How do you guys measure your powder?

This thread always gets me from the main screen.
I always wonder ; why would guys want to measure your... oh right it's a powder thread!

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I have a older steel Hornady M scale, made by Ohaus, and a Chargemaster 1500,and a 30 old Lyman 1000 scale. Chargemaster has to be set .1 heavier to match the Hornady, but, it is consistent at that. Also have a Redding BR30. Depends what powder and how many round I am doing as to what I use. Ball or flake powders for 50+, i set up the BR30, once you done a few different loads with different powders, it's the fastest, as you know what to set it to. Big extruded, Hornady for 25 or so, Chargemaster for more. Beam scale is just as quick or quicker than the CM, just more exercise. I use a Lee spoon set for feeding the Hornady, the smallest one for trickling. Lyman 1000 is predominately used for weighing cast bullets, arrows, what ever needs a quick weight, brass, bullets etc.
 
I have a ghetto (but seemingly reliable) Bonanza 'M' beam scale which I am using for load development.

I also tried a Hornady GS-1500 which worked for a while but then the accuracy of measurement started failing QC checks against the beam scale and so I stopped using it. Incidentally this scale failed to continue working (i.e. it's now totally broken).

I also have a Lee powder measure hopper with the calibrated discs for use in my turret press. I haven't ever used this thing yet so I don't know how well it can/will work. The idea was that once I had a load developed I could calibrate the automatic dispenser accordingly and then just turret crank out cartridges. This was the plan years ago but my shooting interests have moved away from the need/desire to crank out high volume of X caliber. I'm more now just generating small batches of precision hunting loads, for which the beam scale albeit slow fits those needs just fine.
 
quattro.pilot said:
I have a ghetto (but seemingly reliable) Bonanza 'M' beam scale which I am using for load development.

I also tried a Hornady GS-1500 which worked for a while but then the accuracy of measurement started failing QC checks against the beam scale and so I stopped using it. Incidentally this scale failed to continue working (i.e. it's now totally broken).

I also have a Lee powder measure hopper with the calibrated discs for use in my turret press. I haven't ever used this thing yet so I don't know how well it can/will work. The idea was that once I had a load developed I could calibrate the automatic dispenser accordingly and then just turret crank out cartridges. This was the plan years ago but my shooting interests have moved away from the need/desire to crank out high volume of X caliber. I'm more now just generating small batches of precision hunting loads, for which the beam scale albeit slow fits those needs just fine.
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What's you intention by describing your beam balance as "ghetto"?
 
I'm thinking about picking up a charge master myself. Looks like super good kit. Just a side note. Cellphones will throw off digital scales. I've seen it happen for years. put your phone in the next room and you won't see the numbers change by themselves. Hope that helps someone. :)
 
gillmeister692 said:
What's your intention by describing your beam balance as "ghetto"?
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An interesting question to a word that I have heard before and never understood what it meant when used in the manner the poster described. So me being curious, googled it.

“Today the word is fairly widespread in the US, particularly with young people, meaning something like "poor and urban, cheap, substandard", according to linguistic anthropologist George Broadwell at the University of Florida.”

How old the poster is I have no idea.


phillyblt said:
I'm thinking about picking up a charge master myself. Looks like super good kit. Just a side note. Cellphones will throw off digital scales. I've seen it happen for years. put your phone in the next room and you won't see the numbers change by themselves. Hope that helps someone. :)
Click to expand...

I wonder if this would apply to any digital scale? I quit using mine and sold it because it would seem that sometimes it wouldn’t really lock on to a weight. Would sit there and bounce back and forth plus/minus a couple of tenths sometimes. I wouldn’t exhale in its direction because even a slight breath would make it bounce also.
 
Which is why I find it strange that the new RCBC Matchmaster scale can be controlled from a cellphone through Wifi. My home seems to be a hub for signal noises that interfer with digital scales. Even tried making a Faraday cage which helped considerably with my Pact BK scale. Electric commuter train very close by too. I use the Pact in conjunction with a RCBS 505.
 
Depends on what I’m reloading:

- Ohaus 10-10 Beam scale
- Redding trickler
- Frankford Arsenal digital scale
- Lyman powder measure
- Lee dippers

Forgot about the Lee Auto Drum powder measure on my progressive.
 
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I still don't the old fashioned way.

I have an RCBS powder throw.

RCBS 5-0-5

Hornaday digital scale.

Powder trickler


I throw light charges, trickle onto 5-0-5.

Check every 5th charge on digital.....just to make sure I haven't bumped the scale off zero.
 
350 Mag said:
I still don't the old fashioned way.

I have an RCBS powder throw.

RCBS 5-0-5

Hornaday digital scale.

Powder trickler


I throw light charges, trickle onto 5-0-5.

Check every 5th charge on digital.....just to make sure I haven't bumped the scale off zero.
Click to expand...

Similar. i just trickle straight onto the digital.
 
RCBS Chargemaster dispenser/digital scale. I don't have the patience to muck around with a beam scale and manually weigh out charges.
 
The discussion could actually be broken into a few topics.
-How do you measure powder for precision target loads?
-How do you measure powder for hunting loads?
-How do you measure powder for plinking loads?
Assuming all are for rifle, ultimate accuracy starts at the top of the list and possibly tapers off from there. Unless you’re shooting game at 600+ yards.
 
I have no experience with digital scales, but in my days I sold a lot of digital products. Soe products, meters and others are affcted by flourescent lites ??? Just sayin
 
577/450 said:
I have no experience with digital scales, but in my days I sold a lot of digital products. Soe products, meters and others are affcted by flourescent lites ??? Just sayin
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Yes, most digital scales are affected by flourescent lights. The more precise the scale, generally the more affected. Fortunately, LEDs are cheap.
 
350 Mag said:
I still don't the old fashioned way.

I have an RCBS powder throw.

RCBS 5-0-5

Hornaday digital scale.

Powder trickler


I throw light charges, trickle onto 5-0-5.

Check every 5th charge on digital.....just to make sure I haven't bumped the scale off zero.
Click to expand...

I use a similar set up. I set the charge weight a little low & then use the trickler to get it to the desired weight.

Dillon (Ohaus) beam scale
RCBS Uniflo Powder measure & trickler
PACT digital scale to occasionally check the load
 
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Charg master then RCBS 1500 then for 1k loads beam scale.... after many years of checking, Both RCBS scales auto and stand alone were within .1 grain..... RCBS best by far!!!
 
FX-120 and all the accessories for competition rounds.
Chargemaster for all other.

Can’t beat the FX-120 set up from Adam
Buy it once and forget about it. After all we are not in this to save money.
 
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