Variances in weight scales.....

[Ruthless4645]

I just beginning into this reloading thing (it's a lot of fun, but maybe I'm too paranoid), I have access to 3 different weigh scales. 2 are digital Frankford Arsenals, fresh batteries, been calibrated and I let them warm up for 10-15 minutes, 1 is a Redding balance beam. I've been told all 3 are supposedly very good/accurate scales.

However I'm finding a weight variance between all of them. One scale will show 41.5 grains, another will show 41.1, another may show 41.8 grains (I'm just picking these numbers, but you get the idea) but it's always a few tenths of a grain.

Is this something I need to worry about or am I just being overly paranoid?. I'm not a Benchrest or long range shooter (best I'm looking for is 400-500 yards TOPS! with this .308) but I still want to try and do the very best I can. Any helpful advice?

Thx in advance...

 

[CatShooter]

I just beginning into this reloading thing (it's a lot of fun, but maybe I'm too paranoid), I have access to 3 different weigh scales. 2 are digital Frankford Arsenals, fresh batteries, been calibrated and I let them warm up for 10-15 minutes, 1 is a Redding balance beam. I've been told all 3 are supposedly very good/accurate scales.

However I'm finding a weight variance between all of them. One scale will show 41.5 grains, another will show 41.1, another may show 41.8 grains (I'm just picking these numbers, but you get the idea) but it's always a few tenths of a grain.

Is this something I need to worry about or am I just being overly paranoid?. I'm not a Benchrest or long range shooter (best I'm looking for is 400-500 yards TOPS! with this .308) but I still want to try and do the very best I can. Any helpful advice?

Thx in advance...

This is normal - pick the Redding and stick with it. Since you have to work up the loads, it is not important what the actuall weigh is (within reason)... but that it be uniform and repeatable.

 

[ARshuter]

This is normal - pick the Redding and stick with it. Since you have to work up the loads, it is not important what the actuall weigh is (within reason)... but that it be uniform and repeatable.
[/quote]

Catshooter,
Just curious why do you say pick the redding if consistence is all your after? Wouldn't any of the scales do?

Alan

 

[Laurie]

Get a set of scale check weights. Lyman and RCBS do them. If your desired charge weighs 41.5gn to use your examples make up that weight picking & mixing check-weights and see what each of your scales read.

Also do searches on the Daily Bulletin and Forum for past features / threads on electronic scale accuracy, drift, and management. There is a lot of good advice in them on reducing electronic scale drift and error including stuff from professional lab scale users who have to provide absolute accuracy and consistency - full cures are likely too expensive and demanding, but there's a lot of relatively simple, easy to do stuff. (A good example is to place loaded rounds in the ammo box and fire them in the same order as you weighed charges. As many electronic scales 'drift' over a session, charges may gradually reduce / increase. By shooting them in order, the resulting velocity changes are made more manageable through adding / removing an elevation 'click' or two throughout the match.)

 

[r bose]

I bought an inexpensive set of scale weights 20 years ago and still use them (Lyman I believe). If I'm weighing powder, I use the next heavier weight to set (calibrate) the scale. Ex, if I'm going to be reloading 308, I'll use the 50g weight to calibrate. Then I re calibrate using he same weight everytime I reload for that caliber. Works every time.

 

[CatShooter]

This is normal - pick the Redding and stick with it. Since you have to work up the loads, it is not important what the actuall weigh is (within reason)... but that it be uniform and repeatable.

Catshooter,
Just curious why do you say pick the redding if consistence is all your after? Wouldn't any of the scales do?

Alan
[/quote]

Because digital scales are finicky and they have a bad habit of dying

So if you work up a bunch of loads and keep a lot of written log books, and the digital up and dies - all that data is useless and has to be done over.

If you pick a good beam ballance, you will use it forever - I have my machanical scale for ~40 years.

 

[jonbearman]

Until you are willing to spend almost a grand on a good reliable digital scale ,use the redding.

 

[chkunz]

I have a lot more confidence in the beam balance scales. I concur with the recommendation of using the calibration weights with the beam balance scale to check the scale in the range you will be using it. It has been shown that some variation in charge weight has little effect on accuracy but consistency in powder weight in our loaded rounds is one thing we can easily achieve.

 

[Patch700]

Until you are willing to spend almost a grand on a good reliable digital scale ,use the redding.

... I would take this advice very seriously after having wasted more than my fair share of money on electronic scales over the years... A&D Fx120i or equivalent or stay with a quality beam scale that can be tuned.

 

[Hondo]

A couple of years I bought an Ohus YJ152 scale thinking I could use it on battery power at the range.
After about an hour it would shut down , I tried new batterys with the same result.
It seems the scale is sensitive to peak battery power.
I bought a proper transformer to connect to AC power, problem disappeared.

 

[jj789]

THE FRANKFORD SCALES ARE most likely .1 grain steps. they need to have the pan lifted and reset and even then your beam is better , if clean, as you can SEE when it is off a little.
serious scales cost money.
the gempro 250 seems ok..i have one but it sucks on batt power.

bullets.com just came out with a good scale for the money, but I have not seen a trickle test on It yet.

 

[jj789]

this works an dis about $500

Until you are willing to spend almost a grand on a good reliable digital scale ,use the redding.

... I would take this advice very seriously after having wasted more than my fair share of money on electronic scales over the years... A&D Fx120i or equivalent or stay with a quality beam scale that can be tuned.

 

[Shrek]

+1 for a quality beam scale. I went through four electronic scales before I gave up. I have a Lyman M5 I bought off a forum and sent to Scott Parker for tuning and I no longer have any drift , dead scale , won't weigh 46grs even , or any other issues. It's possible that my M5 is older than me. I do have a cheap battery powder electronic scale that I use to weight sort cases and that's all it does.
There is a little maintenance to be done on a beam scale but it's not much. Keep it dust free and I use a lens pen to dust the V where the beam sits and I've used 99% alcohol and compressed air to really clean it once after I had forgotten to put it away and ground the bedding from a stock to make room for a new rifle. Covered in fine marine tex dust .

 

[37Lincoln1]

Segal's Law:

"A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure."

Get one good quality scale and stick with it. If it weighs consistently the same, your loads will be too.

 

[r bose]

I bought an inexpensive set of scale weights 20 years ago and still use them (Lyman I believe). If I'm weighing powder, I use the next heavier weight to set (calibrate) the scale. Ex, if I'm going to be reloading 308, I'll use the 50g weight to calibrate. Then I re calibrate using he same weight everytime I reload for that caliber. Works every time.

I should have added, I still use a beam scale RCBS with my check weight set. Never felt the need, although tempting, for a digital scale. They just work