good/accurate digital scale

[trigga]

I currently have the frankford digital scale which I have used to load target loads. works great but I don't trust it for precision ammo. Last fall was my first attempt at loading precision hunting ammo and I did not like the performance I was getting with the scale. +/- .2 of a grain on several occasions. thank god the powder metered well in my hopper. I'm going to try some .308 and stick powder so I will weight each by hand.

need recommendations on a good reliable digital scale. I came across the gempro 250. what do you guys think? I plan on weighing each charge but then why not a digital trickler/scale combo? Price I can live with if the product performs.... I'm only loading like 100-200 rounds for now but but more will come... I only want to buy this once...

 

[cfullgraf]

Lots of good information on this thread about digital scales.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=759750&highlight=digital+scale

 

[lauderdale]

I like my gem pro allot but if you have any air temp. change/ air current in the area your charging/weighing can be effected allot. Pan size can be another issue if your throwing loads from a p.measure as the shallow pan will allow some of the powder to say hit the pan and go flying out of it. cfullgraff has got it.

 

[Gravedigger56]

I use the Lyman Accu-Touch 2000. Great scale! It is a very sensitive scale that demands proper setup and location but after you get it calibrated, it is VERY accurate even when trickling powder. I periodically check it with my beam scale when loading and so far it has been dead-on.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/11...in-capacity-110-220-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[Eb1]

At what distances are you shooting the .308? I trickle rifle sometimes to +/- .1, but I seriously have had some of my best groups within 200 yards by using dippers. Two-tenths plus or minus shouldn't make much of a difference at 200 to say 300 yards. I think you'd be better off weighing cases and bullets.
You could also check that the cases hold the same amount of water. More consistent bullet weight, case prep, and seating depth would help more than two-tenths of a grain of powder in my experience, and by speaking to others who shoot past 300 yards. Just a thought.

I hope you find your secret recipe. It is a fun hobby, but it can drive you mad sometimes. Figuratively speaking of course.

 

[Dave P]

" Two-tenths plus or minus shouldn't make much of a difference at 200 to say 300 yards. "

Roger that! Especially for a hunting round.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

You could also check that the cases hold the same amount of water.

Isn't there a chart on case volume by head stamp floating around THR somewhere? I could have sworn there was.

Last fall was my first attempt at loading precision hunting ammo and I did not like the performance I was getting with the scale. +/- .2 of a grain on several occasions. thank god the powder metered well in my hopper.

Who says it was the scale and not the Powder measure?

Here's the thing when measuring by Volume...you will get different throw weights depending on powder. I think you will find the scale is more accurate than the powder measure and the +/- shows it.

" Two-tenths plus or minus shouldn't make much of a difference at 200 to say 300 yards. "

I also have to agree.

 

[trigga]

The Frankfort scale is sensitive to temp and air like when I have the a/c or heat on. I think will give the Frankfort scale another try given the +/- .2 of a grain.

 

[R.W.Dale]

All my scale does is confirm my micrometer setting on my uniflow. Charge to charge consistency is not important

I use a cheap-o eBay scale. I have a vintage ohaus beam that's not been setup in years now. I trickle nothing throw to desired charge. When I had rifles capable this approach had no problems getting me into the .2's at 100

 

[Blue68f100]

I have the GP250, you will do good with the them. These are very sensitive scales impacted by a lot of variables. So keeping them away from wind currents and level is a must. When I use mine I run on AC and power it up the night before I'm planning on using it. This allows the scales to fully heat up and fully stabilize. Some make comments that the zero changes with the lid up or down. When leveled properly and warmed up it does not change. It's one of the test I do to check stability.

±0.2 gr on a 50.0 gr charge has little impact on a rifle round.

But.....

±0.2 gr on a 3.0 gr charge is over a 10% swing. On these small charges accuracy is needed.

 

[dds51968]

I have the Frankford Arsenal too, it's pretty accurate for what it costs. I still like to periodically check it against my 505, it's not as accurate as the mechanical scales, but for speed and convenience of making target ammo, the small deviations are acceptable.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have used a Pact BBK for nearly 20 years.

