I was gifted a new Hornady GS-1500 electronic scale for measuring my powder. I re-calibrate it before every reloading session with the 100 gram check weight that comes in the box. Here's my head-scratcher. I'll measure out a charge of powder, dump it into the casing, put the empty pan on the scale, it reads "0.00" and then, when I'm scooping up the powder for the next casing, the scale will suddenly register anything from "0.02" to "0.06". I take the pan off the scale, put it back on, and then it registers zero again. Not a big problem except that I have no way of knowing if it is doing this while I'm weighing my powder charge. Needless to say, if you're getting into the upper ranges of powder charge or trying for supreme accuracy, 2 - 6 tenths of grain difference can be a problem. Is it just a cheap scale? Anyone else had this problem? Dump it at a gun show and invest in a better one? Any input would be most appreciated. Thanks guys.
Hornady Electronic Scale puzzler!
- Thread starter LawrenceN
- Start date
I find my scale needs a good 30 minutes of "on" time before it really stabilizes. I still check against the beam scale occasionally but I've never found a significant difference.
Also- check for lighting. Fluorescent lights put off a lot of EM which messes with sensitive digital scales. Use LED or incandescent lights around the scale.
Also- check for lighting. Fluorescent lights put off a lot of EM which messes with sensitive digital scales. Use LED or incandescent lights around the scale.
BullOnParade
CGN Regular
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
Any fans or forced air in the room? If not that then I'd guess electrical feedback.
I bought a G2-1500 and had it do the same thing both at zero and with weight. Except mine swung over a full grain. I tried everything to get it to give a consistent readout and ended up sending it out for warranty. The replacement does the exact same thing. Its utterly useless.
Leave it on for a bit and see what it does, electronic scales like to be "warm". Most places that rely on precision scales like labs always leave there scales on.
I read a lot of thing regarding cheaper digital scales, and as such I decided to just skip to reloading branded stuff and went for a Gempro scale. I bought the Gempro 250 and it is rock solid with none of the fluctuation issues you are experiencing. Also reads in most common units of measure, grains, grams, ounces, troy ounces, to name a few, so its also a multi use scale. Most of the more knowledgeable people on here seem to agree that Gempro scales are pretty good.
Just did a quick search and it seems Fast Toys Performance, who is a business member here carried them, although it seems that the 250 has been replaced by a new model called the Gempro 2-300.
I read a lot of thing regarding cheaper digital scales, and as such I decided to just skip to reloading branded stuff and went for a Gempro scale. I bought the Gempro 250 and it is rock solid with none of the fluctuation issues you are experiencing. Also reads in most common units of measure, grains, grams, ounces, troy ounces, to name a few, so its also a multi use scale. Most of the more knowledgeable people on here seem to agree that Gempro scales are pretty good.
Just did a quick search and it seems Fast Toys Performance, who is a business member here carried them, although it seems that the 250 has been replaced by a new model called the Gempro 2-300.
A reloading bench that isn’t anchored is hard on digital scales too. The motion from operating your press can cause issues for your digital scale. Completely agree with the warming up of the scale too that others have mentioned.
