Yes it would. Then why did you make assumptions about the specific scale I have and then claim those assumptions as fact?
Beam powder scales vs cheap digital scales vs powder scoop
- Thread starter Iloverevolvers
- Start date
Not sure what the issue is...
Your specific digital scale was not referenced directly, in any way. General terms.
"Your beam scale drifts as well. It just doesn't show it as obviously as a digital scale does with showing lots of zero's."
"The digital scale is much more suspectable to environmental impacts than the beam scale is. It also shows more zeros and gives instant feedback which certainly doesn't help."
Nope... zero reference to your specific digital scale.
Better now?
R.
I have tried a bunch.
I am actually pretty happy with my Titegroup results. Pretty good for subsonics.
If TrailBoss was available, I would be using that of course but Titegroup is doing OK for now.
Were you still getting higher SD's with slower powders? Did you go slow enough to get significant, say 80% plus, case fill?
Just curious!
R.
You said THE digital scale. That is not a general term, that is referring to a specific scale. And considering it was a response to me talking about MY digital scale, it is only logical that THE scale was MY scale, not just some random unspecified scale.
IT again refers to a specific scale. How can you know it shows more Zeros if you're talking in generalities? You can't. You'd have to talk about a specific scale to make a statement about how many Zeros it has, because not all scales have more Zeros (and many scales have fewer).
Funny how the "quotes" you use aren't even accurate to what you said a few posts back...
Whoa, man. Are you still on about this?
And no, that still didn't reference your scale. It referenced digital scales in general. That's how English works, at least in this case.
What is your problem?
R.
I suggest you go back to high school if you think that's how English works.
You are more than welcome to check it.
It certainly wasn't referring to your specific scale. Is that clear enough now?
You're being ridiculous. And for what?
R.
Explain how you can talk about "the scale" and how many Zeros "it has" without referencing a specific scale?
He'll let's just focus on the zeros. How can you make a statement about the number of zeros WITHOUT talking about a specific scale? Thats something that is entirely dependant on the specific scale, it is not something that applies to all scales.
I thought this thread was about weighing/measureing powder....Turns out to be a D1ck measuring thread or some sort of P1ssing match.
With all 4 digital scales that I use, 3 RCBS and one Acculab, I have found out that if you turn them on a day before you need them, you will get less drift. I have also found that if you try to trickle up to weight the RCBS scales may not change unless you lift the pan after adding a few kernals of powder. The Acculab scale will show after 1 or 2 kernals of powder. RCBS is .1 gr, Acculab is .02 gr accuracy.
With all 4 digital scales that I use, 3 RCBS and one Acculab, I have found out that if you turn them on a day before you need them, you will get less drift. I have also found that if you try to trickle up to weight the RCBS scales may not change unless you lift the pan after adding a few kernals of powder. The Acculab scale will show after 1 or 2 kernals of powder. RCBS is .1 gr, Acculab is .02 gr accuracy.
I would imagine that when measuring very low weights, the environment of the measuring device would be important. For example, is the furnace running when you're weighing powder and, if it is, are there air currents that might impinge on the weighing surface? Is the ground vibrating because of construction work or a train passing by? Is the scale on a heavy table top that dampens vibrations? Are you breathing on the scale? Is there a party going on in the apartment or room next to you? You know, those kinds of things.
This is one of the many reasons why the scales simply cannot be accurate. They can be consistent, but not truly accurate. The more zeros that scale has, the worse it gets.
The "accurate" electronic scale is also a game of greatly diminishing returns, especially when loading most cartridge sizes.
Hopefully when doing load development, most at this point have noticed where an increase of powder charge does not increase velocity, or improve SD. This spread can often be a full grain, or even up to several full grains with little or no change in speed, depending on the cartridge size.
This could be a good reminder that for most, chasing that 1/10 of a grain, or even 1/2 of a grain on the scale really doesn't matter. If one chooses to think in these terms, the scale discussion, especially around accuracy, certainly suffers from the same diminishing returns. It is only one part of many to make consistent ammo.
R.
Last edited:
Since shooting accuracy/grouping has come up a couple of times in this thread, I realize that I should have mentioned in my first post that at the present time I'm using a simple 1x Bushnell red dot sight to aim the rifle, with no magnifier to "zoom". So no long-range precision shooting for me unless it's a hail-mary shot for some reason. I'll be shooting at a well-known Edmonton indoor range at targets that are a maximum of 40 yards distant. I'll also shoot at targets at the same indoor range, only on a 50-foot "pistol" range -- one that I understand usually has a lot of pistol shooters. (I hope to shoot freehand as much as possible, but that could turn out to be too em-bare-assing, so I might start using props of one kind or another to steady my aim.) Shooting on the pistol range is a big part of the reason that I want to "tone down" my short-barreled rifle's report and flash. I see no need for high-powered rounds on either range. But if I want to get the big-bang, bright-flash experience once in awhile, say the last shot at the end of a range day, I can either use the PCM bronze rounds I bought or create some of my own that are more or less equivalent to the PMC. In short, round flexibility in one firearm will be nice. To each his own, right?
Digital scales, especially the cheaper ones, can be subject to drift. You can keep a eye on that with periodic use of calibration check weights. Fill a few cases and then check calibration, and keep going. As the confidence level increases you could check less often. Weights are commonly available in grams, with a 1 gram weight approximately equal to 14.4 grains. I've noticed that both beam and electronic scales tend to be less accurate and repeatable at the extreme low end of their range. Weights are fairly reasonable on Amazon.
Just use a 3/4" washer for a weight. How much the weight weighs isn't as important as a consistent reading of the same object.
Use a Sharpie to mark the weight on the washer, and you're good to go.
Digital scales use electronic load cells to measure weight, beam balances use weights at different positions on the balance beam.
Drift is most often created by "air movement," such as breathing, wind currents from air vents, such as heaters, or an open window.
My Dillon and the RCBS 5-0-5 will move when someone moves close by.
You need to be careful with digital scales, not to allow stray grains of powder or some other detritous to accumulate on the weigh pad. It doesn't take much show a change on the readout.
The nice thing about a beam balance scale is you seldom have to worry about detritous getting under the pan, on the holding tray.
Use a Sharpie to mark the weight on the washer, and you're good to go.
Digital scales use electronic load cells to measure weight, beam balances use weights at different positions on the balance beam.
Drift is most often created by "air movement," such as breathing, wind currents from air vents, such as heaters, or an open window.
My Dillon and the RCBS 5-0-5 will move when someone moves close by.
You need to be careful with digital scales, not to allow stray grains of powder or some other detritous to accumulate on the weigh pad. It doesn't take much show a change on the readout.
The nice thing about a beam balance scale is you seldom have to worry about detritous getting under the pan, on the holding tray.
Last edited:
actually the didgital scale are the ones that mess up the beam scale will fail
^^ This !
When I started out reloading with the Lee loader I was given some once fired brass from a shooting buddy. I deprimed and neck sized 20 of those cases and NONE would chamber in my rifle. No problem with the fired brass from my rifle...
