Dillon scale

[wahoowah]

Has anyone had experience using a Dillon D-Terminator scale? If so, what is your opinion of it, and are your referrring to the current or original model?

Thanks.

[Big Al]

Seeing a stack waist high of these scales on a pallet setting behind the doors at Dillons building and asking about them. Being told they were returns that were bad. That is what I remember about them. That is the biggest reason I have stayed away from any electronic gadget for powder measurement.

Read all the glowing replies about how they are the best thing in life, glowing testimonies about how they have made the reloaders life so much better than any other thing they have ever bought, just remember what you don't hear is the downside of electronic scales and powder measures.

Remember it's not just the politicians that are unable to tell the truth in America.

[Greg Culpepper]

Wahoowah,

Al's right. They lie. But like with your kids, you learn to know when they lie. I've had one for about ten years and stopped using it when I got a Denver Instruments scale. But the Dillon is not any worse than other scales at its price point

I've read that many of the approximately $100 electronic scales use the same load sensor and logic chip and consequently exhibit the same limitations which are; the sensitivity function locks the display after a few seconds and it takes several tenths to get it to unlock and respond. If you trickle too slowly the scale will not respond and then when it finally does (after 3-4 tenths additional weight) it looses its zero. You can work around this but a better solution is the Denver Instruments scale that is sold under several names but always including the number 123 in the model. They sell for between $250 and $300 and offer two hundredths grain resolution (less than a single kernel of rifle powder) and no bad behaviors.

If you decide to make the move to an electronic scale skip the cheap ones and go to the middle.

Greg

[armabill]

Get one that a jeweler uses to weigh diamonds. He's not about to cheat himself with a scale that gives false readings.

[ShadowChaser]

Here is what I use:
http://www.affordablescales.com/scales_specs.asp?specs=3456&Acculab_VIC-123

I suspect this may be the same scale Greg is referring to and certainly fits the qualifications stated by "armabill".

Compared to the lower priced scales, this one isn't cheap but you get what you are paying for. Its a very versatile scale, .02gn resolution, very easy to use and has quick response time which I find important when weighing bullets.

This is a scale that you buy once and never need to buy another unless its to have two of these set up for different weighing purposes...

Here is a thread with a bit of information:
http://www.varminthunters.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1301.html

Happy Shooting,
Mitch & Shadow...

[OldPPC]

I believe the Dillon scales use load cells to register the stresses of applied weights. Most of the mechanical input for that type of system involves measuring the variable resistance of an element within the system. When I worked in the field, building high linearity potentiometers for aircraft, missile controls and space shuttle projects, I learned that perfect linearity is incredibly difficult to achieve and I doubt that Dillon (or any other commercial scale manufacturer) would maintain anything close to an ISO 9001 rating for a powder scale.
If it's kept clean and handled with care, a good balance beam scale is still my choice. I prefer the RCBS 10-10 model.

[Asa Yam]

I believe the Dillon scales use load cells to register the stresses of applied weights.
They use strain gages - just like most of the rest of the industry.