I have been using my trust Lyman balance for three decades and it is still as good as new. However, my eyes aren't. Can you folks recommend an accurate digital scale with an easy to read display for these old eyeballs.
Criteria:
1) Accurate really able to weigh to .1 grain
2) Does not need to be recalibrated all the time
3) Zero button so I do not have to subtract the weight of the powder pan
4) Plugs in to the wall or at least does not need expensive batteries all the time
5) Reasonably priced
Thanks
I have to start with a question... You asked
Accurate really able to weigh to .1 grain... is that plus or minus 0.1 grain... or plus or minus 0.05 grain for a total variation of 0.1 grain?
Scales generally have two values you want to pay attention to...
readability meaning the number displayed... and
linearity meaning the actual weight deviation from the number displayed.
A general rule of thumb is that linearity is plus or minus twice the accuracy level of the displayed value.
If you have a decent digital scale that displays 0.1 grains, then in reality it is accurate to plus or minus 0.2 grains for a total weight variation
(linearity) of 0.4 grains. Beam scales pictured above are comparable to this. (if you bother to actually test them)
Milligram Balance: If you have a decent digital scale that displays 0.02 grains, then in reality it is accurate to plus or minus 0.04 grains for a total weight variation
(linearity) of 0.08 grains. (about 4 kernels of Varget) This is probably what you want, but it may not be what you call reasonably priced. Think FX120. This scale is not accurate enough to weight sort primers.
Analytical Balance: If you have a decent digital scale that displays 0.002 grains, then in reality it is accurate to plus or minus 0.004 grains for a total weight variation
(linearity) of 0.008 grains. (less than half a kernel of Varget) These can be quite expensive and are the last word in precision... If you want perfect loads and the ability to weight sort primers, this is what you need.
Cheap scales are almost certainly worse and more expensive scales can be better. There is no free lunch and you will get what you pay for.
A $30 scale that displays to 0.02 grains will not have the linearity of plus or minus 0.04 grains. These scales are not to be relied upon. Don't think you can get off this cheap.