Powder scales

[Tod Soeby]

Since I don't know how to do the whole pole thing, I'll just ask:

What do you use to measure your powder......a balance beam or electric?

Which brand of each.

My super old 505 RCBS is on it's last legs....and I really don't trust it much any more. I throw a charge from my dispencer and trickle the last 2 grains to dead nuts on the line. Then, if I push down on the pan a little (adding weight) it comes back showing heavy by a bunch, like I have 2 to many grains in the pan. I don't have check weights...I use bullets to check my weights. I usualy stick two 210 bergers in the pan for my check weights.....usualy within .5 of a grain at 420 grains. I used to be able to push down on the pan and it would come back to dead nuts. Now, not so much.

How about setup on the electric scales....I have heard horror stories about what one has to do to set them up correctly......like warm them up for a couple of hours....making sure that you have the correct serfice to set them on....like granit or marble table tops...ect.....

 

[Joe Salt]

Tod like anything these days, be carefull what you buy. Denver Instrument does make nice scales. I don't think you will have any problem setting it up, and as for warm ups I leave mine on all the time and have had no trouble with it. make sure it's in 100ths, I suggest you get a calibrate weght to go with it.

Joe Salt

 

[mike in co]

todd....
the scale is fine( well with in its design)....the operator is in error.
ya need to get the beam moving every time you add powder, and then let it settle.
i have been saying this for years on these forum.
if you trickle up...you most get the beam moving...and let it settle for an accurate reading.
having said that...they are only plus or minus .1...tho you can clearly see when they are off.
there are a couple of great electronic scales ou tthere that do plus or minus 0.02 and 0.01......all else in the shooting world is plus or minus 0.1.
a warning if you go to a electronic that is plus or minus 0.1....you cannot see how close you are to being over or under becasue the display is xxx.x .

mike in co

 

[Joe Salt]

Sorry mike but the electronic scale I have is faster than any beam scale out there. And with a beam scale you will have fun weighing primers. Tod just go to Denver Instrument web sight and find the one in your price range, and never look back.

Joe Salt

 

[mike in co]

i agree joe.
i have an mx123...
what i was saying was the typical low dollar electronic stuff is not as good as a beam....
when you move up to $300 or so life gets better....someone had one listed for under 200 that was plus or minus0.02....
mike in co

Sorry mike but the electronic scale I have is faster than any beam scale out there. And with a beam scale you will have fun weighing primers. Tod just go to Denver Instrument web sight and find the one in your price range, and never look back.

Joe Salt

 

[Joe Salt]

Ok so thats all you had to say was I have an mx- 123 and its the way to go, we are trying to help him not confuse him. And yes Tod they are fast.

Joe Salt

 

[gt40]

My super old 505 RCBS is on it's last legs....and I really don't trust it much any more. I throw a charge from my dispencer and trickle the last 2 grains to dead nuts on the line. Then, if I push down on the pan a little (adding weight) it comes back showing heavy by a bunch, like I have 2 to many grains in the pan.

I don't think your 505 is on its last legs. I suggest that you remove the balance beam and clean the triangular "thingy" that rests in the triangular slot and clean the slot also and it may not stick any more. If it does you can send it back to RCBS and they will refurbish it for free and send it back to you in about a week. Dust and crud gets in between those parts over the years which causes it to not swing smoothly.

gt40

 

[TheoW]

My super old 505 RCBS is on it's last legs....and I really don't trust it much any more. I throw a charge from my dispencer and trickle the last 2 grains to dead nuts on the line. Then, if I push down on the pan a little (adding weight) it comes back showing heavy by a bunch, like I have 2 to many grains in the pan.

I don't think your 505 is on its last legs. I suggest that you remove the balance beam and clean the triangular "thingy" that rests in the triangular slot and clean the slot also and it may not stick any more. If it does you can send it back to RCBS and they will refurbish it for free and send it back to you in about a week. Dust and crud gets in between those parts over the years which causes it to not swing smoothly.

gt40

gt40 is absolutely correct. The "knife-edge" of the beam and the receptive slot have to be cleaned regularly with naptha and a "cuetip". I've used a Redding scale for 50 years and with care it's never let me down. I recommend a plastic cover when not in use. Good luck!

Ted

 

[dk hunt 14]

Some scales have a magnet to dampen the scale beam. I had a RcBS that the magnet went out and it didn't weigh very good after that.

 

[gt40]

Some scales have a magnet to dampen the scale beam. I had a RcBS that the magnet went out and it didn't weigh very good after that.

Send it back and RCBS will fix it free and return it lickedy split.

gt40