 

[Dudedog]

GEM20 works well but has a small pan. Inexpensive, <$25. .001 gram res. (about .015 grains)
There are some pan mods around here someplace to address the small pan issue.

I have a Frankford 750 and I would say + or - .1 on it.

 

[bush3755]

Observing the benchrest records through 300 yards and noting that the best of the rifles and ammo used shoot under about 1/2 MOA all the time, I think a 0.2 grain spread is good enough for everyone up through 300 yards. The powder measures they use to throw charges directly into cases have about a0.2 grain spread in charge weights. And all the other thousands of benchrest groups are larger than the record setting ones; much larger.

Therefore, I think there's bigger accuracy fish to fry than exact charge weights of power. Nor does the weight have to be exact and match perfect check weights; a 1 or 2 tenths grain error from a standard is meaningless. Lots of powder and primers have a greater spread in their average performance than a tenth of a grain of powder produces.

 

[MILLERTIME]

My Hornady Lock and Load digital works well. I've had it for a couple of years and haven't had any problems. Although there are times I wished I had gotten the Hornady L&L auto charge.

 

[Berserker]

I have the Lyman $50ish. Lots of people poo-poo digital scales, but it is usually .1 of my RCBS beam scale. I don't have check weights yet, but I figure if they are both reading the close, that is similar.

I really like digital for getting my powder measure close. Alot faster when you don't know how far off you are. I usually then use beam.

 

[BGD]

I have a RCBS charge master and I have to turn it on an hour befor I use it. For some reason while it is warming up the zero will drift. I check it every 10 rounds with my RCBS 10/10 while I am loading just to be safe.

 

[joem1945]

I have a digital but prefer the mechanical ones. They seem a bit faster to me.

 

[Hondo 60]

I have 2 digital scales that give the same readings as an Ohaus/Lyman balance beam.

1 - Pact BBKII

1- Cabela's XT 1500 (on sale right now @ $79.00)

Both run right around $100

 

[BCRider]

It's nice when a scale is accurate but really it's consistency that is the important factor that you really want. You'll load to what you need in any event. From that point on it's all about the ability to replicate that load that is important.

What I do as a check is to start up the scale without the pan. While the digital scale boots up and warms in slightly I clean the pan with a bit of brake cleaner on a paper towel inside and out to remove any handling oils or other contaminants.

Where I live rust is enough of an issue that anything that is steel NEEDS at least a light coat of oil. So this tends to get transferred around all to easily. Hence the wipe down to be sure.

Anyway, with the scale working I zero it if needed and then weigh the pan. I check to be sure it matches the weight it always is. If it's still within a 1/10gn I know it'll measure charges to within at least that amount consistently with past sessions.

In effect I'm using the pan as a standard test weight for testing consistency. This doesn't mean that it's accurate as well, just consistent.

 

[Berserker]

I have a digital but prefer the mechanical ones. They seem a bit faster to me.

Lots of people argue accuaracy. But how can a mechanical be faster?

MIne I dump the powder in, and maybe 1-2 seconds. Unless you have way to much coffee, I can't operating a beam that fast, and waiting for it to settle. Espeically if you are way off.

 

[LTH]

I have the Frankford pocket scale ( DS 750 ) and Lymans micro 1500.

I bought some RCBS check weights to see how well the scales do.
Three of the steel weights are 2 ea.of 20.0 gr. and 1 ea. of 10.0 gr.
I got 0.1 over on both the 20.0 gr and then it settled back to 20.0 gr. The 10.0 gr. weight was 10.0gr. every time.

Hope this helps. LTH.

 

[entropy]

I have a PACT that I used until I moved, and now can't find the AC cord.... I never did trust it 100%, though. I bought an RCBS 505 beam scale to replace it, it's what I started on many years ago. If I find the AC cord for the PACT, I'll use it and double check every nth round on the 505; better than re-taring the PAct every nth round as I was doing.

 

[LTH]

ago. If I find the AC cord for the PACT, I'll use it*

If you can find the name plate / voltage and mA.
Rating, you can go to a electronics store and match it up !