Some Help With Scales Please...?

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50calshooter

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So I'm going to spend some money on a quality scale, can you please help me determine proper specs?

The models I'm looking at include a wide variety of measuring units including, grain.

I do need a spec range though so I make sure I buy the right model. The one I'm looking at has a capacity of 210 grams and readability of 0.01 grams...

Is that within the range I need to measure grain for reloading? This is prolly a stupid question but I just wanna make sure before I buy...
 
You want it to measure grains, not grams.

Look for something that gives measurements with at least 2 decimal places like 0.01.

You can get a simple Hornady kit for about $40.

http://www.budgetshootersupply.ca/frame.cfm?ItemID=436&CategoryID=28

I use this one here, and it works very well for my needs, but I am not into precision stuff, but have been able to work up some very accurate loads with it. Not sure what else a more expensive unit would offer.
 
You want grains.

Grains can be both "gr", and "gn" and grams should just be "g"

It really doesnt matter what abbreviation is used anyways as you will not confuse them when using the scale. You would know right away if the scale was on the wrong setting. The key is making sure it has a setting for grains.

Just buy a scale specifically for reloading, and you will be fine. Your over-thinking this.
 
RCBS Chargemaster is the best in my opinion, if as your avatar says and you truly shoot a 50 then 210 grains won't be enough for it. I just weighed out a pound with my chargemaster @ 350 gns per pan worked flawlessly and in the 5 years I've had it, never had to change a thing, just check it with the test weights once in a while
I love my Chargemaster so much I bought another to speed things up.
 
I can't speak for the Hornady unit, but you may want to invest a little more in your scale. The Hornady is only accurate to +/- .2 grains. Usually accuracy is +/- .1 grains. I made the mistake of buying a less expensive scale in the beginning (MTM) . I discovered that it had trouble measuring at certain weights. As an example I could never get it to read 7.4 grains. I would trickle the powder to get to the weight but it would always jump from 7.3 to 7.5.
I found out that it had to do with the algorithm used in the scales calculation. I ended up buying an RCBS 750 and its been good.
 
mlehtovaara said:
You want grains.

Grains can be both "gr", and "gn" and grams should just be "g"

It really doesnt matter what abbreviation is used anyways as you will not confuse them when using the scale. You would know right away if the scale was on the wrong setting. The key is making sure it has a setting for grains.

Just buy a scale specifically for reloading, and you will be fine. Your over-thinking this.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, the reason I'm "over thinking it" is because I also wanted the scale to weigh Troy Ounce's. I buy PM's and it would be nice to weigh physical bull aswell.

c-fbmi said:
RCBS Chargemaster is the best in my opinion, if as your avatar says and you truly shoot a 50 then 210 grains won't be enough for it. I just weighed out a pound with my chargemaster @ 350 gns per pan worked flawlessly and in the 5 years I've had it, never had to change a thing, just check it with the test weights once in a while
I love my Chargemaster so much I bought another to speed things up.
Click to expand...


The capacity of one of the models I was looking at was 210 Grams not grains. Thats over 3000 grains so I'm covered on the reloading end of it...


BLACKBRIAR said:
I can't speak for the Hornady unit, but you may want to invest a little more in your scale. The Hornady is only accurate to +/- .2 grains. Usually accuracy is +/- .1 grains. I made the mistake of buying a less expensive scale in the beginning (MTM) . I discovered that it had trouble measuring at certain weights. As an example I could never get it to read 7.4 grains. I would trickle the powder to get to the weight but it would always jump from 7.3 to 7.5.
I found out that it had to do with the algorithm used in the scales calculation. I ended up buying an RCBS 750 and its been good.
Click to expand...

The model I'm looking at is +/- 0.01 repeatability and 0.02 linearity... super accurate
 
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50calshooter said:
The capacity of one of the models I was looking at was 210 Grams not grains. Thats over 3000 grains so I'm covered on the reloading end of it...




My mistake, sorry, not used to seeing grams on this site, but reread and I am wrong, you DID say grams.
I use my Chargemaster for weighing gold regularly, I just do the grains to troy conversion on a calculator.
Click to expand...
 
