electric powder scales

How about - -

using a test weight and weigh it 10 or 20 or even 100 times to see what the readings are. This would-should tell one how accurate they are, no ? We go by what the scale tells us. If we see the same kind of variation that we do using a powder measure then we will know what we are dealing with. One thing is for sure, the test weight has no variability built in to it.
 
I have 2 electronic scales. One over 300 bucks wanders all the time
if the lid is not closed. I cannot tell when it is going to give me an
odd reading. I have loaded with it and found later with the chronograph
that it was low. Yes, I can use a test weight before each shell.
Culprits like dust cause problem and I cannot see it soon enough.
I do have a small elec. scale that is a delight, reads to a tenth
but will fail at some time , for some reason which I cant verify till
later. I use a balance scale and in the shooting environment,
it works. If its not swinging right I can tell before hand. I can
use it at the range with a small stainless steel cabinette( windproof)
and not magnetic. For me the key is I can see a problem before
I have 10 shells loaded
 
"I use a balance scale and in the shooting environment,
it works. If its not swinging right I can tell before hand."


Now THAT I can get with Bob!! I fully agree with that statement. For myself, I wondered what use this fancy scale would be to me until I got into this 600yd shooting......... for this game you must preload 75-100rds since you can't load/tune at the match. FOR THIS my scale has been a real boon. I've got a supercool inside reloading room where the scale remains set up all the time and for this it's been wonderfully accurate and repeatable.

I couldn't bring it out to another range without some serious modification.

Inside, in my controlled environment I've found this scale to be repeatable.

al
 
Pete in Surry said:
using a test weight and weigh it 10 or 20 or even 100 times to see what the readings are. .
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Pete, the load cells used in electronic scales are generally not linear in how they operate. The testing of 10, 20 or 100 samples would be more of a test of the volumetric measure device than the weighing device. IMO.
 
I don't know Jerry

JerrySharrett said:
Pete, the load cells used in electronic scales are generally not linear in how they operate. The testing of 10, 20 or 100 samples would be more of a test of the volumetric measure device than the weighing device. IMO.
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It would seem to me that the problem comes in when the scale says one thing but the actual weight of the item is another. Wouldn't using a known weight vs an unknown weight, like a certain amount of powder be a better indication of the accuracy? If a charge comes up short or long becaues a scale lies to one, it is because one didn't know the weight of the substance they were weighing. In the case of a test weight, one knows exactly what it weighs. If the scale says it weighs more or less that will be the proof that the scale wanders or varies.
 
Pete in Surry said:
It would seem to me that the problem comes in when the scale says one thing but the actual weight of the item is another. Wouldn't using a known weight vs an unknown weight, like a certain amount of powder be a better indication of the accuracy? .
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I'll agree but only if you tell me how you know the "known" is accurate. If you use a certified NBS standard of known tolerance then go for it.

Retire and enjoy it!!
 
Pete,

Every style of powder metering we use wanders & varies for one reason or another. The trick IMHO is to latch onto the device that achieves the degree of precision that you want with the least pain & tedium to the operator.

I don't have an airconditioned loading room & live in a warm temperate to subtropical environment, so humidity variations make any form of thrower problimatic. Balances, even my Mettler 162 lab balance, are somewhat disrupted on a sticky night, as are the mains powered electronics that I've used. The only devices that will discriminate down to one kernel of any powder I use & give consistent readings with my check weights (the ones I've made for the loads I use) any time are the cheap Asian battery scales with claimed 0.001 gram precision. I use the Diamond branded unit at the moment, but have one other style I sometimes use as a crosscheck.

This is an operating instruction I gave to a friend when he started to use the Diamond brand unit.

John
 

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This is pretty much

what I do and have done when I load. I have found that the RCBS set-up I have is remarkably accurate when I compair it to another or other electronic scales. I recently bought a new small one from Sinclair which appears to be a good one. They agree with each other so either they are both lying or both are good.

I did the drill of weighing the test weights that came with the RCBS yesterday. I weighed one 10 times and then the other 10 times, only once in 20 times did the scale not immediately read out how much the weight weighed and then , after a second or two, the true weight came up and stayed there.

I long ago found out that I had to leave the pan on the scale and if it was reading over the charge I wanted, I had to dump the charge and re-zero. I just finished loading 6o cases with H-322 and was lucky to get the powder measure on the charge I wanted for about 1/2 of the throws I made. That expedited the process greatly.

I figure this, if my scale is off a bit now and again it is still better than I can throw from any measure I have ever tried or owned. I have owned a couple of expensive measures and have found no real difference in any of them. I know there is a compelling reason the long range folks weigh and measure everything and I don't buy the arguement that Short Range is more forgiving or the variations don't matter.

I guess it's how small one wants the holes they shoot that determines how particular they want to be when they load. Me, I want a tiny round hole, always . I am never satisfied with a cloverleaf of any size and I search till I find the round hole or don't try to compete with the rifle. If one wants to shoot small holes and lots of Xes they need perfect ammo. Loading randomly doesn't cut it, in my opinion. I make enough dumb mistakes shooting the rifles so trying to compete with a rifle that is out of tune and loads that are randomly loaded certainly isn't going to help me any.
 
scales

I now use an inexpesive (20 euro) electronic diamond scale.
let it always adjust to the temperature you are going to work in, keep an eye on the zero; check it with the powderpan on it- it should be zero!
change the batterys frequently!!! the scale might work less well when the power is going down. always put the powderpan on the same spot on the scale.
these are a few things I've learned working with them
greetings!
Maarten
 
Ive been using RCBS model 90 for the past 10 years, when i first recieved these scales i had problems with them settling and giving accurate measurements. Until i spoke to and electronics guru who suggested to switch the scales ON and never turn them OFF. Since then i havent had any problems.

alan f
 
Once I got my - - - -

alan f said:
Ive been using RCBS model 90 for the past 10 years, when i first recieved these scales i had problems with them settling and giving accurate measurements. Until i spoke to and electronics guru who suggested to switch the scales ON and never turn them OFF. Since then i havent had any problems.

alan f
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battery back up with line conditioner built in I have not turned my Chagemaster off. I think it better to be charged constantly than to be powering up and down; some think electronics last longer that way; me, I don't know but have gone in that direction.
 
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