Digital scale drift...what digi scale are you using?
- Thread starter samsplacci71
- Start date
arcticcathonda
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
Yeah, until you are paying for return shipping every year and have to live without your scale for 2 weeks. I'd rather buy something I don't need to warranty.
I have been using a Mack 20 for the last six or seven years. But I usually verify every charge with my RCBS 10-10beam scale. I bought the 10-10 on Gunnutz about the same time as the Mack 20. I have always trusted the 10-10. The Mack 20 not quite so much.
I have even been known to throw a charge from my Lyman powder measure and then check it on the two scales. Retarded, redundant, absolutely. I think its about time I invested in a Sartorius but I will always keep that 10-10 around.
Amazon.ca had a flash sale on this scale for $29.99 last week so I picked one up. It seems pretty accurate when compared to my beam scale and doesn't drift. I will look into getting some gn weights to test as mentioned above.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B011J88S8M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B011J88S8M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hawkeye, all cheap electronic scales drift.
No drift starts with the fx 120i at around 710$ (800$ shipped with tax.) (for .02 grains)
Then, if you want better (weight individual kernels), you need the Sartorius ENTRIS64-1S at 1700$....
How much is enough for you? Well, unless I eventually compete for world records, IMO, the fx120I looks reasonably good. Is the satorius worth 2.5x the cost? Are you going to cut kernels in half?
I am a bit annoyed that my gempro 250 likes to drift, but then again, it "works" if you tare it every time with the pan, and weight + trickle quickly before it drifts. Press on the pan a little every time you drop kernels to prevent the anti-drift program interpreting the kernels as drift. (takes less than 10 seconds per charge to trickle anyway, it wont drift much more than .02-.04 during that time). Not too bad.
800$ gets you a scale that wont drift and that will work reliably to +- .02 grains. (means +- 1 kernel of varget, means +- 3fps (so 6 FPS variation) or so in a 308). If you want better than that, you need the satorius.
But then again, if you hit the target 2 inches high at 1km, and miss by 2 feet because of the wind..... is the satorius worth it? I don't know.
No drift starts with the fx 120i at around 710$ (800$ shipped with tax.) (for .02 grains)
Then, if you want better (weight individual kernels), you need the Sartorius ENTRIS64-1S at 1700$....
How much is enough for you? Well, unless I eventually compete for world records, IMO, the fx120I looks reasonably good. Is the satorius worth 2.5x the cost? Are you going to cut kernels in half?
I am a bit annoyed that my gempro 250 likes to drift, but then again, it "works" if you tare it every time with the pan, and weight + trickle quickly before it drifts. Press on the pan a little every time you drop kernels to prevent the anti-drift program interpreting the kernels as drift. (takes less than 10 seconds per charge to trickle anyway, it wont drift much more than .02-.04 during that time). Not too bad.
800$ gets you a scale that wont drift and that will work reliably to +- .02 grains. (means +- 1 kernel of varget, means +- 3fps (so 6 FPS variation) or so in a 308). If you want better than that, you need the satorius.
But then again, if you hit the target 2 inches high at 1km, and miss by 2 feet because of the wind..... is the satorius worth it? I don't know.
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Putting it in a different perspective, 45 gr load= 450 1/10ths of a grain. .1 gr is 1/450th of your load. Take a machine rest to tell the difference in shooting it, in perfect conditions, and maybe, just maybe, you would actually be able to see it on paper.. People overthink this way too much.
I tend to agree with this. I use a charge master with the straw mod and load .308, .300 WM and 338 LM. I get .1 grain accuracy from that scale with no drift and this can be verified with the Magneto Speed. I have less than 10 fps es on my loads. It could be better but I'm not sure that it is worth it. I'm not shooting F class but can count on elevation dopes batch after batch. I use Varget for the .308, H1000 or H 4831 sc for the 300 WM and H1000 or Retumbo for the .338. When you find the right load for your gun .1 gr +/- will not mater to most people. Left to right is the thing I need to master and constant velocity is the best friend you can have. Next to 0 wind... My loads are far more consistent than I am.
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I thought that was the compulsory part of the hobby?
No, over thinking everything is just compulsory on the CGN.
Also, to be on here you must be able to adjust your reloading technique until any run of the mill sporting rifle will regularly shoot less than .5 MOA groups, even if the wind is blowing.
I've been using a Frankford Arsenal digital scale for about a year, and it's been surprisingly good. Very seldom drifts unless I've left the backlight on and the batteries haven't been changed in a few months. I don't load enough to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a scale. I don't shoot competetively & haven't for decades, and usually will only go through 3-500 rounds a week plinking anyway. I'd love to have something accurate to the kernel, but I'd never know the difference anyway. None of the guns I own are "tack driving" in nature anyway...most will shoot minute of deer at 100 yds, so I'm good with the accuracy I get
I wish this thread was around when I bought my digital scale. I have the Cabelas one and it cost $99. It is only satisfactory. I usually take the weighed powder and weight it using my balance scale. The weights can be off by a tenth of a grain, which I guess isn't a big deal unless your totally OCD like me. I would buy the RCBS if I was to get a new one.
