I've often heard people extol the virtues of load development at the range. It makes sense. So I packed up all my stuff, dragged it to the range, and found that my portable scale would fluctuate by more than 2 grains with even the lightest breeze. Almost all the powders I use are extruded and won't meter well, so weighing is essential. How do people get around this? Has anyone had any luck with using an FX-120i on battery power?
Scale issues loading at the range
- Thread starter Kratos
- Start date
Find a shooting competition, in your area and attend one, as an observer. Watch what the big boys do and talk to them. They will be glad to advise you and offer any help they can. You will see that almost all use the same equipment.
I weigh the charges I want to test and put them in glass vials at home in the controlled environment. Makes loading at the range easy.
I’ve heard of that, but it seems like you would lose most of the flexibility of being able to weigh on-site.
Most have a screen or a box that shields the scale from wind. Do a search here and at benchrest central for "loading at the range". I seen the thread several times and they have pictures of their set ups. I tried once or twice but my scale had a shut off feature that killed every thing before i could get a charge trickled.
I have some idea before I go what charges I will need and I load enough of them to get the job done. It’s way better than carrying a scale around and fighting wind in my opinion. Ymmv
Adam that makes the autotrickler has run his directly from 12v battery a time or two.
I have a power source that would work. I may give that a try, if I can find a large enough box to screen the whole apparatus from wind.
A motorhome makes a great windscreen.
Hi. What are these tubes and where did you buy them? What is the volume limit for each tube? Thanks!
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
At a range I have used a portable, battery powered, scale and one of my balance scales on the dash of my truck.
Close the windows to keep out the wind. I have also used it in the bed of my truck because I have a cap over the bed. Also have tried various cardboard box coverings right at the line with mixed results. That kind of depends on just how much air movement there really is and how you design the covering.
Inside your car or truck works best.
Close the windows to keep out the wind. I have also used it in the bed of my truck because I have a cap over the bed. Also have tried various cardboard box coverings right at the line with mixed results. That kind of depends on just how much air movement there really is and how you design the covering.
Inside your car or truck works best.
RegionRat
Gold $$ Contributor
The use of a solid table or platform for the scale, in an area that has a wind break and also the use of a windscreen, are a given if you are trying for =< 0.1 grains at the range with an electronic scale.
Range loading has saved me buckets of time cause I am 60 miles to the range gate plus LA traffic. However, with that said...
I also have done this long enough to know what works easy at the range and what to prep at home. That statement can turn into a Master's Thesis so to keep it short, I don't try to crank out production at the range, what I am trying to do falls into a few categories.
One advantageous thing done at the range, is to avoid ladder rounds at the hot end that need to be abandoned and disassembled. Have the brass primed and prepped, then you are only going to need about 0.1 resolution on a given charge step to know what the nodes look like and avoid overpressure. I load the majority of the ones I estimate are safe at home, and then only climb to the pressure signs while I make them on the spot.
Another advantageous task done at the range is seating depth. Load the majority at home, and bring more loaded long to be seated at the range, etc.
So even sports like highpower and F-Class can take some cues from the benchresters who have done lots of range loading. While they may only worry about clicks on their powder drops, you can still accommodate an electronic scale in field conditions and really make your load development time at the range much more productive without trips home and back.
I often run a small battery operated version of something called a A&D EJ-123 while range loading. The pan is shielded by a clear cover that has an opening at the top. We often have winds and I can still trickle through the top to less than 0.1 grains.
Shade is important to keep things thermally stable, but I have no problems with even running a ChargeMaster while at the range if the task calls for it. So plan for shade as part of your windscreen strategy. You won't have to calibrate as often but have your check weights handy since average temperatures in the field can swing far enough to mess with your cal if you set up early and then load late.
At other times, I can run a less capable scale like the old GemPro or a FA when I only worry about knowing the charge at 0.1 grain steps. After an analysis of the targets and radar stats, I can make more test rounds with brass that was pre-prepped and leave the range with the vast majority of load development done in one day.
Range loading has saved me buckets of time cause I am 60 miles to the range gate plus LA traffic. However, with that said...
I also have done this long enough to know what works easy at the range and what to prep at home. That statement can turn into a Master's Thesis so to keep it short, I don't try to crank out production at the range, what I am trying to do falls into a few categories.
One advantageous thing done at the range, is to avoid ladder rounds at the hot end that need to be abandoned and disassembled. Have the brass primed and prepped, then you are only going to need about 0.1 resolution on a given charge step to know what the nodes look like and avoid overpressure. I load the majority of the ones I estimate are safe at home, and then only climb to the pressure signs while I make them on the spot.
Another advantageous task done at the range is seating depth. Load the majority at home, and bring more loaded long to be seated at the range, etc.
So even sports like highpower and F-Class can take some cues from the benchresters who have done lots of range loading. While they may only worry about clicks on their powder drops, you can still accommodate an electronic scale in field conditions and really make your load development time at the range much more productive without trips home and back.
I often run a small battery operated version of something called a A&D EJ-123 while range loading. The pan is shielded by a clear cover that has an opening at the top. We often have winds and I can still trickle through the top to less than 0.1 grains.
Shade is important to keep things thermally stable, but I have no problems with even running a ChargeMaster while at the range if the task calls for it. So plan for shade as part of your windscreen strategy. You won't have to calibrate as often but have your check weights handy since average temperatures in the field can swing far enough to mess with your cal if you set up early and then load late.
At other times, I can run a less capable scale like the old GemPro or a FA when I only worry about knowing the charge at 0.1 grain steps. After an analysis of the targets and radar stats, I can make more test rounds with brass that was pre-prepped and leave the range with the vast majority of load development done in one day.
@RegionRat, thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for.
If I’m testing seating depth all same charge I’ll do the vial method. If I’m testing seating depths I’ll just weigh in the car with all my doors and windows closed and the air conditioner off
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
Invest in a Chargemaster lite. It has the best wind screen of all the auto chargers, and it is plenty accurate enough.
I think a lot of shooters simply refuse to believe something could be so simple and solve the problems of either loading at the range for load development or at matches.
I think a lot of shooters simply refuse to believe something could be so simple and solve the problems of either loading at the range for load development or at matches.
Looks like you could buy one now with a sale and coupon code from Brownell’s for $225, very tempting.
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