Scale reliability??

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tlsdad

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Gentlemen... your comments/info please. BRAND new to the game only recently having done my homework and purchased my equipment. So... I'm out in the garage this morning playing with and learning about all my new gizmos....one being the Hornady CS 1500 electronic scale. Followed instruction etc for calibration...all looks good..... seems consistent etc. However, after recently reading about the use of powder tricklers to refine the powder charge, i decided to 'trickle' powder into the scale pan as it sat on the scale. To my surprise i find that scale registers nothing.... till 3 grains. After looking at the scale directions more closely i noted it says not to 'trickle' onto the scale but to 1. remove the scale pan, 2. add powder...3. then re-add pan to the scale. After doing so i note as much as .9 grains added before scale registers a change in weight???

I've read all about the need for 'exactitude' in reloading and i buy it so....whats the deal here. Is it: 1. simply that these scales are crap or 2. is there some 'wriggle room' on powder charges and THAT is why all seem to recommend starting a load with a 10 percent reduction on minimums?. Thanks.
 
Most electronic scales are "crap".

You can load the pan slightly with your finger and it will change.

That is a massive scale and can weight 1500 grains. The accuracy is +/- 0.2 grains. Normally a single piece of powder weighs less than that.

A good scale will have and weigh to 0.001 grams wich is 0.015 grains.
 
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From everything I have heard, that scale is pretty much junk. It may work for some purposes, but if you are trickling for match grade ammo, a balance beam scale would probably suit your needs better or a more expensive digital scale. I have no experience with a gem pro 250, but I have even heard of issues trickling on that unit and its extremely popular. Good luck.
 
The accuracy of your powder dispenser and sensitivity of the scale sensor will be the determining factor if you're able to trickle or not. Since your not registering any change on the Hornady scale until 3.0+/- then I would say it is not up to the task of trickling. The RCBS Chargemaster seems to be a little more sensitive then the Hornady. In my system I run a Gempro 250 beside my Chargemaster. I have the Chargemaster drop my powder, I pour powder charge into the gempro pan to confirm weight, in the mean time replace the pan onto the chargemaster to auto drop, trickle or remove powder if needed from the gempro lifting and replacing the pan at least once to confirm that it is within 0.02gn of my charge weight then I load my brass and seat the bullet. I shoot F-class so precision is needed.

My process mirror this videos:



 
I have the Lyman Micro Touch 1500 electronic scale and I am fairly happy with it so far,...it does except trickling pretty well, but it can be a little finicky sometimes. Static electricity is a problem causer with electronic scales,...I most generally sit mine on a drier/Bounce sheet to help prevent static.
I think the best bet is to use a good balance beam scale,..I plan to pick up a RCBS 505 or the RCBS 10-10,...I have the Lee Safety Scale and it seems to be very accurate, and matches the charge weight of my Lyman 1500, but the RCBS are a much better scale.

I don't fully trust electronics.
 
If you want to load precision ammo, sorry, nothing from any reloading manf is worth the money. They all have problems.

Yes, I can offer you all of them... don't suggest it though.

Gempro 250 or new 300 is the entry level.. they will drift so you need to keep an eye on that.

FX 120-i is where many competition shooters have now gone. Expensive.. YES. But consistency and reliability to 1 kernel of powder is priceless.

The Santorius in the 2nd video is a related cousin.

Jerry
 
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