Looking for a good scale for weighing rifles

If you are checking weight for meeting NBRSA or IBS standards and cutting it close....
Then you might want to make sure you check whatever scale you get against one of the certified weights. Otherwise.......you could find yourself DQ'd before you even get started.
 
In St. Johnsbury we use a digital "postal" scale off eBay with a 30-lb. capacity. We bought a set of certified weights of 10-lb., 3-lb., and 1/2-lb. for $175 and in eight years of use it has never been off perfect once.
 
For home use. the digital postal scales suggested by ReedG works great. This one has been satisfyingly accurate. About $135.00 at Office Depot.


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You can get those postal scales on Ebay sometimes for around $35. and sometimes and with free shipping. I have one and it is always Dead Nuts. I also have a Stren Electronic Fish Scale that is always Dead nuts as well.
 
I did the same thing.
And thought it was dead on until I took it to the range one day and put the official weight on it and found out it was ever so slightly off.

Remember the difference from 10.75 and 10.85 is not much at all but it is enough for disqualification
 
ReedG said:
In St. Johnsbury we use a digital "postal" scale off eBay with a 30-lb. capacity. We bought a set of certified weights of 10-lb., 3-lb., and 1/2-lb. for $175 and in eight years of use it has never been off perfect once.
Click to expand...

Reed...I've been looking at various scales on eBay and Amazon...they are amazingly cheap. Where did you buy your check weights? At $175 I'd probably buy a set myself, but haven't found a good source.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I'm holding a shoot in Birmingham this coming June (our first) and need to secure a good scale.
 
Steve,
The certified weights have gone up in price a bit...last year they cost me $350 for a set for our matches. I looked around every site I could imagine and even tried the NBRSA, but those weights are not certified by an official agency and would end up costing just as much as any other site when you get them certified.
I have a my-weigh ultraship 7000that goes up to 15lbs and it is excellent for what we do. Dead nuts accurate and not very expensive from Old Will Knots.
Good luck with your search.
Mike
 
savet06 said:
Steve,
The certified weights have gone up in price a bit...last year they cost me $350 for a set for our matches. I looked around every site I could imagine and even tried the NBRSA, but those weights are not certified by an official agency and would end up costing just as much as any other site when you get them certified.
I have a my-weigh ultraship 7000that goes up to 15lbs and it is excellent for what we do. Dead nuts accurate and not very expensive from Old Will Knots.
Good luck with your search.
Mike
Click to expand...

At $350 I don't think I'll be buying a set...at $175 I would.
 
Here is a good example site:

http://www.algen.com/calibration.htm

Scroll down to "Stainless Steel - Individual Weights - Avoirdupois NIST Class F" for the lighter weights and then to "Cast Iron Test Weights - Heavy Capacity & Grip Handle ASTM Class 7 (Avoirdupois)" for the 10-lb.

This specific site doesn't list a 3-lb. weight and I didn't search any further. A 10, 2, 1, .5 combo here would be $218. Since this is the first site I looked at in the Google list of "certified test weights" there may well be a less expensive one down the list.
 
I think the total is higher than $218 for the set ($38 + 50+ 60+ 172 = $320) and even then the trouble is that you then have to purchase the traceable certificate for each weight in order to be in compliance with IBS rules...the weights, as listed without certificate are not "certified". I checked every permutation of weights on google, called my local certified weights dealer, and could not get lower than $350-$375. It killed me to lay down the cash, but I knew we needed it to continue to grow towards a state championship.

Reed, looking forward to getting up north again this year. Think you'll make it down for the CT states?
Mike
 
Hi Guys. If you are wanting weights for personal use, not certified. Get a new paint can and lid from a paint store. Pour hot lead in it. Take it to a friendly grocery store or meat market and have it weighed. Measure the height of the lead in the can and estimate how much more you need to get to 10.5 pounds and add it or slightly more hopefully. Take it and a battery powered drill to the store and weigh it again. If it's over, go outside and use your drill to remove some lead from the can and weigh again. Repeat till you get 10.5 pounds. Do the same thing for the three pounds. Don't forget to weigh the lids as part of the weight. Put the lids on and label them. Should work well as a test weight for personal use. I am on my way to do it tomorrow. Don If you can't melt lead then just use loose sinkers. You can use side cutting pliers to cut smaller sinkers to adjust the weight. Don
 
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