inst and another Acculab. Dillion is very stable and was right on with the expensive Lab scales.

RussT

 

[boogershooter]

I still use my RCbS balance beam type scale and measure every charge-Is this OK ?should I upgrade?

 

[Winchester69]

Your balance beam scale is pretty much absolute. Going to an RCBS ChargeMaster Combo may speed up your loading process, but it may also be less reliable. Your choice.

 

[Steve Blair]

Winchester69's comment started me thinking about balance beam scale wear. I have two old scales purchased about thirty years ago. One is an Ohaus Dial-O-Gram purchased to weigh brass, occasionally used. The other is an RCBS (Ohaus) 10-10 powder scale, beat to crap for almost thirty years. I also have an almost new Acculab VIC 123.

The 10-10 comes with a 250 grain check weight. I calibrated the Acculab and then weighed the check weight. It indicated exactly 250 grains and 16.2 grams. Within the scale's error margin, this is correct.

After careful zeroing, the 10-10 indicated 250.4 grains. This is not bad for an old, abused scale, only .4 grains off, about .16%.

The much more expensive and better treated Dial-O-Gram indicated 16.12 grams, equivalent to 248.77 grains, an error of 1.23 grains or .492%. That is almost 1/2 of one percent.

I would need to take the two down to San Diego Scale for a diagnosis and calibration but I draw the following conclusions.

1. Do not trust any scale without calibration.
2. Check any scale against a known weight frequently.
3. If you buy a new scale, insist on professional calibration and a cert sticker. I know this is difficult mail-order, but any good, local scale vendor should do this for free on purchase.
4. Treat any good scale better than I have treated my 10-10 and it will probably serve you well for a long time.

 

[Gman]

Calabrate and calabrate often!!!!

I actually threw my Pact scale in the garbage right where it belongs. This before I got a face full of metal at the range.

The Dillon D terminator has been super reliable. I have checked it off the MX 123 and a Denver Inst and another Acculab. Dillion is very stable and was right on with the expensive Lab scales.

RussT

I use a Pact, and it has been 100% reliable. I ALWAYS calibrate it with the supplied weights, before each loading session. Please elaborate why the Pact gave you the overcharged load. I am curious so this never happens to me. Thanks!

 

[Rtheurer]

G Man

I had the worst experience with the Pact. It wonderd all over the place. I would have to recalabrate about every 10 charges just to keep it within .1 of a grain. I would then go back through all my charged cases and re weigh them and they would not reed the same as when I charged them the first time. This was in 1997 or so. So its been a good ten years since then. I hope things have got alot better with Pact.
Electronics change really fast in todays age so its quite possable that they have got there stuff together since then. and judging from your post they have.
I leave my scales plugged in all the time and I can go to my loading room right now and put the check weights on the Dillion DTerminator and it will be spot on. I could do it again next week and the same result will occur.
My only complaint about the Dillion is that it just does not work well with trickling powders. It wont read the four or five kernals i drop in untill I have to much in. The very stable and reliable fetures turns out to be not very good for trickleing powders. I have since learned from an Electrical Engineer why that is.

I use a Lyman 1200dps. the powder goes straight from that pan to the Dillion to double check the weight. and from there it goes straight to the primed brass. No need to trickle this way.


Does Pact still make the RCBS scales?


Best reguards
RussT

 

[boogershooter]

Hey thanks Winchester.

 

[Gman]

Thanks for the info. I do know that when I had a table top flourescent light over top of the Pact scale, it wandered all over the place. I now have flourescent lights mounted up on the floor joists, and I have had zero problems.

 

[hershey]

my pact is always dead on, my rcbs 750 is totally unreliable, one day it runs perfect, the next it will drift a full grain while i watch it in just a few minutes. i would keep both scales side by side to double check each other. i use the pact and would occasionally check a charge on the rcbs to see if it was wandering. i am hoping for a chargemaster from santa, then the 750 is ebay fodder.

 

[1917]

FWIW, I calibrate my Acculab VIC 123 every loading session or 50 rounds, whichever comes first.

My VIC 123 is +0.1 grain over RCBS 5-10. Just calibrate and it's gtg

 

[sparker]

What if you could have a beam scale that was sensitive to a single kernel of powder? No drift, no cell phone disturbance, no barometric pressure changes etc. If interested, please contact me. I tune beam scales.

Scott Parker
vld223@yahoo.com
661 364-1199

 

[mikecockcroft]

Leave the scale turned on all the time. Most agree that turning one on and using it immediately will give inconsistant weights.

 

[Winchester69]

Hey thanks Winchester.

You're welcome. I just happened to answer the question you had in mind. It's a matter of having the scale that best suits your needs.

 

[TonyR]

There was a great thread here about scales last year that I found very helpful. Somebody recommended using a "line conditioner" to help reduce drift and other difficulties. A line conditioner stabilizes the voltage from the wall outlet before it gets to the scale. I got one at a computer store and it does seem to improve the consistence of my scales.

 

[queen_stick]

There was a great thread here about scales last year that I found very helpful. Somebody recommended using a "line conditioner" to help reduce drift and other difficulties. A line conditioner stabilizes the voltage from the wall outlet before it gets to the scale. I got one at a computer store and it does seem to improve the consistence of my scales.

A couple months ago, int the daily builletin section of this site, there was a sale on a line conditioner from TigerDirect. I bought it, but haven't set it up yet. I'm in the process of finishing a room for reloading.... currently, I have to use my dining room table as my bench, which means I have to box everything back up after each session. It's a big PITA, but it's what I have to do until I can get my 'man cave' completed.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I marked the weight of my powder pan on it (154.6) and everytime I dump the powder I look at the scale to make sure it is still calibrated, it should show -154.6, if different, I recalibrate.

 

[Rust]

Electronic scales use strain gauges or peizo gauges, both of which need to warm up to operating temperature for repeatable accuracy, the longer they are left on the more stable they are. I turn mine one a couple of hours before I plan to start loading.

I don't have any flourescent light around my loading bench, don't care to go "green" there. The other thing that I have on the bench is a high quality surge suppressor/line filter meant for home entertainment systems. It's a Monster Cable unit picked up at best Buy for about $100. Yeah, not cheap. A few years back there was a recall/warning about some cheap suppressor, seems it was worse than no suppressor at all and had a tendancy to catch on fire, so a cheap unit might not be what you want on your bench next to your powder and primers.

Anyhow, not only does it help keep the Chargmaster and Dillon on the money, but the same unit in my home entertainment system made the TV picture look better too. Seems the local power company doesn't provide the cleanest power free of RFI/EMI.