Just do me a favour. Don't spend $250 for a nifty scale and then put it on a flimsy shelf.

A relatively cheap balance beam scale from Hornady, RCBS, or Dillon will cost little. Set up and used right, it will give you better results then one of the spendy scales used wrong.

Make sure the base is sturdy, level, and the scale is zero'd.
If it's an electronic scale, read up on "chasing zero". Best practice is to power it down between uses, and tare often.
 
To have the equivalent accuracy of .1gr you need a scale to accurately measure .005g. For work we used scales from ht tp://www.canadianweigh.com which have an excellent warranty and seemed to stand up well.
 
hunter5425 said:
To have the equivalent accuracy of .1gr you need a scale to accurately measure .005g. For work we used scales from ht tp://www.canadianweigh.com which have an excellent warranty and seemed to stand up well.
Click to expand...

Are you sure?

Wouldn't a capacity range of say 400 grams x 0.01 grams suffice?

0.01 grams equals 0.154 grains. For reloading, your avererage load is obviously a lot more then 0.154 grains, so what's the problem? Or am I missing your point? :confused: :redface:
 
My scale's readability is 0.01g, and I am happy with that. In theory it doesn't have quite the resolution of a 0.1 grain scale, but who says that 0.1 grain is the magic number for precision?

My own beef with reloading scales is that most of them are built with a range wide enough to weigh bullets, which seriously compromises their real accuracy at the powder charge range. For example, my Ohaus 505-10 scale has a capacity of 50.5g so that it can weigh bullets. The heaviest powder charge I routinely throw is for 7.62x51mm, and it is less than 3g, so I am constantly working in the bottom few % of my range capacity. That is not a recipe for accurate measurement. The only scale I know of that is strictly for powder is the Lee Safety Scale, and that thing is universally disliked.
 
^ Thank-you for your insights.


Right now I'm close to making a purchase, I'm looking at the My Weigh iBalance 401, It's capacity range is 400 grams x 0.005 grams - or 6172 grains x 0.05 grains.

So even though it has the capacity to go a lot higher it also has the Readability to go lower then need be, so my working range isn't in the bottom. I'll have the resolution for 0.1 grains, well actually 0.05 grains...

I've seen price ranges on the net from $250 - $350 which is basically USD vs CDN
I know, I know your spending that much on a reloading scale, ya ya but Agian I will also be using it for weighing Troy ounces...

For the readability this scale is actually cheap most in this range are $1000 plus, this makes me skeptable of it's quality but it's made by a Canadian company (or so they claim) and its sold by a Canadian company. The few reviews I could find were positive, and done by mostly business owners. I think with scales, you get what you pay for, so I'm sure this one will be more dependable then the $30 dollar ones... Fingers crossed anyways...
 
The big difference between the $200 scales and the $2,000 scales is speed, stability and repeatedly. The more expensive ones are much less susceptible to drift and external electrical fields such as florescent lights.

If you are using it for PMs then get some GOOD check weights, spend more than $5 per weigh.......
 
50calshooter said:
Can you explain the above statement a bit more. Can fluorescent lights effect scale operation and accuracy? :confused: :redface:
Click to expand...

Florescent lights can give off a lot of radio frequency noise/interfere. Cheap scales are not well electrically shielded so fluorescent lights can effect them. Don't know if compact fluorescent have the same issues, since they use electronic ballasts.

Not so much affecting accuracy, but can give erratic readings.
 
Too many scales.

I used a balance beam scale when I started reloading and it worked fine. I noticed a little difference in my loads compared to my friends loads when we were using the same amount of powder. The key here is that most BB scales have their graduation indications stuck on the scale with a sticker. Plus the saw tooth graduations that the beam indicator sits on appears not to be accounted for.
I bought a PACT electronic scale and measured it against my friends BB scale. His BB scale was always a 1/10th of a grain higher than my scale with the same measurement. So I stuck with the electronic scale. He is just too cheap to buy an electronic one. I am happy with my PACT scale. Give them a look.
 
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